View,Of,The,Device,Of,An,Oil,Drilling,Rig

Earth's surface bears the visible scars of human activities, from greenhouse gas emissions to deforestation. However, the impact of human intervention extends far beyond what meets the eye, reaching hundreds of meters to several kilometers beneath the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-model-reveals-the-evolution-of-the-earths-surface/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet's surface</a> into Earth's deep subsurface. 



This hidden realm, often overlooked, is now the subject of disturbing research by hydrology experts. Jennifer McIntosh, a professor in the University of Arizona's <a href="https://has.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences</a>, and her colleagues have delved into the ways humans influence Earth's deep subsurface. 



"We looked at how the rates of fluid production with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oil-and-gas-production-linked-to-77-billion-in-annual-health-care-costs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oil and gas</a> compare to natural background circulation of water and showed how humans have made a big impact on the circulation of fluids in the subsurface," McIntosh explained.



In a paper published in the journal Earth's Future, they shed light on the significant impact of human activities on the circulation of fluids in this subterranean zone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Deciphering the hidden world in motion beneath our feet</h2>



The study, led by Grant Ferguson, also from the UArizona, compared the rates of fluid production from oil and gas extraction to the natural background circulation of water. 



The findings reveal that human-induced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-internal-jet-stream-core/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fluid fluxes</a> surpass the natural flow, and they are projected to increase further with proposed strategies for combating climate change.



These strategies include geologic carbon sequestration, geothermal energy production, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fools-gold-may-be-a-valuable-source-of-lithium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lithium extraction</a> from underground mineral-rich brine. 



"Responsible management of the subsurface is central to any hope for a green transition, sustainable future and keeping warming below a few degrees," emphasizes Peter Reiners, a professor in the <a href="https://www.geo.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UArizona Department of Geosciences</a> and a co-author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-subsurface-fluid-fluxes">Earth's subsurface fluid fluxes</h2>



These fluxes transport water, gases, and other substances through the subsurface, influencing everything from groundwater resources to geothermal energy.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Types of subsurface fluid fluxes</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Groundwater flow</h4>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-depletion-is-accelerating-but-it-is-not-inevitable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Groundwater flow</a> represents the movement of water through porous and fractured rock formations. This flow occurs due to pressure gradients and the force of gravity, allowing water to move from areas of high hydraulic head to areas of low hydraulic head. Groundwater flow plays a vital role in the hydrologic cycle, recharging aquifers and sustaining surface water bodies.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Hydrocarbon migration</h4>



Subsurface fluid fluxes also include the migration of hydrocarbons, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-orphaned-oil-and-gas-wells-litter-the-world-and-must-be-cleaned-up/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oil and natural gas</a>. These fluids originate from organic-rich source rocks and migrate through permeable rock layers until they encounter traps or seals. Understanding hydrocarbon migration is essential for oil and gas exploration and production.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Geothermal fluid circulation</h4>



In regions with high <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underground-water-could-be-a-great-source-of-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">geothermal gradients</a>, subsurface fluids can circulate through fractures and permeable rock formations, absorbing heat from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-ancient-ocean-floor-surrounds-the-earths-core/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's interior</a>. This heated fluid can then rise to the surface, creating hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles. Geothermal fluid circulation is a key factor in the development of geothermal energy resources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Importance of Earth's subsurface fluid fluxes</h2>



Subsurface fluid fluxes have far-reaching impacts on various aspects of our planet. They influence the availability and quality of groundwater resources, which are essential for human consumption, agriculture, and industrial activities. 



Additionally, these fluxes play a crucial role in the formation and distribution of mineral resources, such as ore deposits and petroleum accumulations.



Moreover, subsurface fluid fluxes contribute to the transport and cycling of chemical elements and compounds within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unexpected-molten-rock-layer-discovered-under-earths-crust/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's crust</a>. 



This process has implications for geochemical cycles, rock-water interactions, and the evolution of subsurface environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Human intervention in Earth's fluid dynamics</h2>



In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-chief-fossil-fuel-era-must-end-for-humanitys-survival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oil and natural gas</a> production, saline water from the deep subsurface is extracted alongside the targeted resources. This ancient water, often millions of years old, acquires its salinity from the evaporation of ancient seawater or reactions with rocks and minerals. 



To maintain reservoir pressures and enhance oil recovery, near-surface water is added to the extracted saline water, and the blended mixture is reinjected into the subsurface, creating a continuous cycle of fluid production and reinjection.



Similar processes occur in lithium extraction, geothermal energy production, and geologic carbon sequestration, where leftover saline water is reinjected into the underground. 



"We show that the fluid injection rates or recharge rates from those oil and gas activities is greater than what naturally occurs," states McIntosh.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rewriting Earth's history through subsurface geology</h2>



Using existing data from various sources, the research team found that current fluid movement rates induced by human activities surpass those that occurred before human intervention. 



As carbon capture, sequestration, and lithium extraction intensify, the researchers also predicted how these activities might be recorded in Earth's geological record.



Moreover, human activities have the potential to alter not only the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-geysers-the-worlds-largest-geothermal-field/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deep subsurface fluids</a> but also the microbes that inhabit those depths. 



Fluid movements can modify <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-in-the-extreme-microbial-activity-discovered-in-old-faithful/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbial environments</a> through changes in water chemistry or by introducing new microbial communities from Earth's surface to the underground. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-fracking-surged/">Hydraulic fracturing</a>, for example, can trigger sudden blooms of microbial activity in previously dormant deep rock formations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Earth's subsurface is still mostly a mystery</h2>



Despite the significance of these findings, many unknowns remain about Earth's deep subsurface and the extent of human impact on this hidden realm. 



"We need to use the deep subsurface as part of the solution for the climate crisis," emphasizes McIntosh. "Yet, we know more about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lake-sediments-found-in-jezero-crater-hint-at-past-life-on-mars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surface of Mars</a> than we do about water, rocks and life deep beneath our feet."



Continued research and exploration of this enigmatic zone are crucial for understanding the full scope of human influence on our planet and developing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-zero-waste-a-global-commitment-to-a-sustainable-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustainable strategies</a> for addressing the climate crisis. 



While we strive to mitigate the visible effects of human activities on Earth's surface, we must not overlook the hidden impact that extends deep into the subsurface.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-what-lies-beneath">Protecting what lies beneath</h2>



As we continue to explore and utilize Earth's deep subsurface in our efforts to combat climate change, we must remain mindful of the hidden impact our actions have on this enigmatic realm. 



By studying the fluid dynamics, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-increases-threat-antimicrobial-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbial communities</a>, and geological record beneath our feet, we can develop a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between human activities and the subterranean world. 



This knowledge will be crucial in guiding our strategies for a sustainable future, ensuring that our solutions do not create unforeseen consequences in the depths below. 



As we navigate the challenges of the climate crisis, we must approach the subsurface with a spirit of curiosity, responsibility, and respect, recognizing that the key to our success may lie in the mysteries that await us in Earth's hidden depths.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024EF004496" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a>.



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Human activities also greatly harm Earth’s subsurface, not just the landmass

Earth's surface bears the visible scars of human activities, from greenhouse gas emissions to deforestation. However, the impact of human intervention extends far beyond what meets the eye, reaching hundreds of meters to several kilometers beneath the planet's surface into Earth's deep subsurface. This hidden realm, often overlooked, is now the subject of disturbing research by hydrology experts. Jennifer McIntosh, a professor in the University of Arizona's Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, and her colleagues have delved into the ways humans influence Earth's deep subsurface. "We...

Massive wildfires are the new normal. 

Whether they’re deliberately set – like the flames burning through the Amazon rainforest – or sparked by accident or natural events like lightning strikes, enormous wildfires have become a part of yearly life. 

In 2018, four wildfires in California burned more than 930,000 acres combined, destroyed more than 20,000 structures and killed 100 people. Most of that destruction was from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/camp-fire-is-the-most-destructive-in-californias-history/">Camp Fire</a> that ripped through Paradise and surrounding towns so quickly that residents had no chance to flee. California wasn’t alone; fires burned throughout the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-burning-two-million-acres/">western U.S.</a>

In British Columbia, more than 3.3 million acres burned. That beat the 3 million acres that burned in that province in 2017.

In 2017, 44 people were killed and more than 8,000 structures burned in California’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-california-wine-country/">North Bay fires</a>. A blaze in Montana spread to 1.2 million acres before early rain and snow in September contained it. Oregon saw <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Oregon_wildfires">more than 1,000 fires</a> in 2017.

Kansas saw the largest fire in its history in 2016 – the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/grass-fires-char-kansas-and-oklahoma/">Anderson Creek Fire</a>, which also burned in Oklahoma. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/enormous-wildfire-in-fort-mcmurray/">Fort McMurray Fire</a> in Canada was the costliest disaster in the country’s history, with nearly 100,000 people evacuated. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tennessee-wildfires-threaten-dollywood/">Great Smoky Mountains wildfires</a> in Tennessee killed 14 people, the deadliest wildfires in the eastern U.S. since 1947. 

North America isn’t the only region seeing an increase in massive wildfires. Fires are raging out of control in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazon-fires-devastating-impacts/">Brazilian Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-environment-wildfire/indonesian-police-investigate-palm-oil-companies-over-forest-fires-ministry-idUSKCN1VJ1BS">across Indonesia</a> – in both cases, believed to be deliberately set by growers seeking to clear land for farming – and across <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/nasa-images-show-africa-has-five-times-more-wildfires-burning-amazonheres-why-theyre-1456382">Africa</a> and in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Siberia_wildfires">Siberia</a>, <a href="https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2019/08/30/firefighters-make-progress-as-swan-lake-fire-grows-to-nearly-162000-acres/">Alaska</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Canary_Islands_wildfires">Canary Islands</a>. <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2019/04/responders-quickly-extinguish-one-of-koreas-largest-wildfires/">South Korea</a> saw one of the most massive wildfires in its history in April, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_United_Kingdom_wildfires">United Kingdom</a> saw a remarkably early series of fires this spring.

Fires killed more than 100 people in Portugal and Spain in 2017 – <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_2017_Portugal_wildfires">66 in June</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_2017_Iberian_wildfires">49 in October</a>. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Attica_wildfires">2018 Attica wildfires</a> killed 102 in Greece.

Some scientists are linking the massive wildfires to climate change – and they’re only going to get worse, they say.

"A new normal makes it sound like we've arrived in a new position and that's where we're going to be," Dr. Michael Mann of <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State University</a> told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-devastating-wildfires-a-new-normal-its-actually-worse-than-that-climate-scientist-says/">CBS News</a> last year. "But if we continue to burn fossil fuels and put carbon pollution into the atmosphere, we are going to continue to warm the surface of the Earth. We're going to get worse and worse droughts and heat waves and superstorms and floods and wildfires."

Several scientists told <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/21/wildfires-july-hottest-month-ever-fires-rage-across-globe/2070418001/">USA Today</a> that they believed rising global temperatures – and the accompanying drought and other extreme weather – are linked to the current raging fires around the world. 

“In these conditions, it is easier for wildfires to grow and to be more long-lived,” Dr. Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at the <a href="https://www.ecmwf.int/">European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts</a>, told USA Today.

The number of wildfires in the Amazon has actually been down in recent years, but the current fires quickly raged out of control, he said.

Worldwide, the number of acres burned each year is actually <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/90493/researchers-detect-a-global-drop-in-fires">on the decline</a>, in part due to the development of previously wild lands removing opportunities for slash and burn agriculture. But fires are popping up at unusual times – like February in the UK – and in unusual places, like the Arctic. And when they do rage out of control, they are breaking records for size and destructiveness. 

“This year has been unprecedented for wildfires in the Arctic,” Dr. Carly Phillips of the <a href="https://whrc.org/">Woods Hole Research Centre</a> told the <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24332452-800-the-pyrocene-has-begun-how-to-tackle-a-world-of-raging-wildfires/">New Scientist</a>. 

A record amount of carbon dioxide has been released in the Arctic this year, especially in Russia, the <a href="https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/">Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service</a> reports.

And that’s worrisome because the Arctic is essentially a giant, frozen tinderbox. The frozen part has been key in the past. Fires just didn’t take off there. But if the area melts and dries out a bit, it could go up in smoke. 

“The north is a big tinder box, but it’s been limited from burning by the climate,” Dr. Merritt Turetsky of the <a href="https://www.uoguelph.ca/">University of Guelph</a> told the New Scientist. “If you remove those climatic constraints, all those fuels are ready to go.”

The effects that all that smoke, soot and released carbon could have globally isn’t known yet. But scientists are hoping that world governments and their fire agencies will work together to protect not just people and property from massive wildfires, but areas with “old carbon” such as the Arctic. If they don’t, scientists say, the effects on the climate could be devastating.

“What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic. Pollution can carry thousands of miles away,” Elizabeth Hoy at <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> said.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Massive wildfires are flaring up all over the world

Massive wildfires are the new normal.  Whether they’re deliberately set...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield</a> have discovered the potential to make white sustainable paint using recycled plastic waste by mimicking the structure of the Cyphochilus beetle's scales, which contain one of the brightest whites found in nature. 

According to the researchers, the new paint would not only have a much lower carbon footprint, but could also help to tackle the challenge of recycling <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/un-report-calls-for-ban-on-single-use-plastics/">single-use plastics</a>.

The brilliant white shade of the Cyphochilus beetle is not created by pigments, but by the nanostructure of its tiny scales. The team has managed to reconstruct and refine this scale structure in the lab using inexpensive materials. The technique used to recreate the nanostructure could be used to produce a sustainable alternative to titanium dioxide in white paint.

"In the natural world, whiteness is usually created by a foamy, Swiss cheese-like structure made of a solid interconnected network and air. Until now, how these structures form and develop and how they have evolved light-scattering properties has remained a mystery," said study lead author Dr. Andrew Parnell.

"Having understood these structures we were able to take plastic and structure it in the same way. Ideally, we could recycle plastic waste that would normally be burnt or sent to landfill, structure it just like the beetle scale and then use it to make super white paint. This would make paint with a much lower carbon footprint and help tackle the challenge of recycling single-use plastics."

The study revealed that the foamy structure of the beetle scales had the ideal proportion of empty spaces to optimize the scattering of light. 

Currently, nanoparticles of titanium dioxide are used in white paint because they can strongly scatter visible light. However, titanium dioxide is harmful to the environment, contributing to nearly 75 percent of white paint's carbon footprint.

"This research answers long-standing questions about how the structure inside these scales actually form and we hope these lessons from nature will help inform the future of sustainable manufacturing for paint," said study co-author Dr. Stephanie Burg.

The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/commschem">Nature Communications Chemistry</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Wuttipon

The structure of beetle scales could help scientists create sustainable paint

Scientists at the University of Sheffield have discovered the potential...

The Trump administration is planning to loosen restrictions on methane emissions, yet another in a series of rollbacks aimed at deregulating environmental protections. 

Under the new proposal, oil and gas companies would no longer be federally required to install technology that specifically inspects and fixes methane leaks, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/29/climate/epa-methane-greenhouse-gas.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">New York Times</a>.

Volatile organic compounds would stay regulated and help curb some methane emissions, but methane itself would not be federally regulated. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atmospheric-methane-fracking/">Methane is much more potent than CO2</a> even though it doesn’t accumulate or remain in the atmosphere in the same way as other greenhouse gasses. 

According to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases">Environmental Protection Agency,</a> carbon dioxide made up 82 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions while methane made up ten percent of total emissions. 

“This is extraordinarily harmful,” Rachel Kyte, the United Nations special representative on sustainable energy, told the New York Times. “Just at a time when the federal government’s job should be to help localities and states move faster toward cleaner energy and a cleaner economy, just at that moment when speed and scale is what’s at stake, the government is walking off the field.”

The <a href="https://www.api.org/">American Petroleum Institute</a> supports the new rollbacks and smaller oil and gas companies concerned about the cost of inspecting for methane leaks are happy that the Administration has listened to their complaints. 

Surprisingly, although the rollback would loosen restrictions, several big-name energy companies are opposed to the idea.

Last year, Exxon asked that the EPA uphold emissions regulations put in place by the Obama Administration and even regulate future methane emissions. 

The President of BP America, Susan Dio, <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/BP-America-chief-It-s-time-for-the-Trump-13721656.php">wrote an op-ed piece</a> earlier this year urging for methane regulations to ensure that natural gas initiatives are not hindered. 

Electricity from natural gas produces fewer carbon emissions than coal but if methane leaks are not regulated, it could ruin natural gas’s reputation of being a cleaner energy source. 

Before the ruling is approved, the proposal will be subject to public review before being finalized. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Leonid Ikan

Trump’s EPA to loosen restrictions on methane emissions

The Trump administration is planning to loosen restrictions on methane...

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Corals have been documented growing in extreme environments in mangrove lagoons along the Great Barrier Reef for the first time. 

Some coral species may be better suited to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-boost-coral-resilience/">adapting to climate change</a> compared to others, but researchers are still trying to understand exactly how reefs will respond to climate change or if corals can recover after mass bleaching events. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/">University of Technology Sydney</a> studied “extreme corals” growing around typically hostile mangrove lagoons to better understand coral resilience and how the corals are responding to environmental stressors.  

The researchers surveyed 250 kilometers of the Great Barrier Reef and visited eight lagoons.  

Thirty-four species of coral were identified by the researchers, and the water in the lagoons had low pH levels, low oxygen levels, and variations in temperature and yet the corals in these areas survived.  

“This highlights the need to study environments that would usually be considered unfavourable to corals in order to understand how stress tolerance in corals works,” said Dr. Emma Camp, the corresponding author of the study. “There is a lot we don’t know. For example are these extreme corals already at their limit, can they survive more stress, if we transplant them to more stable environments will they maintain their stress tolerance?” 

After analyzing samples of the extreme mangrove corals, the researchers discovered that corals utilize a helpful photosynthetic strategy that trades fast growth for survival. 

This tradeoff is potentially good news and could indicate that mangrove lagoon corals can adapt to future stressors. 

“It’s likely these mangrove lagoon corals have the best chance to persist into the future given that they are already conditioned to the complex interaction of warmer waters, ocean acidification, and deoxygenation predicted for reefs under climate change,” said David Suggett, a co-author of the study. 

The researchers call for increased protections in these lagoons where corals have been spotted to ensure the corals' future survival. 

The study findings were published in the journal <a href="https://www.int-res.com/prepress/m13073.html">Marine Ecology Progress Series. </a>

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Dr Emma Camp

Corals documented growing in extreme mangrove lagoons

Corals have been documented growing in extreme environments in mangrove...

Invasive disease could nearly wipe out the UK’s ash trees this century. Human-induced changes to the environment are increasing the rate at which pests and diseases are introduced, which is severely threatening to native species. Long-lived species that reproduce slowly, such as forest trees, are particularly susceptible to new pathogens. 

It is estimated that in 2015, 100 million hectares of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-activity-forests-alaska/">forest</a> were affected by pests and diseases around the globe. However, the subsequent impacts to any given forest ecosystem cannot be detected for years, so experts use computer models to predict future outcomes.

In a recent study, Professor Matthew Evans from the <a href="https://www.hku.hk/">University of Hong Kong</a> created a computer model to estimate how ash dieback (ADB) disease may affect the UK's 125 million ash trees. 

ADB disease, which is caused by a fungus native to East Asia, was introduced to the UK seven years ago. This incurable infection leaves diamond-shaped scars on the bark and causes the leaves to fall off of the trees.

About one in every 100 ash trees is able to resist the fungus and avoid infection. This is likely due to a genetic advantage which allows the trees to shed their leaves earlier to prevent the fungus from establishing itself.

Professor Evans found that at the current level of resistance, 95 percent of the UK's ash trees could be wiped out by the end of the century. He determined that breeding more ash trees with resistance will prevent millions of deaths. 

"In addition, several studies have shown that resistance to ADB appears to be heritable," wrote Professor Evans. "This is potentially a route by which a reasonably high ash tree population could be sustained after this new threat, with dead susceptible trees being replaced by resistant individuals."

According to Professor Evans, if one in 10 British trees could fight off ash dieback, the ash tree population would only be reduced by one-third of its current size. However, Professor Evans explained that this number of resistant trees will not appear on their own.

"As has been suggested by other authors, it seems reasonable that selective breeding could play a role in the conservation of ash forests," said Professor Evans. "The establishment of a source of resistant individuals that could be used to boost the numbers of naturally resistant trees in the population would help increase the chances of a population sustainability."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsos">Royal Society Open Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Invasive disease could nearly wipe out the UK’s ash trees this century

Invasive disease could nearly wipe out the UK’s ash trees...

Scientists from the<a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/"> University of Southampton</a>, the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a>, the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a>, and the <a href="https://www.awi.de/en.html">Alfred Wegener Institute</a>, have found that, contrary to prior understanding, the biological processes far off the coast of Antarctica in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/southern-ocean-acidification/">Southern Ocean</a> are the most important factors in determining how the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide.

"The Southern Ocean is a hugely important region for the drawdown of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, with major impacts on global climate,” said Michael Meredith from the British Antarctic Survey. “This study overturns a commonly-held belief relating to how this works, and emphasises the need for joined-up biological and physical studies in the open-ocean regions some distance offshore from the Antarctic continent. This will be a key priority going forward, in order to improve our ability to reliably predict future climates."

Carbon dioxide is initially absorbed in the surface ocean and is then transferred into the deep ocean where it is stored for hundreds to thousands of years. 

It was thought that the transformation of water from light to dense, caused when water is cooled at the ocean’s surface, was the main key in determining whether carbon is released into the atmosphere or stored in the deep ocean. Therefore, most research is conducted in the shallow waters on Antarctica’s coastline. 

However, after studying ocean circulation and carbon concentration of the Weddell Gyre region of the Antarctic Peninsula, as well as data collected by the ANDREX project (Antarctic Deep water Rates of Export), which measured the physical, biological, and chemical properties of the gyre’s waters between 2008 and 2010, the research team found that dense water formation is not the dominant factor driving the atmosphere-to-ocean carbon uptake. Instead, biological processes further out in the ocean are the main driving force.

The team discovered that as phytoplankton in the middle of the gyre grow and sink, they remove carbon from the surface ocean and move it into the deep ocean. This process is known as the “biological carbon pump.”

"The results carry implications for our understanding of how the high-latitude Southern Ocean, close to the Antarctic continent, influences atmospheric carbon and global climate on 100 to 1000-year timescales,” said study leader Graeme MacGilchrist, from the University of Southampton. “This is important both for our understanding of climate transitions in the past, such as the ice ages, as well as our projections of future climate change.”

“We also expect that it will help to shift the focus of future research towards the critical processes taking place in the Antarctic Gyres, rather than the historical focus on the shelf-sea regions,” MacGilchrist concluded.

This study is published in <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Mike Meredith, British Antarctic Survey

Interactions in the Southern Ocean impact how carbon dioxide is absorbed

Scientists from the University of Southampton, the British Antarctic Survey,...

According to a new report in the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a>, President Trump is now pursuing weaker logging, mining, and road construction regulations in Alaska’s <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cut-largest-us-national-forest-opposition/">Tongass National Forest</a>. The president has asked the United States Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, to lift federal restrictions on the 16.7-million-acre stretch of forest.

Combined with British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest to the south, the Tongass National Forest represents the largest intact temperate rainforest on the planet.

In 2001, more than half of the Tongass became off limits to road construction and logging when Bill Clinton adopted the Roadless Rule, which aimed to protect 58.5 million acres of forest across the country. 

Alaskan officials, including Senator Lisa Murkowski, have been fighting for exemption from the Roadless Rule. Murkowski said in a statement that Alaska’s governor, along with the entire congressional delegation, have sought to block the rule.

“It should never have been applied to our state, and it is harming our ability to develop a sustainable, year-round economy for the Southeast region, where less than one percent of the land is privately held,” said Murkowski. “The timber industry has declined precipitously, and it is astonishing that the few remaining mills in our nation’s largest national forest have to constantly worry about running out of supply.”

On June 26, Governor Mike Dunleavy announced to reporters that the president has "done everything he can" to work with Alaskan leaders and understand their concerns. According to three anonymous sources, President Trump has expressed support for exempting the Tongass from the Roadless Rule.

Just three years ago, U.S. Forest Service officials finalized a plan that would put an end to old-growth logging in the Tongass within a decade. If federal restrictions are lifted, it is not yet clear how much land would be opened back up for logging because the Forest Service would have to amend its 2016 plan, which recommended for no more than 568,000 acres to be logged.

New legislation by the Trump administration would not affect the 5.7 million acres of the forest that have been designated by Congress as wilderness. These areas receive the government's highest level of land protection and become part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Lee Prince

Trump looks to lift logging restrictions in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest

According to a new report in the Washington Post, President...

David Koch, billionaire and co-owner of <a href="https://www.kochind.com">Koch Industries</a>, has been remembered in the media as a businessman, political activist, and philanthropist who helped reshape American politics. Koch died last Friday of unspecified causes although he’d long battled prostate cancer. He was 79. 

Koch Industries is a multifaceted business involved in producing ethanol and agricultural products as well as CORDURA® fabric used in military uniforms and outdoor equipment. Koch industries was inherited by David and his brother Charles Koch from their father, Fred Koch. The two built it into the second largest privately owned business in America.

Fred Koch made his money from oil. Leading the way for his sons, Koch also became involved in politics, being one of the founding members of the John Birch Society. In a letter, President Eisenhower warned against conservative organizations of his time, like the John Birch Society:

“Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid,” Eisenhower wrote to Edgar Newton Eisenhower in November 1954.

These are the causes that Fred Koch and later his sons championed, a small government with few taxes on the wealthy and few regulations if any in the way of increasing wealth. 

Initially, David Koch tried to influence American politics directly by running for office. In 1980, David Koch was paired with Ed Clark as the libertarian vice presidential nominee. Given the political rules at the time, this allowed Koch to pour more money into a political race than would otherwise be legal. The platform that Clark and Koch ran on was one of abolishing Social Security and welfare, the Federal Reserve board, corporate taxes and the minimum wage. 

The Libertarian Party only received one percent of the vote during that election, but it was the largest vote received by the party during an election at that point. Since his failed bid for Vice President, David Koch and his brother have been using their money to push change in American politics from behind the scenes.

Inline with their pro-industry and anti-regulation ideals, the Koch brothers pushed climate change denial as well. According to <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/global-warming/climate-deniers/front-groups/american-enterprise-institute-aei/">GreenPeace</a>, the Koch brothers donated over $2 billion dollars to <a href="http://www.aei.org">American Enterprise Institute</a> (AEI), a conservative think tank, over the course of a decade. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/feb/02/frontpagenews.climatechange">The Guardian</a> reports that AEI offered cash payments of $10,000 to scientists and economists to dispute climate change science. David Koch painted himself as a ‘social liberal’ but there’s a clear connection between human rights and the environment. 

As I’ve <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/environmental-destruction-hurts-people-color/">previously reported</a>, people of color and the poor are more likely to suffer from industrial pollutants, smog and will probably shoulder the worst consequences of climate change as well. The Koch brothers didn’t support Trump but they pushed similar ideals, contributing to an atmosphere in America where he could be elected. David Koch also made sure to push an agenda allowing a larger voice for the ultra wealthy like he and his brother than those with less affluence. 

The 2010 <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2008/08-205">Citizens United court ruling</a> allowed David and his brother broader power to influence elections and politicians. Through their non-profit Americans for Prosperity, the Koch brothers pushed a right wing anti-environment, pro-industry agenda.

<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/23/politics/david-koch-charles-koch-brothers/index.html">CNN</a> reports that both Koch brothers donated millions of dollars to several political campaigns designed at creating long term changes in American politics. Many see this change in American politics and the millions of dollars it allowed to flow into campaigns as what allowed the rise of the Tea Party and the Trump presidency. The Koch brothers were critical of Trump on trade and immigration but his views on deregulation and climate denial are completely inline with theirs. 

While some media outlets like <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/business-leaders/david-koch-spent-billions-giving-back-to-charity-heres-where-it-all-went">Fox News</a> remember Koch for the small percentage of his $50 billion worth donated to charity, it’s worth noting that most of the charitable giving can be seen as self serving. Koch gave a lot of money to high profile causes like the American Museum of Natural History. Koch also gave $50 million to the <a href="https://www.pcf.org/c/remembering-david-h-koch/">Prostate Cancer Foundation</a> after he himself was diagnosed with prostate cancer. 

Just like with his political giving, Koch’s charitable giving was designed to profit him personally. How many remember the man, though, is through his determined effort to remove obstacles from big business exploiting the environment for their greatest benefit. 

Environmentalist Bill McKibben <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/billmckibben/status/1164918587439628294">tweeted</a>, 

“David Koch lived long enough to see his dreams come true. Massive tax cuts for the rich, rampant environmental deregulation, America out of Paris accords. He got what he paid for.”

Comedian Bill Maher was even more blunt, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/bill-maher-david-kochs-death-jokes-real-time-end-painful-1456028">saying</a>,

“He was 79, but his family says they wish he could live longer. At least he lived long enough to see the Amazon catch fire…”

Despite the death of David Koch, the threat he posted to the environment will continue on. Skepticism of climate change among conservatives is unlikely to change overnight and the non-profits that both brothers funneled billions into continue to operate. The tactics of quietly funding politicians without fully disclosing where the money comes from will go on. Industry with less legal responsibility will continue to pillage the Earth and the poor majority for a tiny fraction of the elite wealthy. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Roschetzky Photography

David Koch’s political influence leaves behind an anti-environmental legacy

David Koch, billionaire and co-owner of Koch Industries, has been...

<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/20/us/politics/trump-cancels-greenland-trip.html">Greenland is not for sale</a>, and Denmark made that perfectly clear when the president of the United States floated around the idea of buying the autonomous Danish territory. 

As reports of Trump’s proposal to buy Greenland made the rounds, it put the world’s largest island in the spotlight.

The U.S. isn’t the only country with an eye on Greenland. Many of the world’s nations are looking toward to the Arctic for its potential as an economic and geopolitical asset. 

Beneath the thick layers of ice and snow that cover Greenland could be an untapped reservoir of minerals, oil, and natural gas, and as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-lose-ice-summer-melting/">climate change-driven melting</a> chips away at the swaths of ice, these reserves could soon be accessible. 

<a href="https://time.com/5660306/greenland-arctic-climate-change-economic-asset/?utm_source=emailshare&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=email-share-article&amp;utm_content=20190826">Time</a> recently reported that Russia, China, and other countries are setting their sights on Greenland due to the potential goldmine of minerals and oils just waiting to be extracted. 

The Arctic reportedly contains a quarter of the world’s yet to be extracted oil and gas. Earlier this spring, Russia announced plans to re-establish its Arctic claims and build up a Russian presence in the area. 

For China, Greenland could be an important shipping route and hold an abundance of rare earth minerals. 

According to the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a>, there could be 17.5 billion barrels of oil and 148 trillion cubic feet of natural gas offshore of Greenland, but as of yet, no significant quantities of oil have been found in the region. 

“It’s very speculative, but in theory they could have a lot of oil,” Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy &amp; Economic Research Inc, told Time. “It’s perceived as being the new Alaska, where the old Alaska was thought to be worthless and turned out to have huge reserves. And it’s one of the few places on Earth that’s lightly populated, and it’s close to the U.S.”

As temperatures climb, it could make mineral mining, oil drilling, and development easier but could also come at a dangerous cost. Calving events will become more common, and ships will have to watch out for more icebergs as they navigate through Arctic waters. 

The Arctic also has a long and complicated history of strategic military importance, and the Arctic and Greenland provide a crucial corridor for North Atlantic and Arctic Naval operations, according to Time.

Greenland is finding itself at the center of a race for Arctic investments, but it’s important to consider the environmental and economic risk factors before further options for purchasing the island or drilling for oil in the Arctic are circulated through the press.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Jonas Tufvesson

Greenland debate highlights how the Arctic may become a promising investment

Greenland is not for sale, and Denmark made that perfectly...

The Amazon rainforest is still burning, as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazon-rainforest-burning/">thousands of fires are spreading across the region</a> that supplies a significant amount of oxygen to Earth’s atmosphere. The smoke is visible from space, and there are concerns about how the fires will impact the indigenous groups that live in the Amazon.

Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro is reportedly reconsidering accepting the $22.2 million in international aid to help fight the fires and is now demanding an apology from French President Emmanuel Macron. 

The aid package was announced at the Group of Seven nations (G-7) summit, and several of the world’s wealthiest countries pledged to help Brazil and the Amazon. 

Bolsonaro <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/27/world/americas/brazil-amazon-aid.html">initially rejected the pledge</a>, but now the President is willing to accept the aid if Macron apologizes and withdraws comments that the French President directed at Bolsonaro. 

“Before speaking or accepting anything from France, even if it comes from the best possible intentions, he must retract his words. Then we can talk,” Brazil’s President told journalists.

The aid package has added fuel to an escalating feud between the two presidents. Last week, Macron announced potentially blocking a free-trade agreement between the EU and South America. Bolsonaro responded with an apparent joke about Macron’s wife. 

Although Bolsonaro is on the fence about accepting aid from the Group of Seven, other countries are offering aid and resources. 

Ricardo Salles, the Environmental Minister of Brazil, said that aid was crucial as the fires are spreading and burning up land at a rapid rate. 

“I think we need to aggregate as many tools as possible to resolve this,” Salles said on Brazilian television. 

The <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/brazil-rejects-g-7-amazon-aid-citing-its-lack-of-involvementin-decision-to-grant-it/2019/08/27/4d8b0eb8-c8b6-11e9-9615-8f1a32962e04_story.html">Washington Post </a>even reported that Amazon governors were considering negotiating with the EU directly rather than wait for Bolsonaro. 

There are concerns that because the aid is coming from the G-7 and not the United Nations, it could be a political tactic to gain some control of the Amazon, according to Bolsonaro and some of his officials. 

Meanwhile, fires in the Amazon have increased more than 75 percent this year, according to the Washington Post. The unprecedented rate of deforestation could jeopardize Amazon’s role as a carbon sink and transform large areas of the rainforest into savanna in the near future. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: ESA/NASA–L. Parmitano

Bolsonaro puts politics over financial aid to fight Amazon fires

The Amazon rainforest is still burning, as thousands of fires...

Standing nearly 400 feet tall and looming over the Castle Valley in Utah, Castleton Tower is a popular destination for rock climbers. It’s one of the largest freestanding rock towers, and the formation is constantly gently swaying, vibrating at a low frequency.

In a new study, researchers from the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> measured Castleton Tower’s vibrations to understand how rock formations vibrate, their resonance, and how human-made sounds impact these vibrations. 

“We often view such grand and prominent landforms as permanent features of our landscape, when in reality, they are continuously moving and evolving,” said Riley Finnegan, a co-author of the study. 

Energy is continuously moving through the Earth, and even a small gust of wind can <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/rock-arches-can-be-monitored-by-their-vibrations/">impact rock formations and cause vibrations</a>. 

The researchers measured rock formations with seismometers that record movement in three dimensions. 3-D imagery is also used to measure the dimensions and structure to help provide insights into the vibrations. 

Data from the seismometers can sometimes be sped up into an audible audio file. 

Studying Castleton Rock was a challenge because skilled climbers were needed to place a seismometer at the top of the tower and bring it back down. Luckily, the researchers were able to enlist the help of two professional climbers in March 2018. 

The two climbers carried a seismometer to the top and waited for three hours while the equipment recorded seismic data before returning.

Once they had the equipment back, the researchers were able to analyze the data and found that that Castleton tower resonates at frequencies of .8 and 1.0 hertz. One hertz is equal to one cycle per second, which means that the tower sways back and forth once per second in a constant movement. 

“The distant sources that excite the unique resonance of Castleton Tower are always active and transferring energy into the rock mass,” said Paul Geimer, a member of the research team. 

The researchers still have much to learn about the rock formation and its vibrations. The team will continue to collect measurements, examine the structural integrity, and see how energy from far away sources like an earthquake or the rumbling traffic of a freeway impacts rock formation vibrations. 

“As with the desert landscape in which it resides, Castleton Tower is dynamic and energetic, subtly responding to changes in the surrounding environment,” said Geimer. 

The researchers published the findings in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/EastVillage Images

Famous Utah rock formation vibrates at the same rate as a heartbeat

Standing nearly 400 feet tall and looming over the Castle...

Researchers from <a href="https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University, New Brunswick</a> have found that carbon absorption in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rising-co2-levels-southern-ocean/">Southern Ocean</a> off the West Antarctic Peninsula has been drastically altered by climate change, which could ultimately have a global impact.

Presently, the Southern Ocean absorbs nearly half of the carbon dioxide, which is the key greenhouse gas connected to climate change, that is absorbed by all the world's oceans.

The researchers found that carbon dioxide absorption by the surface waters in the Southern Ocean is linked to the stability of the upper ocean. A stable upper ocean is the perfect environment for growing algae, and when algae goes through photosynthesis, it removes carbon dioxide from the surface ocean, therefore taking it out of the atmosphere. 

"Understanding how climate change will affect carbon dioxide absorption by the Southern Ocean, especially in coastal Antarctic regions like the West Antarctic Peninsula, is critical to improving predictions of the global impacts of climate change," said lead author Michael Brown, an oceanography doctoral student in the Center for Ocean Observing Leadership in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers’ <a href="https://sebs.rutgers.edu/">School of Environmental and Biological Sciences</a>.

The study, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>, analyzed 25-years worth of oceanographic measurements in the Southern Ocean, and highlights the need for more monitoring of the region.

Between 1993 and 2017, the upper ocean off the West Antarctic Peninsula was stabilized by changes in sea ice dynamics, thus resulting in larger algal concentrations and a major increase in carbon dioxide absorption during the summer months. 

However, the scientists believe that upper ocean stability off the West Antarctic Peninsula could decrease in the coming decades as sea ice continues to melt. The less ice, the less prevention of wind-driven mixing of the upper ocean. Carbon dioxide absorption will most likely decline in response to the dwindling amount of algae as a result of destabilization in the upper ocean.

Therefore, this trend could lead to more carbon dioxide in the air, and thusly, more warming worldwide.
--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Drew Spacht/The Ohio State University

Climate change has altered CO2 absorption along the West Antarctic Peninsula

Researchers from Rutgers University, New Brunswick have found that carbon...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://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



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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

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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



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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



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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



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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



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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



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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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Aerial,Photo,Of,River,In,Amazon,Rainforest,Jungle,In,Peru

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center</a> describes how scientists are using autonomous sound sensors to monitor deforestation in the Amazon. By recording soundscapes, the experts can determine which animals are present through their distinct sounds.&nbsp;



Using this method, sounds can be used as scientific measurements to analyze the effects of deforestation. The researchers will gain a better understanding of how the acoustics of a forest can be used to measure its health.&nbsp;



"From space, parts of the Amazon rainforest that have previously been logged or burned may look lush and green, like a place buzzing with activity and full of sounds. But inside the rainforest, the animal life may tell a different story, of a harsh environment and a quieter soundscape," says NASA.



Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center&nbsp;



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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 deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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