The Arctic, known for its icy landscapes and frozen permafrost, is rapidly transforming due to the intensifying effects of climate change. As temperatures rise, a silent but potent threat emerges: methane emissions. Unlike carbon dioxide, methane is not as widely discussed, yet its impact on global warming is profound. 



A new study published in the journal Nature highlights the growing concern over methane emissions in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-climate-will-permanently-change-by-2050-scientists-warn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic</a> and their role in creating a feedback loop that could accelerate climate change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-methane-traps-more-heat">Why methane traps more heat </h2>



Methane isn’t as abundant as carbon dioxide, but it’s far more potent. Over a century, it traps 30 times more heat. 



Xin (Lindsay) Lan, a climate scientist at <a href="https://www.colorado.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CU Boulder</a>’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), sees the urgency.



“Methane is a very potent greenhouse gas that we need to address urgently,” Lan said. “Our study suggests that a significant portion of the recent rise in atmospheric methane originates from natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-warming-may-fuel-the-spread-of-diseases-by-unleashing-frozen-viruses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sources</a> driven by climate change. Our emission reduction efforts need to be more aggressive.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-methane-levels-climb-steadily">Arctic methane levels climb steadily</h2>



For years, Lan has tracked methane levels at NOAA’s <a href="https://gml.noaa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Monitoring Laboratory</a> in Boulder. Methane emissions have steadily climbed since 2007. 



Scientists had pointed fingers at fossil fuels, responsible for 30% of emissions. Yet, Lan’s research points elsewhere - to tiny, ancient microbes thriving in new, warmer habitats.



Archaea - microbes that have lived for millennia in wetlands, landfills, and the guts of livestock - produce methane. They may be small, but they’re mighty emitters. Microbial emissions now make up nearly half of all global methane output. Yet, pinpointing specific sources remains tricky.



Lan isn’t just watching long-term trends. Seasonal fluctuations in methane also reveal what’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-meltdown-is-accelerating-global-warming-already-changing-earth-in-unimaginable-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">changing</a> underground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-permafrost-fuels-methane-emissions">Permafrost fuels methane emissions</h2>



Lan’s team dove into decades of data. Methane’s seasonal amplitude - the swing from highest to lowest levels in a year - is shrinking in northern latitudes. 



Why? Wetlands in the Arctic are expanding. Thawing permafrost is unlocking ancient carbon stores, creating perfect conditions for archaea.



Computer models show the Arctic’s wetlands have grown by 25% in the warmer months, feeding the microbes with more decomposing organic matter. The result: more methane.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-feedback-loop-accelerates">The feedback loop accelerates</h2>



When permafrost melts, more carbon enters the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drastic-warming-will-transform-the-arctic-beyond-recognition/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmosphere</a>. As temperatures rise, more permafrost melts. A cycle begins. Lan’s research shows that since 2007, this loop has intensified. What was once a trickle of methane is becoming a flood.



“This study, along with a few previous studies, has provided indirect evidence on potential climate feedback on methane emissions, which would be beyond our ability to control directly,” Lan said.



In previous work, Lan's team analyzed connections between today’s methane surge and dramatic warming events that ended past ice ages.



As Arctic ice sheets melted, vast stores of methane escaped, causing rapid temperature increases. That was thousands of years ago. Now, it’s happening again - but faster.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-underestimated-methane-removal">Underestimated methane removal</h2>



Methane doesn’t linger forever. Hydroxyl (OH) radicals act like atmospheric scrubbers, breaking down methane. Lan’s team discovered that since 1984, these radicals have increased by 10%.



Unfortunately, OH levels are hard to measure - they disappear within seconds - scientists had assumed they remained constant. But Lan’s study suggests that the atmosphere has been removing more methane than previously thought.



“Our result showed that we’ve been underestimating how much methane the atmosphere has been removing, which means that there’s actually more methane being emitted than we previously estimated,” Lan said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-methane-feedback-loop">Arctic methane feedback loop</h2>



If the atmosphere is cleaning itself more efficiently, then methane emissions are higher than we realized. 



That’s a big problem. Emission reduction plans rely on accurate data. If those numbers are off, efforts to control methane may miss the mark.



Lan stresses that understanding methane’s sources is critical. Microbial emissions are surging, but fossil fuels still account for a major chunk of global output. 



And the Arctic’s permafrost holds double the carbon currently in the atmosphere. If warming continues, thawing permafrost could unleash catastrophic carbon releases.



“We need to aggressively cut all greenhouse gas emissions from the sources we can control,” Lan said. “We need to address the feedback loop before reaching that tipping point.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgency-amid-uncertainty">Urgency amid uncertainty</h2>



Time is not on our side. Methane’s rise mirrors past warming events, but this time, human activities amplify the effect. 



Lan’s work highlights a critical truth: the Arctic is changing faster than expected, and methane is slipping through the cracks.



Now, the question is - how much longer before the feedback loop spirals beyond control?



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08900-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Arctic warming fuels dangerous methane feedback loop

The Arctic, known for its icy landscapes and frozen permafrost, is rapidly transforming due to the intensifying effects of climate change. As temperatures rise, a silent but potent threat emerges: methane emissions. Unlike carbon dioxide, methane is not as widely discussed, yet its impact on global warming is profound. A new study published in the journal Nature highlights the growing concern over methane emissions in the Arctic and their role in creating a feedback loop that could accelerate climate change. Why methane traps more heat Methane isn’t...

Mountain gorillas are highly susceptible to human-transmitted respiratory viruses. Respiratory illnesses are usually widespread among gorillas, and are the second leading cause of death in wild, human-habituated populations. 



According to a “Correspondence” report recently published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00331-z">Nature</a>, respiratory illness outbreaks among wild mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda have significantly declined since the beginning of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-is-still-circulating-widely-through-animal-populations/">COVID-19</a> pandemic.



In the five years prior to March 2020, the Volcanoes National Park reported 5.4 respiratory illness outbreaks in gorilla family groups annually. However, from March 2020 to December 2021, the gorilla populations averaged only 1.6 respiratory illness outbreaks. Fortunately, no traces of SARS-CoV-2 have been detected until now in samples collected from gorillas with such illnesses.



This massive decline in respiratory outbreaks during the pandemic is associated with an overall reduction in the number of people coming close to the gorillas, and with the additional health protection measures taken to reduce disease transmission from humans to gorillas, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/masking-and-social-distancing-can-stop-the-spread-of-the-flu/">mask wearing and social distancing</a>.&nbsp;



“Respiratory illness outbreaks are common in wild, human-habituated mountain gorillas, and considering that gorillas are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, this preliminary analysis is such a welcome finding,” said study co-author Kirsten Gilardi, the executive director and chief veterinary officer for <a href="https://www.gorilladoctors.org/">Gorilla Doctors</a>, and the director of the <a href="https://ohi.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/centers/whc">Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center</a> at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. “It is a testament to the early and decisive action of park authorities to help protect mountain gorillas and humans.”



Professor Gilardi and her colleagues argue that some of the key factors leading to this reduction in gorilla respiratory illness outbreaks include the temporary suspension of gorilla ecotourism, as well as the mask mandate issued by the <a href="https://rdb.rw/">Rwanda Development Board</a>, and the social distancing rules aiming to keep a minimum of 10 meters between humans and gorillas.



According to Jean Bosco Noheri, a field veterinarian at Gorilla Doctors, “variation in pathogenicity of viruses, gorilla group dynamics, climate conditions and a variety of other factors may also be impacting the decrease in respiratory illness outbreaks we have seen.”



The research findings stress the important of best practice measures that minimize human disease transmission to great apes. Considering the increased contagiousness of the Omicron variant and the return of gorilla ecotourism, Gorilla Doctors and the Rwanda Development Board have recommended these measures to be made permanent.



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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

Gorillas got a break from respiratory illness during the pandemic

Mountain gorillas are highly susceptible to human-transmitted respiratory viruses. Respiratory...

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense around the world. Heatwaves, defined as prolonged periods of excessive heat, cause many devastating ecological, economic and human health impacts. The number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-the-new-normal-for-the-ocean/">extreme heat </a>days has increased 60 percent over the past four decades globally. Extreme heat is one of the deadliest and costliest natural hazards, claiming more than 166,000 lives between 1998 and 2017 worldwide.&nbsp; To reduce the impacts of rising temperatures, adaptation measures such as infrastructure improvement, access to water, cooling systems, early warning systems, and increased awareness are relied upon. These mechanisms are costly to implement, and are more widely available in wealthier countries.



Lower income countries often lack access to adaptation measures, and are exposed to heat waves for longer periods of time. This inequality will only continue to rise as climate change persists, as demonstrated by new research.&nbsp;



The authors of the study, which is published by the American Geophysical Union, theorizes that “vulnerability to risk, and degrees of suffering, are determined by levels of economic development, rather than simple exposure to natural hazards."



The researchers analyzed historical income data, climate records and heat adaptations to quantify the level of heat wave exposure that people in different income levels face around the world. Observations were paired with climate models to predict how exposure will change over time.&nbsp;



The experts found that heatwaves have intensified more in low-income areas as opposed to high-income regions. When compared to people with higher incomes, lower income populations currently face a 40 percent higher exposure to heatwaves.



The study revealed that this disproportionate exposure to heatwaves will only increase in the world's lowest-income population by 2100, even if access to adaptation measures such as air conditioning, cool air shelters, and safety regulations are implemented. By the end of this century, people in the lowest-income population will face 23 more days of heat waves than those in the highest income quarters every year.&nbsp;



At the same time, the highest-income regions in the world with resources and capacity to adapt will experience little change. The richest two regions are expected to experience stable heatwave metrics by the end of the century. This is because high-income countries have greater capacity to adapt to climate change.&nbsp;



Many low-income regions are geographically located in already-warm tropics, and their populations are expected to grow, contributing to additional heat wave exposure. At the same time, higher-income countries have historically contributed to the majority of global greenhouse gasses.&nbsp;



The findings reinforce the fact that populations who have contributed the least to climate change often bear the brunt of climate change impacts, said lead study author Mojtaba Sadegh, a climatologist at Boise State University.&nbsp;



 The global inequalities of climate change can be addressed over time through innovative and affordable solutions, such as energy-efficient cooling solutions. “We need to raise awareness of dangers and heat safety, and to improve early warning systems - and access to those early warning systems,” said Sadegh.



The study is published in the AGU journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/23284277">Earth’s Future</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

Poorest people will face the greatest burden of heatwaves

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense around the world....

The risks of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-can-we-save-the-regent-honeyeater-from-extinction/">extinction</a> for specific plants and animals are generally collated in regional, national, and global threat assessments, known as “Red Lists.” These lists help legislators and conservation organizations make decisions about which species need the most urgent protection in order to avoid losing them forever.&nbsp;



Although there are many national lists available, they are often not integrated into the global <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/">Red List of Threatened Species</a> compiled by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), particularly when it comes to plants. According to current estimates, the global list lacks threat assessments for almost 90 percent of plant species.



An international team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.uni-halle.de/?lang=en">Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg</a> (MLU) in Germany has now managed to address this assessment gap in the case of European vascular plants – which comprise most species of plants, besides mosses, algae, and lichens.&nbsp;



By integrating data streams on the global geographic distribution of vascular plant species and national Red Lists from 37 European countries, spanning a period from 1999 to 2020, the researchers discovered that seven to nine percent of the European vascular plant flora is endangered.&nbsp;



In other words, about 1,800 out of the 20,000 to 25,000 known European vascular plant species are at risk. However, since the national lists generally include only half of all plants occurring in a specific country, these findings are very conservative estimates.



While the IUCN list for the major vertebrate groups was completed decades ago, this has unfortunately not been the case for plants.&nbsp;



“Such data gaps can be disastrous because they lead to uncertainties in priority setting in international conservation policy,” said study lead author Hanna Holz, a Biology MSc student at MLU. “Our findings help update and expand the most important instrument in international conservation policy.”



The <a href="https://www.cbd.int/">United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity</a> (CBD), a multilateral treaty that was signed in 1992, set itself the goal of compiling a full list of endangered plant species by 2020. Unfortunately, this goal is far from being achieved even in 2022.&nbsp;



“Through a comprehensive synthesis of existing national Red Lists with global distribution data, national efforts can be incorporated relatively easily into global risk assessments of plants and, hopefully, accelerate these efforts,” said study senior author Ingmar Staude, a senior scientist at <a href="https://www.uni-leipzig.de/en">Leipzig University</a>.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.10251">Plants People Planet</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

Alarming number of European vascular plants are threatened

The risks of extinction for specific plants and animals are...

According to satellite data from Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (<a href="https://landsat.usgs.gov/CUB">INPE</a>), the number of trees cut down in January in the Amazon (by far) exceeds the amount of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deforestation-in-the-amazon-rainforest-hits-new-records/">deforestation</a> for the same month last year.



Brazil’s vast Amazon rainforest absorbs large amounts of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, acting as one of the most powerful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-rings-reveal-the-carbon-storage-capacity-of-a-forest/">carbon sinks</a> on our planet. Thus, protecting it is essential in our fight against climate change. Unfortunately, increasing numbers of trees are being cut both for their wood and to clear spaces to plant crops in order to supply global food companies.&nbsp;



Cutting large numbers of trees at the start of the year is unusual because the rainy season stops loggers from accessing many areas of the forest. However, in January 2022, deforestation totaled 430 square kilometers (166 square miles) – an area more than seven times larger than Manhattan.



Although at the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cop26-deal-failure-or-historic-achievement/">COP26</a> international climate summit in Glasgow last year, over 100 governments – including the Brazilian one - promised to stop and reverse deforestation by 2030, Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro in fact weakened the environmental protection for this region, arguing that the government should exploit the Amazon in order to reduce poverty. Moreover, high global demand for agricultural products such as beef or soya beans keep fueling the destruction of the forest.



“Even in January, when deforestation is usually lower due to the rainy season in the Amazon region, destruction has dramatically skyrocketed,” said Cristiane Mazzetti, a campaigner at <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/brasil/">Greenpeace Brazil</a>. “Just weeks ago, this government had delayed the release of annual deforestation numbers that revealed a massive increase and then told the world that it was resolving deforestation in Glasgow. The new data yet again exposes how the government’s actions contradict its greenwashing campaigns.”&nbsp;



Mazzetti and her colleagues at Greenpeace strongly urge supermarkets all over the world to drop suppliers who are involved in deforestation, refusing to accept their meat and dairy supplies.



Moreover, according to Ana Karina Pereira, a political scientist at the <a href="https://international.unb.br/">University of Brasilia</a>, fundamental changes in political structure are necessary in order to reverse this trend, since even though the Bolsonaro government changed their tone last year (especially at the COP26 summit), their policies have largely remained the same.&nbsp;



“Changing the political profile of the president and federal government leadership is crucial in this moment to see a break in this trend of high levels of deforestation,” she concluded.



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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

Deforestation in the Amazon hits new record high

According to satellite data from Brazil's National Institute for Space...

On Friday, February 11, 2022, the Australian government declared the koala an endangered species in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The marsupial - an emblematic animal for this country’s unique <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protected-areas-are-highly-effective-for-wildlife-conservation/">wildlife</a> - is threatened by a variety of factors, including droughts, bush fires, habitat loss through land clearing, and disease. 



Scientists warn that, by exacerbating bush fires and droughts, climate change will significantly reduce the quality of the koala's eucalyptus leaf diet, pushing it increasingly closer to extinction.



The koala was listed as “vulnerable” in 2012, but it was not until the 2019 massive bush fires that extended over millions of acres in Australia, destroying the animal’s habitats, that its plight gained the global attention it deserves.&nbsp;



A <a href="https://www.wwf.org.au/news/news/2020/wwf-60000-koalas-impacted-by-bushfire-crisis#gs.pbdf9e">report</a> from the World Wildlife Fund Australia estimated that 60,000 koalas had been “killed, injured, or affected in some way” by these devastating fires. In response to this report, the Australian government allocated 18 million dollars (AUD) for restoring habitats and investing in koala health research.



While the exact number of surviving koalas is difficult to estimate, conservationists believe that the koala populations in states such as Queensland and New South Wales has declined by over 50 percent since 2001.



“Koalas have gone from no-listing to vulnerable to endangered within a decade. That is a shockingly fast decline,” said Stuart Blanch, a conservation scientist at WWF Australia. “Today's decision is welcome, but it won't stop koalas from sliding towards extinction unless it's accompanied by stronger laws and landholder incentives to protect their forest homes.”



According to Deborah Tabart, chairwoman of the <a href="https://www.savethekoala.com/">Australian Koala Foundation</a>, the animal’s new status “doesn’t mean anything.” The government “may be offering our koalas a nice new word, but behind all the photo opportunities and political rhetoric they continue to approve the destruction of the koala habitat. If the clearing of the koala habitat continues, a further status change is imminent - from endangered to extinct,” she warned.



However, even though reclassification from vulnerable to endangered does not bind the Australian government to take any special action, they separately announced that they will adopt a recovery plan for the koala issued by Australia’s environmental department, and <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/record-50-million-koalas">provide 50 million Australian dollars</a> ($35.7 million)&nbsp;over four years to koala recovery and conservation efforts.



“Our $50 million investment will enhance the protection of koalas by restoring koala habitat, improving our understanding of koala populations, supporting training in koala treatment and care, and strengthening research into koala health outcomes,” Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. “Koalas are one of Australia’s most loved and best recognized icons, both here at home and across the world, and we are committed to protecting them for generations to come.”



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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

The koala is now officially listed as endangered

On Friday, February 11, 2022, the Australian government declared the...

A&nbsp;Texas-based environmental conservation group called <a href="https://www.rewild.org/">Re:wild</a> that has famous actor Leonardo <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-tree-in-cameroon-named-after-leonardo-dicaprio/">DiCaprio</a> as a member, has recently drawn up a new list of the “25 most wanted lost species,” as part of its quest to find animal species that have been lost to science and are possibly extinct.



Since starting its activity in 2017, Re:wild had confirmed the rediscovery through expeditions and scientific analyses of eight animal species, including a giant type of tortoise found in the Galapagos Islands, and the world’s largest bee, discovered in Indonesia. However, many more species remain lost to science, with an estimated of over 2,200 species across 160 countries that have not been spotted since more than a decade.&nbsp;



Among the species that the conservation group is hoping to rediscover in the wild and help protect are a blind salamander, a tap-dancing spider, a fat catfish, and a bullneck seahorse.&nbsp;



“The Blanco blind salamander has achieved near-mythical status among herpetologists, cave biologists and conservationists,” said Andrew Gluesenkamp, director of conservation at the <a href="https://sazoo.org/">San Antonio Zoo</a>. At the time of its scientific discovery in 1951 in a water-filled cave in the northeast of San Marcos, Texas, only four individuals of this amazing animal, which breathes through its skin gills, is depigmented, and lives in total darkness, feeding upon groundwater invertebrates,&nbsp; have been found.



The Fagilde’s trapdoor spider, a fascinating animal which builds horizontal traps and “tap dances to score dates” was discovered in 1931 in Fagilde, a small village in Portugal. While belonging to the spider genus “Nemesia,” it appears to be the only member of this genus which builds horizontal rather than vertical traps.



Another missing species is the fat catfish, which has not been seen in its known habitat in Colombia since 1957. This species is the only freshwater catfish with rings of fat tissue wrapped around its body, a feature which made scientists describe it as “the closest a fish could get to the Michelin man.”



Another tantalizing creature is the Bullneck Seahorse, a tiny species whose only known members have been collected on the coast of Eden, New South Wales, Australia, in 1996. Researchers believe this pigmy seahorse lives in sand beds at the bottom of the oceans, over 325 feet underwater. “No information is available about the Bullneck Seahorse’s population density, distribution, ecology, behavior, population trends, genetic structure or life history traits.&nbsp;Dedicated field surveys will require scuba diving and fisheries sampling,” said the Re:wild members.



Other mysterious, currently missing animals include a long-beaked echidna named after famous British naturalist David&nbsp;Attenborough, a ground-dwelling Togo mouse, a flying squirrel, a Himalayan quail, a New Zealand short-tailed bat, and a pink-headed duck. A full list of the 25 species and their descriptions can be found on Re:wild’s <a href="https://www.rewild.org/lost-species/top-25-most-wanted-lost-species">website.</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&nbsp;

Searching for the 25 most wanted lost species

A&nbsp;Texas-based environmental conservation group called Re:wild that has famous actor...

Sea-level rise is one of the most serious consequences of climate change. Since precise satellite measures emerged in the 1990s, the global average sea-level has risen by over three centimeters per decade. A new study led by the <a href="https://tu-dresden.de/?set_language=en">Dresden University of Technology</a> (TU Dresden) has recently provided one of the most comprehensive and coherent descriptions of this phenomenon, by analyzing how various factors, including thermal expansion, glacier melting, or changes in land water storage, contribute to sea-level rise.&nbsp;



“Assembling this coherent picture of sea-level and ocean-mass budgets not only required advanced datasets from satellite Earth observation and modelling. It also required the experts from various disciplines to arrive at a common framework,” said study lead author Martin Horwath, a professor of Physical Geodesy at TU Dresden.



“This is the fruit from the continuity in research and development on Earth observation data analysis enabled by the European Space Agency’s <a href="https://climate.esa.int/">Climate Change Initiative</a> [CCI]. The beauty of the results lies in the coherence of all the CCI Essential Climate Variables, which, when well-prepared and assembled, give a precise picture of our climate and its trend. The work doesn’t stop at this impressive milestone, there are still questions to be answered regarding the climate variability and its evolution,” explained Dr. Jérôme Benveniste, a researcher at the European Space Agency.



According to the scientists, about a third of the rise in sea level is caused by thermal expansion: as seawater warms due to climate change, it gradually expands. The other two thirds of the rise are caused by freshwater being added to the ocean, mainly from the melting of the Antarctic and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-has-lost-4700-gigatons-of-ice-since-2002/">Greenland Ice Sheets</a>, as well as of various <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-worlds-glaciers-contain-less-ice-than-previously-thought/">glaciers</a> all over the world, but also from water added to the oceans from the land as a result of groundwater storage depletion.



While these results are in line with previous estimations, they gain additional confidence through the extensive data that was gathered and analyzed. However, further improvements in understanding the satellite measurements and the physical processes investigated are necessary. For instance, slow deformations of the solid Earth beneath the ocean can affect satellite measurements. Such effects need to be separated from changes in the ocean itself.



“It is important to be transparent about how results depend on some choices of methodology. For example, our satellite-based numbers on ocean-mass change changed somewhat when we improved the way to account for mass displacements in the solid Earth. More research is needed for the distinction between different processes of mass transports in the Earth system,” concluded study co-author Benjamin Gutknecht from TU Dresden.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/14/411/2022/">Earth System Science Data</a>.



Image Credit: ESA



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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

New study pinpoints the causes of sea-level rise

Sea-level rise is one of the most serious consequences of...

Researchers have long hypothesized that, by intensifying environmental stressors such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europe-will-face-more-frequent-and-extreme-droughts/">droughts</a> or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-wildfires-linked-to-human-activity-will-only-get-worse/">wildfires</a>, climate change could make ecosystems more vulnerable to invasive plants. These plants may in turn alter the environment in ways which amplify the negative impacts of climate change. A new long-term field study conducted by the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a> (UF) has now offered the first experimental evidence to support this hypothesis.



The researchers exposed small plots of long-leaf pine to three scenarios: extreme drought, colonization by the rapidly growing and highly adaptable invasive plant congograss, and a combination of the two stressors. After waiting six years for the trees to grow under each scenario, the scientists added yet another stressor, fire, in order to test how each scenario affected the trees’ capacity of survival.



They found that the trees which experienced both drought and the colonization by invasive plants were least likely to survive after the fire.&nbsp;



“Less water meant the trees didn’t grow as tall. At the same time, the cogongrass, which is drought-tolerant, provided extra fuel to the fire, making it burn hotter and increasing the height of flames,” said study lead author Luke Flory, a professor of Ecology at the UF.



According to Professor Flory, the combination of shorter trees plus taller and hotter flames provided little chance of survival to the long-leaf pines. By contrast, in plots where the pines were able to grow taller or were not surrounded by the fire-fueling invasive plant, the trees fared much better and nearly all survived.



Experiments that show the complex interplay between climate change and invasive plants can provide essential information for land managers in fire-prone areas or regions where prescribed fires are used.&nbsp;



“In addition, these findings are one more reason why managing invasive plants is so important to conserving native ecosystems,” Professor Flory concluded.



The study, published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ele.13974">Ecology Letters</a>, is part of a larger global scientific effort called&nbsp;<a href="https://drought-net.colostate.edu/">Drought-Net</a>, which collects data from all over the globe to investigate how different ecosystems respond to extreme drought.



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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 change will intensify the issue of invasive plans

Researchers have long hypothesized that, by intensifying environmental stressors such...

African cultural and natural heritage sites in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/less-than-16-percent-of-the-worlds-coastal-regions-remain-intact/">coastal regions</a> are at risk of being damaged or destroyed as sea levels rise. At least 20 percent of the sites that are home to Heritage of Outstanding and Universal Value along the African coast are already at risk from a one-in-100-year extreme sea level event. These include the iconic ruins of Tipasa in Algeria, and the North Sinai archaeological Sites Zone in Egypt.&nbsp;



In a study, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>, a global team of climate risk and heritage experts identified and mapped out the physical boundaries of 284 African coastal heritage sites. They then modeled the exposure of each site under different future global warming scenarios. Dr. Nicholas Simpson from the <a href="https://www.uct.ac.za/">University of Cape Town</a>’s (UCT) African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) was one of the leading contributors to this, the first comprehensive assessment of the risks posed by rising sea levels to these heritage sites.&nbsp;



The researchers found that 56 sites (20 percent) are already at risk from a one-in-100-year extreme sea level event but that, "by 2050, the number of exposed sites is projected to more than triple, reaching almost 200 for high emissions.”



From 2050, at least 151 natural and 40 cultural sites will be exposed to the potential damages of a 100-year extreme sea level event. The model even predicts that, by the end of the 21st century, the coastal heritage sites in some African countries will all be exposed to damage from such extreme sea level events, regardless of the level of greenhouse gas emissions.



“There are several countries which are projected to have all their coastal heritage sites exposed to the 100-year coastal extreme event by the end of the century, regardless of the scenario: Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Western Sahara, Libya, Mozambique, Mauritania, and Namibia," wrote the study authors.



And, in the case of the most extreme level of harmful emissions, the model identifies that all coastal heritage sites will also be exposed in Côte d'Ivoire, Cabo Verde, Sudan and Tanzania.



Small island heritage sites are also at high risk of being exposed to the hazards of sea level rise. For example, Aldabra Atoll, the world's second-largest coral atoll, and Kunta Kinteh Island (The Gambia) could both be exposed to extreme sea level events by 2100 that threaten their very existence.&nbsp;



“This is very concerning because none of these countries currently demonstrate adequate management or adaptive capacity to anticipate or establish heritage protections commensurate with the severity of these hazards," said the researchers.



The results highlight the importance of climate change adaptation and mitigation responses to protect and reduce the exposure of these iconic heritage sites.&nbsp;



“If climate change mitigation successfully reduces greenhouse gas emissions from a high-emissions pathway to a moderate emissions pathway, by 2050 the number of highly exposed sites can be reduced by 25%. This would be a significant saving in terms of loss and damage from climate change,” wrote the study authors.



“These findings help with prioritizing sites at risk and highlight the need for immediate protective action for African Heritage Sites; the design of which requires in-depth local-scale assessments of vulnerability and adaptation options. Urgent climate change adaptation for heritage sites in Africa includes improving governance and management approaches; site-specific vulnerability assessments; exposure monitoring; and protection strategies including ecosystem-based adaptation.”



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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

Rising sea levels threaten coastal African Heritage Sites

African cultural and natural heritage sites in coastal regions are...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-and-extreme-heat-waves-increase-air-pollution/">Wildfires</a> can be highly destructive events which burn through various ecosystems, threaten people and infrastructure, and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a>, many wildfires are part of a natural regime of disturbance and post-fire recovery with a neutral impact on carbon storage over long timescales. The findings suggest that, in the long term, more carbon could end up being stored rather than released in savannahs and grasslands, which are the areas most affected by wildfires.



The researchers aimed to construct the most complete budget to date of the impact of wildfires on the carbon cycle, accounting for both short-term and long-term effects of wildfires on land carbon storage. By using a land surface model, they assessed the global impact of fires on the amount of carbon stored in soils and vegetation between 1901 and 2010.



“This study is about improving how we understand the process of fire on a range of timescales,” said study co-author Dr. Matthew Jones, an expert in the relationship between climate and wildfires at the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a>. “In essence, fires are unquestionably a source of carbon in the short-term, but these short-term effects&nbsp;could&nbsp;be counteracted by sinks of carbon in the long-term.”



According to Dr. Jones and his colleagues, these wildfire-related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-sinks-are-a-powerful-weapon-against-climate-change/">carbon sinks</a> account to approximately 90 million tons of carbon dioxide being sequestered by soils and vegetation annually. However, the scientists could not yet reliably model the rate at which carbon is released back to the atmosphere as charcoal breaks down in soils.



“The missing piece in the puzzle is a conclusive understanding of how quickly charcoal breaks down in soils. We couldn’t model the timescale of this process due the poor availability of measurements, and hence the process is not included in our latest budget,” said Dr. Jones.



Regardless of this shortcoming, the findings strongly suggest that wildfires have a milder impact on the climate as previously estimated. “What is clear is that fires are very likely to be close to neutral, meaning that the average lifespan of charcoal in soils is around 5,000 years – well over a hundred times that of your average soil carbon,” explained study lead author Dr. Simon Bowring, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Zurich.



“We urgently need increased efforts towards understanding the mechanisms underlying its movement to the atmosphere. As important, and independent of the previous consideration, the positioning of wild grasslands in the climate perspective likely requires substantial reassessment,” he concluded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41561-021-00892-0">Nature Geoscience</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

What are the carbon costs of wildfires?

Wildfires can be highly destructive events which burn through various...

More than 85 percent of grouper and snapper are overfished on Florida's coral reefs, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. The experts report that this issue is a direct result of increasing human demand for seafood.



"The economic and ecological importance of coral reef fishes makes their sustainability a key conservation concern," wrote the study authors. "In southern Florida, commercial and recreational fisheries are worth about $6 billion per annum and are closely tied to healthy essential habitats that are part of the regional coral reef ecosystem."



"Threats to coral reef ecosystems are well known and include human impacts from global warming, such as bleaching and disease. Local impacts related to development and pollution also occur. However, related to fisheries in south Florida, overfishing is by far the most serious threat to their sustainability - and also around the world."



For the investigation, the experts analyzed population data for 15 coral reef fish species over 30 years using their length-based risk analysis (LBRA) framework. The species examined for the study - five grouper species, eight snapper species, and two grunts - are central to South Florida’s fisheries.&nbsp;



The study showed that all of the snapper fish, three grouper species, and both grunt species were below the 40 percent minimum spawning potential ratio. This is an index created by marine fisheries that represents what is necessary to sustain fish populations.



The researchers estimate that increasing the current minimum catch size of black grouper from 24 inches to 44 inches would boost the spawning population to 40 percent. This would be enough progress to produce the number of new juveniles needed to sustain the population.



In this scenario, the researchers said it would take approximately 10 years for the population to recover to a point where it was minimally sustainable, and 22 years to reach equilibrium where a sustainable catch becomes possible.



“The situation is analogous to your bank account,” said study lead author Professor Jerald Ault. “That is, without a significant account balance, in this case fish in the water, you can’t get meaningful interest— significant numbers of large fish to catch, but also to spawn and replenish the reef.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/fisheries-research">Fisheries Research</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

Overfishing is a major threat to coral reef fish

More than 85 percent of grouper and snapper are overfished...

Coastal regions are relied upon by millions of people for ecosystem services such as food and storm protection. They contain some of the most unique and biodiverse ecosystems such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-wetlands-are-a-powerful-weapon-against-flooding/">wetlands</a>, coral reefs and mangroves. Coastal areas also provide carbon sequestration and support climate change mitigation.&nbsp;



New research led by the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> shows that only 15 percent of the world’s coastal areas remain intact, exposing the need for rehabilitation and conservation on a global scale.&nbsp;



The study assessed anthropogenic pressures affecting coastal regions at a global scale and found that only 15.5 percent of coastal regions have "low human pressure." Canada’s coastal regions were identified as the most intact at 53 percent, largely due to effective governance. 



Overall, nearly 48 percent of coastal regions are heavily affected by human impacts. In most countries, more than 50 percent of coastal regions were found to be degraded.



Furthermore, 26 nations were recognized as being highly exposed to human impact, or under "extreme human pressure." The coastlines of these countries are considered to be zero percent intact, and many of them are island nations such as Aruba and Singapore.&nbsp;



Around the world, there is no coastal region free from human influence. This is largely due to the fact that 74 percent of the global population lives within 50 kilometers of the coast.&nbsp;



“Our results show that we need to act quickly and decisively if we hope to conserve those coastal regions that remain intact, and restore those that are heavily degraded, especially if we’re going to mitigate the effects of climate change," said Brooke Williams, from UQ’s <a href="https://sees.uq.edu.au/">School of Earth and Environmental Sciences</a>.



"The rate at which these regions are degrading poses massive threats to not only coastal species and habitats, but also to the health, safety and economic security of countless people who live or rely on coastal regions around the world.”



Human impacts on coastal regions involve complex socio-demographic factors and land-based activities like agriculture and wastewater management. These activities lead to nutrient runoff and chemical pollution, which can lead to hypoxia or even dead zones.&nbsp;



“While we already knew how important it is to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services in these coastal regions, being able to clearly see how rapidly and how far this degradation has spread, is truly eye-opening,” said Dr. Amelia Wenger.



“Understanding why coastal ecosystems are under pressure can help us design and implement more targeted management strategies, and hopefully slow this degradation down and even turn it around."



To meet global sustainability objectives, countries must take more aggressive action to preserve coastal areas. Researchers are urging decision makers to conserve the valuable remaining intact coastal regions, while restoring those that are degraded.



“We think our dataset will be a vital tool in achieving that ambition, which is why we’re making it publicly available and free to use," said Dr. Wenger.



The findings of the assessment have been compiled into a free and usable dataset that can be accessed <a href="https://doi.org/10.48610/fd85061">online</a>. The study is published in the journal <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15231739">Conservation Biology</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

Less than 16 percent of the world’s coastal regions remain intact

Coastal regions are relied upon by millions of people for...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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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



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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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