Natural,Environment,Climate-neutral,Long-term,Emissions,Strategy,Net,Zero,2050,Carbon

Balancing cleaner air with rising incomes is not a luxury question for developing countries. It is a real-world, and real-life, policy problem that shapes health, jobs, and the future of their cities.



A new <a href="https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0217590825500304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> lays out when zero emissions can go hand in hand with steady <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-will-cut-world-gdp-by-a-staggering-40-percent-if-nothing-changes/">growth</a>, even when governments rely on foreign aid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zero-emissions-and-economic-growth">Zero emissions and economic growth</h2>



The work comes from <a href="https://tus.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/hideo-noda" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hideo Noda</a> at the Tokyo University of Science (<a href="https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TUS</a>) with coauthor Fengqi Fang, a Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration from the Graduate School of Business Administration at TUS. 



The team builds a simple but testable way to check if a country can hit zero net <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-trade-is-fueling-a-dangerous-rise-in-methane-emissions/">emissions</a> while its economy keeps expanding.



They also verify the model numerically using real world style parameters so it is not just a chalkboard exercise. 



The paper connects theory to a specific United Nations target on decoupling growth from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5c-is-almost-certainly-out-of-reach/">environmental damage</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zero-emissions-models">Zero emissions models</h2>



First, the authors define a zero-emissions <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/net-zero-coalition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">policy</a> as keeping net pollution at zero at every point in time, by matching abatement to emissions. That requires money, technology, and clear rules to assign who pays.



They run two versions of the economy. 



One is a public goods <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/stantcheva/files/lecture8.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> where government services like roads or schools lift private production for everyone at once, a standard growth <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/261726" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> introduced by Robert Barro in 1990. 



The second adds <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-will-climate-change-hit-hardest-global-index-reveals-vulnerability/">congestion</a>, where more people share the same public services so the boost per person shrinks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-minimum-income-rule">Minimum income rule</h2>



The key test is whether gross domestic product (<a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GDP</a>) per capita rises above a minimum income threshold so a country can fully clean what it emits. 



The authors call this the kindergarten rule level of abatement, as in: “clean-up what you make dirty.”



"Following the Kindergarten rule means implementing zero emission technologies in either finite time or asymptotically," noted M. Scott Taylor and William Brock in their related <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w9597" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>. 



This frame anchors the new threshold concept for developing countries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aid-supports-clean-income-growth">Aid supports clean income growth</h2>



Many low income governments fund services with official development assistance (<a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/policy-issues/official-development-assistance-oda.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ODA</a>), so the model lets outside aid pay for both cleaning and public services. 



That design reflects classic work showing how aid aimed at productive public services can shift long run growth.



In related <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304387806000290" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">theory</a>, flexible labor and aid tied to public capital influence the path of output and welfare. The new paper extends this logic to pollution control that must be paid for every year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-income-threshold">Changing income threshold</h2>



The threshold depends on clean technology, population size, and how much aid is fixed to environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/expanding-oil-and-gas-fields-threaten-global-climate-goals/">uses</a>. Better abatement technology lowers the income bar because each dollar of cleanup removes more pollution.



Population matters differently across the two models. In the public goods case, a larger labor force can raise growth because services scale with the economy, while in the congestion case that scale effect drops out as services get diluted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taxes-and-zero-emissions-targets">Taxes and zero emissions targets</h2>



The model also looks at tax policy, focusing on a labor income tax that finances services. 



There is a tax rate that maximizes the growth of income per person, and under both models governments can reach the needed income threshold in finite time if they choose that growth maximizing rate.



Public services that complement private capital are the link. When governments tax and spend on those services efficiently, private firms produce more and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-economies-can-grow-while-cutting-emissions/">economy climbs</a> to the income level that makes full abatement feasible.



"Both models indicate that implementing the zero-emissions policy is compatible with sustainable economic growth," wrote Noda. 



They also show the kindergarten rule threshold is higher with congestion than without it, so crowding of public services slows the crossing.



"We call this threshold the kindergarten rule level of pollution abatement in terms of GDP per capita," wrote Noda. The result gives policymakers a clear income target, not just a slogan about decoupling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-growth-and-sdgs">Income growth and SDGs</h2>



Target 8.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (<a href="https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SDGs</a>) asks countries to decouple growth from environmental degradation. 



The authors argue their framework helps explain when that is possible in practice, and how policy levers change the timing.



The UN defines the <a href="https://metadata.un.org/sdg/8.4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">target</a> as improving resource efficiency and decoupling growth from environmental harm through 2030. The paper’s threshold view fits that mandate with a concrete yardstick.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-results-still-matter">Why results still matter</h2>



Earlier <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652621009112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> in the same research stream focused on developed, innovation-driven economies and showed that zero emissions could be achieved alongside continued growth. 



That study examined whether sustained economic expansion could occur while also maintaining <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-net-zero-world-will-require-75-trillion-of-investment-and-1-billion-electric-cars/">zero net pollution emissions</a>.



The new paper shows the same compatibility can hold in aid dependent settings where innovation is not the main growth engine. 



That extension fills a real gap, because many low income countries face tighter fiscal and technological limits.



Build or buy cleaner technology so the threshold falls. Treat tied aid for environmental programs as a growth tool and not just a cost center.



Set tax policy to raise the growth rate of income per person, then sustain it long enough to pass the threshold. Guard against congestion by scaling services with population, so gains are not diluted.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0217590825500304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Singapore Economic Review</a>.



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Net-zero emissions and rising income levels can both be achieved simultaneously

Balancing cleaner air with rising incomes is not a luxury question for developing countries. It is a real-world, and real-life, policy problem that shapes health, jobs, and the future of their cities. A new study lays out when zero emissions can go hand in hand with steady growth, even when governments rely on foreign aid. Zero emissions and economic growth The work comes from Hideo Noda at the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) with coauthor Fengqi Fang, a Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration from the Graduate School...

The growing conversation around microplastics is shining a light on an unsettling possibility: these tiny plastic particles may be accumulating in the human brain. Some researchers suspect that they could be related to certain mental health challenges and cognitive setbacks.



After reviewing evidence from recent publications, experts are urging further investigation into how processed food could introduce plastic fragments into our bodies.



One of those experts, Dr. Nicholas Fabiano from the <a href="https://www.uottawa.ca/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Ottawa</a>, emphasizes the potential health implications of ingesting significant amounts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-in-the-brain-alarming-new-details-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microplastics</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-microplastics-enter-our-brain">How microplastics enter our brain</h2>



Our environment is full of plastic debris, much of it invisible to the naked eye. High-quality laboratory tests have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39901044/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">confirmed</a> that humans are exposed through diverse routes, including diet and air inhalation.



Researchers note that once these particles enter the bloodstream, they may find a path into our central nervous system. 



Some believe that the physical presence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dementia-patients-have-higher-levels-of-microplastics-in-their-brains/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic</a> fragments could disturb neurons and biochemical processes in ways we have yet to understand.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-processed-food-may-increase-plastic-intake">Processed food may increase plastic intake</h2>



Ultra-processed products often involve industrial techniques that can introduce more synthetic elements during manufacturing. Experts believe that this could be a major source of plastic exposure.



Efforts to measure <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-infiltrating-the-human-body-even-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic</a> concentrations in popular snack items have drawn attention to how easily particles might be consumed on a routine basis. 



Many researchers hope that a comprehensive index will make it easier to figure out who is at greatest risk based on eating habits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microplastics-persist-in-the-body">Microplastics persist in the body </h2>



Examining blood and tissue samples suggests these tiny plastic bits can reside in the body for unknown lengths of time. Some laboratory models hint that chronic exposure might trigger localized inflammation or oxidative stress in sensitive areas, such as the brain.



In one exploratory effort, <a href="https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm025c.0020/article-10.61373-bm025c.0020.xml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">specialists</a> tested whether certain blood-filtering methods might remove plastic fragments from circulation. Although the results are tentative, this approach could pave the way for more targeted removal strategies if future trials confirm effectiveness.



“We’re seeing converging evidence that should concern us all,” said Dr. Fabiano. Some professionals believe that the combination of shifting dietary habits and rising plastic contamination calls for better public health guidelines.



“What emerges from this work is not a warning. It is a reckoning,” wrote <a href="https://www.upstate.edu/psych/faculty.php?empID=wongma" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Ma-Li Wong</a>. Her viewpoint underscores the urgency of addressing these invisible contaminants.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-plastic-contamination-risks">Rising plastic contamination risks</h2>



Many experts recommend practical steps for reducing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-linked-to-health-issues-including-cancer-and-infertility/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exposure</a>. Replacing plastic water bottles with glass or stainless steel, avoiding plastic-wrapped microwave meals, and focusing on fresher meal choices may lower the daily load of plastic shards.



Cutting back on products that involve excessive packaging could also prove beneficial. While these adjustments may seem minor, they represent deliberate actions to limit what goes into our bodies over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microplastics-and-brain-health">Microplastics and brain health</h2>



Some nutrition researchers are concerned that chronic intake of plastic contaminants might heighten the risk of emotional difficulties. <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2809727" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a> that link highly processed foods to depressive symptoms have raised questions about the role synthetic compounds may play.



Though the mental health impact of these contaminants is not yet fully established, the topic has captured the attention of psychiatrists and neurologists. They hope to see long-term population studies that evaluate dietary patterns, measured plastic exposures, and overall brain function.



Calls for more transparent food labeling are growing louder. If scientific research confirms a direct link between microplastics and cognitive health, consumers may demand stricter rules on packaging materials and clearer disclosure of what is in their snacks.



Scientists across multiple disciplines plan to collaborate on large-scale projects that track exposure levels. This combined effort could help clarify how microplastic buildup is distributed in different body systems and how those particles may intersect with individual vulnerabilities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-minimizing-the-health-risks-of-microplastics">Minimizing the health risks of microplastics </h2>



Some food companies have started experimenting with compostable packaging, hoping to curb plastic intrusion at the source. Others are working on new processing technologies that reduce reliance on conventional polymers.



Health advocates argue that incremental progress is better than no progress at all. They note that a shift in manufacturing practices could lighten the burden placed on our bodies and our planet.



Individuals can play a part by staying up to date on recommendations from trusted health organizations. Policy developments, consumer choices, and scientific findings will likely continue to shape how we address microplastic contamination.



Researchers suggest that listening to new data and making modest lifestyle tweaks are constructive steps. 



Whether it’s switching to a reusable water bottle or urging local shops to offer plastic-free alternatives, each act adds momentum to a broader movement toward minimizing plastic infiltration.



The study is published in <a href="https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm025g.0062/article-10.61373-bm025g.0062.xml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brain Medicine</a>.



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Microplastics in human brains may affect mental health

The growing conversation around microplastics is shining a light on...

Forests have long stood as symbols of hope in climate battles. Towering pines, lush rainforests, and dense boreal woodlands seemed to hold the answer to our rising emissions. Their leaves breathed in carbon dioxide. Their roots locked carbon in the soil. Their presence offered comfort in a warming world.



But this story is quickly unraveling. Climate change, once held at bay by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-forests-2024-new-solutions-for-a-better-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nature’s resilience</a>, is now overwhelming the very systems built to contain it. Fires rage through continents. Smoke blots out skies. And the forests we once trusted as guardians have begun releasing more carbon than they store.



A recent policy brief by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (<a href="https://unu.edu/inweh" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNU‑INWEH</a>) confronts this urgent shift. 



The report delivers a stark warning. Forests, especially in fire-prone zones, are not guaranteed allies anymore.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-are-releasing-more-carbon">Forests are releasing more carbon</h2>



The brief reveals how some forests are now “super‑emitters.” This term refers to landscapes that release massive amounts of carbon due to intense, frequent wildfires. These include boreal forests in the Arctic, stretches of the Amazon, and woodlands across Australia.



Despite this shift, many global carbon policies remain stuck in the past. Voluntary carbon markets still reward <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-orangutan-day-2024-protecting-the-people-of-the-forest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tree</a> planting without considering how heat, drought, and pests are reshaping forest dynamics



“Planting trees is no longer enough - warming, drought‑stressed forests can flip into vast carbon sources when they burn. Forest policy must move from static protection to dynamic risk management,” noted Dr. Ju Hyoung Lee, lead author of the report.



Tree planting, once considered a reliable fix, can now backfire. In regions suffering from water stress, planting more trees might create dense fuel loads. These become dangerous when combined with dry soil, hot temperatures, and wind.



A spark in such an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-are-still-fighting-climate-change-against-all-odds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environment</a> can undo years of carbon reduction in a matter of days.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tree-planting-programs-ignore-wildfire-risks">Tree planting programs ignore wildfire risks</h2>



The scientists emphasized that carbon-offset programs need to evolve. It's not enough to reward the act of planting. These programs must assess forest longevity and vulnerability. Drought, heatwaves, and pest infestations make it harder for forests to thrive, and easier for them to ignite.



Right now, many policies operate on fixed assumptions. They treat forests as stable, slow-changing entities. But reality no longer matches these models. A tree that grows in 2025 might burn before 2035. Without dynamic monitoring, carbon markets risk crediting projects that increase emissions.



According to the brief, more localized assessments are crucial. Hydrological factors like rainfall levels and soil conditions should guide decisions. So should projections of future droughts and temperature <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-face-rising-damage-risks-as-their-diversity-dwindles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extremes</a>. 



Forest health isn't just about what we plant, but where and how it's maintained over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-help-detect-at-risk-forests">Satellites help detect at-risk forests</h2>



Technology offers a path forward. The authors call for better integration of satellite data in forest management. Earth observation tools can detect shifts in tree health, soil moisture, and canopy density. This data, collected in near real-time, provides an early warning system for fire risk.



“Forests are our powerful allies against climate change - but only if we manage them as living, dynamic systems. By coupling satellite data with proactive management, we can prevent fires from erasing decades of carbon‑reduction progress,” noted Professor Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU‑INWEH.



This isn’t just about prevention. It’s about transparency and smart policy design. If a forested area faces rising fire threats, it shouldn’t earn carbon credits the same way a more resilient area does. 



Policies must reflect changing realities. With satellite monitoring, decisions can stay rooted in evidence, not assumptions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forest-fire-risks-and-carbon-storage">Forest fire risks and carbon storage</h2>



The UNU-INWEH policy brief identifies a dangerous mismatch. On one side, global warming is accelerating wildfire risks. On the other, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-forests-which-tree-species-can-survive-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> markets act as if forests are immune to change.



This disconnect has serious consequences. Carbon pricing models and credit verification systems often fail to account for fire-related emissions. 



Even the Paris Agreement and voluntary carbon initiatives continue to rely on static forest data. They rarely measure how likely a forest is to survive the next decade without burning.



Tree-planting campaigns in arid regions, especially those with degraded soil, often overlook this. In such environments, forestation might offer little carbon benefit and even invite disaster. When trees dry out, they become fuel. 



Fires that sweep through them don’t just burn wood - they release all the carbon those trees once held.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adaptive-strategies-for-a-warming-climate">Adaptive strategies for a warming climate</h2>



The policy brief recommends more than just updated monitoring. It suggests rethinking which actions count as carbon mitigation. In certain regions, the best approach may involve less planting and more managing.



Controlled harvesting can reduce tree density and remove dry biomass. In some cases, carefully managed grazing helps maintain soil moisture and stops flammable shrubs from spreading. These methods may seem counterintuitive, but under certain conditions, they prevent bigger losses.



This isn't a call to abandon forests. It’s a call to respect their complexity. When managed well, they can still absorb carbon and support biodiversity. But when misunderstood or left vulnerable, they can undo climate progress in weeks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-creating-a-global-monitoring-platform">Creating a global monitoring platform</h2>



To support better decision-making, UNU-INWEH urges the creation of a dedicated global platform. This system would channel near-real-time satellite data into both voluntary carbon markets and fire management programs.



Such a platform would allow stakeholders - governments, corporations, and NGOs - to adapt strategies as conditions change. It would also bring much-needed accountability. Projects could be evaluated not just at the start, but throughout their lifespan.



The report envisions a future where carbon finance aligns with ecosystem health. To reach that future, we need to move from static carbon accounting to dynamic, informed planning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-need-smarter-carbon-policies">Forests need smarter carbon policies</h2>



The climate era has changed the rules. Forests cannot be treated as unshakable allies. They are living systems, shaped by drought, pests, and fire. 



If we continue using outdated assumptions, we risk turning climate solutions into climate threats.



As the UNU-INWEH report makes clear, real progress depends on embracing complexity. With better data, smarter policies, and an adaptive mindset, forests can still help us fight climate change. But we must protect them as much from policy failures as from flames.



Read the entire study <a href="https://collections.unu.edu/view/UNU:10167" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



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Some forests are now releasing more carbon than they store

Forests have long stood as symbols of hope in climate...

Scenery,Of,The,Ice,Floe,Area,Of,The,Arctic,Ocean,

For years, climate scientists have struggled to explain the warming of the Arctic and why it is heating up three to four times faster than the planet as a whole. 



Traditional climate models capture some of that “Arctic amplification,” but they still fall short of the temperature spikes involving clouds which have been recorded in recent decades.



A new study from Kyushu University points the finger at an unlikely culprit: mixed-phase <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-and-arctic-ice-clouds-an-unexpected-connection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clouds</a> that behave like a thermal blanket during the polar night, trapping more heat than most models assume.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-arctic-s-thermal-blanket-matters"><a></a>Why the Arctic’s thermal blanket matters</h2>



Mixed-phase clouds - low-lying decks that contain both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-dust-plays-a-hidden-role-in-accelerating-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice crystals</a> and supercooled liquid droplets - dominate Arctic skies. 



In summer, when the sun never sets, they act like a parasol, reflecting incoming sunlight back into space and slowing surface warming.



In winter, when sunlight fades for weeks, those same clouds flip their role. With no solar rays to reflect, they trap long-wave radiation emitted by the ice and ocean below and reradiate it downward, warming the surface.



“However, how well these mixed-phase clouds trap heat depends on their ratio of ice to liquid,” explained lead author Momoka Nakanishi, a graduate researcher at <a href="https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kyushu University</a>.



“The more liquid water the clouds contain, the better they are at trapping heat. But many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-temperature-increase-2023-blew-past-all-climate-models/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate models</a> have a large bias in representing this ratio, causing incorrect predictions.”



Nakanishi and her adviser, associate professor Takuro Michibata of Kyushu University’s Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, suspected that inaccurate cloud physics might be hiding a large chunk of the Arctic’s missing heat.



To test the idea, they examined 30 leading climate models and compared their simulated wintertime cloud properties with a decade of satellite observations over the polar seas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ice-heavy-models-miss-today-s-heat"><a></a>Ice-heavy models miss today’s heat</h2>



The comparison yielded a stark result: 21 of the 30 models over-predicted the proportion of ice crystals relative to liquid droplets in Arctic winter clouds. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-new-class-of-ice-called-ice-0/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ice-heavy clouds</a> emit less infrared radiation back to the surface than liquid-rich ones, so models with too much ice systematically underestimate the present-day greenhouse effect of clouds.



“These ice-dominant models are not properly accounting for the present-day warming potential of the clouds during the winter. That’s why they cannot account for the rapid warming we are currently seeing,” Nakanishi said.



By adjusting the models to match observed ice-to-liquid ratios, the researchers closed much of the gap between simulated and observed warming. 



The finding suggests that fine-scale cloud microphysics - droplet nucleation, crystal growth, and the freezing of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unexpected-beauty-revealed-in-ice-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">super-cooled water</a> - hold outsized influence over regional climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-arctic-clouds-on-the-ceiling">Warming Arctic: Clouds on the ceiling</h2>



Paradoxically, the same modeling error means many simulations may overstate future warming. In a warmer Arctic, mixed-phase clouds naturally shift toward higher liquid content, enhancing their heat-trapping ability in a mechanism known as cloud emissivity feedback.



But there is a ceiling: once a cloud becomes mostly liquid, it behaves like a near-perfect blackbody, fully absorbing and re-emitting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earthcare-reveals-the-power-of-clouds-and-aerosols/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thermal radiation</a>. Beyond that point, additional warming does not greatly increase its greenhouse effect.



Many of the surveyed models, because they start out too icy, anticipate a larger future shift toward liquid content than observations justify. 



They therefore project a stronger, longer-lasting emissivity feedback and exaggerate the Arctic’s eventual temperature rise. Correcting present-day biases narrows that projection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-global-climate-prediction"><a></a>Implications for global climate prediction</h2>



Cloud processes remain one of the largest uncertainties in climate science. “The biggest uncertainty in our forecasts is due to clouds,” Michibata said. 



“Fixing these models is essential not just for the Arctic, but for understanding its impact on weather and climate change across the globe.”



The stakes extend well beyond the high latitudes. A warmer Arctic can warp the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-accelerate-jet-stream-winds-and-airplane-turbulence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jet stream</a>, influencing extreme weather events in North America, Europe, and Asia - involving much more than clouds.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-ice-loss-alters-the-color-of-ocean-light-and-life-struggles-to-adapt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sea-ice losses</a> accelerate, opening shipping routes but also exposing darker ocean water that absorbs more heat. 



Permafrost thaws, releasing carbon and methane that further amplify warming. Getting cloud physics right will sharpen projections for all these knock-on effects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cloud-radar-helps-prevent-arctic-warming">Cloud radar helps prevent Arctic warming</h2>



The team drew on satellite data from NASA’s <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/cloudsat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CloudSat</a> and <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/calipso/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CALIPSO</a> missions, which use radar and lidar to distinguish ice and liquid layers inside clouds.



They then compared these observations with outputs from models participating in the <a href="https://wcrp-cmip.org/cmip-phases/cmip6/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6</a> (CMIP6), the same ensemble that informs the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> reports.



By ranking models according to their liquid-fraction bias, the researchers could quantify how that bias translated into temperature error.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-toward-better-microphysics"><a></a>Next steps: Toward better microphysics</h2>



Fixing the problem will require both new observations and refined parameterizations of microphysical processes inside model grid cells.



Small-scale experiments using aircraft and ground-based lidar could reveal how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-small-aerosols-influence-cloud-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aerosols</a>, humidity, and temperature cooperate to keep droplets liquid at −20 °C or colder - a common state in the Arctic. 



Incorporating those insights into global models could, in turn, tighten projections for mid-latitude storm tracks and even tropical rainfall.



For now, the study delivers a clear message: the Arctic’s runaway warming cannot be understood - or slowed - without an accurate account of what happens inside its low, grey winter clouds. Addressing that microscopic uncertainty could make a macroscopic difference for the entire planet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/olar.0089" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research</a>.



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Clouds also fuel Arctic warming, not just carbon emissions

For years, climate scientists have struggled to explain the warming...

We often picture plastic pollution floating in oceans or strewn across beaches. But a less visible, more dangerous form of pollution lies beneath us. Agricultural soil, once seen as a safe space for food growth, has become the planet’s largest reservoir of microplastics. 



A recent review from <a href="https://www.murdoch.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Murdoch University</a> reveals that these soils now contain nearly 23 times more microplastics than the oceans.



Unlike the visible bottles and bags we discard, these tiny plastic particles are microscopic and easily overlooked. Yet, they carry with them a chemical complexity that could reshape how we view food, farming and health. 



“These microplastics are turning food-producing land into a plastic sink,” noted PhD candidate Joseph Boctor, who led the study.



This contamination does not stay in the dirt. It travels through roots, into crops, and onto our plates. Without a shift in awareness and policy, the health of humans and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-soil-day-2024-protecting-our-planets-lifeline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a> may face irreversible harm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-in-agricultural-soil">Plastic in agricultural soil </h2>



One of the most disturbing findings from Boctor’s review is that these plastics may contain up to 10,000 different chemical additives. Many of them remain completely unregulated in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-pollution-is-harming-worms-and-bugs-to-an-unknown-degree/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">agricultural</a> contexts. 



These chemicals are not just inert fillers. They actively interact with the soil, the plants growing in it, and eventually, the people consuming those plants.



Plastic packaging proudly labeled “BPA-free” might provide a false sense of safety. “And BPA-free does not equal risk free,” Boctor clarifies. 



Substitute chemicals like BPF and BPS, often used in place of BPA, have been shown to cause similar or even worse endocrine disruption. These additives interfere with the body’s hormonal balance, which is critical for everything from metabolism to fertility.



Research cited in the review confirms the presence of these compounds in lettuce, wheat and carrot crops. These plastics do not need to be visible to be harmful. They move from the soil into plant tissues, continuing the cycle of contamination that begins in the field and ends in our bodies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-agricultural-soil-into-food-crops">From agricultural soil into food crops</h2>



The movement of microplastics and nanoplastics into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-plays-an-overlooked-role-in-antibiotic-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crops</a> is not hypothetical. It is now a documented fact. These particles enter plants through the roots, especially via cracks and pores, or even through a biological process known as endocytosis.



The analysis reveals that some particles can even be absorbed through leaves and move downward into the plant’s root system. This translocation means that no part of the plant is entirely safe from plastic intrusion.



The review gives an example of peanut plants, where microplastics caused a 35 percent reduction in nitrogen uptake. This decline directly affects the plant’s health and its nutritional value.



Besides impacting plant growth, these plastics interfere with key biological processes. They can hinder photosynthesis, slow down water uptake, and create oxidative stress in plant tissues. The result is a silent degradation of crop quality long before harvest.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bioplastics-in-soil-may-still-harm-crops">Bioplastics in soil may still harm crops</h2>



In response to rising concerns, some researchers and companies have turned to bioplastics. These are marketed as eco-friendly alternatives that should degrade naturally without harming the environment. But Boctor’s team cautions against blind trust in this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-changing-the-entire-earth-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solution</a>.



The researchers found that not all bioplastics are benign. Some, like PLA and PBAT, still reduce plant growth and disrupt soil microbial communities.



That means even “greener” plastics may contribute to environmental toxicity, just in a different form. This complexity suggests that replacing traditional plastic with any bioplastic is not enough.



Still, Boctor’s team has not abandoned hope. They are developing a more advanced, safe solution through their Smart Sprays Project. This involves a bioplastic-based spray that acts as a water barrier. It helps retain rainwater and reduce evaporation, without harming the soil or plants. 



Most importantly, it can be applied with existing farm equipment, making adoption easier for farmers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-agricultural-soil-pollution-is-a-global-issue">Agricultural soil pollution is a global issue</h2>



This is not a regional issue. The review compiles data from over 30 countries. Agricultural soils everywhere from Europe to Asia are affected. 



The study reveals that plastic particle densities range from a few hundred particles per kilogram in rural zones to more than 200,000 particles per kilogram in highly industrialised areas.



This widespread contamination affects not just plant health, but the entire ecosystem beneath the soil. Earthworms exposed to microplastics have shown stunted growth, impaired reproduction, and internal damage. Insects like springtails avoid soil contaminated with plastics and fail to reproduce in those environments.



The long-term effects on biodiversity could be devastating. Microplastics can alter the delicate microbial balance that keeps soil fertile. Once disrupted, this balance is hard to restore. Healthy soil is not just dirt. It is a living system, and it is now under threat from pollution we can barely see.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastics-disrupt-agricultural-soil-chemistry">Plastics disrupt agricultural soil chemistry</h2>



Microplastics alter the very chemistry of soil. They do not decompose like organic matter. Instead, they accumulate. Over time, they interfere with how carbon and nitrogen cycle through the soil.



While some types of microplastics have been shown to increase greenhouse gas emissions like methane and carbon dioxide, others may appear chemically inert. This variability makes the problem harder to study and solve. 



The one clear outcome is that microplastics reduce nitrogen fixation and interrupt the microbial activity responsible for keeping soil fertile.



Plants in plastic-contaminated soil may grow more slowly, absorb fewer nutrients, and yield less food. With nitrogen cycles disrupted, farmers may rely more on synthetic fertilisers, which create another cycle of pollution. This means a degraded soil base, poorer crops, and further contamination. It becomes an unending loop of decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastics-reach-human-food-and-organs">Plastics reach human food and organs</h2>



Contamination does not stop at the farm gate. Microplastics have been found in nearly every type of food, including fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, and seafood. Apples, according to recent data, can contain as many as 233,000 plastic particles per gram.



Adults may unknowingly ingest more than five grams of plastic every week. That is about the weight of a credit card. And this plastic does not just pass through the body. It stays. Researchers have found plastic particles in the human bloodstream, lungs, heart, semen, placenta, and even arterial plaque.



“This makes the plastic crisis unchecked, and human health exposed,” Boctor said. The scope of contamination is not only widespread but deeply personal. 



What we eat, drink, and breathe is now laced with plastic fragments. These are not just pollutants, they are intruders in our most sensitive biological systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gaps-in-regulation-and-toxicity-testing">Gaps in regulation and toxicity testing</h2>



Boctor’s review exposes glaring regulatory failures. There are no global or national limits for microplastics in agricultural soil or food. Testing is inadequate and often misleading. 



Many laboratory studies use unrealistic plastic concentrations, underestimating the threat in real-world agricultural soil settings.



Toxicity assessments tend to ignore the combined effect of additives and environmental conditions. This piecemeal approach masks the cumulative harm caused by long-term, low-dose exposure to plastic pollution.



Even regions with some regulations fall short. The <a href="https://european-union.europa.eu/index_en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Union</a> has taken steps to limit BPA use, but most plastic additives still escape oversight. In the United States, the <a href="https://www.fda.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FDA</a> has not revised BPA guidelines since 2013. In agriculture, the regulatory vacuum is even more severe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solutions-for-safe-agricultural-soil">Solutions for safe agricultural soil</h2>



Boctor’s team at the Bioplastics Innovation Hub is not waiting for regulation to catch up. They are working on alternatives designed to break down safely and nourish rather than pollute the soil. But innovation alone will not solve the problem.



“This review highlights the urgent need for coordinated scientific and regulatory efforts,” Joseph said. “Regulators, scientists and industry must collaborate to close the loopholes before plastic pollution further entrenches itself in the global food chain.”



The review is not just a warning. It is a call for immediate, united action. The soil is the foundation of life. We cannot afford to let it become a toxic reservoir. The choices we make now will determine whether future generations inherit fields of nourishment or beds of plastic.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-025-01104-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Sciences Europe</a>.



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Agricultural soil is now the world’s biggest plastic dumping ground

We often picture plastic pollution floating in oceans or strewn...

Holding global warming to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C threshold may not be enough to protect Greenland and Antarctic ice locked in place.



A new synthesis finds the “safe” temperature limit for polar ice sheets is lower than previously thought. It’s likely closer to the early 1990s level - about 1°C above pre-industrial levels - rather than the 1.5°C political target.



The analysis comes from an international team led by <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Durham University</a> and including specialists from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a> in the United Kingdom and the Universities of <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wisconsin-Madison</a> and <a href="https://www.umass.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Massachusetts Amherst</a> in the United States.



The authors drew on satellite data showing current ice loss at 370 billion tons yearly - four times faster than in the 1990s. They compared today’s trends with ancient warm periods and models projecting future ice loss over coming centuries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-level-rise-locked-in">Sea-level rise locked in</h2>



Taken together, the lines of evidence suggest that stabilizing at 1.5°C would still initiate several meters of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-much-did-sea-levels-rise-after-the-last-ice-age-alarming-new-clues-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea-level rise</a> over the coming centuries as air and ocean temperatures continue to destabilize <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-putting-many-unique-ecosystems-at-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glaciers</a>.



Greenland and Antarctica jointly store enough frozen water to lift global seas by almost 65 meters. Even partial ice loss threatens 230 million people living within one meter of today’s shoreline in coastal cities and island nations.



“There is a growing body of evidence that 1.5°C is too high for the ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica,” said lead author Chris Stokes, a professor at Durham University.



“We’ve known for a long time that some sea-level rise is inevitable over the next few decades to centuries, but recent observations of ice sheet loss are alarming, even under current climate conditions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-every-degree-matters-for-ice">Every degree matters for ice</h2>



The study stresses that halting warming sooner rather than later will make it easier to return to safer conditions.



“Limiting warming to 1.5°C would be a major achievement and this should absolutely be our focus,” Stokes said. Even if targets hold, sea levels could still rise 1 cm yearly - posing major challenges for today’s younger generations. 



“We are not necessarily saying that all is lost at 1.5°C, but we are saying that every fraction of a degree really matters for the ice sheets - and the sooner we can halt the warming the better, because this makes it far easier to return to safer levels further down the line,” he added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-from-the-past">Lessons from the past</h2>



Paleoclimate archives show that the planet’s polar ice sheets were healthier only a few decades ago. “Put another way, and perhaps it is a reason for hope, we only have to go back to the early 1990s to find a time when the ice sheets looked far healthier,” Stokes noted.



At that time, global temperatures were around 1°C above pre-industrial levels. Atmospheric carbon dioxide stood near 350 ppm, a level many scientists consider safer than today’s 424 ppm.



“Evidence recovered from past warm periods suggests that several meters of sea-level rise – or more – can be expected when global mean temperature reaches 1.5°C or higher," said co-author Andrea Dutton, a geoscientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 



She also pointed out that the longer warm temperatures persist, the greater the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/speed-of-greenland-ice-melt-confirmed-to-be-rapidly-increasing-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice melt</a> and resulting sea-level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ice-sheet-loss-outpaces-models">Ice sheet loss outpaces models</h2>



For decades, computer models struggled to reproduce the rapid ice-sheet losses now captured by satellites.



“Recent satellite-based observations of ice-sheet mass loss have been a huge wake-up call,” said co-author Jonathan Bamber from the University of Bristol.



Models haven’t captured the rapid polar ice sheet changes seen in real-world observations over the past 30 years.



“It is important to stress that these accelerating changes in the ice sheets and their contributions to sea level should be considered permanent on multi-generational timescales," said senior author Robert DeConto, a professor of geosciences at UMass Amherst.



"Even if the Earth returns to its pre-industrial temperature, it will still take hundreds to perhaps thousands of years for the ice sheets to recover."



If too much ice melts, sea-level rise could become irreversible for millennia - underscoring the urgent need to limit global warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-climate-questions-remain">Urgent climate questions remain</h2>



The authors stress that policymakers must grapple with the possibility that the Paris ceiling may be insufficient to secure coastlines. They call for more precise research to pin down a truly safe threshold, likely nearer 1°C, and urge rapid emission cuts that can eventually pull temperatures back below today’s level.



Ambassador Carlos Fuller of Belize is a veteran climate negotiator for a country already retreating from rising seas. 



“Findings such as these only sharpen the need to remain within the 1.5°C Paris Agreement limit, or as close as possible, so we can return to lower temperatures and protect our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-coastal-cities-around-the-world-could-disappear-under-rising-seas-by-2100/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coastal cities</a>,” said Fuller.



The study’s central message is stark yet actionable. Every tenth of a degree averted this century could spare future generations from centimeters - or meters - of relentless sea-level rise.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02299-w">Nature </a><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02299-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications: Earth and Environment</a>.



Image Credit: Richard Jones



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Earth's polar ice sheets can't withstand 1.5°C warming target

Holding global warming to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C threshold may...

When we think of Antarctica, we picture vast white deserts, towering glaciers, and resilient creatures like penguins surviving in the cold. But beyond the majestic icebergs and snow-covered expanses lies a much more complex picture. 



Climate change is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-are-intense-heat-waves-affecting-life-in-antarctica/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming</a> the region faster than most other parts of the planet. Sea ice is retreating. Weather patterns are shifting. And species like the Adelie penguin are under severe threat.



At first glance, penguins seem like helpless bystanders in this planetary crisis. But what if they were doing more than surviving? What if their biology and behavior - specifically their droppings - had the power to affect clouds, air chemistry, and even climate? 



New research suggests exactly that. Penguin guano, often seen as just a smelly by-product of seabird life, may play a much larger role in Antarctica’s climate than anyone expected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-penguin-poop-helps-clouds-form">Penguin poop helps clouds form</h2>



The study, led by Matthew Boyer, Mikko Sipilä, and colleagues from <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en/admissions-and-education/apply-bachelors-and-masters-programmes?mtm_campaign=Brand-All_target_countries-Helsingin_yliopisto&amp;mtm_kwd=university%20of%20helsinki&amp;mtm_source=google&amp;mtm_medium=cpc&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=1381187276&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw3MXBBhAzEiwA0vLXQT600ZXuQaYCZ0OrUzMBj1GpUFJwXxvC-WScvFbmHIvEZv6E2nLGihoCF48QAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Helsinki</a>, investigates how ammonia from penguin guano contributes to atmospheric processes in Antarctica.



The team measured ammonia concentrations at a coastal site near Marambio Base during the austral summer of 2023. They found that penguin colonies - particularly one containing around 60,000 Adelie penguins - acted as massive sources of gaseous ammonia.



Ammonia in the atmosphere is a key ingredient in forming aerosols. These particles are essential for creating cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), which allow water vapor to condense and form clouds. 



More clouds can reflect sunlight and reduce surface temperatures, making this process highly relevant for sea ice retention and climate regulation in the polar environment. But ammonia has long been underrepresented in climate models, especially in remote areas like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emergency-meeting-reveals-the-alarming-extent-of-antarcticas-ice-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Antarctica</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-lasting-ammonia-emissions">Long-lasting ammonia emissions</h2>



The study recorded ammonia levels between January 10 and March 20, 2023. When the wind blew from the penguin colony, ammonia concentrations surged to as high as 13.5 parts per billion - more than 1,000 times the background levels. 



Even after the penguins migrated at the end of February, the ornithogenic soil - enriched with guano - kept emitting ammonia for weeks.



This long-lasting emission surprised the researchers. Their data confirmed that these penguin hotspots around the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ozone-hole-may-fully-recover-by-2066/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Antarctic</a> coast could release ammonia levels comparable to those found in agricultural fields during summer. 



The emissions are not evenly spread but come in strong bursts, especially when the wind shifts direction toward nearby colonies. This means penguin guano can create regional plumes of cloud-forming particles even after the birds have left.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ammonia-triggers-cloud-forming-particles">Ammonia triggers cloud-forming particles</h2>



To assess the impact on particle formation, the researchers recorded detailed chemical data. 



On days when winds came from penguin colonies, the team observed sharp increases in both the number and size of aerosol particles. These particles eventually grew to the size needed for cloud condensation - above 30 nanometers - within a matter of hours.



On February 1, 2023, a major event occurred. A strong new particle formation (NPF) event was followed by fog at the measurement site. The researchers found that the fog formed from the same air mass rich in ammonia and sulfuric acid. 



Analysis of the cloud droplet composition revealed ammonium sulfate - a direct signature of the penguin-driven chemical processes.



The persistence of particle formation before and after the fog confirmed that this wasn’t a one-off incident. The authors believe that their work emphasizes the importance, and benefits, of protecting seabirds and their habitats from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ice-sheet-patterns-point-to-rapid-melting-risks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">effects</a> of climate change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-gases-also-boost-particle-growth">Other gases also boost particle growth</h2>



Ammonia wasn’t acting alone. Dimethylamine (DMA), another nitrogen-rich gas, was also detected in the cluster formation process. 



Although present at lower levels, DMA greatly enhances the rate at which sulfuric acid forms aerosols. Laboratory studies have shown that even tiny amounts of DMA can accelerate particle formation by factors of up to 10,000.



Interestingly, the researchers noted that sulfuric acid and ammonia dominated the cluster composition. DMA appeared only in trace quantities - just enough to stabilize clusters during early formation stages. This suggests a multicomponent mechanism, with both ammonia and DMA contributing in different ways.



Iodine oxoacids like HIO₂ and HIO₃ also played supporting roles. These compounds, sourced from ocean life and sea-ice chemistry, have been known to influence particle formation during spring and autumn. But in this summer study, ammonia and sulfur dominated the process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cloud-formation-and-regional-impacts">Cloud formation and regional impacts</h2>



New particle formation events like these are not just chemical curiosities. They affect the formation of CCN and cloud droplets.



Clouds, in turn, control how much sunlight reaches the surface and how much heat escapes into space. In the polar climate system, these clouds can mean the difference between melting ice and stable conditions.



The study’s measurements showed that penguin-driven ammonia emissions initiated a cascade of chemical events. These culminated in visible cloud formations, including fog. T



he resulting particles could last for days and travel inland or over the ocean, influencing weather patterns far beyond the colony’s location.



Cloud brightness, lifetime, and height all depend on the number of available CCN. In areas like Antarctica, where background particle levels are low, even small increases can make a noticeable difference. 



By emitting ammonia at such high levels, penguins effectively modulate local cloud properties.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fewer-penguins-mean-fewer-clouds">Fewer penguins mean fewer clouds</h2>



There’s a dark twist to this story. If penguin populations decline due to shrinking sea ice or food scarcity, their contribution to ammonia emissions will also drop. That means fewer particles, fewer clouds, and possibly faster warming.



The researchers warn that declining penguin populations could create a feedback loop. Less ice leads to fewer penguins. Fewer penguins mean less ammonia and cloud cover. That leads to even more ice loss. 



This idea is supported by earlier modeling work in the Arctic, where seabird emissions were shown to affect regional temperatures. The Antarctic case now adds real-world measurements to support similar conclusions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-penguins-quietly-shape-the-climate">Penguins quietly shape the climate</h2>



These findings reveal a remarkable complexity in the Antarctic climate system. Tiny molecules from penguin droppings can influence clouds and temperature. It’s a reminder that the Earth’s systems are interconnected in ways we’re only beginning to understand.



In places like Antarctica, where human emissions are minimal, biological processes take center stage. Penguins are not just part of the scenery. They shape the air we breathe and the clouds we see.



If we want to protect the poles - and slow global warming - we may need to start with something as simple as protecting the penguins.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02312-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Penguin poop helps form clouds that could slow Antarctic warming

When we think of Antarctica, we picture vast white deserts,...

Lake Alakol has a way of catching you off guard. One moment the eastern Kazakh steppe looks endless and austere; the next, a glassy inland sea flashes jade and indigo against pale desert grass. 



The water smells faintly briny, the wind pushes hard from the northwest, and swallows write quick loops over the breakers. Even without postcard fame, the lake feels unforgettable.



Locals have long trusted these salty swells to soothe eczema, achy knees, and winter-rough hands. Doctors in nearby Koktuma see a steady stream of visitors every June hoping the minerals can do what ointments never quite manage. 



Science is still sorting out those claims, yet the setting alone - dry air, sun, and the hush of open land - works a kind of quiet magic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-salt-silence-and-healing-water">Salt, silence, and healing water</h2>



Lake Alakol lies in a closed basin about 1,000 square miles wide, fed by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urzhar_(river)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Urzhar</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_(river)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Emil rivers</a> and cut off from every ocean. Whatever pours in stays until the sun lifts it back out; salt and other minerals remain behind. 



Over centuries that constant loop raised salinity to roughly half that of the Atlantic, enough to keep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-pushing-freshwater-fish-toward-the-poles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">freshwater fish</a> away but gentle enough for bold swimmers. 



The lake usually skins over for about two months at winter’s end, then cracks apart in early spring, leaving floating shards that sparkle like broken bottles.



Its surface size changes from year to year. A rainy spring can push the shoreline several hundred yards outward; three dry summers in a row pull it back. 



Those swings tinker with salt levels and with the algae that tint the water turquoise or rust red. People used to call that chameleon quality “the water’s mood.” 



Scientists at the <a href="https://www.esa.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Space Agency</a>, peering down with Sentinel-1 radar, now see the same shifts as color bands on monthly composites.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lake-alakol-captured-by-satellites">Lake Alakol captured by satellites</h2>



ESA analysts stacked three passes from March, April, and May 2025 and assigned them blue, green, and red. 



Where the images overlap, the ground shows up charcoal or silver; where things change - ice breaking, soil drying, crops greening - new hues flare. 



Alakol itself glowed mostly blue, proof that March ice still gripped much of the lake during the first scan. To the south, Aibi Lake in China’s Xinjiang region blushed pink where retreating water exposed salt flats in May.



The radar picture also picked out a fan-shaped burst of fields west of Alakol. Meltwater racing off the Dzungarian Alatau drops sand and silt as soon as it hits the plain, building fertile triangles perfect for wheat, onions, and apricots. 



Farmers here work narrow plots, each stage of growth marking the fan with another shade. What looks abstract from orbit translates on the ground to young rows, shoulder-high stalks, and the buzz of irrigation pumps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-also-love-lake-alakol">Birds also love Lake Alakol</h2>



Every spring, a sheet of feathers sweeps in from the south. Dalmatian pelicans cruise in first, their bills bright as fresh pumpkins. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/youll-never-guess-what-flamingos-are-doing-with-their-feet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greater flamingos</a> follow, legs stilted, shoulders hunched like old men in pink coats. 



For rare relict gulls - slate-gray wings, white eye crescents - Lake Alakol is one of the few safe nesting spots left on Earth. The birds crowd onto Ul’kun-Aral-Tyube Island, bickering over pebbly ground and guarding nests from sly foxes that swim across at night.



<a href="https://www.unesco.org/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNESCO</a> folded the lake system into its <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/mab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Man and the Biosphere Programme</a> back in 2013, noting its slot on the Central Asian Flyway. 



Ramsar added a wetland designation as well, which nudged Kazakhstan to fence off breeding zones and limit boat traffic near the islands each breeding season. 



Success shows up not in spreadsheets but in sound: a dull roar at dawn when thousands of wings clap the air at once.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-people-on-the-shore">People on the shore</h2>



Traders riding Silk Road spurs once skirted these banks, swapping Sogdian silver coins for Chinese silk bolts beneath flapping yurt doors. 



Now tourists roll in on overnight trains from Almaty, step onto the platform at Koktuma, and blink at the sudden blue horizon. They rent bikes, buy salted perch for lunch, and post sunset shots that make the water look liquid copper.



Development remains modest - guesthouses, cedar-scented saunas, a scattering of cafés - but every new pier cuts habitat a little finer. Regional officials talk of zoning rules, stronger waste controls, perhaps a cap on shoreline construction. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lake-alakol-is-at-a-crossroads">Lake Alakol is at a crossroads</h2>



Hot summers already push evaporation higher, and climate forecasts warn that snowpack in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzungarian_Alatau" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dzungarian Alatau</a> could shrink by mid-century. 



If the inflow weakens, the lake’s salt will climb, and the delicate dance of microbes, brine shrimp, and birds could stumble.



Lake Alakol’s story reads like a lesson in balance. Mineral water glints under a hard sun, birds rest on speckled islets, farmers coax green rows from fan-shaped soils, and visitors float in water dense enough to lift them like corks. 



None of those pieces can be pulled free without tugging the others loose. Stand on the shingle at dusk, feel a cool spray on your face, and the message is plain: salt and silence can endure only if we let them.



Zoom in and see more <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/05/Earth_from_Space_Alakol_the_multicoloured_lake" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">details of this magnificent lake by clicking here...</a>



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The most colorful lake in the world also has special healing powers

Lake Alakol has a way of catching you off guard....

Flooded,Mountain,Muddy,River,Valley

Until now, tracking the speed and height of dangerous river flood waves was something scientists could only do from the ground. 



A new study shows that this is changing. For the first time, satellite technology is giving researchers a better view of these powerful waves as they travel down U.S. rivers and move across the country.



Scientists from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a> and <a href="https://www.vt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virginia Tech</a> used satellite data to measure the movement of flood waves traveling down rivers across Montana, Texas, and Georgia. 



These waves, which stretched between 47 and 166 miles (76 and 267 kilometers), were triggered by heavy rainfall and a broken ice jam.



While there's no central database for river flood wave data from space, this study shows how useful satellite observations could be - especially for communities without flood control systems like levees and gates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-river-waves">Understanding river waves</h2>



Unlike ocean waves, which move steadily to shore and are shaped by wind and tides, river waves are temporary. Also called flood or flow waves, they move in sudden surges and can stretch for hundreds of miles along a water course.



These waves help transport nutrients and wildlife downstream, but they can also turn dangerous during extreme weather or dam breaks.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-waves-can-get-much-bigger-taller-than-we-ever-imagined/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean</a> waves are well known from surfing and sailing, but rivers are the arteries of the planet. We want to understand their dynamics,” said Cedric David, a hydrologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (<a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPL</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-river-flood-waves-from-space">Tracking river flood waves from space</h2>



To track these river waves, doctoral researcher Hana Thurman at Virginia Tech used data from the SWOT satellite. 



Short for Surface Water and Ocean Topography, <a href="https://swot.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SWOT</a> was launched in 2022 through a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency <a href="https://cnes.fr/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNES</a>. 



It surveys almost all of Earth’s surface water using a special radar instrument called Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn).



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/SWOT-satellite_river-flooding_monitoring_illustration_credit-CNES_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/SWOT-satellite_river-flooding_monitoring_illustration_credit-CNES_1s.webp" alt="SWOT is depicted in orbit in this artist’s concept, with sunlight glinting off one of its solar panels and both antennas of its key instrument — the Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) — extended. The antennas collect data along a swath 30 miles (50 kilometers) wide on either side of the satellite. Credit: CNES" class="wp-image-1970872"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">SWOT is depicted in orbit in this artist’s concept, with sunlight glinting off one of its solar panels and both antennas of its key instrument — the Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) — extended. The antennas collect data along a swath 30 miles (50 kilometers) wide on either side of the satellite. Click image to enlarge. Credit: CNES</figcaption></figure>



This technology measures the height and width of water bodies by bouncing microwave signals off the surface and timing how long they take to return.



“In addition to monitoring total storage of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-happens-when-rivers-jump-their-banks/">waters</a> in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lakes-are-warming-toward-the-point-of-no-return/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lakes</a> and rivers, we zoom in on dynamics and impacts of water movement and change,” explained Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, SWOT program scientist at NASA Headquarters.



Thurman wanted to know if SWOT could also detect the changes in river height that signal a wave. The answer was yes. She identified three clear examples of river waves captured from orbit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-yellowstone-crest">The Yellowstone crest</h2>



The first wave occurred on the Yellowstone River in Montana in April 2023. SWOT recorded a dramatic 9.1-foot-tall (2.8-meter-tall) crest racing toward the Missouri River. 



The crest itself peaked for about 6.8 miles (11 kilometers), and was followed by a long, trailing tail. According to Thurman, these details were only visible thanks to KaRIn’s high spatial resolution.



She also used satellite images from Sentinel-2 to investigate the cause. Her research suggests the wave was triggered by a broken ice jam that suddenly released built-up water.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heavy-rain-triggers-massive-river-waves">Heavy rain triggers massive river waves</h2>



The other two river waves were caused by runoff from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heavy-rainfall-poses-extreme-risks-in-the-western-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heavy rains</a>. One appeared on January 25, 2024, on the Colorado River near Austin, Texas. 



This wave was linked to the area’s largest flood of the year. It measured over 30 feet (9 meters) tall and stretched 166 miles (267 kilometers). It traveled about 3.5 feet (1.1 meter) per second for 250 miles (402 kilometers) before reaching Matagorda Bay.



The third wave was spotted in March 2024 on the Ocmulgee River near Macon, Georgia. 



It stood more than 20 feet (6 meters) high and extended over 100 miles (160 kilometers). It moved at about one foot (0.3 meters) per second for 124 miles (200 kilometers).



“We’re learning more about the shape and speed of flow waves, and how they change along long stretches of river,” Thurman said. “That could help us answer questions like, how fast could a flood get here and is infrastructure at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-rivers-always-recover-from-floods/">risk</a>?”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellite-data-enhances-monitoring">Satellite data enhances monitoring</h2>



Until now, engineers and water managers have mainly used stream gauges to track river waves. These devices measure water height and discharge at fixed spots. 



The U.S. Geological Survey maintains most of them across the country. But many parts of the world don’t have this kind of coverage.



“Satellite data is complementary because it can help fill in the gaps,” said study supervisor George Allen, a hydrologist and remote sensing expert at Virginia Tech.



If a stream gauge is like a toll booth counting passing cars, SWOT is like a traffic helicopter watching the whole highway. And it works. 



The speeds measured by SWOT matched those from ground-based stream gauges, proving the satellite’s accuracy.



This technology is especially useful in river basins with little to no gauge coverage. It can help researchers understand where and why flood waves form, and how they travel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-perspective-on-floods">A new perspective on floods</h2>



SWOT orbits Earth multiple times a day. It’s expected to catch more than half of all major floods at some point in their life cycle. And that can make a real difference.



“If we see something in the data, we can say something,” David said of SWOT’s potential to flag dangerous floods in the making. “For a long time, we’ve stood on the banks of our rivers, but we’ve never seen them like we are now.”



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New SWOT satellite can measure height and speed of river waves and flooding

Until now, tracking the speed and height of dangerous river...

Water,Shortage,And,Heat,In,Germany

Global temperatures for April 2025, and all of 2025 thus far, have alarmed scientists and observers around the world. New analyses show that last month ranked as the second warmest April on record, but that's only a small part of the story.



Some forecasters had anticipated a relative dip this year, but those expectations are fading fast. Earth is now on track to surpass the 1.5°C (2.7°F) threshold, laid out in the Paris Agreement, for the second year in a row.



“The recently ended <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/winter-of-extremes-how-will-la-nina-affect-weather-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">La Niña event</a> has not provided as much cooling as would typically have been expected,” clarified Robert Rohde, lead scientist at <a href="https://berkeleyearth.org/april-2025-temperature-update/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berkeley Earth</a>. 



Springtime conditions across continents reveal only modest relief, and that has drawn wide attention to persistent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming</a> patterns. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2025-global-temperature-increases">2025 global temperature increases</h2>



Studies show that April 2025 was about 1.49°C (2.68°F) warmer than the 1850–1900 average, making it nearly as hot as the record set in April 2024. 



Experts also note that 21 of the last 22 months have stayed at or above 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre-industrial levels, a threshold that has been widely seen as a critical limit.



Analysts have identified that nearly 4% of the planet’s surface experienced its highest April temperature on record this year. 



While these scorching <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2024-confirmed-as-earths-hottest-year-in-recorded-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conditions</a> varied by region, they point toward a shared warming trend that is unlikely to taper off soon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-patterns-around-the-globe">Warming patterns around the globe</h2>



Land areas posted the warmest average for April since at least 1850, marking an extremely early spike in temperature. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-broke-records-for-450-straight-days/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean surfaces</a> were not far behind, coming in as the third hottest April and offering little sign of cooling.



Some regions, such as parts of the Middle East, soared to unprecedented highs, illustrating how local warming can easily tip routine weather patterns into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-increases-as-a-direct-result-of-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">record territory</a>. 



Experts attribute these anomalies to a long-term rise in temperatures that amplifies even moderate heat events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2025-on-track-to-be-the-hottest-year-ever">2025 on track to be the hottest year ever</h2>



Scientists watch the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/mhx/ensowhat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ENSO</a>, which stands for El Niño–Southern Oscillation, because it strongly influences short-term climate trends. 



Current forecasts suggest neutral conditions may stick around through summer, though a late-year shift cannot be ruled out.



La Niña events typically bring cooler global conditions, but the most recent episode failed to deliver much relief. Many observers are now eyeing the potential for an <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">El Niño</a> phase to emerge, which could nudge global averages even higher.



Based on current trends in data, there is an 18% chance that 2025 could become the hottest year ever recorded. 



Probabilities also suggest a 53% chance that it will secure second place, with a 52% likelihood of exceeding 1.5°C (2.7°F) for the annual average.



These odds highlight how little breathing space remains in the push to keep global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-predicts-global-warmings-impact-on-extreme-weather/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperatures</a> below a 1.5°C (2.7°F) increase limit set by the <a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paris Agreement</a> in 2015. Many fear that continued highs will make it harder to reverse the momentum.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-temperatures-setting-records">Global temperatures setting records</h2>



Seasonal shifts usually pull temperatures closer to a 30-year <a href="https://parisagreementtemperatureindex.com/improved-smoothing-function-loess/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LOESS</a> running average, but the latest findings still hover near uncomfortably warm levels.



“Globally, April 2025 was the second-hottest April on record, continuing the long sequence of months over 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre-industrial," said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at <a href="https://www.ecmwf.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ECMWF</a> (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts).



"Continuous climate monitoring is an essential tool for understanding and responding to the ongoing changes of our climate system,” she emphasized.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-temperatures-also-warming-in-europe">Temperatures also warming in Europe</h2>



Europe’s average temperature in April reached about 9.38°C (48.88ºF), making it the sixth warmest April in records that extend back decades. 



Much of the continent saw above-normal readings, except for cooler patches in parts of Turkey and northeastern stretches.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ice-piracy-antarctic-glacier-discovered-stealing-ice-from-its-neighbor-and-thats-not-a-good-thing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">West Antarctica</a> followed a warming trend as well, while places in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ice-sheet-past-present-and-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">East Antarctica</a> logged lower-than-usual values. 



These contrasts highlight the planet’s complexity, where certain zones can register unseasonable chill even during a period of overall warming.



Iran also recorded its hottest April ever, breaking its previous record. This rise is linked to long-term local warming, which has increased by more than 2 °C (3.6 °F) since 1960.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-arctic-is-suffering">The Arctic is suffering</h2>



Arctic sea ice extent fell about 3% below average in April, placing it sixth lowest for the month in satellite records. This decline followed an unusual streak of record-low monthly extents earlier this year.



Antarctic sea ice sat around 10% below average, aligning with the tenth lowest extent for April. Patchy coverage around key coastal areas may influence marine ecosystems that are already under stress.



Heavy precipitation brought flooding and landslides to parts of Europe, while areas like central North America reported drier outcomes. 



Local deviations in rainfall can complicate resource management, hinting at the varied impacts tied to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-apathy-people-are-adjusting-to-global-warming-too-quickly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wider global warming</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-temperatures-are-out-of-control">Global temperatures are out of control</h2>



Experts continue to stress <a href="https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/ghg-reduction-programs-strategies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions reductions</a> as the most direct way to contain global temperature increases. 



They also emphasize adaptive strategies like <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/forest-management/vegetation-management/reforestation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reforestation</a> and coastal fortification to lessen the impacts of intensifying heat waves and shifting precipitation.



Global collaboration remains pivotal, yet each region faces its own vulnerabilities. While international agreements aim to keep warming in check, the data suggests that time is running short.



Some advocates call for accelerated funding to equip communities with clean energy and sustainable infrastructure. 



If these measures do not gain momentum soon, recent temperature milestones could become recurring markers of an ever-warming environment. 



The data was published in the journal <a href="https://berkeleyearth.org/april-2025-temperature-update/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berkeley Earth</a>.



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Earth is on pace to surpass 1.5°C temp increase for the second year in a row, passing the point of no return

Global temperatures for April 2025, and all of 2025 thus...

Bursts of convection sweeping eastward across the Indian Ocean and western Pacific keep time with sub-seasonal spikes in wildfires. From California to Korea, these bursts create dry, windy windows in which flames can race unchecked. 



A recent study led by Professor Young-Min Yang of <a href="https://www.jbnu.ac.kr/web/index.do" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jeonbuk National University</a> is the first to quantify how the <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/what-mjo-and-why-do-we-care" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Madden–Julian Oscillation</a> (MJO) - an immense 20- to 100-day tropical wave - modulates <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfire</a> activity on a planetary scale.



The international team combined 21 years of satellite fire-emission records, fire-weather indices, and re-analysis data. The study revealed that up to one-fifth of all mid-latitude wildfire events emerge during particular MJO phases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tropical-storms-and-santa-ana-winds">Tropical storms and Santa Ana winds</h2>



When the oscillation’s stormy core clusters over the eastern Indian Ocean, its upper-tropospheric divergence launches a train of <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/rossby-wave.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rossby waves</a> that reaches North America and East Asia within a week. 



The ocean waves carve high-pressure ridges, lower humidity and quicken surface <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-method-developed-to-measure-the-wind/%C3%B9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">winds</a> - textbook conditions for fast-moving wildfires.



“Our findings show that strong MJO activity in the eastern Indian Ocean can trigger atmospheric <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teleconnections-climate-events-are-deeply-connected-across-the-globe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">teleconnections</a>, leading to dry and windy weather in wildfire-prone areas like Los Angeles within days to a week,” Yang said. “This provides a crucial prediction window that could improve wildfire forecasting and risk management.”



The same mechanism reverses when deep convection slides into the western Pacific. It flips moisture and wind patterns, altering fire potential. 



California, the southeastern United States, East Asia, and eastern Australia all showed alternating pulses. These pulses of enhanced and suppressed fire emissions that marched in step with the eight-phase MJO life cycle.



On average, MJO-linked fire events contributed ten to twenty percent of seasonal burn totals in these regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-record-breaking-fires-in-los-angeles">Record-breaking fires in Los Angeles </h2>



The study also implicates the <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/ao/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic Oscillation</a> (AO). A strongly positive AO phase can funnel cold, desiccating air into mid-latitude corridors, tightening the vise that the MJO sets in motion.



The interplay may help explain why Los Angeles experienced record-breaking winter wildfires in January 2025 despite less severe long-term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fertilizer-reduces-plant-damage-caused-by-droughts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drought</a>. It may also expound on why South Korea suffered its deadliest blaze on record earlier the same month.



Yang watched the flames claim twenty-eight lives in his home country. He stresses the stakes: large-scale climate modes are now colliding with a warmer, more combustible world, boosting boreal spring and summer fire activities in many tropical and mid-latitude regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oceans-can-impact-wildfires-globally">Oceans can impact wildfires globally</h2>



To probe the mechanics, the researchers filtered daily fire-emission data with a 20- to 100-day band-pass. Researchers then compared it to the <a href="https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/background/summary/fwi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canadian Fire Weather Index</a> (FWI). 



In the southern United States, East Asia and eastern Europe, correlations between MJO-day FWI anomalies and fire output soared above 0.6. During non-MJO days they barely topped 0.3.



One notable case study traced the August 2020 Complex Fire in northern California - at the time the state’s largest - to a surge in FWI that arrived as Rossby waves arced in from an active Indian Ocean MJO phase. Another study linked the deadly 2010 Russian wildfires to a similar chain of events from the Indian Ocean.



Small-scale tests confirmed the physical underpinnings. In situ atmospheric soundings showed relative-humidity drops of up to 40 percentage points and wind-speed jumps of three to five meters per second during the high-risk phases. 



According to the experts, extreme meteorological conditions, with a potential influence from the MJO through atmospheric teleconnections, drove the 2025 Los Angeles <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/santa-ana-winds-the-hidden-spark-behind-californias-fire-surge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fires</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildfire-and-ocean-ai-prediction-models">Wildfire and ocean AI prediction models</h2>



Existing numerical models already predict the Madden-Julian Oscillation two to four weeks in advance. Yang’s group is weaving those forecasts into machine-learning fire models - alongside signals from the warming tropical Indian Ocean and from Siberian heat anomalies - to flag fire-weather windows up to a month ahead.



“Our ultimate goal is to develop more reliable wildfire prediction models by incorporating MJO and AO influences,” Yang said. Because people and fuel conditions still matter, the authors note that MJO teleconnections are triggers rather than sole causes. 



Yet the added lead time could let utilities pre-position crews, help agencies schedule prescribed burns, and guide communities in high-risk corridors to tighten defensible space before Santa Ana winds or East Asian föhn events ignite embers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-changing-baseline-for-the-climate">A changing baseline for the climate</h2>



Climate projections suggest the warm-pool oceans that energize the MJO will continue to expand. If, as some modeling ocean studies indicate, that expansion strengthens the oscillation’s teleconnections, the share of wildfires paced by the MJO could rise.



The study therefore urges wildfire managers to incorporate global climate dynamics into regional plans, warning that local fire weather cannot be fully understood without its tropical heartbeat.



Wildfires may ignite on the ground, but their timing is often written in the sky. By decoding the rhythm linking equatorial thunderstorms to distant dry winds, Yang and colleagues have provided a new key for living with fires on a warming planet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00376-025-4447-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advances in Atmospheric Sciences</a>.



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Wildfires in California linked to storms in the Indian Ocean

Bursts of convection sweeping eastward across the Indian Ocean and...

Artificial intelligence (AI) has begun to tackle one of the thorniest questions in climate policy: how to lock more carbon into the land without wrecking livelihoods or ecosystems.



Researchers at <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Texas at Austin</a> and <a href="https://www.cognizant.com/us/en/services/ai/ai-lab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cognizant AI Labs</a> have trained an evolutionary AI system on 175 years of global land-use and carbon-stock data. 



The program proposes detailed, location-specific strategies that could maximize carbon storage while minimizing economic disruption.



The results feed directly into the United Nations-backed <a href="https://www.unepfi.org/insurance/psi-projects/global-resilience-project/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Resilience Project</a>, part of the broader <a href="https://aiforgood.itu.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI for Good</a> initiative.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digital-natural-selection"><a></a>Digital natural selection</h2>



The engine behind the work is evolutionary AI, a computational analogue of biological evolution. 



The algorithm begins with a population of policy scenarios that set different incentives for agriculture, forestry, grazing, and urban expansion. It predicts how each scenario will affect carbon fluxes, food production, and habitat value.



Scenarios that strike a poor balance among those trade-offs are eliminated. The better ones “reproduce,” exchanging features and introducing random mutations. Over hundreds of generations the surviving policies become progressively better at meeting the chosen goals.



“There’s always an outcome you want to optimize for, but there’s always a cost,” said Risto Miikkulainen, a computer scientist at UT Austin who helped launch the Global Resilience Project.



Despite the many competing trade-offs, AI can identify surprising routes to achieve desirable outcomes at different cost levels, enabling leaders to strategically choose their priorities and achieve more effective results.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-century-scale-training-set"><a></a>A century-scale training set</h2>



The team drew on a newly released global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/using-more-land-agricultural-expansion-will-harm-climate-and-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">land-use</a> archive that traces cropland, pasture, forest and urban footprints back to the mid-nineteenth century. They paired it with a model that links each land-cover type and latitude to carbon sources and sinks.



After training a prediction module on those data, they attached the evolutionary prescription module that searches for improved futures. Daniel Young, a Cognizant AI Labs researcher and doctoral student at UT Austin, noted that the AI often departed from human intuition.



Although <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reforestation-cannot-offset-carbon-emissions-from-harvesting-wood/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reforestation</a> emerged as a key tactic, the system rarely recommended blanket tree-planting. It discovered that converting cropland to forest produced far larger carbon gains than converting rangeland, while carrying higher food-security costs that could sometimes be offset by yield improvements elsewhere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-a-smart-balance">Identifying a smart balance</h2>



Latitude mattered too. A hectare of new forest in a wet tropical belt stored much more carbon than the same hectare at high latitude, but displacing farms in the tropics imposed steeper social risks. 



The AI therefore concentrated large interventions where they made the biggest climate difference at the lowest societal price.



“You can obviously destroy everything and plant forests, and that would help mitigate climate change,” Young said. “But we would have destroyed rare habitats and our food supply and cities. So we need to find a balance and be smart about where we make changes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-easing-resistance-to-climate-policy">Easing resistance to climate policy</h2>



To move the research from the lab to the legislature, the team wrapped the model in an interactive interface. Decision-makers can adjust levers such as carbon-price levels or tax credits for landowners and watch projected evolutionary AI land-use mosaics shift in response. 



They can compare how different mixes of incentives change national carbon budgets or rural employment. Land-use change already accounts for nearly a quarter of anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-deforestation-crisis-how-can-we-stop-massive-forest-losses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deforestation</a>, peat drainage, and soil disturbance.



Smart redesign could turn that sector from a source into a sink. Miikkulainen believes AI-generated roadmaps will ease political resistance by showing how targeted, incremental changes can outperform sweeping but blunt mandates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-ai-for-global-problems">Evolutionary AI for global problems</h2>



The researchers view land-use as only the first of many global problems suited to evolutionary AI. 



The same framework could, in principle, design vaccination strategies for pandemics, optimize water allocation under <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/droughts-and-extreme-weather-events-are-escalating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drought</a>, or map crop choices under future rainfall patterns.



Thus, such an AI framework is about augmenting human decision-making in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choosing-battles-maximizing-gains"><a></a>Choosing battles, maximizing gains</h2>



One striking feature of the AI’s output is its emphasis on “pick-your-battle” solutions. Because costs and benefits vary sharply by region, the best global outcome is seldom achieved by uniform rules.



Instead, the algorithm pinpoints a relatively small subset of locations where changes pack a disproportionate punch. Redirecting subsidies toward those hotspots could deliver large carbon dividends without major shocks to food markets or rural economies.



Such nuance is often hard for human planners to see amid political pressure and partial data. Evolutionary AI sidesteps those blind spots by exploring thousands of policy permutations without bias, then elevating only the most balanced results to determine land-use outcomes.



Random mutations - unlikely mixes of incentives and land conversions - occasionally reveal counter-intuitive win-wins that a committee might never consider.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-ai-and-sustainability-goals">Evolutionary AI and sustainability goals</h2>



As countries race to meet the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, tools that illuminate trade-offs and surface high-leverage actions will become indispensable.



This study shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-model-esm3-creates-new-protein-that-simulates-500-million-years-of-biological-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI</a> can do more than crunch numbers; it can evolve policy blueprints that combine climate ambition with economic realism. That, the authors argue, is the kind of decision augmentation leaders need to navigate the narrow path to a carbon-neutral, food-secure, biodiversity-rich future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/environmental-data-science/article/discovering-effective-policies-for-landuse-planning-with-neuroevolution/F4E61DC32F113C2C3555256AAD4426B3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Data Science</a>.



Image Credit: Sam Beebe



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Evolutionary AI can balance climate goals and economic progress

Artificial intelligence (AI) has begun to tackle one of the...

When the conversation turns to solving the climate crisis, discussions often focus on technology, global treaties, and large-scale infrastructure overhauls that are aimed at reducing carbon emissions and driving systemic change.



Yet, there’s an equally powerful driver that often slips under the radar: lifestyle. How we live, what we eat, how we travel, what we buy - these things shape a huge share of our planet’s carbon footprint.



Now, a breakthrough study reveals just how impactful our daily choices can be. By focusing on changes made by just 23.7% of the global population - the top emitters - household consumption-based emissions could be reduced by as much as 10.4 gigatons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e).



That amounts to 40.1% of the household carbon footprint across 116 countries. This level of reduction could significantly close the gap in global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> goals, especially as we look ahead to COP30.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lifestyle-changes-for-climate-action">Lifestyle changes for climate action </h2>



The international team behind this study examined 21 low-carbon lifestyle <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chatgpts-carbon-footprint-is-astronomical-and-not-sustainable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">actions</a>. These are not obscure or hypothetical; they are practical changes that households can adopt without waiting for new technologies or massive reforms.



The research captures the emissions from both direct energy use and upstream supply chain effects, and offers a complete view of consumption-related emissions.



To guide these changes, the team adopted the "avoid, shift, improve" framework. 



Avoid involves absolute reduction in consumption. Shift means changing consumption patterns toward lower-carbon alternatives. Improve focuses on efficiency gains. Each type has its place in driving emission cuts, but their effectiveness varies depending on region, infrastructure, and economic status.



Adopting low-carbon lifestyles isn’t just about making ethical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-ozone-day-2024-advancing-climate-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">choices</a> - it is now a quantifiable tool for real-world reductions in emissions.



“Our study shows that adopting low-carbon lifestyles can play a pivotal role in mitigating climate change. By targeting high-emitting households, we can achieve significant carbon reductions and move closer to our global climate targets,” said Dr. Yuli Shan from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk">University of Birmingham</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-actions-to-limit-climate-change">Small actions to limit climate change</h2>



The researchers identified which consumption actions offer the biggest carbon payoffs. At the top of the list is reducing commercial service use. This alone can account for a 10.9% drop in emissions. 



Next is shifting to a healthy vegan diet, which reduces the intake of animal-based foods, sugar, and processed products. This lifestyle change could contribute an 8.3% reduction.



Improving energy efficiency in buildings - such as implementing passive house standards - offers a 6.0% drop. Switching from private vehicles to public transport provides another 3.6% savings. 



Even repairing or sharing appliances at home, while seemingly minor, adds a further 3.0% cut. These figures are not abstract estimates; they are based on an expansive input-output model and paired with household expenditure data, which makes them both realistic and globally applicable.



"This study, a key component of my doctoral thesis, demonstrates that adopting consumption-based low-carbon strategies is essential for climate mitigation," noted Dr. Yuru Guan, the study’s first author. 



Her comment draws attention to the growing body of research that places household decisions at the center of climate action.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-mitigation-by-region">Climate change mitigation by region</h2>



One of the more intriguing aspects of this study is how the mitigation potential differs by region. Unsurprisingly, North America tops the list, with 85.4% of its population exceeding the global per-capita carbon threshold of 4.6 tons CO2e per year.



These households account for a substantial share of global emissions, but also hold the largest potential for change.



Less expected are the findings from Sub-Saharan Africa. Although the region has a lower overall footprint, countries like Mauritius, Namibia, and Chad showed surprisingly high reduction potential. In Namibia, for instance, changing food and travel behaviors could slash emissions by up to 45.6 percent.



In Mauritius, potential savings reach 52.5%. These numbers demonstrate that even lower-emitting nations have valuable roles to play, particularly when their economic structures include carbon-heavy sectors like tourism.



"This research provides valuable insights into the potential of lifestyle changes for reducing carbon footprints. It is crucial for policymakers to consider these findings and implement strategies that encourage sustainable consumption patterns," noted Professor Klaus Hubacek from the University of Groningen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-rebound-effect-is-a-hidden-risk">The rebound effect is a hidden risk</h2>



Changing lifestyles can save money. But that’s where an issue arises - how people spend the money they save. Known as the rebound effect, this phenomenon can erode the climate benefits of low-carbon choices. 



For example, if someone saves money by flying less but then spends it on home entertainment that uses more electricity, the net emissions might not decrease as much as intended.



The study simulated three different re-spending <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-conservation-day-2024-saving-species-from-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scenarios</a> to estimate how much carbon savings might be lost. In the worst-case scenario, where all saved money is spent on carbon-intensive items, 45.8% of the gains are erased. The most optimistic case still shows a 6.5% loss, meaning rebound effects are almost unavoidable, but they can be controlled.



Rebound effects are especially strong in emerging economies. As more households reach middle-income levels, saved income tends to be spent quickly on goods and services that may carry a heavy carbon cost. 



This highlights the need for guidance, nudges, and even regulation to make sure that carbon savings aren’t lost through backdoor increases in other areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-action-needs-strong-support">Climate action needs strong support</h2>



The study’s impact goes beyond the theoretical. It presents a clear call to action for governments and institutions. 



Policies that support remote work, encourage plant-based diets, and provide incentives for energy-efficient homes are already in place in some countries. Spain and Pakistan, for instance, have supported shorter work weeks and remote work to cut energy use.



Carbon pricing, eco-labeling, and investment in cycling infrastructure are additional tools in the policy toolkit. In Europe, recent energy price crises have even pushed countries to promote energy-saving behavior through national campaigns.



However, the report also cautions against one-size-fits-all strategies. What works in a high-income urban setting may not be feasible in rural or low-income contexts. 



Policymakers must consider income, access, and readiness when crafting solutions that involve behavior change. The goal should be to enable, not burden.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consumer-behavior-and-climate-action">Consumer behavior and climate action</h2>



While supply-side solutions like renewables and carbon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plant-diversity-can-help-combat-climate-change/">capture</a> remain crucial, this study makes the case that they are not enough. Lifestyle changes offer a faster, often cheaper way to make immediate progress while long-term technologies mature. But they need support.



The idea is not to guilt individuals but to empower those who have the most capacity to change. The study focuses on carbon-exceeding households precisely because they have the biggest footprints and the greatest ability to make a difference.



"Reducing household demand could lead to rebound effects due to re-spendings elsewhere," the authors note. This makes it all the more important to guide consumer behavior toward low-carbon alternatives and ensure that sustainable goods are accessible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lifestyle-changes-are-crucial">Lifestyle changes are crucial</h2>



With the COP30 summit approaching, this research arrives at a critical time. Climate negotiations often stall on national pledges and technological feasibility. This study reframes the conversation by highlighting what people can do - right now, in their homes, with their choices.



The evidence is clear: when supported by thoughtful policy, lifestyle changes offer massive potential for carbon reduction. They complement, rather than replace, technological solutions.



And they show that the power to reshape our planet’s future may lie as much in our kitchens, commutes, and shopping lists as in government boardrooms.



As global leaders gather to chart a new path, this research should serve as both a guide and a challenge. Change is not only possible - it’s already in our hands.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59269-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Lifestyle changes hold the key to climate action

When the conversation turns to solving the climate crisis, discussions...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-monitoring-networks">Scientific monitoring networks</h2>



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.



The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.



The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.



The full study was recently published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.



Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.



Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents". In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively. MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.



MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization. The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.



Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.



A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.



This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.



PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.



In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.



As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.



The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.



For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.



The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.



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MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a>



Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.



The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-global-food-security">Implications for global food security</h2>



The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

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</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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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



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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" 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.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Saturn,-,High,Resolution,3d,Images,Presents,Planets,Of,The

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

[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

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

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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



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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