A growing collection of studies has shown that global warming entails more than just higher temperatures. Extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-extreme-weather-impact-marine-ecosystems/">weather</a> events are occurring more often and are becoming increasingly powerful in many parts of the world, necessitating an urgent need to forecast and prepare for them.



The results of a new modeling study led by the <a href="https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/">University of Tsukuba</a> predict that "atmospheric rivers" will cause more frequent and severe extreme downpour events across East Asia.&nbsp;



Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow regions of concentrated water vapor moving across the atmosphere. When one of these bands collides with a barrier, such as a mountain range, it can result in significant rainfall or snowfall.



Parts of East Asia have been regularly subjected to this weather phenomenon over the last decade, sometimes at a great social cost. It is critical to understand how atmospheric rivers will evolve in the future as the climate continues to change.



“To investigate the behavior of atmospheric rivers and extreme precipitation over East Asia under projected climate warming, we used high-resolution global atmospheric circulation model simulations as well as regional climate model downscaling simulations," said study first author Professor Yoichi Kamae.



"We compared simulations based on historical meteorological data from 1951 to 2010 with future simulations based on the year 2090 under a climate scenario with 4 degrees Celsius of warming of the global-mean surface air temperature.”&nbsp;



Future simulations anticipated enhanced water vapor movement and precipitation, including extraordinary, record-breaking rainfall events in regions of East Asia, all of which would be influenced by atmospheric river phenomena.



The southern and western slopes of mountains in East Asia, including Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, and northeastern China, received the most atmospheric river-related rainfall, with the southwestern slopes of the Japanese Alps receiving the most rainfall.



The geographical scope of this study was limited to East Asia due to technical restrictions in combining the models.



“Our findings are likely also applicable to other regions of the mid-latitudes where interactions between atmospheric rivers and steep mountains play a major role in precipitation, such as in western North America and Europe. These regions may also experience more frequent and intense extreme precipitation events as the climate warms.” explained Professor Kamae.



The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan supported this research with JSPS KAKENHI Grants and the Integrated Research Program for Advancing Climate Models.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



---



By <a href="http://mailto:ashikha92@gmail.com">Ashikha Raoof</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Projected atmospheric rivers could drench East Asia

A growing collection of studies has shown that global warming entails more than just higher temperatures. Extreme weather events are occurring more often and are becoming increasingly powerful in many parts of the world, necessitating an urgent need to forecast and prepare for them. The results of a new modeling study led by the University of Tsukuba predict that "atmospheric rivers" will cause more frequent and severe extreme downpour events across East Asia.&nbsp; Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow regions of concentrated water vapor moving across the atmosphere....

While California’s long <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/southern-california-drought-continues/">drought</a> isn’t over, a pair of rainstorms that ripped down the West Coast may have gone a long way towards repairing the water shortage. Scientists believe powerful storms that swept California from December through January have likely refilled a whopping 37% of California’s snow-water deficit.

The team from the <a href="http://www.colorado.edu">University of Colorado</a> at Boulder analyzed rainfall totals from two recent storms over the Sierra Nevada region. The storms dropped nearly 17.5-million acre feet, or 21.6 cubic kilometers of water on the mountain range. 

Scientists determined this amount by looking at data from NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), a device located on NASA’s Aqua and Terra satellites. They also looked at a computer model drawn up by the University of Colorado and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>, as well as data from <a href="http://www.water.ca.gov/">California Department of Water Resources</a> snow sensors. 

These numbers are noteworthy because they total more than 120% of the average snow accumulation for the area in the pre-drought time before 2012. From 2012 to 2016, California began experiencing an average annual snow-water deficit of nearly 10.8 million acre feet (13.3 cubic kilometers). This added up to 54 million acre feet (67 cubic kilometers) over that period. 

The storms that dumped large amounts of rain over California this winter are known as “atmospheric rivers.” These send huge amounts of moisture from the tropics to the west coast of the U.S., resulting in heavy rain and snowstorms. The Pineapple Express is an example of one of these atmospheric rivers. 

Although the new numbers are promising, Noah Molotch, leader of the study, says that one rainy winter season won’t be enough to make up its water deficit. 

"When the snow stopped falling five years ago, the state had to tap into its groundwater reserves to keep up," he said. "One snowy winter won’t be able to entirely reverse that, but there is, at least, some cautious optimism.”

<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/22222.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-130703" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/22222-300x172.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="172" /></a>

--
By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/storms-filled-37-percent-of-ca-snow-water-deficit">NASA</a>

Powerful storms pump up California’s snow-water deficit by 37%

While California’s long drought isn’t over, a pair of rainstorms...

In the past week, President Donald Trump has instituted a media blackout on federal agencies like the<a href="http://www.epa.gov"> EPA</a>,<a href="https://www.usda.gov/"> USDA</a>, and the<a href="https://www.doi.gov"> Department of the Interior</a>. The agencies were instructed to cease all communication via press releases and social media posts. This move alarmed many federal employees who were concerned that information released going forward would be carefully filtered to support the new administration’s political agenda. But concerned employees aren’t going gentle into the darkness of a media blackout and instead have found a useful new tool: rogue social media accounts.

The first warning shot was fired from someone with access to the Twitter account belonging to<a href="https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm"> Badlands National Park</a>. On Tuesday, they posted several messages about <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/attribution-science-extreme-weather-events/">climate change</a>. A spokesperson from the Park Service said that the posts were from a former employee who was not authorized to use the account.

Next: a new and ingenious strategy in the resistance to the gag on these organizations. Rogue social media accounts appeared with the purpose of distributing information that can no longer be put out via official channels. An<a href="https://twitter.com/AltNatParkSer"> AltUSNatParkService</a> Twitter account appeared, followed by a slew of other accounts including<a href="https://twitter.com/AltForestServ"> AltUSForestService</a> and<a href="https://twitter.com/RogueNASA"> Rogue NASA</a>.

At first, these accounts claimed to be run by anonymous federal employees. Many of them have since shifted gears and say they are run by non-government activists.

Whatever the truth may be, the accounts all have the same goal – posting and promoting scientific research, facts, and information that has mysteriously disappeared from agency websites since Trump took office. Some of the accounts, such as BadHombreLands NPS, are using their social media presence for calls to action against legislation that threatens public lands. 

What will become of these accounts remains to be seen, but it’s clear that social media will be a useful tool in the growing scientific resistance to the Trump agenda. 
By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trump environmental resistance fights blackout via rogue social media accounts

In the past week, President Donald Trump has instituted a...

Hamsters fed corn turn from cute and cuddly into something from a horror movie.

Hamsters are cuddly, adorable, and sweet – until you feed them a corn-based diet. In a scene that’s reminiscent of a 1980’s horror movie, corn-fed hamsters turn into dark-tongued cannibals that store their young in their hamster pantries and munch on them during mealtimes.

Surprised? Scientists in northeastern France were, too, as they started what they thought would be an experiment on how a hamster’s diet affects its ability to reproduce in the wild. They tested groups of hamsters with two different diets – one that was corn-based and one that was wheat-based. Both diets included sides of yummy worms and clover.

Neither group had problems reproducing and had babies at similar rates. However, the mortality rates of the babies in the corn-based diet group were higher. Researchers soon found that this was because the mothers would store the tiny pups in with their supply of maize and then eat it all – pups included.

The reason? Scientists suspected Vitamin B3 deficiency after they noted that the corn-fed hamsters had dark, swollen tongues, thick blood, and would run around in circles and pound on their feeders when scientists appeared in the room. To confirm their suspicion, they added Vitamin B3 supplements to the hamsters’ diets without making any additional changes. The frantic and cannibalistic behavior ceased.

The team of researchers, led by Mathilde Tissier at the<a href="http://en.unistra.fr/"> University of Strasbourg</a>, believe that the study sheds light on the plummeting population of Cricetus cricetus hamsters in western Europe. There, hamsters live in virtual mazes of maize as their natural habitat has given way to industrial corn farming. The scientists published their findings in the British Royal Society journal<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org"> Proceedings B</a>.  

Gerard Baumgart, President of the Research Centre for Environmental Protection in Alsace has worked for years to protect endangered hamster. He believes the study is a call to action and said to the <a href="https://www.afp.com/en/news-hub">AFP</a>, “There's clearly an imbalance. Our hamster habitat is collapsing.” 

–

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: Mathilde Tissier,<a href="http://en.unistra.fr/"> University of Strasbourg</a>

&nbsp;

Hamsters fed corn become carnivorous cannibals

Hamsters fed corn turn from cute and cuddly into something from...

The mercury is rising, in more ways than one. As ocean temperatures rise, they may be dragging mercury levels in fish along with them, scientists discovered in a new study.

Climate scientists have recorded steadily rising surface air and ocean temperatures for the past several years. Climate change has already been linked to an ongoing <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-scientists-pacific-ocean-warming-caused-east-african-drought/">drought in East Africa</a>. One study showed extreme drought linked to global warming had the potential to cause <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-new-dust-bowl/">another Dust Bowl</a>. 

But new studies are showing that warmer air has also been linked to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/attribution-science-extreme-weather-events/">extreme rainfall events</a>. Along with flooding and crop damage, heavy rainfall can lead to toxic seafood, a team of Swedish scientists has discovered.

And all that rain brings runoff.

At issue is the amount of mercury that already exists in coastal waters.

“The input of mercury (Hg) to ecosystems is estimated to have increased two- to fivefold during the industrial era, and Hg accumulates in aquatic biota as neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg),” the research team wrote in their study. 

In some places, mercury levels are even higher. For example, the San Francisco Bay has high mercury levels, not just from the usual sources but from the <a href="https://ww2.kqed.org/quest/2015/11/05/mercury-in-san-francisco-bay/">1849 Gold Rush</a>. Hydraulic mining operations used mercury to process ore, and that mercury washed in enormous amounts down rivers to the bay. 

Now, rainfall could wash organic matter from inland down those rivers and others around the world. In coastal waters, that organic matter can react with mercury to create a powerful neurotoxin known as methylmercury.

That neurotoxin can accumulate in zooplankton in high amounts, the scientists said. As fish and other marine creatures eat the zooplankton, methylmercury builds in those animals. And as humans fish and eat their catch, it transfers again.

To test their theory, the researchers used a newly developed isotope tracer to monitor formation of methylmercury in runoff events at the Bothnian Sea, off the coast of Sweden. They found that increased runoff caused more organic matter to flow into the sea, and that encouraged bacterial growth. The bacteria, an added step to the sea’s food chain, caused methylmercury levels to spike, the scientists found.

Infants and pregnant women are especially sensitive to methylmercury poisoning, but all humans are at risk. Symptoms of methylmercury poisoning can include blindness, cerebral palsy, deafness, and central nervous system impairment, according to <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001651.htm">MedlinePlus</a>. Symptoms can’t be reversed after exposure.

According to the <a href="http://www.who.int/ipcs/assessment/public_health/mercury/en/">World Health Organization</a>, mercury is highly toxic to humans when ingested. One of the most common ways it’s eaten? As methylmercury in fish. 

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/1/e1601239.full">Science Advances</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Mercury levels in fish may rise with global temperatures

The mercury is rising, in more ways than one. As...

Want to know how a modern country can transition to a fossil free energy system? Take a look at five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. 

All five countries plan to kick the fossil fuel habit by 2050, or at least get as close as possible. That, plus the fact that all five are pioneers in renewable energy – from wind to geothermal to hydroelectric – positions the Nordics to lead the world in energy technology, according to a new study.

“This study explores the Nordic energy transition through the lens of three interconnected research questions: How are they doing it? What challenges exist? And what broader lessons result for energy policy?” Dr. Benjamin K. Sovacool of the <a href="http://www.sussex.ac.uk/">University of Sussex</a> asked.

Sovacool found that while the end result of a fossil free energy system is likely to be more efficient and cheaper, getting there will take some work. 

“The Nordic countries must address the need to decarbonize transport as well as power and heat; build interconnectors to incentivize new power capacity; and green both residential buildings as well as large energy and carbon intensive industrial firms,” he wrote.

This includes making industrial energy use more efficient, shifting to low-carbon heat sources, expanding the capacity of current renewable energy, and more, he said.

Because Nordic countries are relatively wealthy, committed, and have plentiful natural resources at their disposal, it’s possible for them to reach their goals, Sovacool said. The countries’ current and growing use of renewable energy sources backs that up, he said.

But will other countries be able to follow their example?

If countries invest the time it takes to upgrade grids and systems, yes – at least in Europe, Sovacool said. 

In countries that don’t have the economic support or natural resources for a smooth transition, following the Nordic model and going fossil free may be more difficult.

“The Nordic blueprint, moreover, will most certainly not be adopted globally, especially in places like the United States, [China, and India],” Sovacool said.

He published his research in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421516307091">Energy Policy</a>.

— 

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Study: Nordic countries leading the world to a fossil free future

Want to know how a modern country can transition to a...

Building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border would be an “act of self-sabotage,” according to the <a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/">Sierra Club</a> and other conservation organizations.

The wall, a pet project of new President Donald Trump, has met with resistance since it was proposed. But beyond the $12 to $25 billion <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37243269">price tag</a> and the risk of the U.S. damaging relations with its <a href="https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/americas/mexico">third biggest trading partner</a>, activists are now raising concerns about the wall’s environmental impact.

The president insists the wall is necessary to prevent illegal immigration from Mexico. The Mexican government will pay for it, he said; Mexico has refuted that claim.

The amount of concrete needed to build a wall on the magnitude the president has proposed would produce massive amounts of carbon dioxide, engineers in New York and London told <a href="https://about.bnef.com/blog/scientists-warn-trumps-border-wall-will-be-bad-for-the-planet/">Bloomberg News</a>. 

A wall stretching 1,000 miles – slightly over half the length of the U.S.-Mexico border – would require about 275 million cubic feet of concrete, the engineers said. That could release up to 1.9 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere, they said.

Still, while most scientists agree that human-produced atmospheric carbon is a major contributor to climate change, a handful of skeptics and the president himself disagree.

Unfortunately, the atmospheric carbon produced by a massive wall on the border are not the only ecological costs. 

For the members of the animal kingdom who live along the border, a man-made wall could cut through their territory. Animals such as El Jefe, the only wild jaguar in the United States, and American black bears that rely on mating with their Mexican counterparts could be cut off from others of their species.

Animals that regularly migrate could be blocked from their summer homes. Species that have been shifting north to cooler climes could also find themselves stuck.

“Walls and barriers have already been constructed across more than 650 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border,” the Sierra Club said on its Borderlands website. “These barriers block wildlife migration, cause flooding and damage pristine wild lands, including wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, and national forests.”

The Sierra Club has taken up positions against a number of the president’s actions during his first week in office, including an order restarting work on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines.

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Activists: wall on U.S.-Mexico border will damage environment

Building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border would be an...

If it’s not giant <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/failed-planets-scarred-earth/">asteroids</a> headed for the earth, it’s something else. In a bit of incredibly cheerful scientific news, scientists are studying a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-eruption-fishing-industry/">volcanic eruption</a> that wiped out over half of the earth’s inhabitants because they’d like to be able to predict when we’ll see our next megaeruption. 

The supervolcano Toba erupted in Indonesia nearly 74,000 years ago, killing 60% of the Earth’s inhabitants and spewing volcanic ash into the air. Scientists think that the volcano ejected a huge amount of material – somewhere between 2,800 and 5,300 km cubed. This made life on earth quite unpleasant during a time when humans were starting to move out of Africa and spread to other parts of the world.

Scientists including David Budd from <a href="http://www.uu.se/en">Uppsala University</a> are looking at geologic quartz rings to learn more about the Toba megaeruption. Their findings were published in the journal <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2015/04/22/science.aaa5648">ScienceMag</a>. 

‘When the conditions in the magma change, the crystals respond and produce distinct growth zones that record these changes. The problem is that each 'tree ring'-analogue is only a few micrometers across, which is why they are extremely challenging to analyse in detail,” the researchers said. They'd like to learn why supervolcanoes produce such a large volume of magma, as well as why they lay dormant for so long between eruptions.

Although supereruptions are super-rare, researchers insist that it’s only a matter of time before the next one, which they say could occur at Toba or at Yellowstone in the U.S. A supervolcano erupts when the magma reservoir inside reaches a critical level of pressure. 

Researchers have found this sort of reservoir underneath Yellowstone and have been monitoring its activity. According to their data, an eruption at Yellowstone would be a thousand times stronger than the catastrophic Mount St. Helens in 1980.

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: David Budd,<a href="http://www.uu.se/en"> Uppsala University</a>

Scientists predict next mighty volcanic megaeruption

If it’s not giant asteroids headed for the earth, it’s...

A massive fissure has formed in the Arizona desert – but not recently. Scientists think it may be several years old. Now, they're investigating it with drone technology.

The fissure, about two miles long and quite wide in some spots, formed sometime between March 2013 and December 2014, which is when it first appeared on Google Earth, the <a href="http://www.azgs.az.gov/">Arizona Geological Survey</a> said. It’s located in southern Pinal County.

The scientific organization used a drone to investigate the huge crack in the ground, which is too deep for people standing on the edge to see the bottom, scientists said.

The AZGS released video footage taken by the drone on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xdAnftBKvY">YouTube</a>. One video shows the crack in the Earth from above, while a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbd1sWPTxyk">second film</a> by the drone starts from inside the fissure and flies high into the air to show how deep and long it is.

Researchers standing at the edge of the massive fissure to operate the drone give some perspective on its size.

The footage is the first time the geologists have used a drone to investigate such a feature. AZGS is testing drone technology with plans to safely map fissures like this one, landslides, and other geological features in the future.

Heavy rains in 2014 probably caused this particular crack to grow and widen, geologists said. The southern end may have been an underground void until a monsoon in 2016 knocked the lid off, the researchers said.

The fissure in the Tator Hills area isn’t unique. Similar fissures have formed out in the Arizona desert before, probably due to shrinking groundwater, AZGS scientists said.

It’s not even the first in Pinal County. In August 2005, a massive fissure opened up in Queen Creek after a monsoon. Public worries over the Queen Creek fissure led to legislation tasking the AZGS with mapping cracks in the desert.

Earth fissures have been seen in Cochise, Pima, Pinal and Maricopa counties. In addition to drones, the AZGS uses GPS receivers to measure new fissures.

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

Image credit: U.S. government

Drone investigates massive fissure in the Arizona desert

A massive fissure has formed in the Arizona desert –...

It looks as though one of the world’s biggest <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/obama-bans-oil-gas-leasing-arctic-atlantic/">oil</a> companies won’t have to shell out damages anytime soon. 

People from the Nigerian communities of Bille and Ogale brought a lawsuit against oil company Shell due to spills that they say negatively impacted them. Now, a judge has decided that the case cannot proceed in the UK. 

The claimants’ lawyers were surprised to see the case dismissed so quickly. They insist that Shell’s parent company – <a href="http://www.shell.com/">Royal Dutch Shell</a> – should be held responsible for the actions of the company’s Nigerian branch. 

Justice Fraser, the judge in the case, disagreed, stating that “there is simply no connection whatsoever between this jurisdiction and the claims brought by the claimants, who are Nigerian citizens, for breaches of statutory duty and/or in common law for acts and omissions in Nigeria, by a Nigerian company.”

The two claims in the case were brought by 2,000 fishermen in the Bille kingdom, as well as 40,000 people in the Ogale community. These two areas lie in the Niger delta, an area that’s a prime location for <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/california-gov-offshore-oil-drilling/">oil drilling</a>. 

Of the ruling, King Okpabi of the Ogale community said to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/">The Guardian</a>, “Our community is disappointed but not discouraged by this judgment and we are confident that, as in the Netherlands, the court of appeal will see things differently. Royal Dutch Shell makes billions of dollars of profit each year from Nigerian oil, but our communities which host its infrastructure have been left environmentally devastated.”

Chief Temebo, the spokesperson for the Bille Council of Chiefs, also expressed his frustration, saying, “If the claim does not continue in the English courts, we have no hope that the environment will ever be cleaned up and the fish will ever return to our waters. Shell will do nothing unless they are ordered to by the English courts.”

Shell denies any wrongdoing. They suggest that any oil spills that have occurred in affected areas were caused by thieves, sabotage, or illegal refining activities. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

UK Judge shuts down Nigerian Shell lawsuit

It looks as though one of the world’s biggest oil...

Has human behavior really changed the Earth’s climate baseline? Specifically, has our carbon dioxide emissions helped make the planet hotter? Scientists are working to define a “pre-industrial” period of time to use as a baseline in order to accurately take measurements to find out how humankind has affected global temperatures. 

For years, scientists have used the time period 1850-1900 as the “pre-industrial” time before factories and gas-guzzling cars sent fumes spiraling into the air. However, according to a paper published in the<a href="http://journals.ametsoc.org/toc/bams/current"> Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society</a> (BAMS), that might soon change.

The researchers who published the paper say that humans were already affecting the Earth’s climate long before 1850. In fact, they say that by that time, there were already higher amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane.

This has caused Ed Hawkins from<a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/"> Reading University</a>, as well as his colleagues who worked on the paper, to suggest that 1720-1800 would serve as a better baseline time period to know what our climate was like before industry started ramping up.

Why this particular period? It was before big industry and fossil fuel use exploded in popularity. There were also no major natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions that might have altered global temperatures during this time. 

Having a more precise idea of how much our climate has changed due to human industry and behavior will give policymakers the ability to make better-informed decisions about setting climate goals. If the original baseline was already hotter due to human activity, this means that current temperature limits may need to be readjusted. This includes the one laid out in the Paris agreement, which seeks to maintain the Earth’s temperature at “well below 2C above pre-industrial levels.”

Hawkins said that politicians may want to use the new baseline in future policy discussions. ”We obviously have much better observations now and over the past few decades, and so the policy-makers may want to reframe the question,” he said to BBC News.

–

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: Ed Hawkins,<a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/"> Reading University</a>

Scientists reconsider “pre-industrial” climate baseline

Has human behavior really changed the Earth’s climate baseline? Specifically,...

During a blizzard, you may be used to finding out how much snow has fallen by simply tuning into your local weatherperson. But it turns out that traditional methods used to measure snowfall may not be as accurate as you might think.

The trouble with using the usual tools like yardsticks or snow gauges is that they often give inaccurate or varying measurements. Providing precise measurements is vital to the success of local transportation and emergency crews. 

Now, a team of researchers at the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado are developing new technologies using specialized lasers to provide more accurate readings to measure snowfall. The new devices use satellite signals and light pulses with the potential to instantly measure large areas of snowfall.

"We've been measuring rain accurately for centuries, but snow is much harder because of the way it's affected by wind and sun and other factors," said NCAR researcher Ethan Gutmann. "It looks like new technology, however, will finally give us the ability to say exactly how much snow is on the ground."

NCAR has collaborated on the project with several other organizations, including the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA) and the <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>. The research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

"Snow represents both a hazard and a water resource in the western states," said Thomas Torgersen, NSF Program Director for Hydrologic Sciences. "Both require detailed assessments of snow amounts and depth. This technology will provide new and important guidance."

For emergency crews, accurate snow measurements are critical so in how they mobilize plows and decide which roads need to close. Snow measurements can also indicate if an area qualifies to receive disaster assistance.

Measurements are often the most inaccurate during severe conditions. During extremely windy snowstorms, snow gauges can be off by almost a third of the actual total. Meanwhile, yardsticks require continuous in-person measurements that typically can’t keep up with real time snow accumulation.

Researchers had previously begun using ultrasonic devices that track the length of time required for a pulse of ultrasonic energy to bounce off the top of the snow and come back to the transmitter. But the radar signal can be easily interrupted by atmospheric conditions.

By using laser instruments, however, NCAR researchers can correct such issues. Unlike ultrasonic radars, lasers use light pulses that are not impacted by surrounding conditions. Once in place, the lasers can automatically measure snow depth across wide regions. 

The next step for the team will be to develop lasers that can accurately measure snowfall over the span of several square miles.

"If we're successful, these types of instruments will reveal a continually-updated picture of snow across an entire basin," said Gutman.

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=123106">National Science Foundation</a>

Scientists develop ways to more accurately measure snowfall

During a blizzard, you may be used to finding out...

A whopping 466 million years ago, an event known as the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE) caused an explosion of life under the sea. For years, scientists thought the event was set in motion when the Earth was pelted by an ancient meteor shower. New information has caused them change their minds. 

Information obtained from the dating of crystals collected from meteorite-bearing sediments in Sweden show that the GOBE happened around two million years before the ancient meteor shower began. In the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, researchers wrote that this shows “that the two phenomena were unrelated.”

Previously, scientists believed that the GOBE was caused by a traffic incident in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/shattered-asteroid-millions-years-ago/">asteroid</a> belt between the planets Mars and Jupiter. When objects in those belts collided, they created a storm of debris that rained onto the Earth. This would have been disruptive enough to potentially stimulate new life, scientists thought.  

The new data was decisive enough to cause the researchers to do a scientific about-face. 'This study shows that the two phenomena were unrelated,” they wrote. 

Studies continue in order to find out more about both phenomena. Scientists feel that learning more about asteroid collisions and falling meteorites can help them better understand how the solar system formed and evolved over time.

Meanwhile, scientists also continue their search for the cause of the GOBE. Anders Lindskog of <a href="http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se">Lund University</a> in Sweden co-authored the study. He wrote that the data indicates that the new data indicates “no measurable 'extraterrestrial' influence on biodiversity” amongst sea life. He said, however, that high sea levels during the Ordovician Event definitely provided more space for life there to thrive. 

Scientists aren’t giving any alternate theories about what sparked the GOBE. The event happened around 470 million years ago. This was after the first explosion of life on our planet – that one happened nearly 540 million years ago during the Cambrian period. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: Anders Lindskog, <a href="http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se">Lund University</a>

Ancient meteor shower did not cause ‘explosion of life’ in ocean

A whopping 466 million years ago, an event known as...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a> 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



---



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Aerial,View,Of,Amazon,Rainforest,In,Brazil,,South,America.,Green

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="VEulWWHIEY-1728998-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a> features a satellite view of the Amazon River in the rainforest of South America.



The Amazon River flows more than 4,000 miles from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean on the northeast coast of Brazil, passing through six countries along the way.



With its source high in the Peruvian Andes, the river runs through Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.&nbsp;



The Amazon is considered the widest river in the world. It also has the largest drainage system, with more than 1,100 tributaries. These rivers provide a range of habitats for various types of wildlife, including swamps, marshes and streams.



According to WWF, it is estimated that approximately one-sixth of all the freshwater that drains into the world’s oceans goes through the Amazon delta, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean.&nbsp; During what many archaeologists called the formative stage, Amazonian societies were deeply involved in the emergence of South America’s highland agrarian systems.



The trade with Andean civilizations in the terrains of the headwaters in the Andes formed an essential contribution to the social and religious development of higher-altitude civilizations like the Muisca and Incas.



Video Credit: ESA



---



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

The Amazon River in South America

[sendtonews key="VEulWWHIEY-1728998-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="BsgU8LkpTm-1719042-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kiruna, which is the northernmost town in Sweden. The city has a population of 22,000 and is located in the province of Lapland about 145 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. 



Kiruna is positioned on the eastern shore of Lake Luossa between the Kiruna and Luossa mountains. The rugged mountain landscape surrounding the city also features lakes and rivers.



Just to the east of Kiruna, the small town of Jukkasjärvi is best known for its annual ice hotel, which is constructed with snow and ice blocks from the Torne River.



Part of ESA’s tracking station network - Estrack - is located in Kiruna. The ground station has been operating for more than 30 years.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ESA



---



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

Exploring Kiruna, Sweden's northernmost city

[sendtonews key="BsgU8LkpTm-1719042-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="TN7i5YwTaH-1663042-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the state of White Nile in Sudan. The state is divided into four districts: Ad Douiem, Al Gutaina, Kosti and Al Jabalian. 



The false-color image, captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, highlights the region just north of Kosti on the west bank of the White Nile River. The river earned its name because of the light-colored clay sediment which makes the river look grey.



Agriculture plays a central role in Sudan’s economy. According to ESA, the country’s main crops include cotton, peanuts, sesame, and sugarcane.



During the months of August and September, monsoon rains from the Ethiopian Highlands flow into the Nile rivers, often flooding the surrounding communities.&nbsp;



This year, a series of torrential downpours has impacted hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes across northeastern Africa. Some of the hardest hit areas are in the state of White Nile.&nbsp;



Floods in Sudan contribute to food insecurity by destroying crops and killing livestock. According to NASA, White Nile is facing what the Famine Early Warning Systems Network has classified as “crisis” levels of food insecurity.



Video Credit: ESA



---



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

The state of White Nile in Sudan

[sendtonews key="TN7i5YwTaH-1663042-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Tobacco,Plantation,By,Agriculturist,In,Village,Farm,With,Beautiful,Sky

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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

Engineering plants that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Engineering plants that can beat the heat...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="FcAcDlHfLv-1627751-12187" type="single"]</div>



The Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Galápagos Islands, a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. This region is one of the most famous places on the planet for viewing wildlife.



The Galápagos Islands are home to many native plants and animals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, including giant tortoises and sea lions.&nbsp;



When Charles Darwin visited the islands in 1835, his wildlife observations inspired the theory of evolution by natural selection. In 1959, the Ecuadorian government made the entire archipelago a national park to protect its unique diversity.&nbsp;



The archipelago is made up of 13 major islands and several smaller islands and islets across 60,000 square kilometers of ocean. According to ESA, repeated volcanic eruptions and ongoing seismic activity have helped form the rugged mountain landscape of the islands.  What are the Galapagos Islands? The Galapagos Islands are part of the country of Ecuador, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a renown National Park. They are situated in the Pacific Ocean about 605 miles (1,000 kilometers) west of northern South America. The islands emerged from the bottom of the sea in the form of astonishing volcanic upheavals.



Repeated volcanic eruptions helped to form the rugged mountain landscape of the Galápagos Islands. The Galápagos are best known for their diverse array of plant and animal species.







Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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

The Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific

[sendtonews key="FcAcDlHfLv-1627751-12187" type="single"] The Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="GamQYWZmJt-1697698-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, the largest and most complex telescope ever to be launched into space. 



On Christmas morning, after a decade of delays, Webb was launched at 7:20 a.m. on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, South America.



The James Webb Space Telescope is the product of 40 million hours of work by thousands of scientists from around the globe. The space observatory will now begin six months of commissioning in space. After this time, Webb will deliver its first images.&nbsp;



“Webb’s launch is a pivotal moment that exemplifies the dedication, innovation, and ambition behind NASA and its partners, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Canadian Space Agency (CSA), but it is only the beginning,” said NASA.



“The 29 days following liftoff will be an exciting but harrowing time. Thousands of parts must work correctly, in sequence, to unfold Webb and put it in its final configuration, all while it flies through the expanse of space alone, to a destination nearly one million miles away.”



The James Webb Space Telescope is designed to view objects that are 10 to 100 times fainter than what Hubble can see. The powerful observatory will be able to look so far into deep space that it will see light from galaxies as they formed 13.7 billion years ago, which is just 100 million years after the universe was born.



The James Webb Space Telescope is designed to view objects that are 10 to 100 times fainter than what Hubble can see. The telescope will be able to look so far into deep space that it will see light from galaxies as they formed 13.7 billion years ago, which is just 100 million years after the universe was born.



Webb will ultimately solve many mysteries about the universe and make breakthrough discoveries in all fields of astronomy.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ESA



---



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

Launch of the James Webb Space Telescope

[sendtonews key="GamQYWZmJt-1697698-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LiwJz6CGTH-1694520-12187" type="single"]</div>



The Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Galápagos Islands, a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. This region is one of the most famous places on the planet for viewing wildlife.



The Galápagos Islands are home to many native plants and animals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, including giant tortoises and sea lions.&nbsp;



When Charles Darwin visited the islands in 1835, his wildlife observations inspired the theory of evolution by natural selection. In 1959, the Ecuadorian government made the entire archipelago a national park to protect its unique diversity.



The archipelago is made up of 13 major islands and several smaller islands and islets across 60,000 square kilometers of ocean. According to ESA, repeated volcanic eruptions and ongoing seismic activity have helped form the rugged mountain landscape of the islands. The older names remained in use in English-language publications, including Herman Melville’s The Encantadas of 1854.&nbsp; Therefore Galapagos owns one of the provinces of Ecuador, made up of three cantons that consist&nbsp; the names of its most populated islands, which are San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz and Isabela.



The largest of the Galapagos Islands, Isabela, was formed when multiple Volcanism has been continuous on the Galápagos Islands for at least 20 million years, and possibly  even longer. The mantle plume beneath the east side of volcanoes merged into one single land mass. The Archipelago is characterized by large contemporaneous volcanoes, some with plume magma sources, others from the asthenosphere. The Galápagos Archipelago is characterized by numerous contemporaneous volcanoes, some with plume magma sources, others from the asthenosphere, possibly due to the young and thin oceanic crust. The GSC caused structural weaknesses in this thin lithosphere leading to eruptions forming the Galápagos Platform.



Video Credit: ESA



---



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

[sendtonews key="LiwJz6CGTH-1694520-12187" type="single"] The Galápagos Islands in the eastern Pacific...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="GAR2CnwYZF-1690708-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">USGS</a> describes the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, which was the third most active season in recorded history. Out of 21 named storms, seven developed into full-blown hurricanes.



The 2021 Atlantic season will also go down in history as one of the most expensive hurricane seasons. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hurricane Ida alone accounts for more than $60 billion in damages. This makes it one of the five most costly U.S. hurricanes since 1980.



This year marked the first time on record that two consecutive hurricane seasons had 21 named storms, and the sixth consecutive Atlantic season that was more active than normal.



The USGS deployed crews and experts across the country to provide resources to emergency managers.



Video Credit: USGS



---



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

The 2021 hurricane season was one of the most active

[sendtonews key="GAR2CnwYZF-1690708-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="H4yJwBGGsD-1676573-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a> describes a study led by UC Berkeley and the Marine Biological Laboratory. The researchers found that Buckeye butterflies and other Junonia species can produce a rainbow of colors by changing the thickness of the bottom layer of the wing scale.



The experts explained that structural color is created by microscopic structures which interact with light to project certain colors and inhibit others.&nbsp;



On the other hand, pigmentary coloration is created by the absorption of specific wavelengths of light. This type of coloration typically produces yellow, orange, and brown.



"It was a surprise to find that the lamina, a thin sheet that looks very simple and plain, is the most important source of structural color in so many butterfly wing scales," explained study first author Rachel Thayer.&nbsp;



"In each Junonia species, structural color came from the lamina. And they are producing a big range of lamina thicknesses that create a rainbow of different colors, everything from gold to magenta to blue to green. This helps us understand how structural color has evolved over millions of years."&nbsp;



"The color comes down to a relatively simple change in the scale: the thickness of the lamina," said study senior author Nipam Patel. "We believe that this will be a genetically tractable system that can allow us to identify the genes and developmental mechanisms that can control structural coloration."&nbsp;



Video Credit: NSF



---



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

How Buckeye butterflies produce wing color

[sendtonews key="H4yJwBGGsD-1676573-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="DIXeG0FvEM-1574125-12187" type="single"]</div>



The city of Perth in Western Australia Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Perth, the capital city of Western Australia.



The metropolitan area of Perth is a 125-kilometer region along the coast that stretches from Two Rocks in the north to Singleton in the south.



Prior to European colonization, the area was inhabited by the Whadjuk Noongar people for over 40,000 years. At that time, Perth was called Boorloo by the Aboriginals. The official estimation of the Greater Perth population as of June 2017 is 2,050,138 people. West Perth, Western Australia. West Perth is an inner suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia . Formerly an exclusive suburb for wealthy merchants and politicians, it is now part of the inner mixed zone, and has predominantly office blocks which have displaced residential buildings.



Perth is one of the most isolated cities in the world. Brisbane, the nearest city, is about 2,000 kilometers away.  Perth is the capital of Western Australia and is the sunniest capital in Australia, with almost 8 hours of sunshine each day. The easiest way to explain the climate is that it has a mixture of the Californian and Mediterranean climates, with mild winters and hot dry summers.



Video Credit: ESA



---



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

The city of Perth in Western Australia

[sendtonews key="DIXeG0FvEM-1574125-12187" type="single"] The city of Perth in Western Australia...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="HRpVI1dx0d-1661003-12187" type="single"]</div>



GEOTRACES will help us understand the ocean environment Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a> describes GEOTRACES, an international research project which aims to improve our understanding of complex ocean processes such as nutrient cycling.



Scientists from 36 countries are collaborating to map the global distribution of trace elements and isotopes in the ocean. The goal is to understand how these elements affect marine productivity and climate change.&nbsp;



The data collected for GEOTRACES will help scientists predict the future of the ocean environment based on changes in the past. The concept of cycle describes the pathway by which a chemical element moves through the three major compartments of Earth (such as continents, atmosphere, and ocean). The GEOTRACES Intermediate Data Product consists of two parts: the digital data package and the eGEOTRACES Electronic Atlas.



GEOTRACES will be global in scope, consisting of ocean sections complemented by regional process studies. Sections and process studies will combine fieldwork, laboratory experiments and modelling. GEOTRACES will help us understand the ocean environment as shown above in the video showing you the entire process as well as study of the global marine biogeochemical cycles of trace elements and their isotopes.



Video Credit: NSF



---



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

GEOTRACES will help us understand the ocean environment

[sendtonews key="HRpVI1dx0d-1661003-12187" type="single"] GEOTRACES will help us understand the ocean...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="NI7Vm4m68S-1656140-12187" type="single"]</div>



The Great Lakes of North America Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Great Lakes - Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario - captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission. 



According to ESA, the lakes represent the largest surface of freshwater in the world with a combined area of around 244,000 square kilometers, covering an area larger than the United Kingdom.



The lakes were formed around 100,000 years ago, when a massive ice sheet and giant glaciers transformed the landscape across most of Canada and part of the United States.&nbsp;



As the ice melted, holes left behind from glaciers filled with meltwater and formed thousands of lakes. A natural border between the American State of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario, Lake Huron is one of the five American Great Lakes and one of the largest freshwater lakes. The largest of the Great Lakes is also America’s largest lake and the world’s largest by surface area. As shown above in the video of The Great Lakes of North America is showing the span of 750 miles from east to west, form the largest fresh water system on Earth.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

The Great Lakes of North America

[sendtonews key="NI7Vm4m68S-1656140-12187" type="single"] The Great Lakes of North America Today’s...

A,View,Of,A,Meteor,Shower,And,The,Milky,Way

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="Cin27l7P3y-1652926-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> describes all of the exciting things that we can see in the night sky during the month of December 2021.



On December 6th through the 10th, look westward following sunset to see the Moon visiting Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter in turn. According to NASA, the Moon's crescent fills out as it appears higher in the sky each evening.



A recently discovered comet known as Comet Leonard will fly by this month, making its closest approach to Earth on December 12th.



NASA reports that in the first couple of weeks of December, Comet Leonard can be found in the east before sunrise, passing between Arcturus and the handle of the Big Dipper.&nbsp;



In addition, the annual Geminid meteor shower peaks overnight on the 13th and 14th.&nbsp;



Video Credit: NASA JPL



---



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

Skywatching in December 2021: planets, comet, and a meteor shower

[sendtonews key="Cin27l7P3y-1652926-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="FzUdzU6W2q-1645757-12187" type="single"]</div>



Lake Mar Chiquita in Argentina Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Mar Chiquita, South America’s largest salt lake. Mar Chiquita is a protected wilderness area in the northeast province of Córdoba, Argentina.



The lake is around 70 kilometers long and 24 kilometers wide. It is fed by the Primero and Segundo rivers from the southwest, and by the Dulce river from the north.



Even though water flows in, there is no outlet for water to flow out of the lake. This makes Lake Mar Chiquita an endorheic lake that only loses water through evaporation.&nbsp;



According to ESA, the lake’s surface area, as well as its salinity, varies considerably between 2,000 and 6,000 square kilometers – although it is slowly shrinking in size due to evaporation.



Lake Mar Chiquita contains several small islands, including is El Médano, and is surrounded by salt marshes on its northern shore. Lake Mar Chiquita, saline lake at the southern edge of the Gran Chaco in northeastern Córdoba provincia (province), north-central Argentina.  Lake Mar Chiquita, around 70 km long and 24 km wide, is fed primarily by the Primero and Segundo rivers from the southwest and from the Dulce river from the north.



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Mar Chiquita in Argentina

[sendtonews key="FzUdzU6W2q-1645757-12187" type="single"] Lake Mar Chiquita in Argentina Today’s Video...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="bBZcpNKM9W-1643693-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes a dramatic increase in high tide flooding across the eastern coast of the United States.



While many people think of sea level rise as being a future issue, the effects are already visible in cities such as Annapolis, Boston, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, and Miami.



High tide flooding, also known as sunny day flooding, is becoming more common as a result of slightly higher sea levels combined with seawater that is expanding as the oceans become warmer.&nbsp;



Annapolis, Maryland, in particular, has seen a major increase in floods over the past few years. City engineers are collaborating with a team from the Naval Academy to analyze data from NOAA and NASA and develop flood mitigation strategies.



During the first weekend of November&nbsp; 2021, the city of Charleston was hit with unusually high tides and widespread flooding for days. The high tide in Charleston Harbor reached 8.51 feet, which is the 10th highest level in the last century.



Between 1953 and 2000, Charleston had an average of eight minor flooding events per year. Over the last decade, this number has jumped to more than 41 annual flooding events, according to the National Weather Service.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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

High tide flooding along the U.S. East Coast

[sendtonews key="bBZcpNKM9W-1643693-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="7jpDiksao8-1575988-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Tana River, which flows across 1,000 kilometers in Kenya from the Aberdare Mountains to the Indian Ocean.



According to ESA, the river is known for its extraordinary biodiversity and provides water for wild animals and agricultural purposes.



A recent study from the University of East Anglia revealed that wildlife on the Tana River Basin will struggle to survive the current rate of global warming.



On the other hand, if the world could meet the climate goals that were established at the Paris Agreement, however, many of these species could still be saved.



"This research provides the first assessment of the combined effects of development plans and climate change on biodiversity of the Tana River Basin, including identifying potential areas for restoration, and contributes to a greater understanding of biodiversity protection and adaptation options in Kenya," explained the study authors.&nbsp;



Climate and land use changes are the two biggest threats to biodiversity worldwide. The experts report that land degradation increases the vulnerability of biodiversity on the Tana River Basin. Here, 36 percent of the land has been converted for agriculture.&nbsp;



The researchers say that some ecosystem restoration may be necessary to best protect species in a changing climate.&nbsp;



"This research shows how many species within Kenya's Tana River Basin will be unable to survive if global temperatures continue to rise as they are on track to do," said study lead author Rhosanna Jenkins.



"But remaining within the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to keep global warming well below 2°C, ideally at 1.5°C, would save many species. This is because large areas of the basin act as refugia from climate change."



Video Credit: ESA



---



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

Kenya's most important waterway, the Tana River

[sendtonews key="7jpDiksao8-1575988-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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. 



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,  the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 







Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f1LnsOhgDs-1630134-12187" type="single"]</div>



Kuala Lumpur in west-central Malaysia Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia.



Kuala Lumpur is the country’s largest urban area. It is located in the Klang Valley at the confluence of the Kelang and Gombak rivers.&nbsp;



The Klang Valley is bordered by the Titiwangsa Mountains to the east, smaller mountain ranges to the north, and the Strait of Malacca to the west.



In Malay, Kuala Lumpur means "muddy estuary." The Golden Triangle, the city’s commercial quarter, is the site of the Petronas Twin Towers. These are the tallest twin towers in the world.   Central West Coast, Peninsular Malaysia Area: 243km2 Climate System:<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-forests-regrow-naturally-on-abandoned-farmlands/"> Tropical</a> rainforest. It is an enclave within the state of Selangor. 



Also the country’s largest urban area and its cultural, commercial and transportation centre. It is centrally located in Southeast Asia. The locals generally refer to them as West and East Malaysia. West Malaysia is the part of the country that sits on mainland Asia, while East Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is full of historic monuments, skyscrapers, lush parks, bustling street markets. Although largely residential, both have pockets of good.



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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

Kuala Lumpur in west-central Malaysia

[sendtonews key="f1LnsOhgDs-1630134-12187" type="single"] Kuala Lumpur in west-central Malaysia Today’s Video...