High in Alaska’s Brooks Range, streams that once ran so clear you could drink from them are now the color of rusty tea. The water looks hazy, smells metallic, and can stain rocks orange for miles.&nbsp;



Fish are struggling, insect life is smothered, and the change has arrived with startling speed. Scientists say the culprit isn’t industry. It’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thawing-permafrost-could-tip-earths-climate-balance/">thawing permafrost</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-frozen-ground-wakes-up">When frozen ground wakes up</h2>



For millennia, Arctic permafrost - permanently frozen soil - locked minerals in place. As the region warms, that icy seal is failing. Water and oxygen seep into freshly thawed ground and set off a chain reaction in sulfide-rich rocks (pyrite is a prime example).&nbsp;



The chemistry is textbook: sulfides oxidize, sulfuric acid forms, and the acid leaches metals like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/iron-was-lifes-first-essential-metal-and-shaped-early-evolution/">iron</a>, aluminum, and cadmium from surrounding rock. Those metals then flush into rivers and streams.



“This is what acid mine drainage looks like,” said Tim Lyons, a biogeochemist at the University of California, Riverside. “But here, there’s no mine. The permafrost is thawing and changing the chemistry of the landscape.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-astounding-changes-in-water-chemistry">Astounding changes in water chemistry</h2>



A new study zeroes in on the Salmon River, a key waterway in the Brooks Range, documenting just how far the contamination has progressed.&nbsp;



But the authors stress the pattern isn’t isolated. Similar transformations are underway across dozens of Arctic watersheds that share the same mix of geology and thaw.



“I have worked and traveled in the Brooks Range since 1976, and the recent changes in landforms and water chemistry are truly astounding,” said David Cooper, a <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a> research scientist and co-author of the study.



The alarm first sounded in 2019. Ecologist Paddy Sullivan of the <a href="https://www.alaska.edu/alaska/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alaska</a> was flying into the backcountry to study northward-shifting forests when his bush pilot mentioned the Salmon hadn’t cleared after snowmelt - it looked, he said, “like sewage.”&nbsp;



Sullivan’s field observations led to a collaboration with Lyons, <a href="https://www.alaskapacific.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alaska Pacific University</a>’s Roman Dial, and others to trace the cause and measure the ecological fallout.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toxic-metals-in-alaska-s-rivers">Toxic metals in Alaska's rivers</h2>



The team’s analysis confirmed a geochemical cascade. Permafrost thaw exposes sulfide-bearing rocks, oxidation generates acidity, and the resulting acid mobilizes a suite of metals.&nbsp;



In small doses many metals are harmless or even essential. But at higher concentrations they become toxic to aquatic life - and the Salmon River’s waters now exceed the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a> thresholds for several metals detrimental to fish and invertebrates.



Iron is the most visible signal. As iron oxidizes, it forms fine, orange precipitates that cloud the water and coat the streambed. That haze blocks sunlight that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-algae-that-once-cooled-earth-are-now-disappearing/">algae</a> and aquatic plants need, and the sludge blankets the gravel and cobbles where insect larvae live and fish spawn. 



Cadmium is more insidious: it can accumulate in fish organs, potentially affecting predators from Dolly Varden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trout-living-in-polluted-rivers-evolved-to-tolerate-high-metal-levels-in-the-waters/">trout</a> and grayling to birds and bears.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ripple-effects-in-the-food-chain">Ripple effects in the food chain</h2>



For now, the researchers say metal levels in edible fish tissue are not considered hazardous to humans. But indirect risks loom large.&nbsp;



Chum salmon - central to the diets and culture of many Indigenous communities - lay their eggs in clean, oxygenated gravel. When those spaces fill with fine sediment and metal precipitates, the oxygen drops and eggs can suffocate. 



Changes in insect communities ripple up the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-twilight-zone-stabilizes-the-marine-food-chain/">food chain</a>, weakening the foundation that supports juvenile fish and the species that eat them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-irreversible-shift-in-alaska-s-rivers">Irreversible shift in Alaska's rivers</h2>



Unlike mine sites - where engineers can install liners, drains, or neutralizing systems - these rivers wind through remote, roadless country, and the sources of contamination are everywhere thaw has reached the right rock. There is no single pipe to plug, no settling pond to build.



“Wherever you have the right kind of rock and thawing permafrost, this process can start,” Lyons said. And once it does, it tends to keep going. The only true “off switch” would be for the permafrost to refreeze - an unlikely prospect in a warming climate.



“There’s no fixing this once it starts,” Lyons said. “It’s another irreversible shift driven by a warming planet.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fingerprints-of-global-warming">Fingerprints of global warming</h2>



The experts hope their findings will help communities, land managers, and fisheries prepare - by expanding water quality monitoring, identifying vulnerable spawning grounds, planning alternative harvests if runs falter, and adapting management practices as conditions change.



The broader message is sobering. The Brooks Range is about as far from cities and smokestacks as you can get. Yet its rivers are wearing the unmistakable fingerprints of global warming.



“There are few places left on Earth as untouched as these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alaskas-rivers-are-rusting-and-the-changes-are-visible-from-space/">rivers</a>,” Lyons said. “But even here, far from cities and highways, the fingerprint of global warming is unmistakable. No place is spared.”



Rivers once known for their wild clarity are telling a new story - one where ancient ice, long trusted to keep the land’s chemistry in check, is finally letting go.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2425644122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



Image Credit: Taylor Rhoades



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Alaska's rivers are turning orange, and the changes are irreversible

High in Alaska’s Brooks Range, streams that once ran so clear you could drink from them are now the color of rusty tea. The water looks hazy, smells metallic, and can stain rocks orange for miles.&nbsp; Fish are struggling, insect life is smothered, and the change has arrived with startling speed. Scientists say the culprit isn’t industry. It’s thawing permafrost. When frozen ground wakes up For millennia, Arctic permafrost - permanently frozen soil - locked minerals in place. As the region warms, that icy seal is failing....

Climate change is already making itself felt through record-breaking wildfires, worsening floods, and rising global temperatures.



In this context, the question arises: can we afford to keep opening new oil and gas fields? According to a new report, the answer is a firm no - especially when it comes to the North Sea.



The scientists behind the report are from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University College London</a>, with expertise across the UCL Energy Institute, UCL Department of Political Science, and UCL Policy Lab. The team argues that new North Sea oil and gas licenses directly contradict the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-impact-of-oil-and-gas-fields">Climate impact of oil and gas fields</h2>



The report calls on the UK Government to stop issuing new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-leaks-in-us-oil-and-gas-hit-10-billion-in-economic-losses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oil and gas</a> exploration licenses. It also urges denying development consent for fields that are already licensed. 



That includes major projects like Rosebank and Jackdaw. Both fields had previously received approval, but a Scottish court overturned those approvals in January.



The court ruled that the climate impacts of burning the extracted oil and gas were not fully considered in environmental impact assessments.



The study comes at a pivotal time. The UK Government is currently weighing two key decisions: whether to re-approve the development of Rosebank and Jackdaw. It is also considering how to move forward with its policy of ending new licensing altogether.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-new-oil-licenses">No new oil licenses</h2>



These decisions come in the context of a two-step process typically used in the UK. First, companies receive a license to explore an area for oil and gas. If they discover a viable field, they can then apply for development consent to begin extraction.



The researchers recommend halting this process entirely. They advise the government to stop awarding new licenses and to refuse <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-diversity-takes-a-hard-hit-near-offshore-platforms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extraction</a> approvals for fields already explored but not yet developed.



“Climate impacts are already threatening people’s homes, our farming, and our economy, so reducing emissions is now urgent,” said lead author Greg Muttitt.



“We’ve brought together the peer-reviewed scientific literature on oil and gas, which sends a clear message: there’s no room for new fields to be opened. When you’re in a hole, you have to stop digging.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-targets-already-at-risk">Climate targets already at risk</h2>



To build their case, the researchers examined a large body of climate science, including studies published in leading scientific journals. 



The results of the analysis are stark. Even burning oil and gas from currently operating or developing fields would push global temperatures past the 1.5°C limit.



Current estimates place the world’s “committed emissions” - those that will come from already existing oil and gas operations - at about 469 gigatons of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-carbon-dioxide-travels-in-the-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon dioxide</a>. That’s around three times the amount that would push the Earth past the 1.5°C threshold.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-legal-and-political-momentum">Legal and political momentum</h2>



With Rosebank and Jackdaw pending decisions, the UK Government faces pressure to fully consider their climate impacts.



Dr. Fergus Green is an associate professor in the UCL Department of Political Science. "Our report lays out the evidential basis for rejecting new field development consents on climate grounds," he said. 



“This is a real chance for the UK Government to show world leadership in an important aspect of climate action."



"Ending new licenses and consents for oil and gas exploration and production would send a powerful signal to the rest of the world about the need to stop expanding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-fuel-pollution-is-causing-disease-disaster-and-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil fuel</a> production.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economy-meets-climate-action">Economy meets climate action</h2>



The UCL team also emphasized that continuing to invest in new oil and gas fields is risky - not just for the planet, but also financially.



As the world shifts toward <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/renewable-energy-must-be-doubled-by-2030/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">renewable energy</a>, fossil fuel investments may become “stranded assets,” delivering poor returns or even becoming worthless.



“The planet has a limited remaining carbon budget and oil and gas production from existing fields is already likely to exceed this limit,” said Professor Steve Pye from the UCL Energy Institute.



“It’s critical that in order to meet climate goals under the Paris Agreement, no new oil and gas fields should be permitted."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-paris-target-matters">Why the Paris target matters</h2>



The Paris Climate Agreement, signed by nearly 200 nations in 2015, outlines a target to keep global warming “well below” 2°C, with a push to limit it to 1.5°C. That half-degree may not seem like much, but it marks the difference between manageable and catastrophic climate disruption.



The 1.5°C threshold is widely seen as the limit beyond which the risks of irreversible damage - like more extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and crop failures - become much more dangerous.



The message from the researchers is clear: expanding oil and gas extraction isn't just unwise - it’s incompatible with climate goals we’ve already committed to.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Expanding oil and gas fields threaten global climate goals

Climate change is already making itself felt through record-breaking wildfires,...

Phytoplankton power countless ocean ecosystems, yet many people hardly notice these microscopic organisms. They shape the ocean’s energy flow by fueling a cascade of food sources and helping regulate global carbon cycles.



Over the last six decades, biomass for these minuscule communities in the North Atlantic haa declined by up to 2% per year in many parts of the open <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plankton-change-their-cell-chemistry-to-survive-warming-oceans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a>. This is the conclusion of a recent study led by Dr. Crispin M. Mutshinda at <a href="https://www.dal.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dalhousie University</a> in Canada.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-phytoplankton-do-in-the-ocean">What phytoplankton do in the ocean</h2>



<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.281.5374.200" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Diatoms</a> belong to a group of algae with glass-like cell walls made of silica. Researchers attribute nearly 40% of global marine primary production to these prolific cells.



Dinoflagellates are more diverse and include photosynthetic, mixotrophic, and heterotrophic members. Their carbon-rich walls and unique cellular features set them apart, although they often appear in coastal blooms and can outcompete other species in certain conditions.



Diatoms and dinoflagellates both influence nutrient cycling and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracking-tiny-life-new-tools-for-phytoplankton-research/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine</a> food webs. Their abundance and proportion can shift when temperature or nutrient levels change.



Some species of dinoflagellates can release toxins that occasionally affect fisheries and aquaculture. Scientists worry that shifting environmental patterns might tilt the balance of these phytoplankton in ways that disrupt the ocean’s usual rhythm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-decades-of-change">Tracking decades of change</h2>



The research team applied the <a href="https://www.cprsurvey.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Continuous Plankton Recorder</a> tool to track these phytoplankton groups, stitching together a data series from 1960 to 2017. The sea surface temperature <a href="https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-sea-surface-temperature" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">records</a> offered additional details on potential connections between warming waters and phytoplankton behavior.



The researchers noted dips in total biomass in the sub-Arctic and central Atlantic, alongside growth on some continental shelves. One region showed different trends from another, revealing that local forces can alter broader patterns.



The project offered an impressive look at the North Atlantic’s shifting mosaic. Each location told its own story, yet certain themes held strong across provinces.



“Predicting the effects of climate change likely requires consideration of the consequences for the whole community,” said Dr. Mutshinda. He and his team examined how these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-forest-of-phytoplankton-thrives-in-a-warming-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plankton</a> forms might react to warming on short timescales compared to gradual adaptive responses spanning decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-regional-trends-in-phytoplankton">Regional trends in phytoplankton</h2>



Large areas in the sub-Arctic and parts of the high-latitude waters showed declining numbers of diatoms. In contrast, several shelf regions displayed rising diatom counts over time.



Dinoflagellates trended upward in one sector yet declined in another. The experts noted that temperature spikes, nutrient supply, and local hydrographic conditions could all favor one group over the other.



The Atlantic Arctic region revealed less dinoflagellate growth than southern zones, likely tied to cooler conditions and potential ice coverage. Warmer spots closer to the eastern coast, on the other hand, saw a shift toward these flagellated species when short-term temperature anomalies arose.



The researchers see parallels with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135424000502" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> linking diatom-to-dinoflagellate swings to stronger stratification and reduced silicon availability. Local wind patterns and water mixing further influence how each plankton group fares.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-poleward-migration-and-genetic-adaptation">Poleward migration and genetic adaptation</h2>



Evolving temperatures may push tropical and subtropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plankton-help-predict-ocean-biodiversity-losses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine</a> species to expand poleward. Plankton communities could adapt genetically if changes persist for many generations.



Northerly areas remain understudied for how extreme shifts in climate might alter diatom populations. Observers suspect that ongoing warming could spur even more unexpected patterns in places like the Arctic frontier.



These findings may have implications for fish stocks, carbon export, and broader ocean health. Alterations in primary producers often cascade to the rest of the marine food web.



Certain dinoflagellate blooms can affect local fisheries, tourism, and even international seafood markets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-long-term-monitoring">Importance of long-term monitoring</h2>



The researchers emphasize that ocean surveys and long-term sampling networks deserve greater support. Records spanning multiple decades help clarify how marine ecosystems respond to the complex tapestry of natural fluctuations and anthropogenic stress.



A short surge in water temperature tends to favor dinoflagellates. Over several decades, though, some diatom groups managed to increase in specific shelf regions despite overall warming.



Balancing the direct effect of hotter waters against the capacity for plankton to adapt remains a central question. That tension might shape outcomes for diatoms and dinoflagellates for generations to come.



Some communities are already feeling the strain of these changing patterns. Fisheries reliant on consistent plankton blooms could face more unpredictable yields.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-phytoplankton-in-a-changing-ocean">Phytoplankton in a changing ocean</h2>



Questions linger about how far these trends will continue or whether new tipping points lie ahead. Experts suggest that renewed focus on integrated models, better technology, and cooperative research efforts may help untangle these scenarios.



Researchers see these signals as evidence that ocean systems rarely follow a single path. Large-scale changes often merge with regional quirks, leading to unique stories in each part of the basin.



Policymakers and industry stakeholders may benefit from following these detailed outcomes. Understanding the distinctive dynamics of diatoms and dinoflagellates might help craft stronger conservation and resource strategies.



Ocean science stands at a crossroads. Each study refines our grasp of how fragile, yet adaptable, marine life can be.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0323675" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Tiny phytoplankton that feed ocean life are rapidly disappearing

Phytoplankton power countless ocean ecosystems, yet many people hardly notice...

Springtime in the Arctic is a spectacular show of life, as millions of birds gather to nest and raise their young under the midnight sun. Remarkably, this annual ritual traces its roots back much further than previously believed - 73 million years ago. 



That’s the conclusion of a recently published study that identifies the oldest known evidence of birds nesting in the polar regions.



The discovery was made in northern Alaska’s Prince Creek Formation. It reveals that several types of birds were already breeding in the Arctic during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/late-cretaceous-dinosaur-was-sluggish-and-nearly-deaf/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Late Cretaceous</a> period, when dinosaurs still ruled the land.



These findings challenge previous assumptions about where and when ancient birds reproduced - and expand the timeline of avian life in Earth’s most extreme environments by more than 25 million years.



“For half of the time they have existed, they have been nesting in the Arctic,” said Lauren Wilson, the study’s lead author and a doctoral student at <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Princeton University</a>. Wilson completed her master’s degree at the <a href="https://www.uaf.edu/uaf/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alaska Fairbanks</a> (UAF), where the research began.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bird-fossils-rewrite-history">Bird fossils rewrite history</h2>



Using a collection of over 50 fossilized bird bones and teeth excavated from Alaska’s North Slope, Wilson and her team made an important discovery. They identified several species of birds that appear to have nested in the region.



These included diving birds similar to modern loons, gull-like species, and various duck- and goose-like waterfowl. 



The bones representing juveniles - some likely still nest-bound - offer strong evidence that these birds were not merely passing through but breeding in the Arctic.



“Finding bird bones from the Cretaceous is already a very rare thing,” Wilson said. “To find baby bird bones is almost unheard of. That is why these fossils are significant.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-fragile-fossil-evidence">Saving fragile fossil evidence</h2>



The mere existence of such delicate remains is extraordinary. Bird bones are lightweight and fragile by design, and juvenile bones are even more prone to destruction over time.



Yet, thanks to meticulous excavation efforts, researchers were able to recover and identify these fossilized traces of ancient avian life.



The fossils were found in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031018218306667" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prince Creek Formation</a>, a remote site along the Colville River renowned for its Cretaceous dinosaur remains.



Until recently, the area was not known for yielding fossil birds. This changed recently, thanks in part to the excavation strategy used by the UAF Museum of the North’s research team.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-bones-from-arctic-bird-fossils">Tiny bones from Arctic bird fossils</h2>



Traditional vertebrate paleontology often focuses on recovering large, visible bones - those of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-molecules-collagen-discovered-in-66-million-year-old-dinosaur-bones/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dinosaurs</a>, for example. But the team working at Prince Creek takes a more comprehensive approach.



Alongside the big finds, they also gather large volumes of sediment and screen them for microscopic remains. Researchers then carefully examine these samples under microscopes back at the lab, revealing a world of small, often-overlooked fossils.



“We put Alaska on the map for fossil birds,” said Pat Druckenmiller, the paper’s senior author and director of the <a href="https://www.uaf.edu/museum/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alaska Museum of the North</a>. “It wasn’t on anyone’s radar.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/birds_arctic-nesting_bird-beak-fossil_credit-Pat-Druckenmiller_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/birds_arctic-nesting_bird-beak-fossil_credit-Pat-Druckenmiller_1s.webp" alt="The tip of a hatchling bird beak sits on the end of a finger. Credit: Pat Druckenmiller" class="wp-image-1973308"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The tip of a hatchling bird beak sits on the end of a finger. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Pat Druckenmiller</figcaption></figure>



Druckenmiller credits the fine-grained approach with revealing new insights into Cretaceous Arctic ecosystems. The same methods have also led to the discovery of new dinosaur and mammal species in the region.



“In terms of information content, these little bones and teeth are fascinating and provide an incredible depth of understanding of the animals of this time,” Druckenmiller said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-arctic-bird-nursery">Ancient Arctic bird nursery</h2>



The findings show that birds have been using the Arctic as a breeding ground far longer than previously thought.



Earlier evidence of polar bird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tangled-twigs-the-secrets-of-sturdy-bird-nests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nesting</a> dated to around 47 million years ago - well after the mass extinction event that wiped out most of Earth’s species, including the non-avian dinosaurs. 



The new discovery pushes that timeline back by 25 to 30 million years, deep into the age of dinosaurs.



“The Arctic is considered the nursery for modern birds,” Druckenmiller said. “It’s kind of cool when you go to Creamer’s Field [a well-known stopover for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-migratory-birds-navigate-with-such-accuracy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migratory birds</a> in Fairbanks], to know that they have been doing this for 73 million years.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-origins-of-modern-birds">The origins of modern birds</h2>



Beyond expanding the record of avian life in the polar regions, the fossils raise intriguing questions about the origins of modern birds.



Some of the bones appear to belong to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-and-why-tropical-birds-are-so-strikingly-colorful-and-iridescent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neornithes</a> - the group that includes all living birds. These fossils show skeletal traits exclusive to modern birds. Some even lacked teeth, a feature seen in today’s avian species.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/birds_arctic-nesting_with-dinosaurs_illustration_credit-Gabriel-Ugueto_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/birds_arctic-nesting_with-dinosaurs_illustration_credit-Gabriel-Ugueto_1s.webp" alt="An illustration of Cretaceous Period birds with other dinosaurs from the same time period in the background. A paper in the journal Science documents the earliest-known example of birds nesting in the polar regions. Credit: Gabriel Ugueto" class="wp-image-1973310"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">An illustration of Cretaceous Period birds with other dinosaurs from the same time period in the background. A paper in the journal Science documents the earliest-known example of birds nesting in the polar regions. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Gabriel Ugueto</figcaption></figure>



“If they are part of the modern bird group, they would be the oldest such fossils ever found,” Druckenmiller said. 



At present, the oldest known Neornithes fossils date to around 69 million years ago. “But it would take us finding a partial or full skeleton to say for sure.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



The implications of the study go beyond the Arctic. They suggest that ancient birds - despite their small size and delicate physiology - were able to thrive in high-latitude environments long before the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-polar-regions-changing-fundamental-alarming-ways/">polar climates</a> we know today fully developed.



During the Cretaceous, the Arctic was warmer but still experienced seasonal extremes of light and darkness, posing significant challenges for any nesting animals.



That these birds not only survived but reproduced successfully hints at a more complex evolutionary history than previously assumed. It also suggests modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-geese-adapt-by-finding-a-new-migratory-route/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migratory waterfowl</a> echo ancient patterns by returning to northern wetlands each spring to raise their young.



As researchers continue to study the Colville River fossils, they hope to uncover additional material that can confirm the identity and relationships of these Arctic avian pioneers.



For now, the Prince Creek Formation stands as one of the world’s most important sites for understanding the early history of birds. It shows what can be found when scientists search for both big and small bones.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt5189" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



Image Credit: &nbsp;Gabriel Ugueto



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Scientists find proof that birds nested in the Arctic alongside dinosaurs

Springtime in the Arctic is a spectacular show of life,...

We often think of carbon dioxide as nothing more than pollution. It’s a byproduct of factories, cars, and power plants - and one of the main drivers of climate change. But what if we could take this waste gas and transform it into something useful?



That’s exactly what scientists at the <a href="https://umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a>, along with collaborators from UC Davis and UCLA, have been working on. 



The team has developed a method to convert carbon dioxide into metal oxalates, which can be used as building blocks in cement manufacturing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-putting-carbon-dioxide-to-good-use">Putting carbon dioxide to good use</h2>



“This research shows how we can take carbon dioxide, which everyone knows is a waste product that is of little-to-zero value, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/upcycling-plastic-waste-into-valuable-products/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">upcycle</a> it into something that's valuable,” said Charles McCrory, associate professor of chemistry and macromolecular science and engineering. 



“We're not just taking carbon dioxide and burying it; we're taking it from different point sources and repurposing it for something useful.”



The work grew out of a project called the Center for Closing the Carbon Cycle (4C), funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. One of the center’s goals is to find practical ways to capture and reuse carbon dioxide, rather than simply releasing it into the air.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cement-with-a-smaller-footprint">Cement with a smaller footprint</h2>



The most common type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-crack-resistant-cement-material-inspired-by-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cement</a>, known as Portland cement, is made by heating limestone and other minerals. This process requires a lot of energy and creates a significant amount of carbon dioxide. 



The researchers wanted to flip the script by using CO₂ to create materials that could take the place of traditional cement ingredients.



The team focused on metal oxalates. These are simple salt compounds that can serve as alternative cement precursors. 



Scientists have long known that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/151-million-americans-have-mental-health-disorders-linked-to-leaded-gasoline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lead</a> could act as a catalyst to help convert carbon dioxide into metal oxalates. The problem? It typically takes a lot of lead to make the process work, and that brings serious environmental and health risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-trace-amount-makes-a-big-difference">A trace amount makes a big difference</h2>



That’s where the 4C team made a breakthrough. They used <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/everyday-polymers-that-are-considered-safe-release-harmful-toxins/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polymers</a> to control the chemical surroundings of the lead catalyst. 



This control allowed the experts to cut the amount of lead required down to parts per billion - a level so low it’s comparable to common impurities already found in commercial materials.



“Those metal ions are combining with the oxalate to make a solid, and that solid crashes out of the solution,” explained Mcrory. “That's the product that we collect and that can be mixed in as part of the cement-making process.”



By adjusting the microenvironment - the chemical makeup around the catalyst - the researchers were able to boost the efficiency of the reaction while using only tiny amounts of lead.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-cement-from-co₂">Building cement from CO₂</h2>



The process works using a pair of electrodes. One converts carbon dioxide into dissolved oxalate ions. The other, made from metal, releases ions that latch onto the oxalate and form solid metal oxalates. These solids can then be collected and used in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/making-concrete-more-environmentally-friendly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cement production</a>.



“Metal oxalates represent an underexplored frontier - serving as alternative cementitious materials, synthesis precursors and even carbon dioxide storage solutions,” said Jesus Velasquez, a co-lead author from UC Davis.



Study co-lead author Anastassia Alexandrova confirmed the science behind the idea using computer modeling.



“Catalysts are often discovered by accident, and successful industrial formulations are often very complicated. These cocktail catalysts are discovered empirically through trial and error,” said Alexandrova. 



“In this work, we have an example of a trace lead impurity actually being a catalyst. I believe there are many more such examples in practice catalysis, and also that this is an underexplored opportunity for catalyst discovery.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-cement-to-store-co₂">Using cement to store CO₂</h2>



Once carbon dioxide is locked into metal oxalates, it’s unlikely to return to the atmosphere under normal conditions. That makes the process not just a method of recycling carbon dioxide - but also a way to store it securely.



“It's a true capture process because you're making a solid from it,” said Mcrory. “But it's also a useful capture process because you're making a useful and valuable material that has downstream applications.”



The team believes their method could eventually be scaled up for industrial use. Much work remains to optimize the production of the final solid product, but the low level of lead required is a key step toward making the process environmentally responsible.



“We are a ways away, but I think it's a scalable process,” Mcrory added. “Part of the reason we wanted to reduce the lead catalyst to parts per billion is the challenges of scaling up a catalyst with massive amounts of lead. It wouldn’t be environmentally reasonable, otherwise.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.202501286" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advanced Materials</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Turning CO₂ into cement: A new path to greener construction

We often think of carbon dioxide as nothing more than...

Tucked into the humid wetlands of the American Southeast, the bald cypress rises with quiet determination. These towering trees, known for their knobby knees and flared bases, don’t just dominate the swamps - they define them. 



Many bald cypress trees have been standing for thousands of years, enduring floods, poor soil, and relentless humidity. But their survival story is not without challenges, as bald cypress trees are now facing a barrage of threats. 



While animals age and die, trees tend to live until their environment wears them down. The story of the bald cypress is one of endurance - but also one of vulnerability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-buried-cypress-trees-tell-an-old-story">Buried cypress trees tell an old story</h2>



Scientists from <a href="https://www.fau.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida Atlantic University</a>, in collaboration with Lynn University, the University of Georgia, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Georgia Museum of Natural History, recently uncovered an ancient timeline buried at the mouth of Georgia’s Altamaha River. 



There, the team found subfossil bald cypress trees - remnants of a once-thriving forest that time had preserved in mud and sediment.



To understand how these trees responded to past climate changes, researchers used <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radiocarbon-could-be-key-in-predicting-earths-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiocarbon dating</a> and analyzed the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-rings-reveal-the-carbon-storage-capacity-of-a-forest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tree rings</a> - measuring their size and number. 



Each ring captured a snapshot of that tree’s life in a given year, offering a long, unbroken record of environmental conditions. What the trees revealed was startling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sudden-shift-around-500-a-d">Sudden shift around 500 A.D.</h2>



Before 500 A.D., bald cypress trees at this site routinely lived over 470 years. But after that time, their lifespans fell dramatically - to just 186 years on average. 



At the same time, the trees started growing faster. That may sound like a good thing, but quick growth often means less structural strength and increased stress.



This timing aligns with a dramatic climate event known as the Vandal Minimum - a global cooling period caused by volcanic eruptions and possibly a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prehistoric-comet-impact-triggered-the-invention-of-agriculture/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">comet impact</a>. 



These upheavals altered the atmosphere and, in turn, the ecosystems below. As the planet cooled, the once-resilient bald cypress began living shorter, more fragile lives.



“The last of the long-lived trees found in the deposit died during another major climatic event, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-cooling-event-caused-extinction-of-first-early-humans-in-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Little Ice Age</a>,” said Katharine G. Napora, Ph.D., the study’s senior author. 



“Our findings underscore how long-lasting the localized effects of major climate shifts can be, especially for coastal forests that are already vulnerable to wind damage, saltwater intrusion and rising seas.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-impacts-on-cypress-trees">Climate impacts on cypress trees</h2>



Despite the abrupt change in tree lifespans, researchers found no signs of fire, human activity, or logging at the site. There’s no clear smoking gun - no single event or threat that explains the decline. 



What’s clear, however, is that the cypress trees never bounced back. Even centuries later, they failed to reach their former lifespans.



“This shift wasn’t a brief disruption. Even centuries later, the trees never regained their former longevity. In fact, their lifespans continued to decline over time,” Napora explained.



Scientists believe several factors could be responsible. Coastal conditions may have become more unstable - with more frequent storms, salinity spikes, and inconsistent flooding patterns. 



During dry periods, pests like mites likely thrived and added more stress. Together, these shifts may have created an environment where longevity was no longer possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cypress-trees-as-climate-timekeepers">Cypress trees as climate timekeepers</h2>



The researchers studied 95 subfossil bald cypress trees from the Altamaha Wildlife Management Area. These trees had been buried for centuries and were unearthed during regular land maintenance work. 



The well-preserved condition of the trees gave scientists an ideal record for examining past growth without interference from modern preservation differences.



“These ancient giants not only inspire awe but also serve as natural archives, helping scientists understand how trees have weathered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-needed-millions-of-years-to-recover-from-past-climate-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">past climate events</a> - and how they might fare in the face of modern climate change,” Napora said.



And these are not the only cypress trees with climate stories to tell. In parts of the Southeast, living bald cypress trees between 800 and 2,600 years old still stand today. They’ve survived massive environmental shifts and now live as rare survivors in old-growth swamp forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-story-of-the-earth-written-in-wood">The story of the Earth, written in wood</h2>



While the Vandal Minimum was not a global freeze in the way we often imagine, it was felt in many corners of the world. The bald cypress offers a unique look into how such broad changes ripple through ecosystems - and linger for centuries.



“The rings of the bald cypress are like nature’s journal entries, written year by year and season by season, showing how even slow changes can shape the course of life," said Napora.



"In their quiet persistence, these trees offer both a warning and a lesson: that the world is more interconnected than we often realize, and that the story of the Earth isn’t only told through written history - it’s etched into wood, embedded in landscapes and carried forward by living organisms."



"The past lives on in the trunks of these ancient trees, reminding us that environmental shifts - whether natural or human-caused - reverberate through time in ways we are only beginning to understand.”



In a time of rising uncertainty, these trees are more than survivors. They are storytellers, and we’re just learning how to listen.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2421181122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Bald cypress trees reveal long-term impact of climate change

Tucked into the humid wetlands of the American Southeast, the...

Greenland’s eastern edge rarely causes a stir, yet instruments across the world lit up at the same time with a slow, steady beat that lasted nine full days. 



The pulse rose and fell every ninety-two seconds - far too sluggish for people to feel but strong enough to rattle bedrock from Alaska to Australia. No typical quake behaves that way.



Scientists soon linked the signal to Greenland's Dickson Fjord, a narrow inlet hemmed in by 3,000-foot cliffs. 



<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59851-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fresh satellite images</a> showed a new scar where a section of mountain had vanished. Something colossal had struck the water and set the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/mysterious-arc-joins-ice-on-a-fjord-in-western-greenland/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fjord in motion</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mountain-falls-dickson-fjord-rises">Mountain falls, Dickson Fjord rises</h2>



On September 16, 2023, more than 25 million cubic yards of rock and ice - enough to fill 10,000 Olympic-size pools - broke loose and plunged into Dickson Fjord.



The impact hurled up a mega-tsunami wave, reaching about 650 feet high. 



The surge barreled down the two-mile corridor, bounced off the headland, and tore back again, wrecking roughly $200,000 in equipment at an empty research post on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Island" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ella Island</a>.



Water did not calm after the first pass. Instead, it began rocking from wall to wall, a motion known as a seiche. 



Computer models later showed the surface rising as much as 30 feet, then sinking the same amount in a steady rhythm that pressed on the seafloor like a giant piston.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unusual-heartbeat-in-the-crust">Unusual heartbeat in the crust</h2>



Seismic stations normally record frantic scribbles during earthquakes. This time, the trace formed smooth peaks spaced a minute and a half apart and barely weakened over the better part of two weeks. 



No seiche had ever produced such a persistent global signature. One modeling group pegged the slosh at about 8½ feet; a second group estimated 23 to 30 feet. 



The disagreement stemmed from different assumptions about the fjord’s shape, but both sets of simulations agreed on the source: the landslide-driven wave. 



“It was a big challenge to do an accurate computer simulation of such a long-lasting, sloshing tsunami,” said Alice Gabriel of UC San Diego’s <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-investigators-follow-the-clues">Investigators follow the clues</h2>



The mystery drew seventy-plus researchers from forty-one institutions. 



“When we set out on this scientific adventure, everybody was puzzled and no one had the faintest idea what caused this signal,” said Kristian Svennevig of the <a href="https://eng.geus.dk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland</a>. 



“All we knew was that it was somehow associated with the landslide. We only managed to solve this enigma through a huge interdisciplinary and international effort.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/greenland-mega-tsunami_dickson-fjord_landslide-location_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/greenland-mega-tsunami_dickson-fjord_landslide-location_1s.webp" alt="Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite image of the Dickson Fjord in East Greenland. Credit: Thomas Monahan." class="wp-image-1972830"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite image of the Dickson Fjord in East Greenland. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Thomas Monahan.</figcaption></figure>



Field teams measured fresh gouges high on the cliffs, while supercomputers recreated the avalanche’s path and the fjord’s response. 



“It was exciting to be working on such a puzzling problem with an interdisciplinary and international team of scientists,” said Robert Anthony of the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Geological Survey</a>. 



“Ultimately, it took a plethora of geophysical observations and numerical modeling from researchers across many countries to put the puzzle together and get a complete picture of what had occurred.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-s-silent-hand">Climate’s silent hand</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-ice-sheet-jakobshavn-glacier-seen-melting-in-real-time-from-earth-orbit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Glacier ice</a> once buttressed the failing slope, but warming air and ocean water have eaten away at that natural brace. 



“Climate change is shifting what is typical on Earth, and it can set unusual events into motion,” Gabriel noted. 



Similar instability elsewhere triggered a deadly tsunami in <a href="https://esurf.copernicus.org/articles/8/1021/2020/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karrat Fjord</a> in 2017 that destroyed eleven houses and claimed four lives.



Dickson Fjord sits near a popular cruise route. Though no passengers were present last year, the episode highlights rising risks as Arctic travel grows. 



Authorities are now reviewing early-warning options that combine satellite feeds with real-time seismic data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-sharpen-the-picture">Satellites sharpen the picture</h2>



Conventional radar altimeters see only a thin line beneath each spacecraft. By contrast, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (<a href="https://swot.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SWOT</a>) mission launched in December 2022 maps a 30-mile-wide swath with 8-foot resolution. 



“Climate change is driving the emergence of unprecedented extremes, particularly in remote regions like the Arctic, where our ability to monitor conditions using traditional physical sensors is limited,” explained Thomas Monahan of the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.



“SWOT represents a breakthrough in our ability to study oceanic processes in areas such as fjords - places that have long posed challenges for earlier satellite technologies," Monahan continued. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/greenland-mega-tsunami_dickson-fjord_landslide-location_Copernicus-Sentinel-2-data_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/greenland-mega-tsunami_dickson-fjord_landslide-location_Copernicus-Sentinel-2-data_1s.webp" alt="Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite image of the Dickson Fjord in East Greenland with the observed sea-surface height measurements from the SWOT satellite of the Earth-shaking wave on October 11th overlaid. Credit: Thomas Monahan." class="wp-image-1972832"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite image of the Dickson Fjord in East Greenland with the observed sea-surface height measurements from the SWOT satellite of the Earth-shaking wave on October 11th overlaid. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Thomas Monahan.</figcaption></figure>



"This research highlights how next-generation Earth observation satellites can transform our understanding of these dynamic environments."



Professor Thomas Adcock, also from Oxford, remarked, “This study demonstrates how advanced satellite data can finally illuminate phenomena that have eluded us for years.”



He added, “We’re now gaining new insights into oceanic extremes like tsunamis, storm surges, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-extreme-rogue-wave-recorded-in-the-pacific-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rogue waves</a>. To fully harness the potential of these new datasets, we’ll need to push the boundaries of both machine learning and our understanding of ocean physics.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-from-dickson-fjord">Lessons from Dickson Fjord</h2>



Researchers are now combing seismic archives for similar slow pulses. 



“This shows there is stuff out there that we still don't understand and haven't seen before,” said Carl Ebeling of Scripps. 



“The essence of science is trying to answer a question we don't know the answer to - that's why this was so exciting to work on.”



Every new discovery will refine models of how slope failure, fjord geometry, and water depth interact. 



Better forecasts could one day provide critical minutes of warning for ships and settlements in high-latitude waters - proof that even the quietest corners of the planet deserve a closer listen.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adm9247" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59851-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

650-foot mega-tsunami sends seismic waves around the world, and satellites captured the action

Greenland’s eastern edge rarely causes a stir, yet instruments across...

When people think of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, farming likely isn’t the first image that comes to mind. Known for its cold winters, brief growing seasons, and thick forests, the region seems too harsh for traditional agriculture. 



But a newly published study tells a very different story - one that stretches back over a thousand years and challenges what we thought we knew about the history of Indigenous farming in the northern U.S.



Scientists at <a href="https://home.dartmouth.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dartmouth College</a> have confirmed that a site along the Menominee River, known as Sixty Islands, was once home to intensive agriculture practiced by the ancestors of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.



The research sheds light on a large and remarkably preserved raised-field system that dates back to between the 10th century and 1600, making it one of the most complete ancient agricultural sites east of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/the-mississippi-river-in-the-united-states/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mississippi River</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sophisticated-farming-history">Sophisticated farming history</h2>



At the heart of the discovery are the ridge fields - clusters of garden beds raised between 4 and 12 inches (10 and 30 centimeters) high. These were used to cultivate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-sweet-corn-at-high-densities-improves-yield/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">corn</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beans-a-simple-food-with-serious-health-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beans</a>, squash, and other crops. 



The ridge fields still stretch across the land in visible patterns, many of them intact despite centuries of weather and change.



"The scale of this agricultural system by ancestral Menominee communities is 10 times larger than what was previously estimated," said lead author Madeleine McLeester, an assistant professor of anthropology. 



"That forces us to reconsider a number of preconceived ideas we have about agriculture, not only in the region, but globally."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-farming-society">Complex farming society</h2>



The research team surveyed around 330 acres of the site, although they believe that represents only 40% of the total area. The findings hint at a much larger and more complex farming society than previously recognized.



"When you look at the scale of farming, this would require the kind of labor organization that is typically associated with a much larger, state-level hierarchical society," noted McLeester.



"Yet, everything we know about this area suggests smaller, egalitarian societies lived in this region but, in fact, this may have been a rather large settlement."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-history-of-a-sacred-landscape">Farming history of a sacred landscape</h2>



The Sixty Islands site is part of Anaem Omot, meaning “Dog’s Belly” in the Menominee language. It’s not just farmland - it’s a sacred and historical landscape.



The area includes burial mounds, dance rings, and village remnants. Some of these were originally excavated between the 1950s and 1970s. A corn cupule found and dated during those early digs helped confirm the agricultural roots of the site.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/agriculture_native-american-farm_Sixty-Islands_map_credit-Carolin-Ferwerda_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/agriculture_native-american-farm_Sixty-Islands_map_credit-Carolin-Ferwerda_1s.webp" alt="Map shows Sixty Islands and other archaeological sites along the Menominee River, and the lidar survey area. Credit: Carolin Ferwerda" class="wp-image-1973247"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Map shows Sixty Islands and other archaeological sites along the Menominee River, and the lidar survey area. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Carolin Ferwerda</figcaption></figure>



Recognizing the deep cultural value of Anaem Omot, it is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. 



At the request of Menominee tribal authorities, the Dartmouth archaeologists returned to the site equipped with modern technology to study and document it further. 



They worked closely with tribal preservation officer David Grignon and the late David Overstreet, a consulting archaeologist for the College of the Menominee Nation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drones-uncovered-ancient-patterns">Drones uncovered ancient patterns</h2>



In May 2023, the team launched a drone-based lidar survey of the area. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/5000-year-old-fort-hidden-in-the-jungle-confirms-ancient-society-sophistication-lidar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lidar</a>, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, uses laser pulses to scan and map surfaces - even beneath forest canopies. It revealed a network of parallel ridges forming quilt-like patterns across the landscape.



"Lidar is a really powerful tool in any kind of forested or heavily vegetated region where the archaeology is hidden below trees - where no kind of optical imagery can see what's underneath the tree canopy," explained senior author Jesse Casana, a professor of anthropology.



"Forests are really confounding to archaeology in a lot of ways, so a lot of archaeologists rely on publicly available lidar that has often been obtained from a plane that flies really high," said Casana. 



"But the resolution of the data is usually too low to see many archaeological features. Drone lidar enables us to collect the same kind of data but at a much higher resolution," added Casana.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digging-deeper-into-farming-history">Digging deeper into farming history</h2>



In August 2023, the team excavated three of the agricultural ridges to learn more about their age and construction. 



Charcoal samples from the dig were radiocarbon dated, showing that the ridges were actively rebuilt and maintained over a span of 600 years, starting around the year 1000.



"All three ridges showed a similar picture in terms of their construction, history and reconstruction," said Casana. "Most field systems have been either lost or destroyed due to intensive land use across most of North America, through farming, including pastures, and the cutting down of trees for urban development."



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/agriculture_native-american-farm_Sixty-Islands_credit-Madeleine-McLeester_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/agriculture_native-american-farm_Sixty-Islands_credit-Madeleine-McLeester_1s.webp" alt="Raised agricultural beds cover an estimated 70% of the lidar survey area at Sixty Islands archaeological site along the Menominee River. Credit: Madeleine McLeester" class="wp-image-1973245"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Raised agricultural beds cover an estimated 70% of the lidar survey area at Sixty Islands archaeological site along the Menominee River. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Madeleine McLeester</figcaption></figure>



"Through this research, we get this little window of preservation into pre-Colonial farming in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan," Casana added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maximizing-agricultural-productivity">Maximizing agricultural productivity </h2>



The excavations turned up more than just soil. Charcoal, ceramic sherds, and other small artifacts were found, suggesting that household waste and ashes may have been used to fertilize the fields. The team also found signs that wetland soils were added to improve growing conditions.



"Our work shows that the ancestral Menominee communities were modifying the soil to completely rework the topography in order to plant and harvest corn at the near northern extent of where this crop can grow," said McLeester. 



"This farming system was a massive undertaking requiring a lot of organization, labor, and know-how to maximize agricultural productivity."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-geography-of-early-farming">The geography of early farming</h2>



The scope of what was found may only scratch the surface of early farming history. "We're seeing this kind of landscape alteration in a place where we wouldn't expect it," said McLeester.



"This may be just a little remnant of what must have been a much larger system," added Casana.



The research raises the possibility that many more raised-field systems once existed across the eastern U.S., and that forested regions like the Upper Peninsula might have been significantly more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-recovery-is-lacking-in-the-most-deforested-areas-of-the-amazon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deforested</a> in the past due to agricultural activity.



The work continues. Dartmouth archaeologists are partnering with the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin on further surveys at the Sixty Islands site. 



The goal is to locate ancestral villages and map more of the historic agricultural landscape - giving us a clearer picture of how Indigenous farmers shaped the land long before European settlers arrived.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads1643" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



Image credit: Madeleine McLeester



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

1,000-year-old Native American farm discovery upends what scientists previously believed was possible

When people think of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, farming likely isn’t...

Imagine a narrow, invisible firehouse stretching thousands of miles through the sky, carrying more water than the Amazon - meteorologists call these features atmospheric rivers. They form over warm oceans, sweep poleward, and unleash their cargo as intense rain or snow.



In the Arctic and mid-latitudes, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rapid-antarctic-sea-ice-loss-is-causing-severe-storms-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">storms</a> already shape flood and drought cycles. But over Antarctica - a continent that locks up enough ice to raise global seas by nearly 200 feet (60 meters) - their role has been harder to pin down.



A new study delivers the most detailed forecast of Antarctic atmospheric rivers to date. An international team led by Michelle Maclennan of the British Antarctic Survey analyzed a high-resolution climate model and a worst-case greenhouse-gas scenario. 



The results suggest that the number of atmospheric rivers hitting Antarctica could double by 2100. The amount of moisture they deliver could also rise by two and a half times.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-moisture-in-a-warmer-world"><a></a>More moisture in a warmer world</h2>



The engine behind this change is simple physics: warmer air can hold more water vapor. As global temperatures climb, the Southern Ocean and lower atmosphere load up like a sponge.



The model uses 40 ensemble members to capture year-to-year swings. It shows an exponential rise in atmospheric moisture over Antarctic coastal waters. In some months late in the century, integrated water vapor could be three times higher than today’s values.



With more moisture available, the narrow jet-stream corridors that funnel air toward the pole become supersized rivers in the sky.



By applying present-day detection thresholds, the researchers find a continent-wide doubling of atmospheric-river days each year.



Even when the detection algorithm is “scaled” to account for the moister background (a tougher hurdle for qualifying as a river), certain hot-spot regions - especially Dronning Maud Land and parts of West Antarctica - still see clear increases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rain-snow-tipping-point">Rain-snow tipping point</h2>



Antarctic atmospheric rivers are a mixed blessing for the ice sheet. Under cold conditions they produce heavy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snowfall-drops-in-hindu-kush-himalayas-water-crisis-may-follow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">snowfall</a>, adding mass and temporarily slowing sea-level rise.



Under warmer conditions they bring rain or above-zero air that can melt and weaken ice shelves - the floating ledges that buttress grounded glaciers. If those shelves fracture, inland ice can flow faster into the ocean.



Using surface-temperature criteria to separate snow from rain, the study reveals an intriguing twist. Rainfall will increase, but atmospheric rivers will mostly bring more snowfall to the ice sheet this century.



This could temporarily compensate for some of the mass that Antarctica loses elsewhere through ocean-driven melting and iceberg calving. Under the high-emissions pathway (known as SSP3-7.0), total atmospheric-river precipitation nearly triples, but most of that falls as snow.



Even so, rainfall spikes in vulnerable places like the Antarctic Peninsula and coastal ice shelves. The model suggests up to 40 millimeters of extra rain-water-equivalent each year on the Bellingshausen coast and Larsen C Ice Shelf.



Rain can soak porous firn, refreeze, and leave an ice lens that promotes further runoff and surface collapse - a process implicated in the disintegration of Larsen B in 2002.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antarctic-atmospheric-rivers-and-sea-levels">Antarctic atmospheric rivers and sea-levels</h2>



One striking result is the sheer variability atmospheric rivers impose on Antarctica’s “surface mass balance,” the ledger of snow gained versus ice lost.



Today, a single storm offsets weeks of melting. In a warmer world, these storms grow larger and more frequent. Thus, yearly variations in atmospheric river frequency creates significant fluctuations in Antarctica’s contribution to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-much-will-antarctica-contribute-to-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea-level rise</a>, with that volatility appearing set to grow.



Because sea-level projections often rely on multi-decadal averages, this swing factor has been under-represented.



The new simulations indicate that by 2100, extreme-event years - those once considered rare - could become the norm. This shift would complicate efforts to forecast coastal risk for cities and small-island nations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wind-shifts-and-ice-loss">Wind shifts and ice loss</h2>



The model also captures how circulation changes amplify the story. As greenhouse forcing strengthens the temperature contrast between tropics and pole, the polar jet stream shifts eastward in segments and intensifies.



That wind realignment steers more atmospheric rivers toward the Amundsen Sea and Ross Sea sectors - regions already destabilized by warm ocean water undercutting ice shelves.



Meanwhile, sea-ice extent retreats, exposing open water that feeds extra moisture back into the storms. The authors warn that these coupled atmosphere–ice–ocean feedbacks could accelerate once thresholds are crossed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-atmospheric-rivers-and-climate-predictions">Atmospheric rivers and climate predictions</h2>



“This is the first study to consider how these extreme weather events in Antarctica might change in response to human-induced warming this century,” Maclennan said.



“Because atmospheric rivers deliver massive precipitation to Antarctica and significantly impact snowfall variability, understanding their future patterns is crucial to projecting Antarctica’s contribution to sea level rise.”



Her team’s findings highlight a fresh source of uncertainty in global sea-level budgets. Most projections bracket the 21st-century rise between half and one meter. If Antarctic atmospheric rivers add more snow than rain, they could shave a few centimeters off the high end.



However, if warming outpaces snowfall gains, they could hasten ice-shelf collapse and push sea levels higher. Either way, policy planners need more precise tools that resolve these weather-driven swings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predictions-of-atmospheric-rivers">Predictions of atmospheric rivers </h2>



The study emphasizes that predictions hinge on both emissions pathways and the technical choice of how researchers detect atmospheric rivers in models. 



When adjusted for moister air, continent-wide doubling disappears. Instead, regional increases and decreases appear. This sensitivity highlights the need for multiple modelling approaches, finer-scale regional simulations, and continuous satellite monitoring.



Antarctica is sometimes portrayed as a silent, immutable block of ice. In reality it is poised to host ever-stronger that can both cushion and threaten the world’s coastlines.



Future research will determine which outcome dominates - but the message is clear: choices made this century about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-reach-another-all-time-high/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenhouse-gas emissions</a> will reverberate in every atmospheric river that sweeps across the coldest continent.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02333-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Antarctic atmospheric rivers set to double by the end of the century

Imagine a narrow, invisible firehouse stretching thousands of miles through...

Every spring, satellites capture vast beige plumes of dust rising from the Sahara, the Gobi, and the deserts of the Middle East. These gritty clouds drift across continents, staining skies rusty orange and sometimes crossing whole oceans before settling out of the air.



For years, scientists viewed wind-blown mineral dust as a mostly passive traveler - important for fertilizing soils and influencing climate but chemically inert once it left the ground.



 A new international study overturns that view, showing that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sahara-desert-dust-storms-carry-harmful-bacteria-and-fungi-around-the-globe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">desert dust</a> can transform itself into a powerful source of air pollution while it is still aloft.



The research, led by an international team of researchers from China, Japan, the United Kingdom and several other countries, demonstrates that aged dust particles act like microscopic “chemical reactors in the sky.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-grains-transform-the-air">Dust grains transform the air</h2>



After spending hours or days in the atmosphere, the mineral grains acquire thin coatings rich in water and nitrate. 



The coatings dissolve trace gases, drive rapid chemical reactions, and manufacture what scientists call secondary organic aerosols, or SOA - tiny carbon-containing particles that damage lungs, darken skies, and alter Earth’s heat balance.



Field teams collected air samples during intense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saharan-dust-crosses-the-atlantic-a-journey-seen-from-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sandstorms</a> in locations stretching from Inner Mongolia to the Greek island of Crete.



Using high-resolution electron microscopes and nanoscale chemical probes, they discovered that roughly half of all water-soluble SOA present during these events was lodged inside coarse “super-micron” dust grains.



That finding was unexpected because textbooks have long asserted that SOA forms almost exclusively in much smaller, soot-like particles or inside <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-turbulence-clouds-makes-tiny-water-droplets-turn-into-rain-showers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cloud droplets</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-grain-slime-a-hidden-factory">Grain slime: A hidden factory</h2>



The study shows that large desert grains, once thought too dry and too alkaline to host such chemistry, are in fact major production sites when conditions are right.



The key lies in how dust ages. As a mineral grain blows through polluted air, acidic gases such as nitric acid attack its calcium-rich surface. The reaction forms calcium nitrate - a compound that is unusually good at scavenging moisture.



Even when the relative humidity drops below ten percent, a thin liquid film condenses on the grain. This microscopic pond becomes a sanctuary for water-soluble gases such as glyoxal, a common by-product of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-warnings-fossil-fuels-are-causing-climate-health-and-biodiversity-crises/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil-fuel</a> combustion and plant emissions.



Dissolved in the film, these molecules collide, combine, and polymerize into heavier, stickier compounds that no longer evaporate. In other words, the grain slime becomes a factory that pulls gases from the air and locks them into solid or semi-solid particles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-from-tiny-dust-pollution">Impacts from tiny dust pollution</h2>



Until now, evidence for such chemistry came largely from laboratory studies. The team’s direct field measurements - matched by global modelling - show that the process is not a curiosity but a central player in the “dust belt” stretching from the Sahara across the Middle East to China.



In these regions the model suggests aqSOA (aqueous-phase secondary organic aerosol) on dust can account for up to two-thirds of all secondary organic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-small-aerosols-influence-cloud-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aerosols</a> during storm conditions.



Worldwide, reactions on nitrate-coated dust may produce roughly one-sixth of the total SOA burden - vastly more than earlier estimates that ignored coarse dust chemistry.



Zongbo Shi is the senior author of the study and a professor of atmospheric biogeochemistry at the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Birmingham</a>.



“This discovery marks a major advance in understanding the chemistry of secondary organic aerosols,” he said. “We’ve found that water-containing aged dust can act like a sponge and a reactor - absorbing gaseous pollutants and transforming them into particles that affect our health and the climate.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-pollution-s-hidden-dangers">Dust pollution's hidden dangers</h2>



Those numbers matter for several reasons. Fine and coarse particles alike penetrate the respiratory system, but their size influences where they deposit and how long they linger in the air.



By converting invisible gases into solid mass stuck to relatively large grains, dust storms change both the amount and the distribution of harmful particles people breathe.



Epidemiological studies already link airborne particulate matter to millions of premature deaths each year; the new results suggest that natural dust events can amplify those risks far downwind of the original desert source.



Climate modelling also has to adjust. Organic coatings alter how dust reflects sunlight and how readily it seeds clouds or ice crystals.



Coated dust may absorb more solar energy, warming the atmosphere, or it might increase cloudiness, cooling the surface - subtle feedbacks that depend on properties the models must now capture.



“Unravelling the ‘black box’ of surface reactions on wet dust particles is key to expanding the current boundaries of knowledge for accurately assessing aerosol impacts on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aerosols-have-an-underestimated-effect-on-clouds-and-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> and the environment,” explained Akinori Ito of the <a href="https://www.jamstec.go.jp/e/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-managing-dust-s-future-impact">Managing dust's future impact</h2>



The findings raise practical questions for policy-makers. Many air-quality regulations target urban and industrial emissions, yet episodes of dangerous haze in regions like northern China or the eastern Mediterranean often coincide with dust surges.



If a large share of the pollution forms on dust already in the air, then solely curbing local traffic or smokestacks may not deliver the expected relief during storm seasons. 



Forecasting tools will need to incorporate dust-driven chemistry to warn the public appropriately and to guide emergency responses.



The researchers are now calling for denser monitoring networks in desert-influenced regions, more laboratory experiments to pin down reaction rates and revised climate-chemistry models that include the new pathway.



The experts also point out that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oases-grow-by-human-effort-but-face-threats-from-desertification/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">desertification</a> and land-use changes could increase dust emissions in the future, potentially magnifying the phenomenon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-questions-to-answer">More questions to answer</h2>



From a distance, a dust plume may look like an inert cloud of sand. Up close, each grain is a bustling micro-reactor, soaking up pollutants and spawning new particles that ride the winds across continents.



The discovery shows that Earth’s natural processes can both clean and contaminate the air we breathe, complicating our attempts to manage a changing climate and protect human health.



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nsr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nsr/nwaf221/8154540" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Science Review</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Dust storms are a surprising source of deadly air pollution

Every spring, satellites capture vast beige plumes of dust rising...

The world’s oceans are home to some of the most iconic marine megafauna, including sharks, whales, turtles, and seals. These ocean giants sit at the top of ocean food webs, playing critical roles in keeping marine ecosystems healthy. 



But they face mounting threats as human pressures reshape the oceans they call home.



A major new study has tracked the movements of over 100 marine megafaunal species to pinpoint the most important areas in our oceans for urgent conservation.



The research, conducted by a global team including scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (<a href="https://www.whoi.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WHOI</a>) and The Australian National University (<a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ANU</a>), highlights where protective efforts must focus.



The study is part of the UN-endorsed MegaMove project, a massive collaboration involving nearly 400 scientists from more than 50 countries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-marine-megafauna-the-basics">Understanding marine megafauna - the basics</h2>



Marine megafauna are the giants of the ocean - large animals like whales, dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/offshore-wind-farms-are-now-habitats-for-sharks-and-rays/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">giant rays</a>. These creatures play critical roles in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems. 



For example, whales help circulate nutrients by diving deep and then surfacing to breathe, effectively stirring the ocean layers. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-sea-turtles-swim-and-choose-their-paths-instead-of-drifting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sea turtles</a> keep seagrass beds healthy by grazing, while sharks regulate the food web by preying on the sick and weak. 



These species aren't just beautiful and fascinating - they're essential. Their presence supports biodiversity and helps oceans function as stable, resilient systems.



Despite their importance, marine megafauna face mounting threats from human activity. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seamounts-face-severe-destruction-from-bottom-trawling/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Overfishing</a>, ship strikes, entanglement in plastic waste, noise pollution, and habitat loss all take a toll. 



Climate change compounds these challenges by warming waters and disrupting migration and breeding patterns. Many of these animals are long-lived and slow to reproduce, so their populations can't bounce back quickly once harmed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-highways-of-marine-megafauna">Hidden highways of marine megafauna</h2>



Currently, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-protected-areas-fall-short-on-2030-biodiversity-targets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine protected areas</a> (MPAs) cover just eight percent of the world’s oceans. However, the UN High Seas Treaty aims to expand that coverage to 30 percent. This new study shows that while the 30 percent goal is important, it may not be enough.



“The impacts of a changing ocean on marine megafauna are already evident,” said Camrin Braun, assistant scientist and ocean ecologist at WHOI. 



“Our recent work tracking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/top-marine-predators-may-suffer-massive-habitat-loss-by-2100/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine predators</a>, including an earlier WHOI-led study, indicates changes in the ocean are expected to fundamentally alter the status quo for where these species are and how they live.”



The research team tracked animal movements to find areas critical for feeding, breeding, and migration.



“We found that the areas used by these animals overlap significantly with threats like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tuna-fishing-gear-is-harming-oceans-more-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fishing</a>, shipping, warming temperatures, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-changing-the-entire-earth-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic pollution</a>,” said Ana Sequeira, marine ecologist at ANU and the study’s lead author. 



“The 30 percent protection goal is seen as helpful but insufficient to protect all important areas, meaning that additional mitigation strategies are needed to alleviate pressures beyond areas that will be protected.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-effort-to-protect-marine-megafauna">Global effort to protect marine megafauna</h2>



The MegaMove project, launched by Sequeira in 2020, aims to unite the marine movement ecology community to confront the urgent challenges facing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cascading-oxygen-loss-could-endanger-our-oceans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean life</a>.



“MegaMove brings together an international network of researchers to provide innovative research to advance the global conservation of marine megafauna,” Sequeira said.



The team emphasizes that while expanding protected areas is crucial, it’s equally important to tackle threats outside those zones.



“Our research shows that, in addition to protected areas, implementing mitigation strategies like changing fishing gear, using different lights in nets, and traffic schemes for ships will be key to alleviating current human pressure on these species,” Sequeira explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ranking-oceans-for-conservation">Ranking oceans for conservation</h2>



Study co-lead author Dr. Jorge Rodríguez, from Instituto de Física Interdisciplinar y Sistemas Complejos, shared new insights on how the team identified priority areas for marine megafaunal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-conservation-credit-system-could-reduce-costs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conservation</a>.



“We’ve outlined the top areas for 30 percent protection, ranking them based on their use by marine megafaunal species,” Rodríguez said.



“Our analysis identifies which areas in the global ocean these species are using as residencies or migratory corridors. We specifically focused on ranking higher those areas used for these important behaviors by the largest number of species.”



According to Sequeira, even if the whole 30 percent protection were selected in key areas used by marine megafauna, it would still not be enough to conserve them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-a-changing-ocean">Preparing for a changing ocean</h2>



Braun emphasized the need for flexibility in conservation strategies as ocean conditions continue to evolve.



“Adaptive management approaches, and stronger mitigation strategies are critical components of the coordinated international approach necessary to conserve these species into the future,” Braun said. 



“We need all the tools we can get if we are going to successfully balance conservation goals with human uses in a changing ocean.”



The study connects closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 14, which focuses on life below water.



By combining large-scale tracking data and coordinated international efforts, this research offers a clear path forward - a future where marine megafauna continue to thrive alongside a growing human presence on the seas.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0239" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Marine megafauna face growing threats - despite global protections

The world’s oceans are home to some of the most...

The ocean is responsible for about half of the oxygen we breathe. Yet even before we understood this vital role of the ocean, we were captivated by it. World Oceans Day, celebrated each year on June 8, gives us a moment to reconnect with this immense, life-sustaining force.



This year’s global theme, “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us,” encourages deep appreciation and meaningful action. Wonder leads to care, and that care can change the course of our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-seaweed-day-2025-saving-the-oceans-sustainable-powerhouse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oceans</a>’ future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oceans-as-climate-guardians">Oceans as climate guardians</h2>



The ocean isn’t just vast - it’s vital. Covering more than 70% of Earth’s surface, it stores 50 times more carbon dioxide than our atmosphere. Its currents regulate temperatures, transport nutrients, and carry warmth around the globe.



Beneath its surface lies not just coral reefs and mysterious trenches but also the very threads that tie climate systems together. 



Without <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/darkening-oceans-are-shrinking-vital-marine-habitats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oceans</a>, monsoons would collapse, winters would deepen, and summers would scorch. In short, Earth’s balance rests within saline waters that many of us have never even seen.



Yet, for all it gives, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ocean-animals-connect-countries-and-continents/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a> faces unprecedented threats. Climate change heats the seas and melts polar ice. Acidification weakens coral reefs. Oil spills, chemical runoff, and floating plastics choke marine life. Overfishing empties waters that once teemed with abundance. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-theme-for-world-oceans-day-2025">Theme for World Oceans Day 2025</h2>



Certainly. Here's a revised version without the "soft and poetic" reference:



"Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us" implies a powerful truth: awe sparks responsibility. When we take time to truly wonder at something, we begin to care - and caring is what drives us to act.



This theme urges us to not just observe the ocean but to see it with renewed eyes. It asks us to listen to stories of fishermen, divers, coastal children, and scientists. It invites all generations to fall in love with the ocean again.



“Knowing is the key to caring, and with caring there is hope that people will be motivated to take positive actions,” said Professor Sylvia Earle, a world-renowned oceanographer. Her words resonate deeply in 2025. Wonder is no longer a passive feeling - it’s the first step toward protection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-efforts-to-protect-the-ocean">Global efforts to protect the ocean</h2>



The United Nations will host this year’s global celebration in Nice, France. The timing is symbolic. It coincides with the opening of the <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UN Ocean Conference</a>, an international gathering committed to turning ocean promises into measurable outcomes.



At this event, world leaders, researchers, conservationists, and Indigenous voices will share ideas and announce commitments. 



Workshops will focus on deep-sea mining, marine pollution, coastal resilience, and the rights of small island states. Art exhibits and music performances will remind us of the ocean’s cultural power.



Virtual participation will allow anyone with an internet connection to join. Whether from the coast of Kerala or the heart of Kansas, the ocean will feel a little closer this June 8. The event’s hybrid nature mirrors the global truth: every community has a stake in the sea’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-ocean-currents-play-a-huge-role-in-earths-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-oceans-day-urges-sustainable-fishing">World Oceans Day urges sustainable fishing</h2>



While the official UN theme centers on wonder, many environmental groups emphasize another vital topic: sustainable fishing. Their campaign tagline, “Sustainable Fishing Means More,” captures the urgent need to rethink how we extract food from the ocean.



Overfishing threatens food security and biodiversity. It harms traditional livelihoods and unravels ecological balance. 



Fish populations fall. Nets grow heavier with bycatch. Ocean floors are scraped and scarred. Yet, when managed wisely, fishing can coexist with marine conservation.



Sustainable practices ensure long-term abundance. They support coastal communities, protect young fish, and allow ocean ecosystems to recover. 



This secondary theme reminds us that sustainability isn’t just environmental - it’s economic, cultural, and moral.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-we-can-help-oceans-everyday">We can help oceans everyday</h2>



You don’t need to live near the sea to protect it. World Oceans Day&nbsp;reminds us that every action matters. What we do on land eventually affects the ocean. Pollution from cities, factories, and farms often travels through rivers into the sea. The things we buy, the food we eat, and even the way we vote all make a difference.



Loving sea turtles means protecting where they live. That means saying no to plastic, harmful chemicals, or seafood caught in damaging ways. Choosing what to support means choosing what survives.



Words matter too. When we talk about ocean problems, more people understand and care. Sharing stories, science, or even photos can inspire action. Watching ocean documentaries or supporting clean-up events helps people feel connected.



Real wonder turns into responsibility. Awareness is the first step toward saving the ocean - no matter where you live.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-oceans-day-calls-for-lasting-care">World Oceans Day calls for lasting care</h2>



World Oceans Day 2025 doesn’t end with a one-day celebration. Its message must live in classrooms, boardrooms, policy debates, and family dinners. It should guide how cities manage storm drains, how tourists behave on beaches, and how companies treat marine resources.



The ocean has always given more than it receives. Now, the tide is turning. We must choose respect over exploitation, wonder over indifference, and sustainability over short-term gain.



“Without the ocean, life on Earth would not exist,” says marine biologist Enric Sala. “If we lose the ocean, we lose ourselves.” 



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

World Oceans Day 2025: Protecting the waters that sustain humanity and all life on Earth

The ocean is responsible for about half of the oxygen...

Plants suffer greatly during summer droughts, which can lead to billions of dollars in lost crops, and a higher demand for irrigation. This can cause a decline in productivity, resulting in food shortages and rising prices. It’s a familiar story - but one that might soon change.



Researchers from <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a>, the University of Colorado, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have shown conclusively that plants can help themselves recover from severe drought, without outside intervention. 



This process, called “refilling,” has been debated by plant scientists for years. But the new research demonstrates that it can happen naturally in plants.



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



When plants dry out, they suffer damage deep inside. Their water transport system, known as the xylem, becomes blocked by gas bubbles. These bubbles, called embolisms, prevent water from flowing. 



In many plants, recovery is difficult of even impossible once <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-trees-decide-between-growing-and-breathing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">embolisms</a> have formed. Scientists have long debated whether plants can clear these blockages on their own. Some experiments suggested they could, but the methods used raised doubts.



Traditional studies often involved cutting plants and forcing water back into the tissues under unnatural pressures. Critics pointed out that this could create “artifacts” - results that didn’t reflect what happens in nature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-plant-recovery-in-real-time">Observing plant recovery in real-time </h2>



To settle the debate, the CSU, CU, and USDA team took a different approach. They used a micro-CT scanner, an advanced type of X-ray machine, to watch the plants without harming them. This machine allowed the researchers to observe internal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sensors-that-detect-plant-stress-could-revolutionize-farming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant processes</a> as they unfolded in real time.



What they found was striking. Within 24 hours of watering, a type of wild grass that had become dehydrated showed a complete reversal of embolism. Its water transport system - initially almost entirely blocked - returned to full function.



“This is the first convincing evidence of the reversal, or refilling, of embolism in a vascular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-plant-species-remain-unphotographed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant species</a>, with the plant regaining full functional recovery afterward,” said Sean Gleason, a researcher with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and a CSU affiliate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-crops">What this means for crops</h2>



The implications are significant. If scientists can understand the genetic mechanisms behind refilling, they might be able to breed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixed-cover-crops-may-be-the-future-of-sustainable-farming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crops</a> that can survive droughts more effectively.



The team has already started looking for other plants with this trait. The hope is to identify the genetic triggers that make refilling possible. Once found, these traits could be introduced into agricultural crops.



"If a plant can recover from drought quickly by refilling, then you might be able to recoup some losses during a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exquisite-mechanism-will-help-plants-survive-drought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drought</a> year,” said Troy Ocheltree, a CSU associate professor in the Warner College of Natural Resources. 



“If plants can refill, this may allow flexibility in the amount and timing of irrigation, although additional work is required to identify how refilling would impact crop water use.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-resilient-plant-hiding-in-plain-sight">A resilient plant hiding in plain sight</h2>



The plant that proved the theory wasn’t found in a lush field or a greenhouse. It was discovered growing in a parking lot, thriving in the cracks of hot, dry asphalt.



The research team, including lead author Jared Stewart and graduate students Brendan Allen and Stephanie Polutchko, picked this grass because of its resilience. 



After a prolonged drought, the grass appeared dead and had up to 88% of its xylem blocked. But once watered, its vascular system bounced back overnight.



So far, this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-grass-could-protect-crops-against-deadly-pathogens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wild grass</a> is the only species known to refill naturally. However, the researchers believe others might exist.



“We don't know how common this is,” Ocheltree said. “But the fact that we found a plant in the parking lot that refills makes me think there's probably others out there that also refill. It shifts our mindset.”



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



A key part of the study’s success was access to a micro-CT scanner from CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. 



This specialized machine, which is typically used for small animals, emits lower radiation levels than standard CT scanners. It allowed the researchers to scan the plants repeatedly without causing harm.



Support from the lab’s staff was essential. Professor Nicole Ehrhart, director of CSU’s Center for Healthy Aging, and lab technician Laura Chubb played critical roles. Chubb initially scanned the plants and later trained Gleason to operate the machine.



“The resilience of this humble grass - reviving its vascular system overnight - was both surprising and deeply compelling,” Ehrhart said.



“Collaborations like this remind us how powerful it can be when tools developed for biomedical research are applied in new ways to answer fundamental questions about life. We were thrilled to contribute to such impactful science.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breeding-plants-to-resist-drought">Breeding plants to resist drought</h2>



The discovery opens the door to exciting possibilities. With further research, scientists might find more species capable of refilling. 



Experts can work toward breeding these drought-resistant traits into crops - a step that could improve food security and help farmers adapt to a changing climate.



For now, a scrappy little grass from a parking lot is showing the world that recovery from drought isn’t just possible - it’s real.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2420618122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

How a humble plant may help us save crops from drought

Plants suffer greatly during summer droughts, which can lead to...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



—–



Like what you saw and read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



—–



Check us out on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.



—–

Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

News coming your way