A new study of frontline employees in Arizona reveals that firefighters carry the greatest load of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their blood, while health care personnel also show moderate but notable elevations. The findings point to unseen hazards in everyday work gear and environments.



The investigation, led by scientists at the <a href="https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona Health Sciences</a>, compared blood samples from nearly 2,000 adults in firefighting, health care, and other essential occupations to learn how job duties shape chemical exposure.



PFAS are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-filtration-system-removes-forever-chemicals-from-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human-made compounds</a> prized for stain, water, and flame resistance. They coat cookware, clothing, carpets, packaging, and industrial foams. Because their molecular bonds are hard to break, the chemicals linger in air, soil, and water for decades and build up in living tissues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-firefighters-exposure-to-forever-chemicals">Firefighters' exposure to forever chemicals</h2>



The researchers measured serum PFAS concentrations in 280 firefighters, 787 health care workers, and 734 employees from other trades. Blood was collected between 2018 and 2021. 



For most workers, PFAS totals declined by six to 17 percent each year, yet measurable levels remained in every group by the study’s end. Firefighters topped the charts for several compounds, including PFHxS, Sm-PFOS, n-PFOS, and PFHpS. 



Health care workers ranked second overall and showed higher odds of two PFAS - Sb-PFOA and PFDoA - when compared with peers in other fields. They also had modest rises in PFHpS and PFUnA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-previous-research"><a></a>Clues from previous research</h2>



Study senior author Kate Ellingson is an associate professor at the <a href="https://publichealth.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health</a>.



“Our study reinforces previous research showing elevated PFAS levels among firefighters and suggests that health care workers may have unique sources of PFAS exposure as well,” said Ellingson.



“Our findings underscore the need to understand occupational exposure pathways for PFAS among different types of workers.”



Firefighters have long been flagged for exposure because their protective clothing and the foams used to quench fuel fires contain PFAS. 



Less is known about how nurses, surgeons, or technicians come into contact with the chemicals. Single-use gowns, surgical masks, sterile wraps, and even X-ray film may contribute, but few studies have investigated those items.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-linked-to-forever-chemicals">Health risks linked to forever chemicals </h2>



Study co-author Jeff Burgess is the director of the <a href="https://publichealth.arizona.edu/about/centers-institutes/center-firefighter-health-collaborative-research" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research</a>.



“Almost all adults in the U.S. have detectable levels of certain PFAS, and people in occupations with more frequent exposure to PFAS-containing materials have been shown to exhibit higher serum concentrations of some PFAS,” said Burgess. 



“Research into occupational exposure to PFAS is vital to reduce the health risks associated with PFAS, including but not limited to increases in rates of certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-in-tap-water-increase-cancer-risk-by-up-to-33/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancers</a>, increases in cholesterol levels, lower antibody response to certain immunizations, and increased rates of certain adverse reproductive outcomes.”



Although scientists are still mapping dose-response relationships, mounting evidence ties long-term PFAS exposure to thyroid dysfunction, immune suppression, and reproductive harm, as well as kidney, prostate, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-link-between-elephant-testicle-temperature-and-cancer-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testicular cancers</a>. That makes the new data especially relevant for workers who already confront other job-related dangers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pfas-in-health-care-settings">PFAS in health care settings</h2>



“To date, PFAS exposure in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-space-agencies-can-help-address-healthcare-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health care</a> settings has not been widely studied, and the potential sources of exposure remain unclear,” Ellingson said. He also noted that single-use surgical masks, surgical gowns, and X-ray film could be potential sources of PFAS exposure.



“Therefore, it’s important to further examine specific exposure routes and health consequences for firefighters and health care workers.”



The researchers suggest that manufacturers, hospitals, and fire departments audit supply chains to identify products treated with PFAS. Substituting safer materials where possible - and improving decontamination practices when replacement is not feasible - could lower cumulative dose.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-avoiding-pfas-exposure">Avoiding PFAS exposure</h2>



Many PFAS formulas have been phased out in the United States, yet older stockpiles and imported goods keep the chemicals in circulation. 



The authors call for expanded monitoring of occupational exposures, stronger regulation of PFAS in consumer products and more public funding for exposure-reduction programs.



They also urge longitudinal studies to track how changing equipment or policies alters blood levels over time. Because PFAS can stay in the body for years, measuring declines after interventions will help pinpoint which strategies work best.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-exposure-beyond-firefighters">Chemical exposure beyond firefighters </h2>



The Arizona results echo national surveys showing widespread but uneven PFAS contamination. They also highlight chemical exposure gaps: firefighters remain the most researched group, while other frontline roles - from paramedics to factory workers - receive far less attention.



By bringing health care personnel into the spotlight, the new study widens the search for hidden chemical risks at work. As communities push to remove PFAS from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-droughts-could-quadruple-by-2100-harming-water-supplies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water supplies</a> and household goods, understanding workplace exposures becomes equally urgent.



The current findings provide a starting map - and a reminder that protecting those who protect the rest of us means looking beyond the obvious dangers of heat, smoke, and infection to the quieter threat of “forever chemicals.”



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00753-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Exposure Science &amp; Environmental Epidemiology</a>.



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Firefighters face elevated exposure to forever chemicals

A new study of frontline employees in Arizona reveals that firefighters carry the greatest load of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their blood, while health care personnel also show moderate but notable elevations. The findings point to unseen hazards in everyday work gear and environments. The investigation, led by scientists at the University of Arizona Health Sciences, compared blood samples from nearly 2,000 adults in firefighting, health care, and other essential occupations to learn how job duties shape chemical exposure. PFAS are human-made compounds prized for...

It has been well established that roads generally have a negative impact on biodiversity and many species of wildlife. A new study from an international team of scientists published in the journal <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1755263x">Conservation Letters</a> looks more closely at the impact of roads on chimpanzees.&nbsp;



"Western chimpanzees were once widespread across West Africa, but the species has declined by 80 percent in the last 20 years and is currently classified as critically<a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/fr/species/15935/102327574"> </a>endangered," said Balint Andrasi, who led the research as a masters student at the University of Exeter.



The study was a hard one to accomplish because less than 5 percent of the chimpanzees' range is outside of “road-effect zones,” explained Adrasi,



"The human population in West Africa is growing rapidly, and chimpanzees face mounting pressure from the expansion of settlements and infrastructure."



"Previous research suggests that roads dramatically reduce western chimpanzee numbers, rather than simply displacing the animals."



"Just 4.3 percent of their range remains unaffected by roads, so they don't have anywhere else to go, and in any case migration over long distances is uncommon. Western chimpanzees are highly territorial, so attempting to move could lead to conflict with neighbouring groups."



In the end, the study concluded that roads have a far-reaching impact on the great apes. The impacts of large, major roads extend for an average of 10.7 miles, while minor roads adversely affect about 3.4 miles of surrounding habitat. Roads bring disruptive human activities with them, and also fragment and redirect chimpanzee populations.&nbsp;



"Our great ape cousins face so many threats, from habitat change to hunting to disease," said Dr. Kimberly Hockings of Exeter. "The impact of infrastructure development is much larger than I ever anticipated and is truly worrying.”



Dr. Hockings hopes that the research is a step in the right direction for chimpanzees,&nbsp;



"We hope these findings will ensure the true costs of infrastructure development on the critically endangered western chimpanzee are fully considered by policy makers...we can’t give up. We must do everything we can to ensure their continued survival. I can’t imagine a world where humans are the only great apes left."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1755263x">Conservation Letters</a>.



---



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

Roads have far-reaching impacts on chimpanzees

It has been well established that roads generally have a...

A recent study published in the journal <a href="https://d.docs.live.net/59aea50aab103926/Documents/nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00358-x">Nature Food</a> found that global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are double the amount of emissions associated with plant-based foods. Taking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-majority-of-global-farmland-is-at-risk-of-pesticide-pollution/">farmland</a>, livestock, and land use changes into consideration, global food production is responsible for 17,318 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually - accounting for 35 percent of all human-caused greenhouse emissions.&nbsp;



A computer modeling study led by Professor Atul K. Jain at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne</a> is the first to analyze carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions from all sub-sectors related to food production and consumption. These sub-sectors include land use changes, farmland management activities, raising livestock, and all of the operations that take place after the food leaves the farm.&nbsp;



“Although CO2 is the most important and most frequently discussed GHG (greenhouse gas), methane generated by rice cultivation and animals, and nitrous oxide from fertilizers are 34 and 298 times more powerful than CO2, respectively, when it comes to trapping heat in the atmosphere," explained study lead author Xiaoming Xu.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The researchers discovered that animal-based food emissions contributed 57 percent of food-based emissions, while plant-based emissions amounted to only 29 percent. Out of all meat and dairy products, beef was by far responsible for the most emissions (four billion metric tons), followed by cow milk, pork, and chicken meat. Among vegetables, rice production appeared to be the most damaging, contributing two billion metric tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;



In terms of location, the scientists found that South and Southeast Asia, as well as South America are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases related to food production and consumption, with China leading both animal- and plant-based emissions.



According to Professor Jain, developing climate mitigation strategies must rely on accurate estimates of GHG emissions from all sources, including those from the production and consumption of total and individual plant- and animal-based foods.



This comprehensive study is an important step forward towards encouraging policymakers to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions before climate change will become irreversible.



---



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

Animal products linked to double the emissions of plant-based foods

A recent study published in the journal Nature Food found...

Using <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-technology-needed-to-monitor-earths-water-cycle/">technology</a> similar to an MRI to scan the floor of the North Sea, scientists have revealed hidden landscapes created by ancient ice sheets.&nbsp;



The experts found "tunnel valleys" buried hundreds of feet below the bottom of the sea. These are the remnants of massive rivers formed as the ice started to melt in response to warming ambient temperatures.



Study lead author James Kirkham is a researcher at the Scott Polar Research Institute and the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a>.



“The origin of these channels was unresolved for over a century. This discovery will help us better understand the ongoing retreat of present-day glaciers in Antarctica and Greenland," explained Kirkham.



"In the way that we can leave footprints in the sand, glaciers leave an imprint on the land upon which they flow. Our new cutting edge data gives us important markers of deglaciation. ”



The technology used sound waves to create detailed images of a lost landscape formed by melting ice. It may give scientists a window into our own future warming planet through the lens of the past.&nbsp;



“Although we have known about the huge glacial channels in the North Sea for some time, this is the first time we have imaged fine-scale landforms within them. These delicate features tell us about how water moved through the channels (beneath the ice) and even how ice simply stagnated and melted away," said study co-author Dr. Kelly Hogan.



"It is very difficult to observe what goes on underneath our large ice sheets today, particularly how moving water and sediment is affecting ice flow and we know that these are important controls on ice behavior. As a result, using these ancient channels to understand how ice will respond to changing conditions in a warming climate is extremely relevant and timely.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology">Geology</a>.



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

Hidden landscapes found beneath the North Sea

Using technology similar to an MRI to scan the floor...

In just 25 years, global light pollution has increased by at least 49 percent, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. Considering that this estimate is based only on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/light-pollution-may-be-driving-the-decline-of-moths/">light</a> that is visible to satellites, the researchers are confident that the true figure is much higher. 



The experts speculate that from 1992 to 2017, global light pollution increased by up to 270 percent, with regional increases of up to 400 percent.



Even though the trends vary by region, light pollution emissions have increased almost everywhere and there is "limited evidence" that improved technology has helped.



"The global spread of artificial light is eroding the natural night-time environment," said first author Dr.&nbsp; Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel of the Environment and Sustainability Institute on Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.



"This study provides clear evidence not only of how bad light pollution has become as a global problem, but also that it is continuing to get worse, and probably at a faster and faster rate."



The researchers said that their work highlights the hidden impact of the transition to solid-state light emitting diode (LED) technology. LEDs emit more blue light, which is undetectable to satellite sensors.



The study results show that light pollution is steadily increasing in Asia, South America, Oceania, and Africa. Light pollution appears to have declined in North America and leveled off in Europe. However, the researchers say the shift toward blue-rich LEDs masks the fact that light pollution has increased in most locations.



"To take the UK as an example, if you ignore the effect of the switch to LEDs - which has been extensive - you get the false impression that light pollution has recently declined," said Dr. Sánchez de Miguel. "However, correcting for this effect shows it has really increased, and potentially very markedly."



"Contrary to popular belief, the installation of 'broad white' LED streetlights, whilst potentially providing some energy savings, has increased light pollution and also the impacts on organisms such as moths."



A growing collection of research shows that artificial light at night has major impacts on the natural environment. Light pollution from street lamps and other sources is likely contributing to the widespread decline of insects.&nbsp;



"Over the past 25 years, the transition to solid-state LED lighting has been accompanied by rapid increases in light pollution globally," said Ruskin Hartley, Executive Director of the International Dark-Sky Association.



"Without concerted action to reverse this trend, the impact on the natural environment will accelerate, further exacerbating the biodiversity crisis, wasting energy, and meaning a whole generation will grow up in perpetual twilight."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing">Remote Sensing</a>.



---



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

Light pollution has increased almost everywhere

In just 25 years, global light pollution has increased by...

A new study from <a href="https://www.cnrs.fr/">CNRS</a> is describing how cyclones are to blame for the deaths of thousands of seabirds each year in the North Atlantic. According to the researchers, high-intensity cyclone activity in the North Atlantic causes the seabirds to starve. Seabirds are often exposed to the cyclones, which can last several days, when they migrate south from their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-warming-will-cause-extreme-cooling-elsewhere/">Arctic</a> nesting sites.&nbsp;



"Each winter, the North Atlantic Ocean is the stage for numerous cyclones, the most severe ones leading to seabird mass-mortality events called 'winter wrecks.' During these, thousands of emaciated seabird carcasses are washed ashore along European and North American coasts," explained the study authors.



"Winter cyclones can therefore shape seabird population dynamics by affecting survival rates as well as the body condition of surviving individuals and thus their future reproduction. However, most often the geographic origins of impacted seabirds and the causes of their deaths remain unclear."



To investigate, the researchers used trackers to monitor 1,500 birds of five main species including Atlantic puffins, little auks, black-legged kittiwakes, and two species of guillemots.



The winter tracking data made it possible for the scientists to compare seabird movements with the trajectories of cyclones and determine the degree of exposure.



Surprisingly, the experts found that seabirds were not dying from increased energy expenditure. Instead, the birds were struggling due to their inability to feed during a cyclone.&nbsp;



The seabird species that were monitored for the study are particularly unsuited to fly in high winds and some cannot dive into a stormy sea, which prevents them from feeding. The birds starve when the unfavorable conditions persist for a few days beyond the food that the birds have stored in their body.&nbsp;



"We demonstrated that cyclones of high intensity impacted birds from all studied species and breeding colonies during winter but especially those aggregating in the Labrador Sea, the Davis Strait, the surroundings of Iceland, and the Barents Sea," wrote the study authors.



"Our broad-scale analyses suggested that cyclonic conditions do not increase seabird energy requirements, implying that they die because of the unavailability of their prey and/or their inability to feed during cyclones."



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

Cyclones kill thousands of seabirds each year

A new study from CNRS is describing how cyclones are...

The bluefin tuna is a long-lived migratory fish that accumulates mercury in its muscle tissues as it ages. A new study led by researchers at <a href="https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University – New Brunswick</a> has investigated mercury accumulation rates in large populations of bluefin tuna from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans in order to identify global patterns of mercury <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-pollution-increases-mortality/">pollution</a>.&nbsp;



The bluefin tuna is one of the largest and fastest fish species, and is widely distributed throughout the Earth’s oceans. Although they are extensively consumed by humans, large numbers of bluefin tuna currently have high concentrations of methylmercury in their muscle tissues, often exceeding safe levels for human consumption.&nbsp;



Mercury concentrations in marine fish vary according to their age, size, position in the food web, and prey type and abundance. They are also strongly affected by environmental factors, such as natural and human pollution.&nbsp;



In order to identify patterns of mercury concentration in bluefin tuna, researchers analyzed muscle tissue samples from three species of bluefin (the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern species), populating four different ocean sub-basins.&nbsp;



The experts discovered that mercury accumulation rates in bluefin tuna were highest in the Mediterranean, which is home to the largest bluefin tuna fishery in the world, and gradually decrease in the north Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and especially the north Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean Sea, and, to a certain degree, the north Pacific and Indian Oceans, are subject to mercury leaching from rocks and human-caused pollution from metal mining, smelting, and burning fossil fuels.



“Our study shows that mercury accumulation rates in bluefin tuna may be used as a global pollution index that can reveal patterns of mercury pollution and bioavailability in the oceans, natural and human caused emissions and regional environmental features,”&nbsp;explained senior author John Reinfelder, a professor in the <a href="https://envsci.rutgers.edu/index.html">Department of Environmental Sciences</a> at Rutgers University.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Overall, mercury accumulation rates provide a means to compare mercury bioavailability among geographically distinct populations of upper trophic level marine fish across ocean sub-basins, to investigate trophic dynamics of mercury in marine food webs and to improve public health risk assessments of mercury exposure from seafood,” he concluded.



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



---



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

Mercury levels in bluefin tuna reveal patterns of ocean pollution

The bluefin tuna is a long-lived migratory fish that accumulates...

Farming cows has its disadvantages, particularly when it comes to disposing of the waste they produce. If cows range freely in the fields, their waste soon accumulates and contaminates soil and nearby waterways. If cows are kept in a barn instead, then the combination of their urine and feces produces ammonia, which is an undesirable gas.



Ammonia from cow waste is not a greenhouse gas, nor does it contribute directly to climate change. But when it leaches into the soil it is converted into nitrous oxide by microbes that reside in the soil. Nitrous oxide is the third most important greenhouse gas. Livestock farming is a major source of ammonia and, by implication, an indirect source of nitrous oxide.&nbsp;



In an article published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>, a team of scientists attempted to teach calves to control their natural urination and defecation impulses and make use of a latrine. They reasoned that if excreta could be collected in a specific place (the latrine) then this would facilitate easy handling, treatment and disposal, which would lead to cleaner barns, reduction in ammonia emissions and the creation of more open, animal-friendly farms.&nbsp;



“It’s usually assumed that cattle are not capable of controlling defecation or urination,” said co-author Jan Langbein, an animal psychologist at the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) in Germany. “Cattle, like many other animals or farm animals are quite clever and they can learn a lot. Why shouldn’t they be able to learn how to use a toilet?”



The research team, consisting of scientists from FBN, FLI (Germany) and the University of Auckland (New Zealand) used both positive and negative reinforcement when attempting to potty-train16 calves. They termed the process MooLoo training.



Initially, the calves were kept in the latrine area and rewarded each time they urinated. When the calves had learned to associate urination in the latrine with a reward, the researchers allowed the calves to enter the latrine of their own volition whenever they needed to urinate. Once again, calves that behaved appropriately were rewarded. In addition, those individuals urinating outside the latrine were exposed to an unpleasant and discouraging experience.



“As a punishment we first used in-ear headphones and we played a very nasty sound whenever they urinated outside,” said Langbein. “We thought this would punish the animals - not too aversively - but they didn’t care. Ultimately, a splash of water worked well as a gentle deterrent.”



After a few weeks, 11 of the 16 calves had successfully learned to use a latrine. This is a complex process for calves and involves self-control, an awareness of a full bladder, the ability to override natural excretory reflexes, the selection of a latrine and, lastly, the conscious relaxation of the sphincter muscles to allow urination. The researchers were impressed that the calves showed a level of learning comparable to that of children during potty-training



Now that they have had success in training calves to use a latrine, the researchers want to test their training system on real cattle farms, both those that use indoor housing and those where cows are kept outside. Langbein says he hopes that in a few years, all cows will go to a toilet.



---



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

Toilet training cows may reduce ammonia emissions

Farming cows has its disadvantages, particularly when it comes to...

Sea ice reduction in the Arctic caused by global warming diminishes the genetic diversity of polar bears, according to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>. By isolating polar bear groups from one another, sea ice melting forces the bears to inbreed, which gradually decreases their genetic differentiation.&nbsp;&nbsp;



A team of Norwegian researchers funded by the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research and the World Wildlife Fund analyzed DNA samples from 622 polar bears in the archipelago of Svalbard in Norway. The experts discovered a 3 to 10 percent loss in their genetic diversity from 1995 to 2016. According to the scientists, this loss of diversity is caused by inbreeding. The shrinking of polar bears’ habitats due to sea ice melting is isolating different groups of bears, reducing thus their mating possibilities and forcing them to inbreed.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The magnitude and rate of loss of genetic diversity and gene flow that we observed is alarming considering that polar bears have historically shown relatively little genetic differentiation even on a global scale, but now are facing increasingly strong climatic selective pressure,” the scientists reported.&nbsp;



The loss of genetic diversity within isolated populations of polar bears was accompanied by an almost 200 percent increase in genetic differentiation between regions, showing that polar bears are starting to form several genetic subpopulations which become increasingly different from one another.&nbsp;



In the future, the effects of climate change on polar bears’ populations may be even more drastic. Increased levels of isolation might ultimately cause a phenomenon called “inbreeding depression,” a significant reduction of the survival and fertility rates of offspring born from genetically related parents. Such a phenomenon can strongly endanger a population’s ability to survive and reproduce, bringing it to the brink of extinction.



Further research is needed to develop conservation strategies for endangered species such as these. “Our study shows that tracking of temporal population-genetic changes will become important for our understanding of how polar bears and other ice-dependent species may cope with rapid habitat fragmentation and loss in the Arctic and Antarctic,” concluded the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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

Sea ice loss forces polar bears to inbreed

Sea ice reduction in the Arctic caused by global warming...

Looking at the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/95-percent-of-ocean-could-become-inhospitable-this-century/">ocean</a> and other "blue spaces" can instantly improve your body image, according to a recent study led by Professor Viren Swami of <a href="https://aru.ac.uk/international/english-language-support">Anglia Ruskin University</a>. The researchers found that after looking at pictures of seascapes, study participants felt significantly better about their appearance.



Images of green landscapes were also linked to healthier body image, but the effect was found to be much stronger when individuals were presented photographs of blue spaces including the sky or the ocean.&nbsp;



In a previous study published in the journal Body Image, Professor Swami explained that there are several reasons why exposure to nature could help people feel happier about their bodies.



"It might be that it distances people, physically and mentally, from appearance-focused situations that are one of the causes of negative body image," said Professor Swami. "It is also possible that exposure to environments with depth and complexity restricts negative appearance-related thoughts."&nbsp;



"More specifically, natural environments effortlessly hold your attention - a process known as 'soft fascination.' This is often accompanied by feelings of pleasure, such as when you are drawn to the sight of a setting sun."



"An environment that does not require undivided attention may provide people with cognitive quiet, which in turn may foster self-compassion such as respecting your body and appreciating it is part of a wider ecosystem requiring protection and care."



"Access to nature may also mean that individuals spend more time outdoors engaging in activities that focus attention on the body's functionality rather than aesthetics."



The current study was focused on 168 volunteers who were assigned to one of three groups. The first group was presented with high-resolution images of green spaces, the second group was shown blue spaces, and the third group viewed pictures of buildings.



Before and after viewing the photographs, the participants completed a questionnaire to measure their body appreciation. The volunteers agreed or disagreed with statements such as “Right now, I respect my body."



Professor Swami said that given the fact that not everyone has access to nature, it is important to find ways of bringing nature to everyone.



“Our study shows it may be possible to develop low-cost intervention programs by using images of the natural world. These programs could promote healthier body image across diverse populations, including those with limited access to real nature perhaps due to health reasons or where they live.”



The results of the study were presented at the British Science Festival in Chelmsford.&nbsp;



---



By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Looking at blue spaces can instantly improve body image

Looking at the ocean and other "blue spaces" can instantly...

Climate change presents some detrimental obstacles to fragile coral reefs such as heat-related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/corals-put-up-a-colorful-shield-after-bleaching/">bleaching</a>, but new research shows that some coral communities are evolving to become more heat tolerant as ocean temperatures rise.&nbsp;



A new study investigated the impact of heat stress on the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA), and discovered that despite 75 percent of the coral reef being damaged by a heatwave in 2003, a later heatwave in 2010 was far less damaging.&nbsp;



A 2015-2016 heatwave that was twice as strong as the 2003 example was almost half as damaging, with just 40 percent of coral cover loss.&nbsp;



“We’re seeing areas that were devoid of corals after 2002-2003 that are now flourishing with most of the original species,” said study lead author Michael Fox, a coral reef ecologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).



“It’s easy to lose faith in coral reefs. But in PIPA, which is protected from local stressors, and where reefs have enough time to recover between heatwaves, the coral populations are doing better than expected.”



The researchers believe that this is the result of heat-tolerant offspring from surviving corals that are repopulating the reefs. By studying the surviving corals, the researchers hope that they can improve coral reef conservation efforts.



The investigation took place across four islands within PIPA, using satellite data and temperature loggers to study coral communities across 400,000 square kilometers.&nbsp;



“The protected area gives us a rare opportunity to study pristine and isolated coral reef ecosystems, a privilege for which we thank the people of Kiribati,” explained study co-author Anne Cohen.&nbsp;



Dr. Lizzie Mcleod, who was not involved in the study, leads global reef work at the Nature Conservancy. She said the findings are important for giving us hope for the future of coral reefs, and also for helping to maintain support for protecting reefs, including efforts to reduce local threats like pollution that undermine the reefs’ ability to adapt.



Dr. Mcleod recommends that conservationists prioritize saving these heat-tolerant reefs, as they could help repopulate other sites damaged by future heatwaves. However, the study authors are being careful to not being too optimistic, explaining that even these evolving corals have their limits.&nbsp;



“We’re in a race against time, so anything that increases the chances that corals are going to make it is really good news,” said marine biologist Nancy Knowlton of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. “The corals are doing their part. We have to do ours.”



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



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

Some coral communities are doing better than expected

Climate change presents some detrimental obstacles to fragile coral reefs...

The summer of 2021 is the hottest on record in the United States, according to the latest climate report from <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">NOAA</a>. The average temperature this summer in the contiguous U.S. was 74.0 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 2.6 degrees above average in the last 126 years of record keeping.



According to NOAA, this technically exceeds the record heat of the 1936 Dust Bowl Summer, but the difference is extremely small - less than 0.01 of a degree.



"A record 18.4 percent of the contiguous U.S. experienced record-warm temperatures. California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Utah each reported their warmest summer on record, as 16 other states had a top-five warmest summer on record," states NOAA.



The news comes shortly after July 2021 was established as being the world's hottest month ever. Many states throughout the country experienced both record heat and rainfall.&nbsp;



Summer of 2021 will be remembered as a season of deadly extremes, including severe weather, flash flooding, record wildfires, and tropical cyclones.&nbsp;



"Devastating flash flooding and fatalities resulted from multiple events during August including Tropical Storm Fred in western North Carolina, convective flooding from a complex of storms across middle Tennessee, Hurricane Ida across Louisiana and portions of the Northeast in early September and from Tropical Storm Henri, also across parts of the Northeast. With 35 fatalities accounted for during August, it was the deadliest month for flooding across the U.S. since Hurricane Harvey in 2017," the report states.&nbsp;



"Wildfires continued to spread across the western U.S. during August as the Dixie Fire in north-central California became the second-largest fire in the state’s history. The Caldor Fire also in California grew rapidly during August, threatening South Lake Tahoe communities. Air quality remained a concern across the U.S. as ash and fine particulates from the many wildfires obscured the skies."



In June, NOAA and NASA released a study which found that Earth's atmosphere is trapping an "unprecedented" amount of heat - with the planet's energy imbalance approximately doubling from 2005 to 2019.



"Continued increases in concentrations of well-mixed greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere and the long time-scales time required for the ocean, cryosphere, and land to come to thermal equilibrium with those increases result in a net gain of energy, hence warming, on Earth," explained the study authors.



"Most of this excess energy (about 90 percent) warms the ocean, with the remainder heating the land, melting snow and ice, and warming the atmosphere."



The rapid changes are partially due to natural variability, but are primarily driven by human-caused global warming that is associated with greenhouse gas emissions. From the record heat wave that struck the Pacific Northwest in late June to the rapid intensification of Hurricane Ida, scientists warn that these trends will continue alongside human-caused global warming.



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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

Summer 2021 was the hottest ever in the contiguous U.S.

The summer of 2021 is the hottest on record in...

The chief editors of 17 health journals based around the world have simultaneously published an editorial in 233 international journals to address the climate crisis.&nbsp;The report makes an urgent appeal to world leaders to limit rising temperatures, halt the destruction of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/investing-in-nature-is-needed-to-avoid-the-next-pandemic/">nature</a>, and to restore biodiversity and protect health.



At a time when the world has been focused on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors of the editorial warn that the health impacts of climate change combined with the consequences of extreme weather events and the widespread degradation of ecosystems could be far more severe than the current pandemic.&nbsp;



According to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, the risks posed by climate change could dwarf those of any single disease.&nbsp;



"The COVID-19 pandemic will end, but there is no vaccine for the climate crisis. The IPCC report shows that every fraction of a degree hotter endangers our health and future. Similarly, every action taken to limit emissions and warming brings us closer to a healthier and safer future," said Dr. Ghebreyesus.



This warning comes just prior to the UN General Assembly meeting which is one of the last international meetings to be held before the (COP26) climate conference in Glasgow, UK, in November. It is thus an appropriate time to urge the leaders of all countries to develop workable strategies to honor the goals of the Paris Agreement.&nbsp;



The editorial authors state that the greatest threat to global public health in the future is the continued failure of world leaders to take adequate action to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5°C.



While there have been some recent commitments to reduce emissions and protect biodiversity, these fall far short of what is needed. The editorial urges governments worldwide to develop credible short- and long-term plans to limit global warming and to invest in the transformation of societies and economies. For example, there needs to be significant redesign of transport systems, cities, production and distribution of food, markets for financial investments, and health systems. These changes would bring much needed jobs, cleaner air, better health for citizens, improved housing and better-quality food.



According to the authors of the editorial, the global action needed would only be realized if high-income countries were to reduce their own consumption and support the initiatives in less developed countries. Developed countries have an outstanding commitment to provide $100 billion a year which, if fulfilled, would increase climate funding for less-developed countries that often bear the brunt of climate change catastrophes.&nbsp;



The impacts of climate change are disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable of populations in less-developed countries, including children, the elderly, ethnic minorities, poverty-stricken communities and those with underlying health conditions. With this in mind, the editorial suggests that money should be provided to low-income countries in the form of grants, and that the debts of these countries should be relieved so that climate change organizations on the ground can operate without constraints.&nbsp;



Global warming affects all people on earth and the recent IPCC report shows that, until the world has reached net-zero greenhouse gases, the planet will continue to warm. It is the responsibility of governments to seize this opportunity to propose and plan ambitious climate goals in order to limit temperature rise and reduce the impact of a warming planet.



“As health professionals, we must do all we can to aid the transition to a sustainable, fairer, resilient, and healthier world,” wrote the experts. “We, as editors of health journals, call for governments and other leaders to act, marking 2021 as the year that the world finally changes course.”



Professor Lukoye Atwoli, Editor-in-Chief of the East Africa Medical Journal, and one of the co-authors of the editorial, noted that while low- and middle-income countries have historically contributed less to climate change, they bear an inordinate burden of the adverse effects, including on health. "We therefore call for equitable contributions whereby the world’s wealthier countries do more to offset the impact of their actions on the climate, beginning now, and continuing into the future.”



“Health professionals have been on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis and they are united in warning that going above 1.5C and allowing the continued destruction of nature will bring the next, far deadlier crisis," said Dr Fiona Godlee, Editor-in-Chief of&nbsp;The BMJ. "Wealthier nations must act faster and do more to support those countries already suffering under higher temperatures. 2021 has to be the year the world changes course - our health depends on it.”



Seye Abimbola,&nbsp;Editor-in-Chief of&nbsp;BMJ Global Health, said:&nbsp;“What we must do to tackle pandemics, health inequities, and climate change is the same - global solidarity and action that recognize that, within and across nations, our destinies are inextricably linked, just as human health is inextricably linked to the health of the planet.”



HE Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, emphasized that every country must pursue an ambitious target to curb greenhouse gas emissions to keep the global temperature-rise below 1.5ºC. "Developed nations should facilitate the green recovery of the CVF-V20 countries. Dedicated support is required for reducing the cost of capital and encouraging private sector participation. Strict implementation of the Paris Agreement is the only way to check global emissions and thereby global warming. The time to take action to save the planet is not tomorrow, but today."



The editorial has been published in medical, nursing and public health journals around the world. These include The BMJ,<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/">&nbsp;The Lancet</a>,&nbsp;the&nbsp;New England Journal of Medicine, the&nbsp;East African Medical Journal, the&nbsp;Chinese Science Bulletin, the&nbsp;National Medical Journal of India, the&nbsp;Medical Journal of Australia, and 50 BMJ specialist journals including&nbsp;BMJ Global Health&nbsp;and&nbsp;Thorax. Never before have so many journals joined forces to publish the same message.



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

Climate editorial calls for urgent action by world leaders

The chief editors of 17 health journals based around the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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