It is no secret that some lifestyles demand more resources than others. But recent climate findings highlight how individuals with vast wealth have exerted a larger influence on global warming and temperature shifts than previously realized.



In a 2025 <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02325-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a>, the world’s wealthiest 10% are reported to have caused two-thirds of observed global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming</a> since 1990. 



This work was led by lead author Sarah Schöngart, an alumna of the 2024 Young Scientists Summer Program, who is currently associated with <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a>, and published by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (<a href="https://iiasa.ac.at" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IIASA</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wealthy-emitters-drive-climate-warming">Wealthy emitters drive climate warming</h2>



Scientists indicate that the top 1% of high-income earners contributed 26 times the global average to monthly 1-in-100-year heat extremes worldwide, and 17 times more to intense drought <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a> in the Amazon region.&nbsp;



“We found that wealthy emitters play a major role in driving climate extremes, which provides strong support for climate policies that target the reduction of their emissions,” explained Schöngart at the end of her remarks.



Researchers also noticed that emissions from the richest 10% in major economies, such as the United States and China, caused a two- to threefold increase in dangerous heat conditions across vulnerable tropical areas. 



These hotspots include Southeast Asia, southern Africa, and other regions with limited resources to handle amplified environmental stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consequences-for-vulnerable-regions">Consequences for vulnerable regions</h2>



“Addressing this imbalance is crucial for fair and effective climate action,” says coauthor <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/staff/carl-schleussner" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carl-Friedrich Schleussner</a>, who leads the Integrated Climate Impacts Research Group at IIASA. 



Communities in zones already prone to high temperatures and scarce rainfall are dealing with more frequent hazards linked to wealth-driven pollution.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Experts</a> have underscored how nations or groups with historically low <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a> often face disproportionate impacts. Scientists note that these areas experience higher chances of weather disasters, yet have fewer means to respond or rebuild.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finances-fuel-climate-warming">Finances fuel climate warming</h2>



Several analysts believe that climate discussions should not only focus on personal consumption but also on the massive financial investments of wealthy individuals. 



When these investments support high-emission ventures, the world sees greater rises in heat extremes and drought occurrences.



Groups like the <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations Environment Programme</a> have called for policy measures that redirect funds to cleaner solutions. 



Advocates argue that this could help reduce future harm while encouraging fair contributions from top earners who have the greatest capacity to shift investments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rebalancing-climate-responsibility">Rebalancing climate responsibility</h2>



Income-based emission studies raise questions about how to share the costs of adaptation and recovery. 



Observers suggest that policies aimed at rebalancing responsibility might also improve public acceptance of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-impacting-earths-rotation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> strategies, since people often want to see genuine efforts toward equity in carbon reduction.



“If everyone had emitted like the bottom 50% of the global population, the world would have seen minimal additional warming since 1990,” says Schleussner. 



This observation hints that tailored policies targeting disproportionate emissions could produce meaningful changes.



Scientists stress that tackling climate threats involves more than quick technical fixes. 



Those with higher incomes often have greater capacity to choose low-carbon lifestyles or to fund transformational climate solutions, making their role especially crucial in reducing warming trends.



Researchers emphasize that individuals in affluent groups have a unique chance to spark large-scale shifts. 



That could entail demanding cleaner supply chains, backing renewable energy, or encouraging sustainable investment portfolios, all of which can shape future climate outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-warming-inequality">Global warming inequality</h2>



The study estimates that the top 10% of earners contributed 6.5 times more to global warming than the average person, while the top 1% contributed 20 times more. 



For the top 0.1%, the figure skyrockets to 76 times the global average - an eye-opening statistic that illustrates how a small share of the population has driven a large share of climate disruption.



If everyone had emitted like the top 10%, global temperatures would have risen nearly 3°F (1.6°C) more since 1990. But if everyone had lived like the bottom 50%, there would have been almost no additional warming at all. 



That contrast highlights how the burden of global warming cannot be pinned on “humanity” in general - it’s coming from a concentrated source.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



Climate experts believe that ongoing conversations about carbon taxes and financial regulations might incorporate these findings for more equitable action. 



Some advocate for measures that hold top emitters accountable and support the communities that are most affected by intensifying weather events.



Others propose progressive policy instruments that reflect actual emissions contributions. 



Policymakers are increasingly exploring how to ensure elite pollution is addressed, while resources for adaptation and recovery become more accessible in low-income nations.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02325-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Climate Change</a>.



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Wealthy elite responsible for vast majority of global climate warming

It is no secret that some lifestyles demand more resources than others. But recent climate findings highlight how individuals with vast wealth have exerted a larger influence on global warming and temperature shifts than previously realized. In a 2025 analysis, the world’s wealthiest 10% are reported to have caused two-thirds of observed global warming since 1990. This work was led by lead author Sarah Schöngart, an alumna of the 2024 Young Scientists Summer Program, who is currently associated with ETH Zurich, and published by the International Institute...

A new study has revealed that black spruce trees, a key species of trees from the boreal forests, are starting to lose their resilience and capacity to regenerate in the face of increasingly frequent Arctic wildfires caused by climate change. If this trend continues, the Arctic forests might face significant ecological shifts, resulting in a loss of biodiversity and an acceleration in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/permafrost-melting-may-release-nuclear-waste-into-the-atmosphere/">permafrost</a> melting.&nbsp;



In North America’s boreal forests, the soils on which black spruce trees grow consist of highly flammable peat moss and lichens. Although the black spruce usually relies on fires for regeneration, with its cones opening up in the heat and dropping seeds on the charred organic soil, more severe and frequent fires appear to damage the spruce’s capacity to regenerate.



By collecting data from over 1,500 sites where fires occurred, scientists found that black spruce’s capacity to regenerate dropped at 38 percent of the sites and failed completely 18 percent of the time. Such phenomena could make the black spruce lose its place as the dominant species of trees in boreal North America.



“This trend is especially alarming given its potential impact on Arctic carbon storage,” said co-author Dr. Brendan Rogers, an Associate Scientist at <a href="https://www.woodwellclimate.org/">Woodwell Climate Research Center</a>. “In many parts of the boreal region, the mossy soil layers that promote black spruce regeneration also insulate permafrost. As fires increase and these forests dry out, however, loss of black spruce forests could accelerate permafrost thaw and trigger a warming feedback loop, pushing black spruce to its tipping point and facilitating the release of massive amounts of carbon from the permafrost into the atmosphere.”



Moreover, widespread loss of black spruce trees could also have harmful effects on biodiversity. Caribou species that feed on lichen are already in decline and might suffer even more losses with the disappearance of the trees that offer them shelter and food.



“Basically, as the climate warms, rising Arctic temperatures are causing black spruce forests to dry out, and the drier the system is, the more vulnerable it is to fire,” said&nbsp;study leader Dr. Jennifer Baltzer, a professor at <a href="https://www.wlu.ca/">Wilfrid Laurier University</a>.



“As climate change continues to push these systems to an ever drier state, these tipping points are more likely to be reached, with devastating impacts on the boreal biome and the rest of the world,” she concluded.



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



---



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

Black spruce trees are endangered by Arctic wildfires

A new study has revealed that black spruce trees, a...

Oil,And,Gas,Processing,Plant,With,Pipe,Line,Valves

&nbsp;A new study from the <a href="https://www.seas.harvard.edu/">Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences</a> (SEAS) has found that methane <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-jet-fuel-could-reduce-carbon-emissions-by-68-percent/">emissions</a> from the distribution and use of natural gases across the United States are two to 10 times higher than those estimated by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>. In Boston, the methane emissions from the natural gas system are six times higher than recent estimates and did not significantly change over a period of eight years.&nbsp;



Methane is the most potent greenhouse gas after CO2. While CO2 has longer-lasting effects, methane has over 80 times the warming power of CO2 in the first two decades after being released into the atmosphere, thus contributing significantly to near term global warming. Oil and natural gas systems account for 30 percent of human-made methane emissions in the U.S.



"Natural gas has been sold as a transitional fuel as we move toward green energy - but its low greenhouse emissions are contingent on a low loss rate as any amount of methane that escapes is going to have a strong climate impact,” said study first author Maryann Sargent, a Research Scientist in Environmental Science and Engineering at SEAS.&nbsp;



By using atmospheric measurements to track methane emissions over a period of eight years in Boston, scientists discovered that over half of these emissions might emerge from sources other than pipelines (which were previously considered as the main sources of methane emissions), including compressing stations, meters, and appliances such as furnaces or boilers.



“Traditional approaches to estimating emissions from natural gas systems are missing significant sources of methane emissions,” said study senior author Steven Wofsy, a professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Science at SEAS. “If cities and states want to pass meaningful legislation to curb emissions, they need to know where emissions are coming from, how they change over time, and whether or not the policies put in place to reduce them are working.”



The researchers found that emissions were three times higher than recent estimates and remained constant over a period of eight years, despite the development of legislation aiming to curb them by fixing leaking pipelines.



“The government needs to be looking at emissions beyond just pipes and provides more evidence that we should be moving away from natural gas toward renewable energy to heat and electrify our cities,” Sargent concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105804118">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



---



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

Methane emissions are higher than previously estimated

&nbsp;A new study from the Harvard John A. Paulson School...

Toxic algal blooms are on the rise, even in the frigid waters of the Arctic, according to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences</a>.&nbsp;



An international group of researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the <a href="https://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a> (WHOI), and other institutions took samples from the very top and the very bottom of the water column from across the seas surrounding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-threatens-seal-hunting-in-alaska/">Alaska</a>. The depth of the samples as well as their geographic range allowed the researchers to study the algal genus Alexandrium, in particular.&nbsp;



Alexandrium begins its life as a “seed” on the ocean floor, rising through the water column as it matures. Though microscopic algae is a normal part of the marine ecosystem, when conditions are right they can “bloom” - rapidly multiplying and dispersing. The toxic blooms can lead to widespread health impacts for both wildlife and people, and can even be fatal.&nbsp;



“We’ve known about human and marine wildlife health risks associated with Alexandrium and its toxins in Alaskan waters for a long time, including occasional events north of Bering Strait, but these results show increased potential for large and recurrent blooms of this species as a new hazard for Alaska’s Arctic," said WHOI senior scientist Don Anderson.



"The rapid warming that we’re seeing all across the Arctic is setting the stage for dangerous bloom events in the waters of western and northern Alaska that we formerly thought were too cold for significant germination and growth.”



The decline of seasonal ice, in large part due to anthropogenic global warming, has changed the timing of germination and growth. Prior to the last couple of decades, temperatures on the seafloor have been too cold to allow significant blooming events. That’s changed, said Anderson. “What we’re seeing now are very different Arctic Ocean conditions than anyone in living memory has known.”&nbsp;



These modified conditions mean that species which are already vulnerable to climate change face an additional threat - one of those species just happens to be us.&nbsp;



“The threat is clear, but we don’t yet know the extent to which these toxins will ultimately lead to increased human exposure or to impacts on the health of wildlife at all levels of the food web,” said NOAA researcher Kathi Lefebvre.&nbsp;



Fisheries and coastal communities will be an integral part of managing this new risk factor. Lefebvre said that Alaskan coastal communities are now aware of this emerging issue and have helped throughout the research process to protect their subsistence life. These communities are also hoping to help advance our understanding of the changing Arctic and what it means for the future.



“We’ve learned from the Gulf of Maine in the Atlantic Ocean how to monitor and manage Alexandrium bloom events and how to sustain commercial and recreational fisheries in the face of HABs, but navigating this new Alaskan Arctic HAB problem is going to take a great deal of targeted research and far more attention to the food security of coastal residents and Alaska Natives and the health of Arctic wildlife than we’ve paid so far," said Anderson.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="http://mailto:rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rapid Arctic warming sets the stage for dangerous algae blooms

Toxic algal blooms are on the rise, even in the...

Records have been kept for many decades of the time that northern lakes become iced over and the time when these lakes thaw out after winter. This information is important for winter transportation (e.g., ice roads), <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-could-severely-affect-the-fishing-industry/">fishing</a>, recreation, economic and cultural purposes in the regions where these lakes occur.&nbsp;



In addition, the phenology (seasonal cycles) of lake ice is an excellent indicator of climatic variation, with the formation and loss of ice being particularly sensitive to changes in air temperature.&nbsp;



Recently, a team of scientists updated the ice phenology records for 60 lakes in the northern hemisphere that already have long-term data series covering between 107 and 204&nbsp;years. The experts re-assessed northern hemisphere ice trends for the first time since 2004, and added 15 years of additional data.&nbsp;



The lakes studied included 40 that are in North America (including Lakes Michigan and Superior, Detroit Lake in Minnesota, Lakes Monona and Mendota in Wisconsin, Cazenovia and Oneida lakes in New York, and several in Ontario – Lake Simcoe, Lake Nipissing and Lake of Bays), 18 in Europe, and two in Asia – Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, and Lake Suwa in Japan.



The researchers found that, on average, the lakes are freezing 11 days later and thawing 6.8 days earlier, meaning that ice duration is 17.0&nbsp;days shorter per century over the entire record for each lake.&nbsp;They found that factors including late ice-on, early ice-off, shorter periods of ice cover, no ice at all, warmer winter temperatures and more extreme weather events have contributed to the increasing rate of ice loss, especially in larger lakes and in southern and coastal regions.



<a href="https://news.yorku.ca/experts/?name_or_keyword=sapna+sharma&amp;research_area=&amp;submit=Search+the+Guide&amp;search=Y">Sapna Sharma</a>&nbsp;is an associate professor in the Faculty of Science at York University. He led the study with Professor David Richardson at the State University of New York and climate scientist Dr. Iestyn Woolway of the European Space Agency Climate Office.



“We found that lakes are losing on average 17 days of ice cover per century. Alarmingly, what we found is that warming in the past 25 years, from 1992 to 2016, was six times faster than any other period in the last 100 years,” said Professor Sharma.&nbsp;



“In addition, we found that the duration of winter ice cover has decreased, particularly since 1995, to the point where some lakes are beginning to have more winters with minimal or even no ice cover. For example, some deep lakes in Switzerland and Germany, which historically used to freeze each winter, have permanently lost their ice cover in the past few decades,” said Professor Richardson.



For example, Lake Superior, the most northern of the Great Lakes which straddles the Canada/U.S. border, is one of the fastest warming lakes, losing more than two months of ice cover since ice conditions were first recorded in 1857. In Lake Suwa, Japan, ice formed close to 26 days later per century since 1897 and is now only freezing twice every decade, while Grand Traverse Bay in Lake Michigan had one of the fastest ice-off trends, melting about 16 days earlier per century.



“The findings were in line with our expectations as air temperature has increased over recent decades,” said Dr. Woolway. “Air temperature is one of the most important climatic drivers of lake ice dynamics, owing to its additive effects on various components of the lake energy budget.”



The study authors stress that a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is a matter of priority if increases in air temperature and decreases in lake ice cover are to be mitigated. This would help to limit ecological, cultural, and socioeconomic consequences, including increased evaporation rates, warmer water temperatures, degraded water quality, and the formation of toxic algal blooms.&nbsp;



“Many of our lakes may be approaching a tipping point to ice-free conditions which will have vast cultural and ecological implications," said Professor Sharma.&nbsp;



The research is published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21698961">Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences</a>.



---



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

Northern lakes are warming at an alarming rate

Records have been kept for many decades of the time...

Although songbirds share the human sense of rhythm, such musical abilities are rare in non-human mammals. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.mpi.nl/">Max Planck Institute of Psycholinguistics</a> (MPI) has found that one of the few “singing” <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-use-tools/">primates</a>, the critically endangered lemur Indri indri, has a similar sense of rhythm as humans.



“There is longstanding interest in understanding how human musicality evolved, but musicality is not restricted to humans," said study co-author Andrea Ravignani, a researcher at MPI. “Looking for musical features in other species allows us to build an ‘evolutionary tree’ of musical traits, and understand how rhythm capacities originated and evolved in humans.”



Over a period of 12 years, Ravignani together with colleagues from MPI and the <a href="https://en.unito.it/">University of Turin</a>, visited the rainforest of Madagascar to record songs from 20 indri groups living in their natural habitat. Members of indri groups tend to sing together in harmonized duets and choruses.&nbsp;



The researchers found that indri songs have a categorical rhythm, with intervals between sounds having the same duration (1:1 rhythm) or double duration (1:2 rhythm). Such rhythms make a song recognizable even if it’s sung at different speeds.&nbsp;



Besides the fact that indri songs had the classic rhythmic categories, they also exhibited the typical “ritardando” or slowing down found in several music traditions. Although male and female songs had different tempos, they showed the same rhythm. This is the first evidence of a human rhythmic universal in a non-human mammal.



“Categorical rhythms are just one of the six universals that have been identified so far," explained Ravignani. “We would like to look for evidence of others, including an underlying ‘repetitive’ beat and a hierarchical organization of beats - in indri and other species.” 



The scientists encourage other researchers to collect more data on indri and other endangered species, “before it is too late to witness their breath-taking singing displays.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.



---



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

Primates have musical rhythm similar to humans

Although songbirds share the human sense of rhythm, such musical...

Autumn,Harvest,Colorful,Squashes,And,Pumpkins,In,Different,Varieties.

Despite the fact that scientists have been aware of a decline in crop diversity in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-pollinators-are-70-percent-less-abundant-in-high-intensity-croplands/">agriculture</a> over the last 100 years, many questions remain unanswered regarding the causes, magnitudes, and implications. A new study from agricultural research centers across North America, South America, and Europe is the world’s largest review of declining crop diversity.



The experts reviewed hundreds of primary data sources regarding crop diversity loss over the last 80 years. They found that changes in diversity were reported in 95 percent of cases, while 80 percent of cases produced evidence of diversity loss. This is a result of climatic, political, technological, and agricultural changes over the last 100 years.



Study lead author Colin Khoury is a research scientist at the <a href="https://www.bioversityinternational.org/alliance/">Alliance of Bioversity International</a> and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).



“The global picture that emerges from our review is that of enormous loss over a relatively short period of time of traditional agricultural diversity, which was nurtured by many cultures around the world over the last 10,000 years,” explained Khoury. “Yet the picture also provides hope, as considerable crop diversity persists, and because it shows that agriculture can be re-diversified.”



“The good news is that while we found evidence of enormous diversity loss over the past decades in each of the environments we studied, we also saw significant maintenance of that diversity in some contexts, and even marked increases in specific instances," noted study co-author Stephen Brush.



Crop diversity allows crops to remain productive when facing diseases, pests, and extreme weather. Genetic variation among crops also contributes to dietary diversity, nutrition, and food security.



&nbsp;“The magnitude of crop diversity loss we have seen in some regions of the world underscores the importance of conserving this diversity outside of these ecosystems as well as within them,” said study co-author Luigi Guarino.&nbsp;



”Collections of crop diversity such as those in agricultural genebanks and botanic gardens can mitigate local and regional losses, enable the future reestablishment of diversity on farms, and preserve the availability of crops for future use by all. We need to strengthen these repositories and duplicate unique collections in other locations to insure against the risk of loss."



Across the globe, there are currently 1,750 genebanks, maintaining crop diversity with over seven million crop samples. Additional efforts are provided by botanic gardens, community projects, and universities. However, the recent study has concluded that a lot more work will be required to fully protect crop diversity.



&nbsp;“For crop diversity to continue evolving alongside pests and diseases, in response to climate change, and to meet demands for improved crops that provide both economic products and ecological services, we need to redouble support for conservation efforts in situ, or in the field, as well as ex situ,” said study co-author Allison Miller.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14698137">New Phytologist</a>.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Enormous loss of crop diversity found in recent decades

Despite the fact that scientists have been aware of a...

A new study led by the <a href="https://vu.nl/en">Free University of Amsterdam</a> has found traces of <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/understanding-the-effects-of-microplastics-on-our-environment/">microplastics</a> in the blood of cows and pigs, sparking concern about how these harmful particles might move through the food chain. Although this discovery could have serious implications for public health, more research is needed to assess the toxicity levels of these substances and the potential risks of exposure.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Microplastics, small non-biodegradable particles produced from the breakdown of plastic materials, are increasingly widespread in nature, polluting large portions of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.&nbsp;



The plastic particles are present in our water, food and surfaces that we touch, and scientists are only recently starting to understand their impact.&nbsp;They have been linked to harmful health effects, including inflammation. Microplastics are also believed to cause potentially dangerous immune overreactions, and can increase the risk of various diseases.&nbsp;



Although microplastics have been found in many marine animals and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seabirds-are-damaging-their-health-by-eating-plastic/">birds</a>, this is the first time they have been discovered in the bloodstream of farm animals. The discovery was made by a team of researchers led by Dr. Heather Leslie, an expert in microplastics. The researchers analyzed blood samples from 12 cows and six pigs and detected traces of microplastics.&nbsp;



“We have uncovered preliminary evidence of trace amounts of plastic particles in farm animals' bloodstreams,” said Dr. Leslie.&nbsp;“We already know that hundreds of other animals also have microplastics in their bodies. But in cows and pigs, it had not been discovered before.”&nbsp;



Dr. Leslie’s hypothesis is that microplastics in the soil probably ended up in the crops eaten by farm animals. These particles cannot be broken down by the intestines and end up in manure, continuing thus to be disseminated through the environment.&nbsp;



“If you want to assess the risks, you first have to know what the actual exposure is and how toxic it is.&nbsp;If we are above the values ​​that are still safe and responsible, then we have to do something about it,” said Dr. Leslie.



“It is in the interest of&nbsp;animal and human health protection to further explore this nascent signal of plastic pollution exposure in the food chain."



The research was presented at Amsterdam's <a href="https://www.plastichealthsummit.org/">Plastic Health Summit</a>.



---



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

Microplastics discovered in the blood of livestock

A new study led by the Free University of Amsterdam...

According to this year’s Lancet Countdown on health and climate change <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/countdown-health-climate">report</a>, there is currently an unabated rise in the health impacts of climate change, and a delayed and inconsistent response of countries around the world. The report is an annual assessment of the progress towards the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-stress-will-impact-millions-in-the-brazilian-amazon/">Heatwaves</a> and their ability to exhaust and kill people are a significant public health threat all over the globe. According to study co-author Jeremy Hess, a medical doctor and professor of Public Health and Emergency Medicine at the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a>, the effects of extreme heat on the health of the world’s population are steadily increasing.



“This was the first year I can say confidently that I and my patients very clearly experienced the impacts of climate change,” said Dr. Hess. “I saw paramedics who had burns on their knees from kneeling down to care for patients who had heat stroke, and I saw far too many patients die in the evening as a result of their heat exposure.”



However, heat exposure is just one of the many public health threats associated with climate change and global warming. Rising temperatures lead to droughts and crop losses, obliterate jobs and access to health care, and create more suitable conditions for mosquitoes which carry life-threatening pathogens, such as the West Nile or Dengue viruses.&nbsp;



Moreover, droughts decrease water quality and increase the risks of exposure to toxic algae, while excessive heat harms the respiratory system and contributes to the rise of anxiety and depression among a large number of people.



Additional health threats related to global warming include wildfires that pollute the air thousands of miles across the country, and worsening pollen seasons that add further stress to people suffering from chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma.&nbsp;



According to the Lancet Countdown report, in order to mitigate the public health consequences of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions should be urgently curbed, and the public health policies and resource allocation should be fundamentally restructured and vastly expanded.



“The imperative is clear for accelerated action putting the health of people and planet above all else,” the report concluded.



---



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

Global warming is a public health crisis

According to this year’s Lancet Countdown on health and climate...

Over the past twenty years, many vineyards across the world have shown signs of deterioration, with vine yields and longevity declining and vine mortality significantly increasing. According to researchers, dieback due to vine wood diseases such as esca - a disease caused by parasitic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-help-to-balance-a-healthy-gut/">fungi</a> for which there is no curative treatment - are responsible for the loss of five percent of vineyard surface each year.&nbsp;



“The world is witnessing a sharp increase in perennial plant dieback,” wrote the study authors. “The hypothesized cause is that environmental stresses such as drought are interacting with pathogens fueling plant decline. Global vitculture has seen similar decreases in fruit yield and vine longevity.”&nbsp;



Until recently, a prominent hypothesis explaining the increase in vine dieback has relied upon a postulated synergy between environmental factors such as the increased frequency and intensity of droughts and diseases like esca. However, a new study led by the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (<a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a>) has found that droughts are actually inhibiting esca disease.



“In sharp contrast to this theory, our study demonstrates that drought completely suppresses esca leaf symptoms, and although esca and drought both alter plant water transport and carbon balance, they do so in completely distinct ways,” the researchers explained.



Since esca is affecting vines over seven years old, it can usually be observed only in outdoors plots. However, by using a method of transplanting vines into pots that was similar to techniques used to grow bonsai trees, the scientists managed to transplant dozens of 30-year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines from the INRAE Grande Ferrade experimental estate near Bordeaux, and monitored the appearance of esca symptoms in a controlled environment. Half of the vines were placed under drought conditions.



The study revealed that no vines under moderate to severe drought conditions exhibited any esca symptoms. The scientists suggested several possible explanations for this surprising result. Water deficits caused by drought could inhibit the activity of the parasitic fungi causing esca or could affect the plant’s defense responses. Another hypothesis was that reduction in water transport in the plant could also suppress the transport of toxic chemicals produced by the fungi.&nbsp;



Further research is needed to clarify the role of climate on esca expression on a national and international scale, and to accurately predict the appearance of esca symptoms by monitoring drought indices.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/43/e2112825118">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

Droughts can protect vineyards from deadly disease

Over the past twenty years, many vineyards across the world...

A new study led by <a href="https://home.dartmouth.edu/">Dartmouth College</a> and the <a href="https://www.slu.se/">Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences</a> has found that the impact of climate change on freshwater systems can lower <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nutrition-labels-help-people-buy-healthier-products/">nutrition</a> and increase toxicity at the base of the marine food web. The scientists used controlled outdoor environments known as mesocosms in order to study the effects of warming water temperatures and water discoloration caused by increased dissolved organic matter (“browning”).&nbsp;



“Climate change scenarios predict increases in temperature and organic matter supply from land to water,” said&nbsp;study lead author Pianpian Wu, a postdoctoral fellow at Dartmouth. “For the first time, we used manipulated mesocosm systems to test the effects of warming and browning.”



Dr. Wu and his colleagues used 24 thermally insulated plastic cylinders to assess the effects of different levels of warming and browning under four different scenarios. These mesocosms were controlled at subalpine conditions, which are highly prone to climate change effects and poor in dissolved organic matter.



“The use of mesocosms to investigate questions related to ecosystem effects of climate change is particularly important,” explained study co-author&nbsp;Celia Chen, a research professor at Dartmouth. “The effects of factors such as temperature and browning can be tested individually and in combination while controlling other environmental conditions. Mesocosms also eliminate the need to travel long distances for field investigations.”



Under the expected scenario of increased warming, changing precipitation patterns, and higher levels of disintegrated organic matter, the researchers found that a combination of warmer, browner water led to higher transfer of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mercury-levels-in-bluefin-tuna-reveal-patterns-of-ocean-pollution/">methylmercury</a> (a potent neurotoxin easily absorbed by marine organisms) from water to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-profoundly-affect-plankton-communities/">phytoplankton</a> at the base of the food web.&nbsp;



Furthermore, such conditions gave rise to lower concentrations of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6, which support the growth of animal and plant life by regulating immune systems and providing energy.



“The reduction of polyunsaturated acids at the end of the mesocosm experiment with both warming and browning effects was concerning,” said Dr. Wu.&nbsp;



“This study shows that the food quality at the base of aquatic food webs deteriorates with climate change,” added study senior author Kevin Bishop, a professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. “The research is important because it places food web investigations within the context of active global change processes.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-95742-9">Nature Scientific Reports</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

Climate change damages the base of the marine food web

A new study led by Dartmouth College and the Swedish...

New research from the <a href="https://www.isglobal.org/en">Barcelona Institute for Global Health</a> provides solid evidence that COVID-19 is a seasonal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-bats-resist-covid-19-infection/">infection</a>, linked to lower temperatures and drier air. This means COVID is similar to influenza.&nbsp;



The coordinator of the study, Xavier Rodó, is the director of the <a href="https://www.isglobal.org/en/-/clima-y-salud">Climate and Health programme</a> at ISGlobal.



“The question of whether COVID-19 is a genuine seasonal disease becomes increasingly central, with implications for determining effective intervention measures,” said Rodó.



To answer this question, the researchers looked at how COVID-19 spread in association to temperature and humidity in 162 countries in five continents. The study found that higher transmission rates coincided with lower temperatures and lower humidity.&nbsp;



On both global and local scales, the research showed an overall trend of COVID-19 transmissions increasing as temperatures fell. However, this pattern was broken during the summer time on all continents studied.&nbsp;



“This could be explained by several factors, including mass gatherings of young people, tourism, and air conditioning, among others,” explained study first author Alejandro Fontal.



Overall, this study provides important information for COVID-19 policies. This also allows scientists and healthcare workers to prepare for increases in COVID-19 transmissions connected to changes in the weather.&nbsp;



“Altogether, our findings support the view of COVID-19 as a true seasonal low-temperature infection, similar to influenza and to the more benign circulating coronaviruses,” said Rodó.



Importantly, the study also gives an insight into how the disease is transmitted through the air. Diseases like influenza and now COVID-19 are known to stay airborne longer as aerosol sizes decrease due to drier air. This means a focus on better ‘air hygiene.’&nbsp;



“This link warrants an emphasis on ‘air hygiene’ through improved indoor ventilation as aerosols are capable to persist suspended for longer times,” said Rodó.



The research is particularly relevant now, as the COVID-19 pandemic persists in the United States and many people are resisting the call to vaccinate and wear masks.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natcomputsci/">Nature Computational Science</a>.



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

New evidence that COVID-19 is a seasonal infection

New research from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health provides...

Earth.com has previously covered Bear’s Ears National Monument as it was first <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/utah-national-monument-proposal-sparks-fierce-debate/">established</a>, and again when the Trump administration <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/canyon-tree-frogs-bears/">reduced</a> it by 85 percent. The monument is found in southern Utah and shares much the same fate as the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, also <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-grand-staircase-escalante/">reduced</a> by Trump.&nbsp;



Now, there is a new chapter in the saga, as the Biden administration has reversed Trump’s reduction of the national monuments. This is a move long hoped for by environmentalists, public land advocates and Native American activists.&nbsp;



A <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/10/07/fact-sheet-president-biden-restores-protections-for-three-national-monuments-and-renews-american-leadership-to-steward-lands-waters-and-cultural-resources/">fact sheet</a> from the White House frames the restoration of these national monuments as part of a greater commitment to the environment. The administration has also halted leasing of oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and restored protections to Tongass National Forest. These all point to an attempt to reverse the last administration's legacy of pilfering the public lands and ignoring any conservation prerogatives.



Over the last year, I’ve traveled from the southern part of Arizona all the way through Utah. Along the way, I hiked through saguaro cacti, descended into the Grand Canyon and watched condors circling cliffs in southern Utah. These are big, beautiful desert areas, places full of Native American ruins, an array of arachnids and dinosaur fossils buried in soft stone. Red cliffs stand in contrast to green yucca and the politics of Utah stands in stark contrast with those of federal lands.&nbsp;



The unfortunate reality is this: states like Utah and Alaska, home of Tongass, are hostile to federal land conservation. Trump has shown us that national monuments can be destroyed, wildlife refuges can be drilled for oil, and roads can be built through old growth forests for profits.&nbsp;



Unless a more permanent fix happens, it seems protection could whipsaw back and forth from one administration to the next. In the meantime, if only one road is built through a forest before the rule is reversed, damage is done. If only one artifact is stolen without adequate protection, damage is done.&nbsp;



As things are now, there’s nothing to stop our public lands from being chipped away bit by bit. We should be grateful that these monuments are restored but make no mistake, the war is far from over.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



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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

Biden restores national monuments, but for how long?

Earth.com has previously covered Bear’s Ears National Monument as it...

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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