Climate change solutions might be closer than we think - not in labs or remote forests, but in the microbes living in our homes. James Henriksen, a microbiologist at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a>, believes the secret to fighting climate change could be hiding in dishwashers, air conditioners, and water heaters.



Henriksen wants everyone to join the hunt for extremophiles - organisms that thrive in extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-wins-in-2025-came-from-unexpected-places/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conditions</a>. They’re tiny, they’re tough, and some might be surprisingly useful.



These microbes have adapted to harsh environments, evolving traits that could potentially absorb carbon dioxide or clean up pollutants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-home-microbes-fighting-climate-change">Home microbes fighting climate change</h2>



<a href="https://citsci.org/projects/the-extremophile-campaign-in-the-wild/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Extremophile Campaign: In Your Home</a> is a new initiative from CitSci, the Two Frontiers Project, and SeedLabs. It kicked off in October, rallying citizen scientists to search for hidden organisms.



“We believe that we have found new organisms, and we know that they have unique characteristics purely from the fact that they're growing and thriving in some of these unusual environments,” Henriksen said. Already, the campaign has led to some intriguing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/south-africas-land-is-continuously-rising-as-water-disappears-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discoveries</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-microbe-with-a-big-appetite">A microbe with a big appetite</h2>



Deep in the volcanic ocean vents off the island of Vulcano, Henriksen and his team stumbled upon Chonkus. This cyanobacterium isn’t just any microbe. It devours carbon dioxide and then sinks, locking away CO2 in the ocean depths.



Unlike plants, Chonkus can absorb far more CO2, using photosynthesis to turn the gas into biomass. It’s a microscopic powerhouse that might one day help mitigate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/todays-children-will-face-more-climate-extremes-than-ever-before/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> change.



Henriksen isn’t surprised. “Half the air you're breathing comes from microbes,” he said. “They play essential roles in carbon and nitrogen cycles.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-microbes">Mapping the microbes</h2>



Henriksen co-founded the Two Frontiers Project to hunt for microbes in extreme environments – from the depths of the ocean to outer space. But what about the extreme environments right under our noses?



“There’s not just unknown species,” he said. “It’s like there’s a rainforest everywhere you look, and we know almost nothing about the organisms there and what they can do.”



Our homes, it turns out, are teeming with unseen life - and Henriksen wants us to pay attention.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbes-hidden-in-the-home">Microbes hidden in the home</h2>



If you’re feeling brave, take a closer look at your appliances. What’s lurking inside your dishwasher or around the base of your water heater? If it’s slimy, crusty, or gooey, Henriksen wants to hear about it.



Instead of scrubbing away the weird spots and unpleasant odors, you can help scientists by documenting them. That slimy film? It could be home to a whole community of extremophiles - microbes that might hold the key to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-impacting-earths-rotation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate solutions</a>.



Participating is easy. Snap a photo of your odd discovery. Fill out an online survey at <a href="https://citsci.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CitSci.org</a>. If researchers need more information, they’ll send a collection kit.



Henriksen’s team will then analyze the samples using metagenomic sequencing. Each microbe’s DNA will be studied, cataloged, and possibly saved for future research. Some samples might even lead to new scientific breakthroughs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-in-the-slime">What's in the slime?</h2>



Metagenomic sequencing sounds complex, but the goal is simple: figure out what’s living in that slimy mess. Henriksen and his team are looking for microbes that can absorb CO₂, degrade <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollutants-from-fossil-fuels-are-embedded-in-coral-skeletons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollutants</a>, or perform other useful tasks.



The DNA data will be stored for future study. Some organisms might be cultivated and tested further. Every sample holds the potential for new discoveries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-s-hidden-survivors">Nature's hidden survivors </h2>



Beyond homes, the Extremophile Campaign: In the Wild asks people to keep an eye out for microbial hotspots in nature. Springs in places like Colorado and California often contain unusual chemistry - acidic water, carbonation, and, yes, slime.



"Life is surviving and thriving in this hot water, in water that is as carbonated as soda pop and as acidic as lemon juice,” Henriksen said. “Microbes are pulling high concentrations of CO₂ out of the water, out of the air, and they're building that slime or the green algae that you see.”&nbsp;



If you spot something slimy, crusty, or just plain weird, the researchers want to know.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-platform-to-fight-climate-change-nbsp">A platform to fight climate change&nbsp;</h2>



Both extremophile campaigns run through CitSci.org, a platform that connects researchers with citizen scientists. The site was developed at Colorado State University’s Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory two decades ago and now hosts nearly 1,500 projects.



“CitSci has been an amazing partner in helping get this up and running,” Henriksen said. 



Through CitSci, Henriksen hopes to gather data from as many people and places as possible. With more eyes on the ground, the chances of finding new microbial allies in the climate fight increase.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-gunk-might-save-the-planet">Your gunk might save the planet</h2>



Henriksen sees potential in every home. That gross gunk in your appliance? It might contain the next Chonkus – a microbe that could capture <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountains-both-carbon-sinks-and-carbon-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> or break down pollutants. All it takes is a photo, a survey, and a bit of curiosity.



“We believe that everybody can contribute and participate in science," Henriksen said. &nbsp;



From volcanic vents to kitchen sinks, the next big climate solution might be hiding in plain sight - and researchers want you to help find it.



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Slime found in home appliances could help fight climate change

Climate change solutions might be closer than we think - not in labs or remote forests, but in the microbes living in our homes. James Henriksen, a microbiologist at Colorado State University, believes the secret to fighting climate change could be hiding in dishwashers, air conditioners, and water heaters. Henriksen wants everyone to join the hunt for extremophiles - organisms that thrive in extreme conditions. They’re tiny, they’re tough, and some might be surprisingly useful. These microbes have adapted to harsh environments, evolving traits that could potentially...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/permafrost-could-release-much-more-carbon-than-expected/">Permafrost</a> peatlands in Europe and Western Siberia are much closer to a climatic tipping point than previously thought, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>. Scientists estimate that, even with the strongest efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions and therefore limit climate change, by 2040 the climates of Northern Europe will no longer be cold and dry enough to sustain peat permafrost.



“Peatland permafrost responds differently to changing climates than mineral-soil permafrost due to the insulating properties of organic soils, but peatlands remain poorly represented in Earth system models,” said study co-author Dr. Ruza Ivanovic, an associate professor of Climatology at Leeds. “It is vitally important these ecosystems are understood and accounted for when considering the impact of climate change on the planet.”



By using the latest generation of climate models to examine possible future climates of these regions, the scientists found that global warming will most likely cause massive permafrost melting, and subsequent release of the huge quantities of carbon dioxide that are stored in these frozen peatlands (about 39 billion tons of carbon – the equivalent to twice that stored in all the European forests).



“We examined a range of future emission trajectories. This included strong climate-change mitigation scenario, which would see large-scale efforts to curb emissions across sectors, to no-mitigations scenarios and worse-case scenarios,” said study lead author Richard Fewster, a PhD student in Geography at Leeds.



“Our modelling shows that these fragile ecosystems are on a precipice and even moderate mitigation leads to the widespread loss of suitable climates for peat permafrost by the end of the century.”



“But that doesn’t mean we should throw in the towel,” he stressed. “The rate and extent to which suitable climate are lost could be limited, and even partially reversed, by strong climate-change mitigation policies.”



Such strong action to reduce greenhouse emissions could help preserve suitable climates for permafrost peatlands at least in the northern parts of Western Siberia, a region where 13.9 billion tons of carbon are stored.&nbsp;



These projections emphasize the importance of socio-economic policies aimed at reducing emissions and mitigating climate change. Further research is needed to improve maps of modern peat permafrost distribution in areas where observation data is lacking and thus to enable future modelling studies able to make hemispheric-scale projections.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022-01296-7">Nature Climate Change</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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

Permafrost peatlands approach a climate tipping point

Permafrost peatlands in Europe and Western Siberia are much closer...

Ozone is a highly reactive gas that has molecules composed of three oxygen atoms (O3). It is a natural product found in the Earth’s upper <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/acidity-in-the-atmosphere-is-transforming-the-ocean/">atmosphere</a>, the stratosphere, where it is very beneficial and helps to reduce the amount of harmful UV radiation that reaches Earth. However, ozone is also produced as a result of human activities in the lower levels of the atmosphere, the troposphere. This ground-level ozone is a toxic pollutant that we breathe in, and its levels are regulated by environmental laws.



Ozone is formed primarily when various pollutants from motor vehicle exhausts, power plants and other sources react in the presence of sunlight. It is a component of "smog" that is found in many large cities, but is also found in smaller cities and can be carried by the wind to almost any location. Higher levels of this gas have been linked to&nbsp;the occurrence of <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozone-pollution/health-effects-ozone-pollution">various physical ailments</a>, including asthma, respiratory viruses and premature death from respiratory causes.&nbsp;



Now, a new study from the <a href="https://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a> is the first to link exposure to ozone from pollution with an increase in depressive symptoms in adolescents, even in neighborhoods that meet air quality standards. Those symptoms include persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, difficulty with concentration, sleep disturbances, poor performance at school and thoughts about suicide.&nbsp;



Past research attempting to identify environmental contributors to the development of depression have focused mainly on individual and family-level psychosocial characteristics, such as the quality of interpersonal relationships or socioeconomic resources. Very little research has been conducted into the possible role of pollution in the development of mental health issues.



“I think our findings really speak to the importance of considering air pollution’s impact on mental health in addition to physical health,” said lead researcher Dr. Erika Manczak, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Denver.



The experts investigated whether levels of neighborhood ozone predicted the development of depressive symptoms over a four-year period in 213 adolescents (57 percent female; 53 percent male; of minority race/ethnicity). The average age of participants at the start was 11.4 years and they all lived in the San Francisco Bay area. The participants self-reported depressive and other types of psychopathology symptoms up to three times during the four-year period.&nbsp;



In addition, their home addresses were used to obtain relevant ozone levels in their census tract, using data from air monitoring sites compiled by the California Environmental Protection Agency. Daily maximum eight-hour average concentrations of ozone for all air monitoring sites in California were extracted for the years 2012–2014 and the respective levels for each participants’ home address were used. Confounding variables, including personal, family, and neighborhood characteristics, were also assessed by the researchers.



The findings showed that adolescents who lived in areas with relatively higher ozone levels exhibited significant increases in depressive symptoms over time, even though the ozone levels in their neighborhoods didn’t exceed state or national air quality standards. The findings weren’t affected by the participants’ sex, age, race, household income, parental education, or the socioeconomic characteristics of their neighborhoods.



“It was surprising that the average level of ozone was fairly low even in the communities with relatively higher ozone exposure,” said Dr. Manczak. “This really underscores the fact that even low levels of ozone exposure have potentially harmful effects.”



Late childhood and early adolescence are times of physiological and emotional change, often associated with the onset of several forms of psychopathology. Thus, adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of ozone exposure at this stage. Furthermore, adolescents are exposed to more air pollution than are individuals in other age groups because they usually spend more time outside.&nbsp;



Research by other scientists has shown that one of the ways in which ozone exposure may be linked to physical health is by activating immune processes. For example, inhaling ozone can contribute to both local and systemic inflammation; such inflammatory processes are also implicated in psychopathology symptoms, most importantly with those of depression. Research on animal models has also indicated that ozone exposure can disrupt neurotransmitter activity, promote greater oxidative stress, and lead to increased levels of inflammatory proteins



Although the authors acknowledge that this was a correlational study and does not prove a causal relationship between ozone exposure and the development of depression in adolescents, they do feel that it adds to a growing body of research implicating air pollution not only in physical health outcomes, but also in youth mental health outcomes. They feel it is important to consider environmental pollutants as possible causative factors, given that symptoms of depression in childhood and adolescence can be associated with life-long difficulties in psychosocial functioning



Because air pollution disproportionately affects marginalized communities, ozone levels could be contributing to health disparities, Manczak said. Communities also should consider ways to reduce ozone exposure, such monitoring the quality of the air in their homes, holding youth sporting events indoors when necessary and limiting driving and refueling during peak hours of air pollution. Investment in clean and renewable energy sources that reduce air pollution also could be helpful.



“I believe state and federal air quality standards should be stricter, and we should have tighter regulations on industries that contribute to pollution,” said Dr. Manczak. “Our findings and other studies suggest that even low levels of ozone exposure can pose potentially serious risks to both physical and mental health.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.simplypsychology.org/developmental-psychology.html">Developmental Psychology</a>.



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

Ozone exposure linked to depression in adolescents

Ozone is a highly reactive gas that has molecules composed...

According to a research team led by the <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/">University of Technology Sydney</a> (UTS), a single-celled marine microbe (Prorocentrum&nbsp;cf.&nbsp;balticum) that is capable of both photosynthesis and hunting and eating prey may turn out to be a valuable secret weapon in the fight against climate change.&nbsp;



This microbe, abundant in the world’s oceans, photosynthesizes and releases a carbon-rich exopolymer which attracts and helps immobilize other marine microbes. After eating some of the entrapped prey, it abandons its exopolymer “mucosphere” which, heavy with entrapped prey, sinks and becomes part of the ocean’s natural biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meltwater-influences-carbon-storage-in-the-arctic/">carbon pump</a>.



While the contribution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/phytoplankton-remain-surprisingly-active-underneath-arctic-sea-ice/">phytoplankton</a> to the carbon pump has already been well documented by scientists, the role of mixotrophic protists – microbes that can simultaneously photosynthesize and consume other organisms – is far less understood.



“Most terrestrial plants use nutrients from the soil to grow, but some, like the Venus flytrap, gain additional nutrients by catching and consuming insects. Similarly, marine microbes that photosynthesize, known as phytoplankton, use nutrients dissolved in the surrounding seawater to grow,” said study lead author Michaela Larsson, a marine biologist at UTS.



“However, our study organism, Prorocentrum&nbsp;cf.&nbsp;balticum, is a mixotroph, so is also able to eat other microbes for a concentrated hit of nutrients, like taking a multivitamin. Having the capacity to acquire nutrients in different ways means this microbe can occupy parts of the ocean devoid of dissolved nutrients and therefore unsuitable for most phytoplankton.”



According to a 2019 <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2018/10/technologies-that-remove-carbon-dioxide-from-air-and-sequester-it-need-to-play-a-large-role-in-mitigating-climate-change-says-new-report">report</a> of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, in order to meet climate change mitigation goals, about 10 gigatons of CO2 should be removed from the atmosphere each year until 2050. Dr. Larsson and her colleagues have estimated that this microbe species has the potential to sink between 0.02 and 0.15 gigatons of carbon annually. Thus, it could be used as a nature-based solution to enhance carbon capture in the world’s oceans.



“The natural production of extra-cellular carbon-rich polymers by ocean microbes under nutrient-deficient conditions, which we’ll see under global warming, suggest these microbes could help maintain the biological carbon pump in the future ocean,” said study senior author Martina Doblin, a professor of Oceanography at UTS.



“The next step before assessing the feasibility of large-scale cultivation is to gauge the proportion of the carbon-rich exopolymers resistant to bacteria breakdown and determine the sinking velocity of discarded mucospheres. This could be a game changer in the way we think about carbon and the way it moves in the marine environment,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28867-8">Nature Communications</a>.



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

Marine microbe may help in the fight against climate change

According to a research team led by the University of...

Agrilus,Planipennis,-,Emerald,Ash,Borer

Invasive insects will destroy hundreds of thousands of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tall-trees-in-the-amazon-face-an-uncertain-future/">trees</a> in the coming years, according to a new study published by the British Ecological Society. The experts report that by mid-century, invasive insects like the emerald ash borer could kill 1.4 million street trees in the United States, with an associated cost of over 900 million dollars.



The study represents the first nationwide forecast of street tree mortality from invasive insects. For the investigation, a research team led by McGill University analyzed data from about 30,000 urban areas across the United States.



The projections show that the emerald ash borer will be, by far, the most destructive of the invasive insects. The experts determined that the emerald ash borer will be responsible for 90 percent of the 1.4 million trees deaths. In particular, this pest is expected to kill every ash tree in more than 6,000 urban areas.



The impact of invasive insects will not be distributed evenly across the country, according to the study. The experts found that less than a quarter of US communities will be hit with 95 percent of all street tree mortality. Some of the areas that will be severely affected include New York, Chicago and Milwaukee.



The researchers noted that their findings can help urban tree managers predict which tree species, in which areas, will be at the greatest risk from invasive insects.&nbsp;



“These results can hopefully provide a cautionary tale against planting a single species of tree throughout entire cities, as has been done with ash trees in North America," said study lead author Dr. Emma Hudgins. "Increasing urban tree diversity provides resilience against pest infestations. While we know this more intuitively for monocultures of crops, many cities continue to plant what are essentially monoculture urban forests.”



“We can see a similar situation in Canada, since emerald ash borer arrived here by spreading across the border with the United States, and cities like Montréal are in the process of losing all of their ash trees. Colder cities like Winnipeg appear to be seeing delayed impacts of emerald ash borer due to its need to complete a longer life cycle at low temperatures.”



Dr. Hudgins pointed out that trees form an important part of our urban environments and provide a number of benefits including improving air quality, cooling streets, carbon capture, habitat provision for wildlife and improving citizens’ mental and physical health.



“This paper shows that unless we plant a variety of tree species in our cities, urban trees are seriously at risk from invasive pests," said Professor Jane Memmott at the University of Bristol, who was not involved in the study. "The take home message to urban planners, is to plant multiple species in cities rather than focus on just a few familiar species; It’ll keep trees wonderful, and it will keep them in our cities."



The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652664">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>.



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

Invasive insects will kill 1.4 million U.S. trees by 2050

Invasive insects will destroy hundreds of thousands of trees in...

After more than 50 years of protection, green turtles are showing signs of recovery at Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. A new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> reveals that green turtle populations have been steadily growing throughout the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/islands-are-not-evolutionary-dead-ends-for-animals/">islands</a>.&nbsp;



The Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles is home to some one of the world's largest populations of green turtles. However, before the turtles were granted protection through a hunting ban in 1968, they were nearly wiped out.



Researchers from the Seychelles Islands Foundation have been tracking this special turtle population by estimating how many clutches of eggs are laid. According to the latest analysis of the data, this figure has increased from 2,000 or 3,000 per year in the late 1960s to more than 15,000 per year by 2019.



"Green turtles have suffered massive historical population declines due to intensive harvesting of nesting females," said study lead author Adam Pritchard.



"Aldabra Atoll was the first green turtle nesting site to be protected in the Western Indian Ocean, with a ban on turtle capture in 1968, followed by continued long-term monitoring by Seychelles Islands Foundation researchers."



Professor Brendan Godley, who helped supervise the research, said that it has been an honor to support the analysis of the decades of work by the Seychelles team.



"The ongoing population increase of Aldabra's green turtles is testament to long-term protection, and offers some clear evidence of the fact that we can be optimistic about marine conservation, well enacted," said Professor Godley.&nbsp;



Overall, the results show that green turtle clutches have increased at Aldabra by 2.6 percent each year. The greatest increase in turtles has been found at Settlement Beach on Picard, which is where the most intense harvesting once took place.&nbsp;



"This study demonstrates the importance of long-term monitoring, which is often seen as less glamorous and valuable than targeted research," noted study co-author Cheryl Sanchez, who is currently doing a PhD on Aldabra’s turtles. "It has taken decades of tireless commitment to collect the data to confirm this increase, and the foresight to protect the nesting population before it was too late.



"Aldabra's green turtles should continue to be an incredible conservation success story that we can follow for decades to come."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.int-res.com/journals/esr/esr-home/">Endangered Species Research</a>.



Image Credit: Richard Baxter



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

Green turtle populations have bounced back in the Seychelles

After more than 50 years of protection, green turtles are...

While some rivers in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazon-rainforest-is-creeping-closer-to-a-tipping-point/">Amazon</a> basin are muddy, others run clean and clear due to different geographies. The Tapajos River, which feeds into the Amazon as a major tributary, is one of those rivers. In fact, the Tapajos is one of the largest clearwater rivers in South America and contributes six percent of the Amazon Basin’s water.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Illegal mining, which is being conducted by small scale operators who are running below the radar of environmental regulators, is destroying the Tapajos and other rivers in the region. The Tapajos has been transformed from its usual clarity to a turgid brown color. Small mining projects have long been a problem in the Amazon region, but with gold prices up, there has been a gold rush since 2019.&nbsp;



Dredging the river, digging pits and vacuuming sediment from the bottom along with deforestation all contribute to the muddying of the waters. Now, Conservation X Labs may have some solutions.



To deal with this ongoing problem, Conservation X Labs has hosted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-technology-developed-to-protect-the-amazon/">contests</a> to encourage innovative groups to develop new approaches. Now, it's time for these solutions to be used in the field.



One proposed solution is a tool that could automatically detect illegal mining operations using satellites and artificial technology. Another idea is to make mining in the area safer and less detrimental to the environment. This approach would involve a safe and affordable system that increases gold yields.&nbsp;



Lastly, the organization developed tools to deal with mercury pollution. One of these is a new portable mercury detector that alerts the user to mercury in the field in realtime. A separate system was designed to capture mercury vapor released during amalgam burning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Altogether, these tools represent some of the high tech solutions being developed to solve conservation problems in the Tapajos River and beyond. Time will tell whether these newer solutions will work better than old ones.



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

The Tapajos River is polluted by illegal gold mining

While some rivers in the Amazon basin are muddy, others...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-will-increase-by-50-percent-by-the-end-of-the-century/">wildfires</a> increase in frequency and severity, they are taking a significant toll on the wine industry. Volatile compounds in the smoke can be absorbed by grapes and produce an unpleasant taste known as “smoke taint” in the wines made from such grapes. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">University of California, Santa Cruz</a> provides practical guidelines for using biomarkers to identify grapes and wines affected by smoke taint.



Previous studies have associated smoke taint with volatile phenols that are present in the smoke produced by burning vegetation. These chemical compounds are absorbed through the skin of ripening grapes and, through binding with sugars, they form nonvolatile compounds called phenolic diglycosides. Although in their bound state, these compounds cannot be smelled or tasted, foul-tasting free phenols can be released by enzymes, either during the fermentation process or in the mouth by the enzymes present in saliva.



“We found that the phenolic diglycosides are stable in cabernet sauvignon during bottle aging, but then during tasting the monomers that smell bad get released in the mouth,” said study lead author Phillip Crews, a distinguished research professor of Chemistry at UC Santa Cruz.



By using sophisticated methods such as ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and quantitative mass spectrometry, Professor Crews and his colleagues have provided some of the first quantitative measurements of phenolic diglycosides in premium California and Oregon grapes and wines that were exposed to six different levels of natural wildfire smoke.



“There are still major gaps in our understanding of these compounds, so more research is needed. But people can use these procedures now to look at a bottle of wine or a batch of grapes and tell if it’s likely to be affected by smoke taint,” explained Professor Crews.



“This research is highly valuable, with the potential to save countless dollars, and is increasingly relevant in our world of drought and climate change,” said Eleni Papadakis, a winemaking consultant from Portland, Oregon, who was not directly involved in the study, but helped connect the researchers with Oregon winemakers and participated in frequent discussions. “I believe I speak for the whole of the winemaking community when I express the excitement and appreciation for the strong data and evidence-based guidance Professor Crews and his team have provided with this groundbreaking work,” she concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c00028">Journal of Natural Products</a>.&nbsp;



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

Wildfire smoke is taking a toll on the wine industry

As wildfires increase in frequency and severity, they are taking...

Climate change is significantly affecting a large number of wild populations, including many European <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-involved-in-more-seed-dispersal-have-evolutionary-stability/">bird</a> species. However, global warming’s relative importance compared to other causes of change is still unclear. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/">Australian National University</a> (ANU) has investigated the impact of climate change on over 60 different bird species from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.&nbsp;



The researchers found that half of all changes to major physical and behavioral bird characteristics since the 1960s can be linked to climate change. The other half is due to environmental factors that have changed at the same time as our climate, such as land use, urbanization, habitat loss, or the introduction of invasive species into ecosystems.



“We have shown that climate change is a major driver of these changes in the birds, but there is more at play here than we originally thought,” said study lead author Dr. Nina McLean, an expert in Climate Change Ecology at ANU.



“Not only were other unknown changes in the environment equally important in driving changes in the birds, surprisingly they generally did so in the same direction as climate change, such that their effects compounded.”



Dr. McLean and her colleagues analyzed three key traits: the timing of egg laying, the body condition of birds, and the number of offspring produced. While almost all the birds laid their eggs earlier due to climate change, in the case of the other two traits the scientists discovered a certain degree of variability.



“Some species are clearly increasing their body condition and offspring number, whereas others are suffering from it,” said Dr. McLean. “For example, garden warblers in the UK have experienced a 26 percent decrease in their average number of offspring over the past half century, which is really concerning for the long-term fate of this species, but only half of this reduction, 13 percent, can be attributed to climate change.&nbsp;By comparison, the redstart experienced a 27 per cent increase in offspring numbers over the past half century, but again only part of that increase is due to global warming.”&nbsp;



According to Dr. McLean, these findings clearly show that the impact of climate change does not act in isolation and that its effects occur in a world where wildlife resilience is already pushed to its limits due to other changes caused by humans. The compound effects of these factors pose significant threats to the livelihoods of various species that may already be endangered.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2105416119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



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

Climate is not the only thing changing the behavior of birds

Climate change is significantly affecting a large number of wild...

A new study published by Frontiers has identified a previously unrecognized impact that climate change has on endangered mountain gorillas. When <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/temperature-related-deaths-could-rise-exponentially/">temperatures</a> rise, mountain gorillas drink water much more frequently. 



Water plays a vital role in sustaining life. Understanding how various species use water is critical, especially as rising temperatures are expected to reduce water availability. This is a key concern for endangered species in small isolated populations vulnerable to drought and the risk of extinction.&nbsp;



Only two existing mountain gorilla populations exist. One population lives in the Virunga volcanic mountains that border Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the other lives in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.&nbsp;



They are classified as an endangered species on the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/">International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List</a>. Mountain gorillas continue to face threats from habitat destruction and poaching. There are only around 1,000 individuals left.



Mountain gorillas live in rainforests and rely on plants for water. They live in high elevations, which makes them susceptible to faster rises in temperature. As the climate warms, the gorillas will become increasingly dependent on free-standing water from streams, rivers or puddles.



“Understanding how animals obtain water is increasingly important in the face of climate change, as warmer temperatures and more extreme weather conditions are predicted to influence water availability, which could have implications for how they use their limited habitat,” said Dr. Edward Wright of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.&nbsp;



“This is particularly important in endangered species which are vulnerable to extinction, such as mountain gorillas.”



Existing research has shown that 22 percent of primate species are vulnerable to drought. Primate habitats will likely experience 10 percent more warming than the global average.&nbsp;



By 2050, temperatures in the habitats of mountain gorillas are projected to increase by 1°C to 2.5°C, which could result in more frequent drought conditions.&nbsp;



To understand how drinking water habits could be impacted by climate change, the researchers observed drinking water behavior in the two existing mountain gorilla populations over 10 years. The results showed that both populations drank more water at higher average temperatures than at cooler ones.



This behavioral change is a logical one. Mountain gorillas drink more water to cool down and maintain healthy body temperature, just as humans do.&nbsp;



However, a greater reliance on free-standing water could ultimately impact the survival of the endangered species. This is because mountain gorillas could face increased exposure to parasites and human diseases found in free-standing water. Additionally, water availability is not always guaranteed, especially for the very limited habitat range available to mountain gorillas.



Despite these increasing concerns, extensive conservation efforts successfully moved mountain gorilla populations from a classification of "critically endangered" to "endangered" on the IUCN Red List.&nbsp;



Yet, just as the study points out, climate change may bring negative consequences on the conservation and overall survival of the species. “Our results suggest that mountain gorillas may have to work harder to maintain water balance in the future.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://conservationbytes.com/2020/09/29/new-journal-frontiers-in-conservation-science/">Frontiers in Conservation Science</a>.



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

Mountain gorillas need more water in a warming climate

A new study published by Frontiers has identified a previously...

New research shows that Florida’s 76,000 storm water ponds emit more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-carbon-costs-of-wildfires/">carbon</a> than they store. The research, carried out by scientists at the University of Florida, is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsenv/">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“That finding means some ponds are doing us an ecosystem ‘disservice,’” said Mary Lusk, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of soil and water sciences. “Globally, we expect that as urbanization continues, there will be more and more of these small man-made ponds in urban landscapes.”



According to Lusk, the research will inform scientists’ attempts to estimate how much carbon is entering the atmosphere from these particular water sources on a regional basis.



“Then, once people start to understand that better, we hope they will take stormwater ponds into account for policies related to carbon control,” explained Lusk. “Stormwater ponds are everywhere in Florida. But they are understudied in terms of how they are impacting local ecosystems. Because they are man-made parts of the landscape, they sort of get overlooked, and people might assume they’re not very important ecologically.”



Lusk initially wanted to study nitrogen and phosphorus, common chemicals in artificial fertilizers, but her master’s student Audrey Goeckner convinced her to look at carbon in these ponds instead.&nbsp;



“When I learned that I had the chance to work in stormwater ponds, similar to what I had grown up in around in my neighborhood, I immediately asked myself, well what about these little urban ponds? How do they compare to other aquatic ecosystems?” said Goeckner. “Turns out that despite their small size, they can rapidly store and process carbon, which adds up when you consider how many of them exist in developed landscapes and how many continue to be built.”



The scientists collected muck from the bottom of ponds from a canoe and measuring both the carbon stored in this “muck” and the carbon released. Interestingly, they found that not all ponds store carbon the same way and how much they store changes over time.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Our results suggest that when they’re new, they emit large proportions of carbon from the landscape and potentially increase storage over time,” said Lusk. “This means the older ponds are doing less of an ecosystem disservice to us than the younger ponds."



"But if you think about the rate of new housing development in Florida, and how fast new stormwater ponds are being built in all that new development, it means we will always have a fresh new batch of young ponds that are just pumping carbon out to the atmosphere.”



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

Florida’s ponds release more carbon than they store

New research shows that Florida’s 76,000 storm water ponds emit...

Scientists have long known that wet soils in agricultural areas sometimes emit nitrous oxide - a strong <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-half-of-urban-greenhouse-gas-emissions-linked-to-25-cities/">greenhouse gas</a> also known as laughing gas. The explanation is that soil microbes convert nitrogen based fertilizers into nitrous oxide when the soil is wet. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/10533">Biogeochemistry</a> shows that microbes in desert soils do the same thing after a heavy rain.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“It only happens in waterlogged soils. Since the desert is dry most of the year, we didn’t think this process could occur in arid soils,” explained study first author Alex Krichels, an environmental scientist at <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/">UC Riverside</a>. “This is a strategy for the bacteria to survive after a ton of water is added and there’s no oxygen for them in the soil. When that happens, instead of oxygen they use nitrate, and breathe out nitrous oxide, a process called denitrification.”



Obviously, the source of nitrates in desert soil isn’t farm-applied fertilizer. Instead scientists suspect the nitrates could be coming from exhaust, such as that from automobiles driving through a desert landscape.&nbsp;



“Nitrate pollution in deserts originates from fossil fuel combustion, not fertilization,” said Krichels. “Combustion releases pollution that hangs around, gets deposited into soils over time, and re-emerges after a rain as N2O.”



A few different forms of nitrogen are created by cars and other processes. “Combined, they’re called NOx, and they can produce tropospheric ozone, which is bad for your lungs and is also a greenhouse gas," explained study co-author Peter Homyak. "It is not to be confused with good ozone higher up in the stratosphere that protects us from UV rays,”&nbsp;



The scientists who carried out the study say they hope that their work brings more awareness to the problem.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“On a broader scale, a lot of people don’t know these processes happen in soils in general, or that the nitrogen humans add to the atmosphere can end up affecting climate change and human health in this way,” said Krichels. “There’s a lot of life in these soils, and it can affect the entire globe.”



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

Desert microbes release greenhouse gases

Scientists have long known that wet soils in agricultural areas...

Around 85 percent of the world's vertebrates, including birds, live in mountainous areas. The lowland habits between mountains keep the populations and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-species-can-hitchhike-on-ocean-plastic/">species</a> isolated from each other. For centuries, scientists have wondered, how do new species form in different mountain areas?



Some hypothesize that birds simply fly to other mountains, while others say they don't often colonize other peaks. Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> provide the first evidence of what happens, at least with birds living in the islands around Indonesia and Australia.



By collecting and analyzing genomes of various bird populations from the order Passeriformes in New Guinea, the scientists have learned that bird species emerge in the lowlands and then move up in elevation over time. They move higher over millions of years due to factors such as climate change and competition. Since most bird species exist for a few million years before going extinct, many species eventually die out while inhabiting mountainous areas.



"Our analyses demonstrate that the species living on mountain peaks are 5-10 million years old. So, the oldest and most specialized species live at elevations of 3-4 kilometers, and in small numbers. Climate fluctuations can accelerate the process, so that ancient species will go extinct faster. This will probably be a consequence of modern-day global warming as well," explained study lead author Knud Andreas Jønsson of the Natural History Museum of Denmark



Moreover, as bird populations move higher, they become more distinct from other populations. Jønsson further explains,



"We can see that the higher up in the mountains birds live, the greater the differences between populations of the same species," said Jønsson. "Some of the populations are so different, that one could make the case that they are distinct species. Conversely, there are greater similarities among lowland populations. This tells us that the spread of new species must have taken place from lowland habitats upwards."



This information is vital to conservationists. Currently, most conservation efforts in the region focus on lowland forests, and for a good reason. A large amount of these forests have disappeared, and with them, birds and many other animals. However, knowing that some of the longest-lived and genetically varied species live in the highlands, we should consider focusing conservation efforts there, especially since they are more vulnerable to global warming.&nbsp;



The study, "The formation of avian montane diversity across barriers and along elevational gradients," is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.



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

How mountains Influence bird evolution

Around 85 percent of the world's vertebrates, including birds, live...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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