Carbon credits have become a popular tool for offsetting the environmental impact of air travel. 



Every flight we take adds to the growing cloud of greenhouse gas emissions hovering over the planet. The aviation industry now emits more carbon dioxide than many individual nations. 



To soften the environmental blow, some airlines offer passengers the option to “offset” their emissions - usually by paying into forest protection schemes. 



The promise is simple: fund the preservation of trees, and they’ll absorb enough carbon to balance out your flight. But does it really work? A new study says not always.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-concerns-about-carbon-credits">Concerns about carbon credits</h2>



Researchers from <a href="https://www.bu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston University</a> and the nonprofit Clean Air Task Force recently examined how forest carbon credit systems are run and regulated in North America. 



These programs are often part of the voluntary carbon market, where companies and individuals can buy credits to compensate for their emissions. But the study found that the protocols behind many of these credits are weak - and in some cases, entirely ineffective.



“There’s been a lot of appetite for these credits so corporations can meet their sustainability goals, but some of the credits that have been sold have been found to be dubious at best,” said Lucy Hutyra, a BU College of Arts &amp; Sciences Distinguished Professor, and chair of Earth and Environment.



“This paper is not about whether the system is broken, let’s just scrap it; it’s looking at what works well, what doesn’t, and how we can improve it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flaws-in-the-current-system">Flaws in the current system</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-carbon-credits-are-not-tied-to-forest-preservation-as-claimed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest carbon credits</a> come in different forms. Some are part of mandatory systems; others are voluntary. At the cheaper end, they involve paying landowners to keep forests standing. 



On paper, each credit is a promise to absorb one ton of carbon dioxide somewhere to make up for one ton emitted elsewhere. But it’s not always that simple.



The researchers evaluated 20 forest carbon credit protocols and gave each one a score based on how effectively it guarantees climate benefits. Most didn’t score well. 



Only one protocol received a “satisfactory” rating - and it hasn’t even been used yet. None earned a “robust” rating or higher.



“Our results show that the protocols used to generate credits are a critical weak link in the forest carbon market system,” said BU alum Rebecca Sanders-DeMott, the Clean Air Task Force's director of ecosystem carbon science. 



“Without significant improvements, the integrity of the forest carbon market will remain at risk,” she stated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-essential-role-of-forests">Essential role of forests</h2>



Forests play an essential role in absorbing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atmospheric-co2-could-push-temperatures-much-higher-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric carbon</a>. But depending on how a credit scheme is managed, the benefits may be overstated. 



One example is the use of “buffer zones,” which are extra preserved areas intended to act as insurance in case something happens to the main forest area, such as a wildfire or disease outbreak.



“In the current system, the buffer pool risks are very conservative, very low estimates of risk,” said Hutyra. “The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-wildfire-season-is-longer-peaks-earlier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfire</a> risk in one part of California could be really quite different than another part.”



They propose the establishment of larger buffer zones and detailed, location-specific risk maps to better reflect real-world threats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-credits-need-improvement">Carbon credits need improvement</h2>



In addition to managing risk better, the study highlights four other areas where the carbon market could improve. 



It lists 22 total recommendations - half are relatively simple to implement, like reassessing project risks every five years. The rest are more complex.



One major issue is something called “leakage.” If you protect one area of forest from development, but that simply pushes deforestation or construction to another location, you haven’t achieved a true reduction in emissions.



“The net effect is no actual change in the land <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-sinks-are-a-powerful-weapon-against-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon sink</a>, in real emissions to the atmosphere,” Hutyra explained.



To fix this, they suggest national and global tracking of land use changes and stronger incentives to support truly climate-positive outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-carbon-credits">What’s next for carbon credits </h2>



The research team is now focused on getting their recommendations into the hands of those who can make a difference. 



The Clean Air Task Force is preparing an easy-to-read version of the report, organizing webinars, and reaching out to groups who manage carbon credit protocols.



Even without strong federal interest in regulating these markets right now, the researchers are hopeful that their work will help steer voluntary efforts in a more effective direction.



“Global energy demand is rising and, while decarbonizing our energy systems is critical, it will take time - decades, in fact. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change are already being felt and are accelerating. Forests, which have long served as vital <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixed-forests-with-many-tree-species-are-more-effective-at-carbon-storage/">carbon sinks</a>, are under increasing threat," said Sanders-DeMott.



"By taking these recommendations seriously, carbon market actors can help restore confidence in carbon markets and unlock the full potential of forests to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, buying us time as we scale the technologies we need to ensure a high-energy, zero-emissions future.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024EF005414" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a>.



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Forest carbon credits are failing, so what needs to change?

Carbon credits have become a popular tool for offsetting the environmental impact of air travel. Every flight we take adds to the growing cloud of greenhouse gas emissions hovering over the planet. The aviation industry now emits more carbon dioxide than many individual nations. To soften the environmental blow, some airlines offer passengers the option to “offset” their emissions - usually by paying into forest protection schemes. The promise is simple: fund the preservation of trees, and they’ll absorb enough carbon to balance out your flight. But...

While climate change increases the occurrence of torrential downpours and floods in some locations, it seems to be sending more frequent and more severe droughts to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazons-carbon-emissions-jumped-40-percent-since-2019/">Amazon </a>Basin. This has far-reaching implications for the rainforest because moisture is at the heart of its very existence. New research now suggests that dry spells in this, the largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest on earth, may cause more extensive damage than was previously thought.



Water that falls over the Amazon rainforest in South America moistens the soil and is taken up by plants. The water is then recycled, through evaporation and transpiration, back into the atmosphere, where it contributes to the droplets in mist and clouds. In this way, the forest creates its own weather, generating as much as half of the rainfall over the greater Basin.&nbsp; When less rain falls, the entire water cycle is affected – not only over the region that experienced the drought, but over large parts of the entire Amazon.



A team of researchers, led by Nico Wunderling of the Potsdam Institute of Climate Action Research, has now used network analysis to understand the complex workings of one of Earth’s most valuable and biodiverse carbon sinks.&nbsp;They have found that even if a dry spell affects only one specific region of the forest, its harm stretches beyond that region by a factor of one to three. &nbsp;As lack of rain strongly decreases the water recycling volume, there will also be less rainfall in neighboring regions, which puts even more parts of the forest under significant stress.



“More intensive droughts put parts of the Amazon rainforest at risk of drying off and dying. Subsequently, due to the network effect, less forest cover leads to less water in the system overall, and hence disproportionately more harm,” explained Wunderling. “And while we’ve investigated the impact of drought, that rule also holds for deforestation. It means essentially, when you chop down one acre of forest, what you actually are destroying is 1.3 acres.”



Extraordinarily dry seasons, that used to occur once a century, now occur twice a decade (for example in 2005 and 2010), and climate models predict they will become the new normal from 2050 onwards.&nbsp;



“These recurrent droughts are already producing quantifiable changes to the Amazon’s moisture network. We use these observations to understand and model the consequences of a future climate that resembles a permanent drought state," explained Henrique Barbosa, assistant professor of Physics at <a href="https://umbc.edu/">University of Maryland Baltimore County</a>.



In the Amazon forest, different regions experience different environmental conditions and the trees are adapted to these. Some parts already experience a dry season and have vegetation with a certain adaptive capacity. However, the researchers think that future changes in the moisture regime will run at a faster pace than the trees can adapt. “We specifically acknowledge these local adaptations as they can be a blessing or a curse under climate change,” said Boris Sakschewski from the Potsdam Institute.



The results of the network analysis reveal that, despite this adaptation, a future climate characterized by permanent drought conditions could trigger a transition to an open canopy state, particularly in the southern Amazon where human activity has already cleared large areas for pasture and crops.



“So we find that even the dry season-adapted parts of the Amazon forest won’t necessarily survive a new climate normal, and the risk of tipping into savannah or no trees at all is high,” said Sakschewski. “The consequences for biodiversity would be disastrous, but the same goes for the local, regional, and global climate.”



“Yet not all is lost,” said study co-senior author Ricarda Winkelmann. “That is because a good part of the forest is still in relatively stable conditions. The network effects of dry spells are likely limited to certain areas in the forest’s southeast and southwest –which happen to be those areas where the forest has been suffering from the human hand already, in clearing forest for pasture or soy.”



“There is still a lot we can do to try and stabilize the Amazon, as preserving it and its ecological services is of utmost importance for local, regional and global climate stability. And we know how we can do that: by protecting the rainforest from logging, and by rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit further global warming.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">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

The Amazon is drying out, with far-reaching consequences

While climate change increases the occurrence of torrential downpours and...

Apart from providing clean food and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-make-water-resources-less-predictable/">water</a>, and countless useful raw materials, nature benefits human well-being in numerous ways. Nature may inspire us, give us a sense of place, a cultural identity and surroundings for recreation and tourism. It may provide us with opportunities for cognitive development, spiritual enrichment, reflection and pleasing aesthetic experiences.&nbsp;



Many of these nonmaterial benefits are difficult to quantify because they are spiritual or cultural in nature and may have different significance and value to different people. But it is undeniable that nonmaterial contributions from nature are hugely important in our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.&nbsp;



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo </a>&nbsp;have now undertaken a systematic review of 301 academic articles on “cultural ecosystem services” (CES) that has enabled them to identify how these nonmaterial contributions from nature are linked to and significantly affect human well-being. Although hundreds of CES studies have previously explored the connections between nature and human well-being, these have often made use of different methods, focused on different services in different places and quantified the benefits in different ways.&nbsp;



This fragmentation has made it difficult to identify common patterns between studies and to understand overarching CES benefits to people. The current study aims to understand better how these intangible contributions from nature really affect human well-being so that policy-makers can make decisions about the environment that benefit all members of society.&nbsp;



Graduate student Lam Huynh from the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science at the University of Tokyo, and team, identified 227 unique pathways through which interaction with nature positively or negatively affects human well-being.&nbsp;



“We identified 227 unique linkages between a single CES (such as recreation or aesthetic value) and a single constituent of human well-being (such as connectedness, spirituality, or health)," said Huynh.“We knew that there are many linkages, but we were surprised to find quite so many of them,” said Huynh. “Then, through further critical reading, we could identify major commonalities.”



Through further reading, the researchers identified 16 distinct underlying “mechanisms,” or types of connection, which refer to the different ways that people’s interactions with nature affect their well-being. For example, there can be positive interactions through “cohesive,” “creative,” and “formative” mechanisms, but also negative interactions through mechanisms such as “irritation” and “destruction.” Ten of these mechanisms were newly defined, showing that our well-being is linked to the intangible aspects of nature in many more ways than previously thought.



According to the paper, the negative contributions to human well-being came mainly through the degradation or loss of CES, and through ecosystem “disservices,” such as annoyance at wildlife noise, which can affect some people’s mental health. On the other hand, the highest positive contributions of CES were to both mental and physical health, which were generated mainly through recreation, tourism and aesthetic value.



“It is particularly interesting to note that the identified pathways and mechanisms, rather than affecting human well-being independently, often interact strongly,” explained study co-author Professor Alexandros Gasparatos. “This can create negative trade-offs in some contexts, but also important positive synergies that can be leveraged to provide multiple benefits to human well-being.”



Despite the comprehensiveness of the review, the researchers acknowledge that they may not yet have identified all possible links between CES and human well-being.&nbsp;



“We hypothesize that missing pathways and mechanisms could be present in ecosystem-dependent communities, and especially traditional and Indigenous communities, considering their very unique relations with nature,” said Professor Gasparatos.



“Another of the knowledge gaps we identified is that the existing literature on these nonmaterial dimensions of human-nature relationships mainly focuses on the well-being of individuals rather than on collective (community) well-being,” explained Huynh. “This significant gap hinders our capacity to identify possible synergies and trade-offs in ecosystem management research and practice.”



The team has now received a grant to explore the effects of CES provision to human well-being in the urban spaces of Tokyo. “This project is a logical follow-up to test whether and how some of the identified pathways and mechanisms unfold in reality and intersect with human well-being,” said Gasparatos.



The researchers hope that this study will make it possible to apply the key findings from this complex and diverse body of knowledge to enable real-world impact. Study co-author Professor Kensuke Fukushi from IFI summarized their hope that “an improved understanding of nature’s many connections to human well-being, and the underlying processes mediating them, can help policymakers to design appropriate interventions. Such coordinated action could leverage the positive contributions of these connections and become another avenue to protect and manage ecosystems sustainably.”



---



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

Nurturing benefits of nature are crucial for human well-being

Apart from providing clean food and water, and countless useful...

Demand for hops have risen significantly over the past years, as the craft <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lager-beer-is-beneficial-for-mens-gut-microbiome/">beer</a> industry has grown, largely fueled by hop-forward beers such as India pale ales. As a consequence, hop growers and breeders are increasingly focused on the aromatic potential of hops and their contribution to beer flavor. At the same time, the increasing appreciation for regionally or locally produced beer has provided growers, breeders, and brewers with an opportunity to add value to their products by better understanding hop traits which are influenced by a growing region, sub-region, or even a single field, thus giving rise to the concept of “hop regional identity.”&nbsp;



A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> (OSU) has now investigated the impact of the growing environment on the aroma of hops and beers brewed with them, and discovered that hops of the same variety grown in Oregon and Washington and the resulting beers have different chemical properties and aroma profiles.&nbsp;



“Like winemakers, brewers want to know: Will hops grown in different regions be different? And, if so, why?” said&nbsp;study senior author Thomas Shellhammer, an expert on the chemistry of hops at OSU. “This study shows compelling evidence that there are differences you can attribute to the region.”



Together with his team, Professor Shellhammer analyzed Cascade and Mosaic hops from the 2020 harvest year grown at 39 different locations in Washington’s Yakima Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley. By chemically analyzing the acids and compounds in the hops and convening a trained sensory panel to analyze the hop aromas, they discovered significant between-state and within-state differences for both varieties.&nbsp;



While Cascade hops grown in Oregon were characterized by strong citrus, floral, fruity, herbal, and resinous aroma, those from Washington displayed a more tropical and sweaty aroma. As for the Mosaic hops – those grown in Oregon exhibited a strong citrus, floral, fruity, and tropical aroma, while those in Washington had a more sweaty, vegetal, and woody aroma.



“These results will help hop growers in the Pacific Northwest of the United States as well as brewers utilizing hops from these major hop-growing regions to produce regionally unique beers or to blend hops in a way that results in standardized and constant beer quality,” Professor Shellhammer said.



In future research, the scientists aim to investigate whether regional differences exist among other hop varieties and between different harvest years, and to clarify the impact of environmental parameters - such as soil characteristics, the microbiome, weather, and climate – and agricultural parameters, including irrigation, fertilization, and harvest date.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03610470.2022.2089010">Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists</a>.



---



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

Growing environment impacts the aroma of beer and hops

Demand for hops have risen significantly over the past years,...

As glaciers retreat due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-severely-impact-birds-by-2080/">climate change</a>, managers of national parks need to know what’s on the horizon to prepare for the future. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> has measured 38 years of change for glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park. The 670,000-acre park hosts various types of glaciers that terminate in the ocean, in lakes, or on land.



The researchers identified trends in the glacier types that are disappearing the fastest. The results showed that 13 of the 19 glaciers show substantial retreat, four are relatively stable, and two have advanced.&nbsp;



"These glaciers are a big draw for tourism in the park - they’re one of the main things that people come to see,” said study lead author Taryn Black, a UW doctoral student. “Park managers had some information from satellite images, aerial photos, and repeat photography but they wanted a more complete understanding of changes over time.”



Lake-terminating glaciers, which include the popular Bear Glacier and Pedersen Glacier, are retreating fastest. Bear Glacier retreated by five kilometers (three miles) between 1984 to 2021, and Pedersen Glacier retreated by 3.2 kilometers (two miles) during the same time period. Glacier retreat in Alaska is driven by climate change.&nbsp;



“These glaciers are at really low elevation. It’s possibly causing them to get more rain in the winter rather than snow in addition to warming temperatures, which is consistent with other climate studies in this region," said Black.



One surprising finding was that Holgate Glacier has advanced in recent years. Local boat operators had reported seeing newly exposed land near the glacier’s edge in 2020. The new analysis shows that the overall glacier has been advancing for five years, and appears to go through regular cycles of advance and retreat. The edges of most of the other tidewater glaciers were relatively stable over the study period.



The six land-terminating glaciers all showed an intermediate response, with most retreating in summer months, but at a slower rate than the lake-terminating glaciers. The Paguna Glacier is covered in rock debris from the 1964 Alaska earthquake which insulates the glacier from melting. It was the only glacier to advance during the study period.&nbsp;



These findings provide a baseline to study how climate change - including warmer air temperatures and changes in precipitation - will continue to affect these glaciers.&nbsp;



The study can support park managers by helping to quantify the changes that have been occurring. “We can’t manage our lands well if we don’t understand the habitats and processes occurring on them,” said study co-author Deborah Kurtz of the U.S. National Park Service in Seward, Alaska.



“These data will allow us to provide scientists and visitors with more details of the changes occurring at each specific glacier, helping everyone to better understand and appreciate the rate of landscape change we are experiencing in this region."



The study was conducted as part of an internship originally intended to take place at Kenai Fjords National Park. Instead, Black did the research remotely from Seattle and visited local glaciers at Mount Rainier. The project was partially funded by the National Park Service’s Future Park Leaders program, a partnership between the Ecological Society of America and the U.S. National Park Service.



The findings are published in the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-glaciology">Journal of Glaciology</a>.



Image Credit: U.S. National Park Service



---



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

Decades of change: how climate is affecting glaciers

As glaciers retreat due to climate change, managers of national...

Recently, record amounts of foul-smelling sargassum seaweed have flooded huge areas of the Atlantic Ocean shoreline, leading U.S. Virgin Islands governor Albert Bryan Jr. to declare a state of emergency. In June 2022, the amount of these algae found in the tropical, central west and east Atlantic, as well as in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, reached 24.2 million tons – a significant increase from 18.8 million in May.



“If you put all this biomass side by side, the entire area is equivalent to six times of Tampa Bay,” said Chuanmin Hu, an expert in Optical Oceanography at the <a href="https://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a>. According to Governor Bryan, “the seaweed overrunning our beaches also brings the potential for disruption to businesses and other negative financial impacts to our economy.”



While the seaweed usually provides habitat and feeding grounds for a large variety of aquatic animals, such as crabs, dolphins, eels, and different species of fish, once washed ashore it starts to rot, emanating a foul smell and releasing toxic gases that can cause humans in their vicinity heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness. In addition, the large floating mats are clogging fishing gear and impeding navigation at sea, while the seaweed that sinks to the bottom of the sea could smother coral reefs and other ecosystems.



According to a 2019 article published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaw7912">Science</a>, sargassum seaweed – which was once predominant in the northern regions of the Atlantic – has become increasingly widespread in the south since 2011, most likely due to the unusually strong winds and currents the Atlantic experienced a year before.



Those hoping to have seaweed-free Caribbean beaches in the next summers should not set their expectations too high, warned Dr. Hu. Most probably, massive sargassum blooms in the coastal waters will become a “new normal,” causing massive disruptions to ecosystems and the economy. However, since seaweed has many uses – from being turned into fertilizer, bricks, or even tennis shoes to being eaten in salads – this crisis could also provide new opportunities.



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

Caribbean shores are choked by seaweed

Recently, record amounts of foul-smelling sargassum seaweed have flooded huge...

Many studies have shown that, in children, ambient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severity-of-covid-symptoms-linked-to-air-pollution/">air pollution</a> can lead to allergic sensitization, respiratory problems, and ultra-structural and cellular changes to their lungs and airways. Due to their higher intake of contaminants and greater lung surface area relative to their body weight, children are more susceptible to the damaging effects of pollution compared to adults.&nbsp;



A study led by the<a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/"> University of California, Davis</a> has now found children exposed to high levels of air pollution also have elevated markers of inflammation (such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Interleukin-6.aspx">interleukin 6</a>), and lower cardiac autonomic regulation, which impacts how fast the heart beats and how hard it pumps.



The scientists examined blood samples from over 100 children aged 9-11 in the Sacramento area of California where significant levels of pollutants were recorded by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA). The analysis revealed that 27 children who were exposed to particulate matter carried by wildfire smoke had markers of systemic inflammation and lower cardiac autonomic regulation.



“By examining daily and monthly levels of particulate matter in relation to children’s inflammation and autonomic physiology, this study further demonstrates the immediate consequences of exposure to air pollution, which may increase risk of future disease,”&nbsp;said study lead author Anna Parenteau, a doctoral student in Psychology at UC Davis.&nbsp;



“As climate change continues to impact children and families, it is paramount to understand the impact of environmental contaminants such as air pollution on children’s physiology.”



According to Parenteau and her colleagues, children exposed to pollutants released during wildfires are likely to develop long-term health conditions, including asthma, decreased lung function, and a host of neurodevelopmental problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, memory issues, and deficits in school performance.



Continued developmental research on environmental contaminants is necessary to sound the alarm about the hazardous effects of air pollution and inform policy changes that could promote long-term population health.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cad.20474">New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development</a>.



---



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

Air pollution increases risk of future disease in children

Many studies have shown that, in children, ambient air pollution...

Air <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-increases-the-risk-of-dementia/">pollution</a> has been linked, in past research, to increased risks of neurological disorders, such as schizophrenia&nbsp;and&nbsp;autism. Considering that 99 percent of people across the globe live in cities where air quality is questionable, it is surprising that only one in 44 children is diagnosed with autism. Naval oceanographer Carina Block worked where she was exposed to jet exhaust fumes every day while she was pregnant and when she gave birth to a baby with a neurodevelopmental problem, she thought there might be a connection.



“I was pregnant, stressed, and worked near planes,” Block recalled. “I walked past jet fuel exhaust every day. And my child ended up developing a neurodevelopmental disorder, hydrocephalus.”



Although her daughter is now healthy, Block has continued to follow her hunch by conducting research under the auspices of the labs of psychology and neuroscience professor Staci Bilbo, PhD and cell biology professor Cagla Eroglu, PhD, both from <a href="https://duke.edu/">Duke University</a> in North Carolina. Block’s most recent research on the effects of air pollution and stress on the offspring of mice provides convincing evidence that, had she been carrying a baby boy, he may well have been born with autism



The research involved exposing pregnant mice to air pollution in the form of diesel exhaust particles. Towards the end of their pregnancy, the mice moms were dealt another stressor: they were given insufficient material from which to build a nest for their pups. According to the researcher, this added stress mimics the situation that many people find themselves in during the course of their normal lives.&nbsp;



When asked why not every child born in a polluted city develops autism, Bilbo explained that environmental toxins are worse for some people than for others and it's always the most vulnerable populations that are affected.&nbsp; In the case of autism and air pollution, Bilbo thinks the missing link is maternal stress stemming from poverty and housing insecurity.



“It’s not that wealthy people aren't stressed,” Bilbo said. “But it’s different when you have to worry about where you're going to live and whether you're safe in your home.”



This explains why Block and her team chose to limit the amount of nesting material to the pregnant mice that were already exposed to polluted air. They wished to test this combination of conditions, which are endured by many people every day, in order to monitor the effects on the brain development of the offspring.&nbsp;



The findings, published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/home">Cell Reports</a>, showed that although the stressed mice were exemplary parents that nursed and groomed their pups just as much as those who were spared the prenatal stressors, their male offspring exhibited unusual, autism-like social behavior. Adolescent male mice born to stress- and smog-exposed moms preferred hanging out with a yellow rubber duck rather than a nearby mouse (mice usually prefer the company of one of their own rather than that of a bath toy). Female offspring were less likely to be affected in this way.&nbsp;



After observing the unusual behavior in male offspring, Block and her team looked at what had happened in their brains that may have made them socially shy. Specifically, the research team wondered whether male brains had somehow missed out on their necessary refinement early in development.



All young animals have an excess of connections (synapses) between their brain cells. As they grow up and develop, these connections get “pruned” back; connections that are used often are strengthened while connections that are seldom used are removed.&nbsp; The result of this process of synaptic pruning is that the brain becomes more efficient as the animal ages.&nbsp;



The results of the brain analysis of mice indicated that male offspring of stressed mothers who had inhaled diesel fumes had missed out on the normal pruning of synapses in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region that is important for perceiving and producing social cues. The overabundance of synapses in this region seemed to explain their shy social tendencies as teenagers, but it left open the question of how a double-hit of smog and stress during gestation halts typical brain sculpting.



In order to understand this, Block and her team looked at the immune system, specifically at immune cells in the brain, called microglia. These are highly active cells that monitor the brain constantly for pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, but they also destroy weak or dead synapses. This helps to trim away unwanted connections and keep the brain tidy. Block reasoned that if there are more synapses than usual, perhaps there aren’t as many microglia in the brains of affected males.



Confusingly, Block found that adolescent males from the stressed mother mice had just as many microglia in the ACC as did their peers from non-stressed moms. However, smog and housing stress lead to microglia having less of the protein that stimulates their appetite for synapses, which likely explains why pruning did not take place effectively in the ACC.&nbsp;



By adulthood, the situation in the mouse brains had been reversed. Males from smog- and stress-exposed moms now had fewer synapses in their ACC and were more gregarious than their unexposed peers. This atypical tendency to be more outgoing rather than reserved mirrored the&nbsp;<a href="https://today.duke.edu/2022/03/duke-scientists-find-brain-network-makes-mice-mingle">behavior and brain activity of mice with autism-linked genes</a>&nbsp;that has been recently described by Block’s collaborator and co-author, Duke neurobiology professor and psychiatrist Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD.



Dzirasa states that many of his patients with autism would fail the standard lab tests used to diagnose mice, because mouse behavior is considered to be autism-like if the mice are less inclined to socialize. Dzirasa and Block say that people with autism are not inherently introverted, but have difficulty understanding social cues and conventions rather than being unwilling to interact socially.&nbsp;



Block and Bilbo suggest this work provides a clear mechanism in mice that may explain why high levels of air pollution&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.lww.com/environepidem/Fulltext/2019/10000/Air_pollution,_neighborhood_deprivation,_and.8.aspx">increase the likelihood that a child will develop autism</a>&nbsp;only if they’re born in a poor neighborhood. It might also lead to the development of drugs to help prevent microglia from being manipulated by environmental stressors, since diesel exhaust and housing stress triggers a similar immune response when pregnant women catch the flu.



For now, Bilbo and her team hope that this unequivocal evidence about the impact of stress and air pollution during pregnancy pushes policymakers to promote legislation supporting clean air initiatives and social services, such as improved and expanded public housing.



“You can't ignore this study’s mechanistic findings,” Bilbo said. “This is happening, and this is how.”



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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

Is autism related to pollution and stress during pregnancy?

Air pollution has been linked, in past research, to increased...

Birds are described as modern-day dinosaurs, and it seems they will be forced, yet again, to adapt to a rapidly changing world. A team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/homepage/">Durham University</a> has predicted that climate change will force avian communities worldwide to shift their ranges by 2080.



To make their predictions for the future, the researchers looked at the past. They compared previous climate data to past avian ranges to determine where the birds might move. The experts then applied these relationships to a model that considered future climates based on low and high greenhouse emissions.&nbsp;



The team was interested in more than the number of birds and species diversity. They wanted to determine the effect the shift will have on phylogenetic diversity, which factors in how many different types of birds make up a community.&nbsp;



“In our study, we examined the effects of global warming on the regional distribution of terrestrial birds around the world," said Dr. Alke Voskamp of Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre. "The focus was on the effects on species richness as well as on various aspects of phylogenetic diversity, primarily how closely related the species are to each other.”



The researchers analyzed 8,768 bird species to help them determine how many lineages might be lost or added regionally as birds move and adapt to a dynamic climate. They believe most losses will occur in tropical and subtropical areas but that community restructuring will take place worldwide.&nbsp;



The study points out that maintaining regional phylogenetic diversity will be crucial to the resilience of over biological diversity.



“The diversity of lineages is very often related to the diversity of traits that species possess and thus to their roles and functions in ecosystems," said study co-author Professor Stephen Willis of Durham University.



"For example, species from more distant lineages often have different beak types, and hence eat different types of food. Change means that the ecosystem functions that birds perform in an area may also change in the future, with potential consequences for food webs, seed dispersal and plant pollination.”



Readers can access the study in <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2021.2184">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.



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

Climate change will severely impact birds by 2080

Birds are described as modern-day dinosaurs, and it seems they...

Previous studies have shown that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-daily-dose-of-nature-can-improve-your-diet/">nature</a> is important for physical and mental health. But, there is a gap in the research, as experts have yet to determine which aspects of nature (e.g., smells, sounds, colors) impact well-being and why.



A new study led by the <a href="https://www.kent.ac.uk/">University of Kent</a> has shed some light on the subject. The researchers concluded that the scents we experience in nature help us feel less anxious and more cheerful.&nbsp;



The study was carried out in a woodland environment during February, April, June, and October of 2019. The researchers found that the participants did not necessarily experience a connection with the scent of the woodlands. Rather, they associated the smells in the woodlands with notable events in their lives, prompting emotional responses to the memory.



Think of fresh cut grass, which might bring back feelings of summer vacation as a child and the freedom that came with it. Participants mentioned that the smell of pine trees reminded them of Christmas.&nbsp;



Interestingly, people also felt more relaxed in the absence of scent. The experts believe this is due to the many unpleasant odors encountered in urban environments. The absence of these smells represents "fresh air" or the removal of pollution, so people find it pleasant.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"We found smells affected multiple domains of well-being with physical well-being discussed most frequently, particularly in relation to relaxation, comfort, and rejuvenation," wrote the researchers. "Even absence of smell was perceived to improve physical well-being, providing a cleansing service, removing the pollution and unwanted smells associated with urban areas, therefore enabling relaxation."



Public health professionals may consider these findings especially relevant since relaxation relieves stress and lowers cortisol levels which are associated with various diseases.



Study co-author Dr. Jessica Fisher is a postdoctoral research associate at Kent's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE).



"The study provides findings that can inform the work of practitioners, public health specialists, policy-makers and landscape planners looking to improve wellbeing outcomes through nature. Small interventions could lead to public health benefits," said Dr. Fisher.



The researchers point out that people of different cultures will not experience smells in the same ways and encourage further studies to investigate how age and different landscapes affect scent interpretation.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-022-01760-w">Ambio</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

Smells in nature help us feel more relaxed and cheerful

Previous studies have shown that nature is important for physical...

According to a new report by the <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/">Australian Institute of Marine Science</a> (AIMS), the northern and central regions of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-barrier-reef-changes/">Great Barrier Reef</a> have recorded their highest amount of coral cover since the scientists began monitoring the reef 36 years ago. While these findings suggest that the reef can efficiently recover during periods free of intense disturbances, the loss of cover in its southern regions show how dynamic and often unpredictable coral reefs are.&nbsp;



In the 87 representative reefs surveyed from August 2021 to May 2022, the average hard coral cover in the region north of Cooktown increased to 36 percent (from 27 percent in 2021), and to 33 percent in its central region (from 26 percent in 2021). However, the coral cover in the reef’s southern regions decreased from 38 percent in 2021 to 34 percent.



“A third of the gain in coral cover we recorded in the south in 2020/21 was lost last year due to ongoing crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks,” said Paul Hardisty, the CEO of AIMS. “This shows how vulnerable the Reef is to the continued acute and severe disturbances that are occurring more often and are longer-lasting.”



The increased frequency of mass coral bleaching events – with this year’s event the fourth in only seven years and the first to occur during La Niña – highlights the vulnerability of these crucial ecosystems to stressors such as temperature rises, tropical cyclones, and other climatic factors.



“These corals are particularly vulnerable to wave damage, like that generated by strong winds and tropical cyclones,” said Mike Emslie, the AIMS monitoring program team leader. “They are also highly susceptible to coral bleaching, when water temperatures reach elevated levels, and are the preferred prey for crown-of-thorns starfish. This means that large increases in hard coral cover can quickly be negated by disturbances on reefs where&nbsp;Acropora&nbsp;corals predominate.”



“The increasing frequency of warming ocean temperatures and the extent of mass bleaching events highlights the critical threat climate change poses to all reefs, particularly while crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and tropical cyclones are also occurring. Future disturbance can reverse the observed recovery in a short amount of time,” he concluded.



The Annual Summary Report of Coral Reef Condition 2021/22 can be found <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/monitoring-great-barrier-reef/gbr-condition-summary-2021-22">here</a>.



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

Parts of the Great Barrier Reef are currently recovering

According to a new report by the Australian Institute of...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blue-tit-migration-driven-by-the-environment/">Blue tits</a> are characterized by their striking coloration, sporting a blue crest and a yellow breast. By following two populations of blue tits in the south of France&nbsp; - one close to Montpellier and the other on the island of Corsica - over a period of 15 years (2005-2019), a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.ehu.eus/en">University of the Basque Country</a> (UPV/EHU) and the <a href="https://www.cefe.cnrs.fr/en/">Center of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology</a> in Montpellier, France has found that the coloration of these birds has gradually become less bright and intense. According to the experts, this long-term decrease in coloration is most likely caused by climate change.



“Our work suggests that environmental changes, and specifically climate change, could be the main reason why birds such as the blue tit are undergoing a change in their physical features, more specifically in the brightness and intensity of their coloration,” said study lead author David López-Idiáquez, a postdoctoral fellow at UPV/EHU.



“A negative trend in terms of brightness and intensity of plumage coloration in both sexes and populations has been observed, although in Corsica this change is more associated with climate. The change in plumage color seems to be the result of a combination of a rise in temperature (1.23 ºC) and a fall in rainfall (0.64 mm), so climate change would be the potential cause of this difference.”&nbsp;



When animals experience environmental changes, they have four options: to undergo genetic change, to undergo plastic change (a modification of physical features without genetic changes), to migrate, or to become extinct. According to Dr. López-Idiáquez, the change in plumage characterizing blue tits falls into the second category. “It is important to stress that this change is not genetic but plastic, one of the ways of adapting to new environmental conditions,” he explained.&nbsp;These changes may have an effect on the mating patterns of this species, since in these birds, traits such as coloring function as signals to indicate to conspecifics the reproductive quality of the specimens.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Overall, this study suggests that ornamental colorations could become less conspicuous because of warming, revealing climate change effects on sexual and social ornaments and calling for further research on the proximate mechanisms behind these effects,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/719655">The American Naturalist</a>.



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

Bird coloration is fading due to climate change

Blue tits are characterized by their striking coloration, sporting a...

Researchers discovered that "super eruptions" occur when accumulations of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-explosive-magmas-hidden-under-tame-volcanoes/">magma</a> deep in the Earth’s crust - which formed over millions of years - move rapidly to the surface disrupting pre-existing rock. The magma that supplies super eruptions takes place over a prolonged period of time.&nbsp;



Plutons are rock made from solidified magma that were formed a few million years before four known super eruptions. The disruption of these plutons by newly emplaced magmas occurred extraordinarily rapidly, disrupting the crust and then erupting in just a few decades.&nbsp;



These findings, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>, explain these differences in time ranges for magma generation and eruption by flow of hot but solid crust in response to ascent of the magma, accounting for the infrequency of these eruptions and their huge volumes.



"The longevity of plutonic and related volcanic systems contrasts with short timescales to assemble shallow magma chambers prior to large-magnitude eruptions of molten rock," explained Professor Steve Sparks of Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences.



"Crystals formed from earlier magma pulses, entrained within erupting magmas are stored at temperatures near or below the solidus for long periods prior to eruption and commonly have very short residence in host magmas for just decades or less.”



Previous studies have shown that magma chambers for super eruptions form very rapidly, but there was no convincing explanation for this rapid process.&nbsp;



“By studying of the age and character of the tiny crystals erupted with molten rock, we can help understand how such eruptions happen," said Professor Sparks.&nbsp;



“The research provides an advance in understanding the geological circumstances that enable super eruptions to take place. This will help identify volcanoes that have potential for future super eruptions.”



Bristol scientists estimate that only one type of super eruption occurs on Earth every 20,000 years. These rare events are, however, highly destructive locally and can lead to global and severe climate change that would have catastrophic consequences.



The research was supported by the Mining company BHP and by NERC.



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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

Volcanic super eruptions build up for millions of years

Researchers discovered that "super eruptions" occur when accumulations of magma...

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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Saturn,-,High,Resolution,3d,Images,Presents,Planets,Of,The

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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