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...

Abundant populations of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-boost-coral-resilience/">marine microbes</a> could soon play a critical role in regulating the Earth’s climate as the oceans get warmer. 

Currently, algae at the bottom of the food chain have a leading role in carbon storage, and chlorophyll-equipped ocean algae capture sunlight and convert into energy. 

Researchers led by the <a href="https://www.usc.edu/">University of Southern California</a> discovered that bacteria with a certain pigment called rhodopsins might become even more widespread and replace algae as the ocean’s key energy converter in areas where nutrients are scarce.  

“Oceans are important for climate change because they play a key role in the carbon cycle. Understanding how that works, and the marine organisms involved, helps us refine our climate models to predict climate in the future,” said Laura Gómez-Consarnau, the lead author of the study.  

Bacteria with rhodopsins are able to live off of both sunlight like algae and organic matter, like most bacteria.

Even though past research found that rhodopsins make up about 80 percent of all marine bacteria, this is the first study of its kind to measure microbe concentrations and identify areas where rhodopsins are more likely to be found. 

“Oceans are important for climate change because they play a key role in the carbon cycle. Understanding how that works, and the marine organisms involved, helps us refine our climate models to predict climate in the future,” said Gómez-Consarnau. 

The researchers measured rhodopsin density along a 3,000 mile stretch of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea in 2014. Water samples were collected to identify microorganisms and find out where rhodopsins preferred to inhabit. 

Not only did the researchers find that rhodopsins were abundant throughout the areas sampled, but the bacteria seemed to prefer nutrient-poor regions and were more efficient at capturing sunlight than algae in those areas.  

“Rhodopsins appear to be more abundant in a nutrient-poor ocean, and in the future, the ocean will be more nutrient poor as temperatures change,” said Gómez-Consarnau. “So, with fewer nutrients near the surface, algae will have limited photosynthesis, and the rhodopsin process will be more abundant.”

Current climate models do not account for this shift in microbial abundance, the researchers note, and the study highlights the importance of bacteria in the marine ecosystem. 

Long considered decomposers, this study shows that certain bacteria can also serve as the primary energy source at the surface. 

“We estimate that, given the concentrations found in seawater, rhodopsins could capture more light energy than chlorophyll in the ocean,” said Gómez-Consarnau. “These findings change the fundamental assumption that the marine biosphere is only powered by sunlight captured by chlorophylls during algal photosynthesis.”

The study findings were published in the journal Science Advances. 

--

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/abcphotosystem

Marine microbe that captures sunlight could soon help regulate climate

Abundant populations of marine microbes could soon play a critical...

The extinction crisis looks apocalyptic — but there are solutions. This spring, a UN study put a startling number to the ongoing extinction crisis: 1 million species gone if current trends continue. The stunning prediction revealed how much humanity <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/1-million-species-gone-what-humanity-stands-to-lose/">stands to lose</a> in the so-called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-hunted-6th-extinction/">6th mass extinction</a>. But the report offered hope, too: If we think and act big, humanity has the tools to avert catastrophe.

By reigning in overconsumption, enacting sustainable practices on farms and in the oceans, slowing population growth, seriously tackling climate change, and adopting other approaches, humanity can save millions of species — and ourselves.

"We have the power, we have the knowledge … we have the technology to do a better job," said Gerardo Ceballos, an ecologist at Mexico's <a href="https://www.unah.edu.hn/">Universidad Nacional Autónoma</a> and a visiting professor at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford</a>. And, he said, "paradoxically, by saving all these plants and animals, we are basically saving ourselves from a really apocalyptic future."

Such an act of species- and self-preservation, however, won't come easy. It will require "transformative change … a fundamental, system-wide reorganization across technological, economic and social factors," said Robert Watson, chair of  the UN's <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/">Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services</a> (IPBES) committee, which authored the 1-million-species <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/1-million-species-extinction/">report</a>.

Here's what's needed:

Save habitat, save species

The biggest danger the planet's species face, said Michigan State University biologist Nick Haddad, is the threat of homelessness. 

"The greatest cause of species loss is habitat loss," he said. "So any efforts to protect habitat that remains or to promote regeneration of habitat is the No. 1 way that we can benefit species in general."

In this area, some progress has been made, with the expansion of protected areas — though much more is needed, said <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a> biologist Stuart Pimm. 

"In the last 30 years, we've massively expanded the areas in the planet that we have protected … in national parks, for example," he said. 

However, the UN report <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yd8l2v0u4jqptp3/AACpraYjOYWpTxAFv5H-2vrKa/1%20Global%20Assessment%20Summary%20for%20Policymakers?dl=0&amp;preview=Summary+for+Policymakers+IPBES+Global+Assessment.pdf&amp;subfolder_nav_tracking=1">notes</a>, protected areas currently cover only 15% of the Earth's land and freshwater areas and 7% of oceans. Meanwhile, an oft-cited goal from biologist Edward O. Wilson calls for setting aside half of the Earth's habitat for wild species. More-targeted protection could be largely effective, though —and easier to enact, said Haddad. 

"The best way to get closer to half the Earth protected is to protect the places that people care about and get benefit from," Haddad said. The extinction crisis looks apocalyptic — but there are solutions

For instance, so-called landscape corridors connect habitats, giving wildlife avenues to move and expand their populations. But these routes also conserve forests and habitats along waterways, providing water-quality benefits that people greatly value, Haddad said.

Habitat-preservation efforts, Pimm said, should target those species that rely on small geographic areas and thus face the greatest risks of extinction.

"Worldwide, we're actually doing a pretty good job of protecting the species with the smallest ranges, by setting up, as it were, boutique national parks," he said. "If you put protected areas in the right place, you can really do a lot to slow the rate of extinction."

Sustainable farming, fishing and more

Protected areas can't do all the work of habitat preservation, though; humanity also has to address the massive conversion of wild habitat for cropland and livestock grazing. As the human population balloons to a <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/world-population-prospects-2017.html">projected</a> 9.8 billion by 2050, food needs will push agricultural activities further into tropical forests and other vital habitats, the UN report noted.

The study declared the need for widespread changes to farming, including the adoption of sustainable practices, like water conservation on farms. This could also mean reducing the broad <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-007-4500-1_2">use of pesticides</a>, which claim scores of pollinators in the ongoing "<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/27/magazine/insect-apocalypse.html">insect apocalypse</a>." Similarly, sustainable management of fisheries, waterways and other resources will aid species preservation, the report said, by, for example, dampening runoff pollution.

With changes to farming practices, society can meet the food needs of the global population and preserve habitat — all without demanding sacrifices in living standards, said Stephen Polasky, a coordinating lead author on the UN report and a <a href="https://umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a> ecologist.

"You can grow food, even to meet a larger population, on the current land," he said. "You don't have to expand agriculture into the Amazon." Doing so calls for more-efficient farming practices, including pairing crops with the sites most appropriate to them, Polasky said. The extinction crisis looks apocalyptic — but there are solutions

Consumption and population

The food system's extinction toll would drop, too, if people wasted less food, said Paul Ehrlich, a Stanford biologist. Forty percent of the U.S. food supply never gets eaten, among the highest rates anywhere, <a href="https://www.foodlogistics.com/sustainability/article/12338285/sustainability-in-the-food-supply-chain">Food Logistics</a> reported. And those uneaten meals make up just part of a bigger piece of the extinction problem: overconsumption, by more and more people, Ehrlich said. 

In fact, addressing consumption by all those folks, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/10/earths-sixth-mass-extinction-event-already-underway-scientists-warn">Ehrlich told The Guardian</a>, is the most important part of the extinction question. 

"The basic problem is too many rich people consuming too much," he told <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>. Taking on consumption levels could mean eating less meat and moving away from fossil fuels, he said. On the individual level, people need to realize that they don't need a new computer every year or 20 pairs of shoes, Ceballos said. 

As consumption levels also largely depend on the number of people consuming, Ehrlich and Ceballos both point to population reduction as a fundamental (if controversial) piece of the extinction solution. The first step in shrinking population, they said, is granting full rights and greater employment and education opportunities to women globally, which would lower fertility rates.

"You could have a long-term livable planet with about a billion people," Ehrlich said. The UN report calls for "low-to-moderate" population growth. 

Climate, the law and species loss

The extinction and climate crises are intertwined, with warming and greenhouse gases threatening species by shifting livable habitats, acidifying ocean habitats and more. Solving climate will require international cooperation and transformative agreements, with the Paris Agreement a useful first step, Ceballos said. So, the extinction solution must also involve climate approaches like global carbon taxes and cap-and-trade systems, the UN report emphasized.

Similarly, extinction calls for legal and regulatory approaches to illegal timber and wildlife harvesting, along with quotas for overharvested fisheries, the report said. Regulations and conservation efforts should also aim to eliminate invasive species, the report added. 

The importance of laws and regulations in saving the planet's species underscores the need for people to get politically active, Ceballos said.

"We have to get more involved," he said. "We need to become actors. We need to look at this is the most important thing we can do for us and for our children."

--

By <a href="mailto:michael.dhar@gmail.com">Michael Dhar</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/Sepp photography

The extinction crisis looks apocalyptic — but there are solutions

The extinction crisis looks apocalyptic — but there are solutions....

Canada wildfire smoke offered a glimpse of what to expect after nuclear war. Wildfires that swept through British Columbia during the summer of 2017 forced thousands of people to evacuate, destroyed hundreds of thousands of hectares of land, and the firefighting costs alone <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2017/wildfires-continue-to-beleaguer-western-canada">reached $172.5 million</a>. 

The fires were extreme, but the amount of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smoke-wildfires-affect-atmosphere/">smoke released into the atmosphere from the fires</a> was so large that researchers are using the smoke clouds to model the climate impacts of nuclear war. 

There was so much smoke emitted into the upper atmosphere that most of the Northern Hemisphere was shrouded in a pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) cloud, one of the largest ever observed. 

When the smoke reached the lower stratosphere, solar radiation was absorbed by the soot, which heated the smoke and sent in higher into the air.  

In two months, the smoke rose or “self-lofted” seven miles, and the smoke lingered in the stratosphere for more than eight months.  

Researchers from <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> saw a unique opportunity to study the smoke cloud from the wildfires to help predict what might happen after a nuclear bomb drops. 

Nuclear winter is what researchers predict will occur after a nuclear bomb. The resulting smoke, soot, and radioactive debris emitted into the atmosphere could cool the planet considerably, destroying crops and causing mass food shortages. 

In this study, the researchers used the smoke from wildfires to model the climate impacts of a nuclear blast. 

“Even a relatively small nuclear war between India and Pakistan could cause climate change unprecedented in recorded human history and global food crises,” said Alan Robock, a co-author of the study. 

The researchers used a climate model from the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> and simulated the self-lofting and movement of the pyrocumulonimbus smoke cloud created by the fires in Canada. 

The climate model factored in aspects like the ratio of soot to other components in the cloud and how long before the ozone in the upper atmosphere breaks down the smoke.  

Even though the wildfire smoke contained about .3 million tons of soot and nuclear war could generate 15 to 150 million tons of soot, the researchers are confident that wildfire smoke can offer valuable insight into the climate impacts of nuclear war.

Next, the researchers plan to use wildfire modeling to help understand how climate and food production will be impacted by nuclear war. 

The study findings were published in the journal Science. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Canada wildfire smoke offered a glimpse of what to expect after nuclear war

Canada wildfire smoke offered a glimpse of what to expect...

New research from the <a href="https://www.isglobal.org/en">Barcelona Institute for Global Health</a> (ISGlobal) has revealed that air pollution in Europe is responsible for 33 percent of all new <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-quality-los-angeles-asthma/">asthma</a> cases among children each year. The team reported that nearly 200,000 of these cases could be prevented by lowering levels of harmful particle pollution. 

Asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease, and is steadily on the rise. By analyzing census population data and information from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, the experts determined that more than 63.4 million children across 18 European countries suffer from asthma. 

The team used two different scenarios to estimate how many of these asthma cases are linked to air pollution. The first framework referenced the maximum air pollution levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines. The second framework reviewed the lowest air pollution levels recorded among 41 previous studies.

Based on the first scenario, the researchers found that 66,600 childhood asthma cases could be prevented every year if European countries complied with the WHO air quality guidelines for PM2.5. The team also determined that 2,400 cases could be prevented if these nations complied with the air quality guidelines for NO2.

"The analysis showed that, while meeting the WHO recommendations for PM2.5 would imply a significant reduction in the percentage of annual childhood asthma cases, that is not the case with NO2, where 0.4% of the cases would be prevented," said study co-author David Rojas-Rueda. 

"Therefore, our estimations show that the current NO2 WHO air quality guideline value seems to provide much less protection than the PM2.5 guideline. We suggest that these values require update and lowering to be better suited in protecting children's health."

In the second scenario, the researchers discovered that more than 190,000 annual cases of asthma could be prevented among European children if PM2.5 was reduced to the lowest levels documented by previous studies. In addition, the lowest levels of NO2 could prevent 135,000 cases, while the lowest levels of black carbon could prevent 89,000 cases.

"Only in the past two years, several analyses on air pollution and onset of childhood asthma have emerged, strengthening the case from different research teams that air pollution is contributing substantially to the burden of paediatric asthma," said study leader author Haneen Khreis.

"Largely, these impacts are preventable and there are numerous policy measures which can reduce the ambient levels of, and children's exposure to, outdoor air pollution. We can and should do something about it."

The study is published in the <a href="https://erj.ersjournals.com/">European Respiratory Journal</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/Song_about_summer

Air pollution causes 33 percent of new asthma cases among European children

New research from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)...

A new study has found that coral reefs are much more threatened by <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-common-intense/">marine heatwaves</a> than what was previously realized. 

A team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.southwales.ac.uk/">University of South Wales</a> discovered that the skeletons of coral animals become so severely stressed from the heat that they begin to decay within weeks, which makes the entire 3D reef structure unstable. 

The research shows that just a 0.5°C increase in ocean temperature influences the extent of the mortality associated with coral bleaching.

The study is the first of its kind to demonstrate that marine heatwaves not only trigger the breakdown of symbiotic relationships in coral reefs, but can also lead to the heat-induced death of the coral animals themselves. The findings indicate that such mortality events should be distinguished as a previously unrecognized consequence of coral bleaching. 

"Until now, we have described coral bleaching as an event where the symbiotic relationship between coral and its microbes breaks down and corals lose their main source of nutrition, and the coral can die if the symbiosis is not restored," said study co-author Professor Tracy Ainsworth.

"But what we are now seeing is that severe marine heatwave events can have a far more severe impact than coral bleaching: the water temperatures are so warm that the coral animal doesn't bleach - in terms of a loss of its symbiosis - the animal dies and its underlying skeleton is all that remains."

Study co-author Professor Bill Leggat explained that the skeleton itself is immediately overtaken by the rapid growth of algae and bacteria as a result of higher temperatures. 

"We were able to study the consequences of this process of rapid colonisation using CT scanning of the coral skeleton - as would be used in medical imaging. We show that this process is devastating not just for the animal tissue, but also for the skeleton that is left behind, which is rapidly eroded and weakened," said Professor Leggat.

The team used new bio-optical techniques which allowed them to visualise and study the abrupt transition in the coral microbiome. Dr. Scott Heron from James Cook University said that this is the first time the rapid dissolving of coral skeletons has been observed.

"Climate scientists talk about 'unknown unknowns' - impacts that we haven't anticipated from existing knowledge and experience. This discovery fits into this category," said Dr. Heron. "As we begin now to understand this impact, the question is how many more of these 'unknown unknowns' might there still be that could bring faster and greater damage to coral reefs from climate change."

The researchers hope that this new information will motivate the public to express how important coral reefs are to them, urging decision makers to address the immediate need to preserve coral reefs.

"Across the globe coral reefs are still a source of inspiration and awe of the natural world, as well as being critically important to the communities that rely upon them. Given that the degradation of coral reefs will result in the collapse of ecosystem services that sustain over half a billion people, we urgently need actions both globally and locally that protect and conserve these truly wonderful places."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</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: UNSW

Marine heatwaves are more deadly for coral reefs than previously thought

A new study has found that coral reefs are much...

An underwater mountain range near Hawaii is making an impressive recovery after overfishing severely devastated corals and sponges that once thrived along the seamount. 

The Hawaiian-Emperor Seamount Chain in the Pacific Ocean was a popular fishing and trawling area from the 1960s through the 1980s. 

Trawling involves dragging fishing nets along the seafloor, but the practice dragged up precious <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-coral-reefs-bleaching/">deep-sea corals </a>and other marine animals in the process. 

Because corals and sponges grow so slowly, it was long thought that the mountain range would not recover even though the area has been federally protected for decades. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/">Florida State University</a> and<a href="https://www.tamu.edu/"> Texas A&amp;M University</a> explored the seamount for signs of recovery and found that even in deep scars on the seafloor left by trawling, baby corals are starting to spring up. 

“It’s been hypothesized that these areas, if they’ve been trawled, that there’s not much hope for them,” said Amy Baco-Taylor, a leader of the research expeditions. “So, we explored these sites fully expecting to not find any sign of recovery. But we were surprised to find evidence that some species are starting to come back to these areas.”

The researchers conducted four visits to the seamount using an autonomous underwater vehicle and a submersible to explore and photograph the mountain range thousands of feet below the ocean. 

536,000 images were taken of different sites, and the researchers found evidence of baby corals growing in trawl scars along the seafloor in the pictures. 

The researchers even found patches unscathed by trawling, and these areas will be critical to the region's future recovery. 

While the area may not ever fully recover to pre-trawling diversity, the study shows that federal protections work and that even the most hard-hit degraded habitats can bounce back.

“This is a good story of how long-term protection allows for recovery of vulnerable species,” Baco-Taylor said.

The researchers published their findings in the journal Science Advances. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Underwater mountain range near Hawaii is bouncing back after overfishing

An underwater mountain range near Hawaii is making an impressive...

The last reversal of Earth’s magnetic field may have taken much longer to complete than previously thought, according to a new study. 

Roughly every few hundred thousand years, the Earth’s magnetic poles switch, and research suggests that we may be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-poles-flip/">overdue for another reversal</a>. 

Earth’s magnetic field is produced by spinning molten iron in the Earth’s core. The field protects the planet from harmful solar and cosmic radiation. A pole reversal could leave us exposed to this radiation, interfere with satellites, and even shut down power grids. 

We depend on the magnetic poles, and yet researchers know very little about how and why field reversals occur. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a> examined lava flows, ice cores, and magnetic readings from the seafloor to piece together a complete picture of the Earth’s magnetic field during the last pole reversal, which took place around 777,000 years ago.  

That reversal, called the Matuyama-Brunhes reversal, took around 22,000 years to complete, much longer than previously realized, according to the study published in the journal Science Advances. 

“Unless you have a complete, accurate and high-resolution record of what a field reversal really is like at the surface of the Earth, it’s difficult to even discuss what the mechanics of generating a reversal are,” said Brad Singer, a geologist involved in the study.  

The researchers collected and analyzed samples from lava flows in Chil, Tahiti, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and the Canary Islands. 

“Lava flows are ideal recorders of the magnetic field. They have a lot of iron-bearing minerals, and when they cool, they lock in the direction of the field,” said Singer. “But it’s a spotty record. No volcanoes are erupting continuously. So we’re relying on careful fieldwork to identify the right records." 

The team reviewed data from Antarctic ice cores to reconstruct a record of the Earth’s magnetic field over a period of 70,000 years. 

During the final stages of the last field reversal, the poles snapped into their new positions in just 4,000 years. However, this final stage was preceded by a long period of instability and partial reversals that took nearly 18,000 years. 

The study shows that pole reversals take nearly twice as long as previously thought. 

As the magnetic field has consistently been getting weaker each century, there are concerns that we’re in the midst of an imminent reversal. But this study shows that while a weakening field is a tell-tale precursor to a pole flip, it may be sometime before the poles completely switch positions. 

“I’ve been working on this problem for 25 years,” said Singer. “And now we have a richer record and better-dated record of this last reversal than ever before.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Marc Ward

Earth’s magnetic field may have taken longer to reverse than previously thought

The last reversal of Earth’s magnetic field may have taken...

According to new research from the <a href="https://www.seas.harvard.edu/">Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)</a> and the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH)</a>, climate change is contributing to an increase of the neurotoxin methylmercury, an organic form of mercury, most commonly found in cod, Atlantic bluefin tuna and swordfish. These findings are published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

Using a comprehensive model that simulates how environmental factors, like <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sea-bird-die-offs-ocean-temperatures/">warming ocean temperatures</a> and overfishing, impact levels of methylmercury in fish, researchers found that rising temperatures are causing methylmercury levels to rise despite government regulations of mercury emissions that are already in place.

"This research is a major advance in understanding how and why ocean predators, such as tuna and swordfish, are accumulating mercury," said senior author Elsie Sunderland, the Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Chemistry at SEAS and HSPH. 

"Being able to predict the future of mercury levels in fish is the holy grail of mercury research," added first author Amina Schartup, former research associate at SEAS and HSPH. "That question has been so difficult to answer because, until now, we didn't have a good understanding of why methylmercury levels were so high in big fish."

It is understood that organisms at the top of the food chain contain higher levels of methylmercury than those at the bottom. However, how this happens is a less understood process.

To solve this mystery, the research team first analyzed 30-years-worth of ecosystem data (1970s to 2000s) from the Gulf of Maine, which included analysis of the stomach contents of the Atlantic cod and the spiny dogfish.

They found that methylmercury levels in cod were 6-20% lower in 1970 than they were in 2000. Spiny dogfish, on the other hand, had levels 33-61% higher in 1970 compared to 2000 despite living in the same ecosystem and existing in a similar spot in the food web as cod. 

The team realized that during the 1970s, the Gulf of Maine experienced a dramatic drop in herring population caused by overfishing. Because both cod and spiny dogfish eat herring, the two species were forced to find substitutes — cod began eating shads and sardines, which are low in methylmercury, and spiny dogfish, ate squid and other cephalopods, which are higher in methylmercury. So, when the herring population rejuvenated in 2000, cod went back to a diet higher in methylmercury, whereas spiny dogfish did the opposite.

Furthermore, the size of a fish’s mouth also contributes to their methylmercury consumption. Some fish can only consume prey that fits in their mouth, whereas others have different tactics to take down their food source.

[caption id="attachment_1876210" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/mercury.png"><img class="wp-image-1876210" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/mercury.png" alt="" width="650" height="366" /></a> Image Credit: Harvard SEAS[/caption]

"There's always been a problem modeling methylmercury levels in organisms like cephalopods and swordfish because they don't follow typical bioaccumulation patterns based on their size," said Sunderland. "Their unique feeding patterns means they can eat bigger prey, which means they're eating things that have bioaccumulated more methylmercury. We were able to represent that in our model."

However, figuring out the high methylmercury levels in tuna was a larger challenge. It’s at the top of the food chain, but this isn’t an accurate reason for why its levels are so high. Schartup realized that because tuna swim so fast and migrate, they need to consume more to keep up their energy.

"These Michael Phelps-style fish eat a lot more for their size but, because they swim so much, they don't have compensatory growth that dilutes their body burden. So, you can model that as a function," Schartup said.

And as the water warms, fish of all shapes and sizes require more energy to swim, which therefore requires them to consume more calories. In fact, using their model, the researchers predict that an increase of 1 degree Celsius relative to the year 2000 will lead to a 32% increase in methylmercury in cod and a 70% increase of methylmercury in spiny dogfish.

"This model allows us to look at all these different parameters at the same time, just as it happens in the real world," said Schartup.

"We have shown that the benefits of reducing mercury emissions holds, irrespective of what else is happening in the ecosystem. But if we want to continue the trend of reducing methylmercury exposure in the future, we need a two-pronged approach," said Sunderland. "Climate change is going to exacerbate human exposure to methylmercury through seafood, so to protect ecosystems and human health, we need to regulate both mercury emissions and greenhouse gases."

--

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: Shutterstock/Lorna Roberts

Warming temperatures are causing an increase in toxic methylmercury

According to new research from the Harvard John A. Paulson...

New study reveals true evolution of Earth’s plate tectonics. A new study from researchers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">John Hopkins University</a> has revealed that Earth’s plate tectonics have evolved over the last 2.5 billion years. 

This conclusion refutes previous contradictory findings that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/natural-lubrication-plate-tectonics/">plate tectonics</a> have always been a part of Earth’s history, or that they appeared only about 0.7 billion years ago.

This new discovery, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>, will inevitably shift scientists’ understanding of how Earth has changed within its 4.56-billion-year history.New study reveals true evolution of Earth’s plate tectonics

"One of the key ways to understand how Earth has evolved to become the planet that we know is plate tectonics," said first author Robert Holder, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins.

Plate tectonics are responsible for the shifting of continents across the Earth’s surface. They create volcanoes and earthquakes, predict erosion and ocean circulation cycles, and ultimately allow life on Earth to evolve.

Holder and his colleagues analyzed a global compilation of metamorphic rocks from 564 sites, each of which had formed over the past 3 billion years. Metamorphic rocks are formed underground, where they are transformed from regular rocks via heat deep within Earth’s crust into their new metamorphic form.

By measuring the depth and temperatures at which metamorphic rocks form, scientists can predict temperature at different levels in Earth’s crust. And because tectonic plates influence heat flow, these rocks act as a history book for Earth’s past with tectonic plates. This is how the team concluded that plate tectonics evolved gradually over the last 2.5 billion years.

"The framework for much of our understanding of the world and its geological processes relies on plate tectonics," Holder said. "Knowing when plate tectonics began and how it changed impacts that framework."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Mopic

New study reveals true evolution of Earth’s plate tectonics

New study reveals true evolution of Earth’s plate tectonics. A...

As global temperatures continue to rise, many parts of the world are experiencing unprecedented climate extremes, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europe-early-summer-heatwave/">record-breaking heatwaves</a>, droughts, and wildfires. 

Given the current state of our climate, it’s easy to assume that climate change will lead to hotter and drier summers worldwide. 

However, a new study has found the exact opposite to be true for northern Europe. 

An international team of researchers examined the relationship between summer temperatures and precipitation in Europe throughout the past 12 centuries to understand the links between drought and rising temperatures and better project future climate scenarios. 

The research shows that while southern Europe can expect drier summers, northern Europe will likely get wetter in the future. 

For the study, the researchers analyzed weather data and temperature measurement records going back to the 18th century. Tree ring data as far back as the ninth century helped the researchers reconstruct past drought events. 

Past temperature and drought reconstructions were then compared to climate models that are used to project future climate extremes. 

The researchers found that current models are inaccurate in their projections and do not factor in past weather records. 

Europe is projected to get drier and hotter, but in the past, northern Europe experienced higher levels of precipitation when temperatures rose. 

“Crucially, our study shows that the very strong link between warm and dry periods being simulated in the climate models could be too simple,” said Dr. Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist, the leader of the research. “It’s not a picture backed up by the weather records and tree-ring data. The climate model simulations seem to underestimate how large part of Europe actually experiences wetter summers when the climate is warmer.”

Not only does the study show that parts of Europe will likely get wetter as climate change continues, but that current climate models may overestimate drought predictions and underestimate future precipitation estimates. 

“Our study implies a possible exaggeration in the climate models of temperature-driven drought risk in parts of northern Europe under global warming,” said Dr. Ljungqvist. “But this also means that the models may well underestimate future excessive precipitation, with associated flood risks, in northern Europe.” 

The study was published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ab2c7e">Environmental Research Letters.</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: Shutterstock/NotarYES

Climate change may bring northern Europe warmer, even wetter summers

As global temperatures continue to rise, many parts of the...

World population needs to move toward plant-based diets to fight climate change. With a predicted 9.8 billion people expected to inhabit the planet by 2050, the world will need to increase food production by 56% compared to 2010. This increase in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-population-10-9-billion/">population</a> and need for food also exacerbates the already existing problem of climate change. 

Now, a new report from the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a> (UN) warns that global populations need to move towards healthy, plant-based diets in order to effectively combat climate change in the coming years.

Currently, our food system is responsible for 25-30% of greenhouse gases. With the predicted population increase, the “Creating a Sustainable Food Future” report suggests that over 2 million square miles of forests – an area twice the size of India –would need to be converted to agriculture to keep up with demand. This would have us going in the opposite direction that we need to go if we’re looking to keep global warming capped at 1.5°C. World population needs to move toward plant-based diets to fight climate change

In multiple other reports, the UN has proposed that massive areas need to be converted to biofuel crops or CO2-absorbing trees if we’re to meet our strict climate change goals. To halt global warming at 1.5°C, it would apparently take converting almost 3 million square miles to bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). 

However, the report also warns that doing so could compromise sustainable development and increase risks of food security, desertification, and land degradation. 

The Earth’s surface temperature has already risen 1°C above pre-industrial levels, and a report from the IPCC last year stated that globally we need to be carbon neutral within three decades to have even a 50/50 shot of stopping global warming at 1.5°C. 

Despite this dire warning, in 2018 there was a record 41.5 billion tons of planet-warming CO2 added to the atmosphere, up 2% from the previous record that was set the year before.

One of the most common suggestions to help abate climate change is to plant massive amounts of trees. But many scientists argue against this one-off approach. 

“Heroic reforestation can help, but it is time to stop suggesting there is a ‘nature-based solution’ to ongoing fossil fuel use,” says Myles Allen, a professor of geosystem science at the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a>. “There isn’t.”

So what are the steps we need to take to avoid a climate disaster? According to Andre Laperrière, Executive Director of <a href="https://www.godan.info/">Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition</a>, there are many. 

“Our industrialized farming practices are in fact the largest contribution to soil erosion and pollution, and perhaps the biggest hurdle we face is to try and teach about half a billion farmers globally to re-work their agricultural model to be carbon sensitive,” he explains. 

“Other steps we can take would involve changing our collective diets to be environmentally ethical (avoiding mass produced, resource intensive and land pollutant foods such as avocados, palm oil and red meat), protect natural habitats and prevent largescale natural destruction (like in the Amazon rainforest), improve crop varieties and engage in agri-forestry (instead of cutting down forests to farm.”

With all that said, the new UN report does not paint a pretty picture of our imminent future. We currently have a very small window of time to hit a very lofty goal of halting global warming. It will likely take a concentrated effort from populations around the world to ultimately save our planet and our future.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</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/Magdanatka

World population needs to move toward plant-based diets

World population needs to move toward plant-based diets to fight...

Forest fires are becoming too intense for birds that normally depend on them. Fires are a necessary part of the forest ecosystem that help clean up the landscape and increase the level of nutrients and organic matter in the soil. For some species of animals, such as the Black-backed Woodpecker, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/forest-fires-beetles-woodpeckers/">forest fires</a> also create ideal habitats. 

But now, a new study has found that mega-fires across the western United States may be threatening these fire-loving woodpeckers. The researchers found that as the fires become bigger and more intense, the birds are struggling to find the edges of burned patches where they prefer to settle.

Collaborating with experts from <a href="https://www.birdpop.org/">The Institute for Bird Populations</a> and the <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/">U.S. Forest Service</a>, PhD candidate 

Andrew Stillman investigated the nest site selection and nesting success of Black-backed Woodpeckers in burned forests of northern California. For eight years, the researchers monitored more than 100 nests while measuring nest site characteristics. Forest fires are becoming too intense for birds that normally depend on them

The birds were found to strongly prefer nesting in severely burned stands that had lots of dead trees. The birds placed their nests near the edges of these burned patches, typically within 500 meters of a patch with live trees.

"We didn't expect to find these woodpeckers nesting so close to edges," said Stillman. This is because previous research has shown that woodpecker nests closer to living forest patches are at a much higher risk of being raided by squirrels and other predators. 

A separate study found that the baby birds quickly move to living patches with good cover after leaving the nest, suggesting that the adults are providing their offspring with easy access to the live forest. 

Stillman explained that "pyrodiversity," which is the diversity found in the age, size, and severity of burned patches, appears to be important for the woodpecker because it provides more edges between different burn severities. As a result of climate change, however, fires are growing larger with reduced pyrodiversity.

"The thing about pyrodiversity is that we expect it to decrease," said study co-author Dr. Morgan Tingley. "Every year we see more 'mega-fires,' and these fires are quite homogenous in their structure, leading to low pyrodiversity. So even though the future is expected to hold more fire in western forests, the outlook may not even be good for fire-loving species."

"We hope that these results provide some of the missing information necessary to balance post-fire logging activities with the habitat needs of woodpeckers," said Stillman.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.americanornithology.org/content/condor-ornithological-applications">The Condor: Ornithological Applications</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: Jean Hall

Forest fires are becoming too intense for birds

Forest fires are becoming too intense for birds that normally...

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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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



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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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