Gold is everywhere - in our phones, computers, medical devices, and satellites. But getting it out of the ground or from discarded electronics usually means dealing with cyanide, mercury, and a lot of toxic waste. 



That’s been the trade-off: valuable metal at a steep environmental cost. But now, researchers at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a> in Australia are showing there’s a better way.



The Flinders team, working across green chemistry, engineering, and physics, has developed a safer, more sustainable method to recover gold. 



The method works not only on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-largest-iron-ore-deposits-reveal-a-1-3-billion-year-old-secret/">ore</a>, but also on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electronic-waste-is-growing-five-times-faster-than-recycling/">electronic waste</a> and even scientific byproducts. Instead of relying on mercury or cyanide, the technique uses materials that are widely available and far less toxic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extracting-gold-from-e-waste">Extracting gold from e-waste</h2>



At the heart of the method is trichloroisocyanuric acid - a common disinfectant used in pool and water treatment. When mixed with salt water, it becomes a powerful gold extractor. 



Once the gold is dissolved, it’s captured by a sulfur-rich polymer developed by the Flinders team. The polymer binds selectively to gold, even in complex mixtures full of other metals.



Then comes the clever part: the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/everyday-polymers-that-are-considered-safe-release-harmful-toxins/">polymer</a> can be broken down to release the gold and be recycled for future use. This makes the entire process cleaner, safer, and more circular.



“The study featured many innovations including a new and recyclable leaching reagent derived from a compound used to disinfect water,” said Professor Justin Chalker, who leads the Chalker Lab.



“The team also developed an entirely new way to make the polymer sorbent, or the material that binds the gold after extraction into water, using light to initiate the key reaction.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-safer-option-for-small-scale-miners">A safer option for small-scale miners</h2>



The method has already been tested on a wide range of materials, including e-waste, ore concentrates, and mixed-metal scrap. And it's not just a lab experiment. The researchers are planning to scale it up, working with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gold-mining-causes-long-lasting-damage-in-the-amazon-rainforest/">mining</a> companies and recycling facilities to put it into real-world use.



“The aim is to provide effective gold recovery methods that support the many uses of gold, while lessening the impact on the environment and human health,” said Professor Chalker.



This is especially important in small-scale and artisanal mines around the world, where mercury is still widely used to extract gold. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mercury-pollution-in-the-amazon-is-recorded-in-tree-rings/">Mercury pollution</a> from gold mining is one of the leading sources of contamination globally. The team worked with experts in the United States and Peru to test the new method on gold ore, with the goal of offering safer alternatives to these communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gold-from-a-mound-of-e-waste">Gold from a mound of e-waste </h2>



The researchers aren’t just solving a technical problem. They’re trying to make sure the solution actually fits into real systems -economic, environmental, and social.



“We are especially grateful to our engineering, mining, and philanthropic partners for supporting translation of laboratory discoveries to larger scale demonstrations of the gold recovery techniques,” noted Professor Chalker.



Dr. Max Mann, one of the study's lead authors, highlighted the scale of the problem. “This paper shows that interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to address the world's big problems managing the growing stockpiles of e-waste.”



Dr. Thomas Nicholls noted that the newly developed gold sorbent is made using a sustainable approach in which UV light is used to make the sulfur-rich polymer. He explained that recycling the polymer after the gold has been recovered further increases the green credentials of this method.



“We dived into a mound of e-waste and climbed out with a block of gold! I hope this research inspires impactful solutions to pressing global challenges," said Dr. Harshal Patel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-path-forward-for-gold-recovery">A path forward for gold recovery</h2>



The work out of Flinders University is more than just a chemistry breakthrough. It’s a potential roadmap for how science can rethink an entire process - replacing toxic practices with something smarter, cleaner, and just as effective.



Dr. Lynn Lisboa connected the project to the bigger picture. “With the ever-growing technological and societal demand for gold, it is increasingly important to develop safe and versatile methods to purify gold from varying sources," she said.



If the new extraction method continues to succeed at larger scales, it could help rewrite how the world mines, recycles, and values one of its most sought-after elements.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-025-01586-w">Nature Sustainability</a>.



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Turning trash into treasure: Scientists are safely extracting gold from e-waste

Gold is everywhere - in our phones, computers, medical devices, and satellites. But getting it out of the ground or from discarded electronics usually means dealing with cyanide, mercury, and a lot of toxic waste. That’s been the trade-off: valuable metal at a steep environmental cost. But now, researchers at Flinders University in Australia are showing there’s a better way. The Flinders team, working across green chemistry, engineering, and physics, has developed a safer, more sustainable method to recover gold. The method works not only on ore,...

Hoverflies migrate south based on a combination of the sun and their body clock, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. The experts report that the insects keep the sun on their left in the morning, then gradually adjust to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-magnetic-field-navigate/">navigate</a> in the right direction. 



Pied and yellow-clubbed hoverflies are important pollinators that spend their summers in places like the UK and Scandinavia, and then fly to the Mediterranean and North Africa in the fall.



While it was known that the hoverflies migrate on sunny days, the new study is the first to show that the hoverflies use a "time-compensated sun compass."



"Simply flying towards the sun would lead them south, but this would create a winding, inefficient route," said study lead author Richard Massy of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.



"Our study shows that hoverflies account for the sun's movement using their circadian rhythm. Other animals, including certain birds and butterflies, are known to have this ability. Our work suggests that it has independently evolved across multiple insects."



For the investigation, the researchers captured migrating hoverflies at a mountain pass in the Pyrenees. The insects were placed in a type of flight simulator that confined them to one place but allowed them to freely move their bodies.



The hoverflies were positioned so that they could see the sun but not the ground, which prevented them from using landmarks for navigation. The study revealed that the flies adjust their migration route based on the position of the sun.



"Understanding how these insects navigate can help us predict their movements," said Dr. Karl Wotton. "This could be useful for conservation measures, such as limiting the use of pesticides at key migration times."



"Hoverflies are also important predators of crop pests such as aphids, so understanding their migrations could help us use them as natural pest controllers."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</a>.



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

Hoverflies navigate by aligning their bodies with the sun

Hoverflies migrate south based on a combination of the sun...

Coral reefs are threatened by the loss of picky-eating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-vampire-fish-that-doesnt-suck-blood/">fish</a> species, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">UT Austin</a>. The experts report that coral reef food webs are more delicate than what was previously realized.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed the stomach contents of most fish species found on six coral reef systems all over the world. The study revealed that reef fish networks are remarkably similar, and that the predators in these food webs are picky eaters.&nbsp;



The study showed that the vast majority of reef fish species are very particular when it comes to what they eat, and do not simply eat what they can find.&nbsp;



The findings also suggest that reef communities could tolerate the loss of several prey species, but the loss of a single predator fish species could potentially cause the ecosystem to collapse.&nbsp;



“It’s remarkable that we see similar patterns in coral reef systems all over the world. Extinctions, particularly of larger fish species, may have significant impacts for coral reef systems,” said study co-author Professor Jordan Casey.



Fish species are threatened with extinction locally as a result of many stressors, including climate change, pollution, and overfishing. As the number of large fish decline, an increasing number of their prey will survive uneaten, which creates an imbalance in the food web.&nbsp;



“Reefs rely on the efficient utilization of all creatures,” explained study co-author Professor Simon Brandl. “If a fish specializes on eating a certain type of snail and that fish disappears, the snail might not be eaten and live happily ever after. This creates a dead end for the food it could provide to other coral reef creatures. Good news for the snail. Bad news for everything else living there.”



The researchers examined the feeding habits of more than 600 species of reef fish near Okinawa, Hawaii, the West Indies, New Caledonia, Madagascar and the Marshall Islands. The food webs had a strikingly similar structure in which 67 percent of species were specialized feeders with strong preferences for specific prey - despite an incredibly diverse selection of prey available.



“Coral reefs are important to humans for a number of reasons,” said Casey. “They are a critical source of food for many people. They are also popular tourist destinations and economic engines for a number of countries. However, coral reefs can only provide these key ecosystem services if food webs remain intact.”



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



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

Coral reef food webs threatened by the loss of picky eaters

Coral reefs are threatened by the loss of picky-eating fish...

Dogs have been important to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indigenous-people-demonstrate-the-value-of-controlled-fire/">indigenous</a> people in Arctic Siberia for thousands of years. In addition to being a source of food, Siberian dogs have been used to pull sleds, herd reindeer and hunt.



Although Arctic dogs evolved in isolation up until about 7,000 years ago, they were subsequently bred with dogs imported from other regions and this has given rise the modern breeds of Siberian dogs, such as the samoyed.



In a recent research project, the genomes of 49 dogs from sites in Siberia and Eurasia were analyzed and compared by a team of international scientists led by paleogeneticist Laurent Frantz from the <a href="https://www.lmu.de/en/">Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich</a>. The samples dated from between 60 and 11,000 years ago.&nbsp;



In particular, four of the dogs originated from an archaeological site known as Ust’-Polui, on the Yamal Peninsula in northwestern Siberia. Russian and Canadian archeologists had previously uncovered the remains of more than 100 dogs at this site, dating back to about 2,000 years.



The results of the DNA analysis showed evidence that dogs were imported from Eurasia into Arctic Siberia by at least 2,000 years ago.&nbsp;



"Whereas Arctic dogs evolved in isolation prior to at least 7,000 years ago, genomic DNA isolated from Siberian dogs dated to between the Iron Age and medieval times shows that there were increasing portions of genetic material derived from dogs from the Eurasian steppes, as well as Europe," said study lead author Dr. Tatiana Feuerborn of the University of Copenhagen.



Archaeological finds from the site at Ust’-Polui had shown that people in the region were already using long-range trade routes for commercial purposes 2,000 years ago. Some of the artefacts discovered there included glass beads and metal objects that could only have been manufactured in far afield areas such as the steppe zone, the Black Sea region or the Near East. The earliest evidence of reindeer domestication has also been found at this important site.&nbsp;



It is clear from the genetic evidence that dogs were also traded during this time. The percentage of non-Siberian ancestry among dogs on the Yamal peninsula increased significantly during this time, indicating the early importation of dogs from distant locations.



“Dogs were potentially valuable possessions, and they were bought and sold,” said Frantz. “The first dogs domesticated in the Arctic served primarily as sledding dogs, but when Siberian populations turned to pastoralism, they may well have required dogs that had other useful behavioral traits, which were better suited for reindeer herding."&nbsp;



"The mixing of Arctic dogs with other populations potentially led to the establishment of dog lineages that were both suited to herding and also adapted to the harsh climatic conditions.”



Interestingly, human genomes in Arctic Siberia remained very stable over this stretch of time, with little indication of genetic input from non-Arctic populations.



The cross-breeding and artificial selection of Arctic dogs for desirable traits eventually led to the development of modern canine breeds such as the samoyed. “A large fraction of the samoyed genome can be traced back to ancestral Arctic bloodlines, but it also shows far more Western influence than the husky, for instance," said Frantz.



Because samoyed bloodlines tend to be kept pure and hybridization with other breeds is rare, these dogs have remained largely unchanged since the Middle Ages.&nbsp; This is in contrast with most other modern dogs of the 19th and 20th centuries, that have arisen from the specific mixing of breeds to produce dogs that have useful characteristics.&nbsp;



The results of this study are published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> (PNAS).



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

Siberian dogs were shaped by long-distance trade routes

Dogs have been important to indigenous people in Arctic Siberia...

A recent study led by the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> found that the North Atlantic jet stream - a band of strong, westerly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-westerly-winds-are-changing-and-the-consequences-are-unknown/">winds</a> encircling the Arctic – could migrate north by 2060 due to climate change. This would lead to dramatic shifts in temperature and precipitation in Europe and North America.



The research team, led by climate scientist Matthew Osman, collected ice cores from nearly 50 sites across Greenland’s ice sheets to analyze how the layers of snow have been deposited over the last 1,250 years. The aim was to reconstruct the past locations and intensities of the North Atlantic jet stream, which plays a key role in weather conditions by causing between 10 and 50 percent of the variation in annual temperature and precipitation in eastern North American and western Europe.&nbsp;



“For most places on Earth, direct climate observations typically do not span more than a few decades. So, we haven't had a great sense of how or why the jet stream changes over longer periods of time,” explained Dr. Osman.



“What we do know is that extraordinary variations in the jet stream can have severe societal implications - such as floods and droughts - due to its impacts on weather patterns. So, in terms of thinking about the future, we can now begin to use the past as a sort of prologue.”



By looking at the amount of snowfall deposited annually and the chemical constitution of the water molecules which made up each snow layer, Dr. Osman and his colleagues discovered that,&nbsp;until now, fluctuations in the jet stream’s intensity and position have been within the limits of natural variation. However, they estimate that, if global warming continues at a similar pace, the jet stream will soon migrate northwards.&nbsp;



“Such variations have huge implications on the types of weather that people might experience at a given place,” said Dr Osman.&nbsp;



“For example, when the jet stream is situated further south, the normally dry Iberian Peninsula tends to experience milder, moister conditions. But, as the jet stream migrates northward, much of that moisture also moves away from Iberia towards already-wet regions of Scandinavia.”



If the jet stream moves towards the north in the following decades, both Europe and North America could face more extreme weather like floods, droughts, and heatwaves. “Our results serve as a warning,” concluded Dr. Osman.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/38/e2104105118">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



Image Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio



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

Migration of the North Atlantic jet stream will cause extreme weather

A recent study led by the University of Arizona found...

This year, the full moon marking the passage from summer to autumn, called the “harvest moon,” is set to rise and light up the nocturnal sky on Monday, September 20, at 7:55 PM Eastern Time. It is the most famous of all the year’s full moons and will illuminate the sky for three consecutive nights.&nbsp;



Depending on the year, the harvest moon can occur anywhere from two weeks before the autumn equinox to two weeks after. Usually, the moon rises 50 minutes after sunset each evening. However, when a full moon appears close to the autumn equinox, the moon rises only 20 to 30 minutes after sunset, which makes it appear larger and have a beautiful, strong golden hue.&nbsp;



The harvest moon received its name at the beginning of the 18th century, when farmers depended upon the light of the moon to harvest crops late at night.&nbsp;



“In the days before electric lights, farmers across the Northern Hemisphere depended on bright moonlight to extend the workday beyond sunset,” NASA explained in a recent <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/2019/09/13/look-for-the-harvest-moon-this-weekend/">statement</a>. “It was the only way they could gather their ripening crops in time for market. The full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox became 'the Harvest Moon,' and it was always a welcome sight.”



This name became entrenched in popular culture at the beginning of the 20th century, when the vaudeville couple Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth released the song “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeXR0QXnfvQ">Shine On, Harvest Moon</a>.” This song was featured in many Hollywood films, including blockbusters such as The Great Ziegfield (1936), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) or The Eddy Duchin Story (1956).&nbsp;



Moreover, the famous comedians Laurel and Hardy performed a song-and-dance routine to this song in their 1939 movie The Flying Deuces. Well into the 21st century, the song continues to be recorded and performed, and remains well-known to people all over the world.



However, native population in North America had different associations and names for the Harvest moon. According to the <a href="https://onlc.ca/">Ontario Native Literacy Coalition</a>, the Cree peoples called it the Rutting Moon, associating it with the beginning of the elks’ mating season, the Ojibwe the Falling Leaves Moon, signifying the arrival of autumn, and the Cherokee the Nut Moon, marking the ripening of nuts. Regardless of its name, this moon remains one of the most beautiful, impressive, and symbolically-loaded full moons of the year.



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

Harvest moon marks the arrival of autumn

This year, the full moon marking the passage from summer...

According to European Union’s Copernicus <a href="https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/monitoring-ozone-healthier-world">Atmosphere Monitoring Service</a>, the ozone hole that forms annually over the South Pole is currently larger than the whole of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-rate-of-melting-ice-in-antarctica-is-not-consistent/">Antarctica</a>, the continent over which it looms. Scientists claim that even if climate change is completely halted, there are slim chances for the ozone layer to recover until the 2060s or 2070s.&nbsp;



The ozone layer, placed between 9 and 22 miles above the Earth, is crucial for protecting the planet from ultraviolet radiation. The ozone depletes and forms a hole over the Atlantic each spring, which generally lasts from August to October in the Southern Hemisphere.&nbsp;



This hole is caused by chemicals such as chlorine, carbon, and bromine (chlorofluorocarbons) which migrate into the stratosphere and prompt catalytic reactions during the Antarctic winter. It is also connected to the Antarctic polar vortex, a large area of cyclonic air circulation in the upper-atmosphere moving around the Earth.&nbsp;



When temperatures in the stratosphere start rising towards the end of spring, ozone depletion usually slows, returning to normal levels by December.



"This year, the ozone hole developed as expected at the start of the season," director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service Vincent-Henri Peuch declared. “It seems pretty similar to last year's, which also wasn't really exceptional until early September, but then turned into one of the largest and longest-lasting ozone holes in our data record later in the season.”&nbsp;



“Now our forecasts show that this year´s hole has evolved into a rather larger than usual one. The vortex is quite stable and the stratospheric temperatures are even lower than last year, so it may continue to grow slightly over the next two or three weeks.”



Although experts believe that the regulation of chemicals that deplete the ozone layer following the Montreal protocol from 1987 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ban-on-ozone-depleting-substances-prevented-catastrophic-consequences/">prevented catastrophic consequences</a>, this year’s size of the ozone hole is extremely worrisome, making scientists ask themselves if we are doing enough to prevent further deterioration of our planet. More intense and sustained collective action is definitely needed to mitigate climate change and help the ozone layer recover.



---



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

This year's ozone hole is larger than Antarctica

According to European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, the ozone...

Record high temperature and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predicting-the-future-of-water-availability-in-the-american-west/">droughts in the American West</a> have left California’s 14,179-foot Mount Shasta (one of the highest peaks in the continental United States) without its usual snow cover. The surrounding glaciers are also starting to melt. Experts report that the Whitney Glacier, for instance, has lost 15 to 20 percent of its volume this year.



Mt. Shasta’s peak, a dormant volcano usually covered with snow during the entire year, has progressively lost its snow cover this summer, accelerating the melting of its already endangered glaciers too. Temperatures have risen up to 103 degrees Fahrenheit in the town of Shasta, California, which is located about five miles southwest of the mountain, and reached 77 to 84 degrees even halfway up the mountain.



According to geologist Nick Caselli, operation director for <a href="https://shastaguides.com/">Shasta Mountains Guide</a>, the “spectacular loss of snowpack” has left the west side of the mountain completely bare. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Unfortunately, Mt. Shasta is not the only one affected by huge rises in temperature. Its surrounding glaciers are suffering too, causing severe mudflows known as “lahars,” which can wash out bridges and roads and endanger the local population. The Whitney Glacier, which is the largest in California, has retreated approximately half of a mile, which is almost one quarter of its total length.&nbsp;



“Imagine how fast it was melting for two months instead of maybe a few days at the end of September,” said Mauri Pelto, director of the <a href="https://glaciers.nichols.edu/">North Cascades Glacier Climate Project</a>. “The loss is accelerating and 2021 will be the single biggest volume loss year.”&nbsp;



The Hotlum and Bolam glaciers are also strongly affected, with the former reportedly breaking down in smaller fragments. “If you (continually) repeat this summer, glaciers on Mt. Shasta can’t survive,” Pelto explained.&nbsp;



“As a business model (glaciers) are not sustainable. They can’t change their climate. They can’t relocate. They have tried shedding their worst-performing divisions, so to speak, at lower elevations. And that hasn’t helped. The only remaining question is just how fast do you lose them.”



Urgent action is needed to mitigate the effects of climate change in order to save these glaciers and other natural structures around the globe.&nbsp;



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

Mount Shasta has lost its snow cover due extreme heat

Record high temperature and droughts in the American West have...

In a new study led by the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>, researchers have discovered key organic molecules in four out of five protoplanetary disks from our galaxy. They detected them by using the ALMA telescope, an extremely powerful telescope located in the Atacama Desert in Chile, that can pick up even the faintest signals from far away regions in outer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/looking-at-blue-spaces-can-instantly-improve-body-image/">space</a>. These findings show that the chances of alien life in our galaxy are much more likely than we initially thought.



“The same ingredients needed for seeding life on our planet are also found around other stars,” said study co-author Dr. Catherine Walsh. These molecules - cyanoacetylene (HC3N), acetonitrile (CH3CN), and cyclopropenylidene (c-C3H2) – are stepping-stones between the simple carbon-based chemicals that are abundant in the universe and more complex substances that are known to be key ingredients for the development of life on Earth.&nbsp;



“Laboratory and theoretical studies suggest they are the 'raw ingredients' essential in biological chemistry on Earth. They create sugars, amino acids and even the components of ribonucleic acid (RNA) - under the right circumstances,” explained study lead author Dr. John Ilee from the <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/">Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences</a> at the University of Leeds.&nbsp;



Through observations with the powerful ALMA telescope, these molecules (together with 15 other substances thought to be connected to the origins of life) were discovered in protoplanetary disks of gas and dust that are surrounding the Milky Way’s youngest stars. According to the researchers, the ingredients of life could be present in 80 percent of the protoplanetary disks spinning throughout our galaxy.



“ALMA has allowed us to look for these molecules in the innermost regions of these disks, on size scales similar to our Solar System, for the first time,” Dr. Ilee reported. “Our analysis shows the molecules are primarily located in these inner regions with abundances between 10 and 100 times higher than models had predicted.”



Scientists believe that, in the past, the Earth was ‘seeded’ by meteorites, asteroids, and comets containing these types of molecules, ultimately giving birth to life as we know it. This new study, published in the <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/2109.06319.pdf">Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series</a>, is the first to show that many other areas of our galaxy could be brimming with similar potential.



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

Alien life is more likely to exist in our galaxy than we thought

In a new study led by the University of Leeds,...

A collection of new studies published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a> explores how leveraging the diversity of aquatic food products (“blue foods”) in the following decades could mitigate malnutrition, increase global health, and lower the environmental footprint of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supermarket-layout-influences-food-choice-and-diet/">food</a> system. These studies are the first in a series produced by the&nbsp;<a href="https://bluefood.earth/what-we-do/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blue Food Assessment</a>&nbsp;(BFA), a group of over 100 experts aiming to assess the benefits of eating aquatic plants and animals.&nbsp;



“Few, if any, countries are developing their blue food sector to provide ecological, economic, and health benefits to its full potential,” said BFA co-chair Rosamond Naylor. “This assessment aims to provide the scientific foundation for decision-makers to evaluate trade-offs and implement solutions that will make blue foods an instrumental part of an improved food system from local to global scales.”



According to the experts, blue foods have more nutritional benefits than terrestrial animal-source foods. Compared to chicken, trout has 19 times more omega-3 fatty acids, oysters and mussels have 76 times more vitamin B-12 and five times more iron, and carps have none times more calcium.



Blue foods are also significantly more sustainable, with many aquatic species such as sardines, anchovies, bivalves, and seaweeds having environmental footprints lower than that of chicken - which represents the lowest impact of terrestrial meat.



“People are trying to make more informed choices about the food they eat, in particular the environmental footprint of their food,”&nbsp;explained Ben Halpern, a marine biologist from the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara</a>.&nbsp;



Together with several colleagues, Halpern explored the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03889-2">environmental sustainability of blue foods</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00363-0">the opportunities for growth of small-scale producers</a>,&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00368-9">climate risks facing aquatic food systems</a>.&nbsp;



“For the first time we pulled together data from hundreds of studies on a wide range of seafood species to help answer that question. Blue foods stack up really well overall and provide a great option for sustainable food,” he added.



Currently, over 2,500 species of fish and aquatic plants are caught or cultivated for food, providing sustenance for more than one billion people. Researchers hope that in the following decades, blue foods will become even more important, providing not only a healthier food source, but also a more environmentally friendly one.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The Blue Food Assessment group is led by Stanford University’s&nbsp;<a href="https://oceansolutions.stanford.edu/">Center for Ocean Solutions</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fse.fsi.stanford.edu/">Center on Food Security and the Environment</a>, the&nbsp;Stockholm University’s <a href="https://www.stockholmresilience.org/">Resilience Centre</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://eatforum.org/">EAT</a>.



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

Blue foods are healthy and environmentally friendly

A collection of new studies published in the journal Nature...

An estimated six million people worldwide make use of coral reefs for the purpose of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recreational-fishing-got-a-boost-during-the-pandemic/">fishing</a>. Countless millions more depend on these fish and seafood catches for their dietary needs and incomes, and the livelihoods of many people are derived from tourist or recreational activities based on visiting coral reefs. In this way, coral reef ecosystems provide essential services to humans all over the world.



Unfortunately, these sensitive habitats are under threat from many factors, including overfishing, pollution and climate change. In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists have collected comprehensive data to investigate how various stressors have affected the ability of these reefs to provide essential ecosystem services worldwide. 



“Coral reefs are known to be important habitats for biodiversity and are particularly sensitive to climate change, as marine heat waves can cause bleaching events,” said study lead author Tyler Eddy, a research scientist at the Fisheries &amp; Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland. “Coral reefs provide important ecosystem services to humans, through fisheries, economic opportunities, and protection from storms.”



The data collected by the research team included assessments of changes in coral cover, biodiversity of coral reefs, fishing statistics, and the consumption of reef-associated seafood by indigenous coastal populations.



The findings reveal that the total area covered by living coral ecosystems has decreased by half since the 1950s. Not surprisingly, the ability of these reefs to provide fishermen with catches has also declined. Catches of reef-associated fish increased steadily from 1950 to 2002, when they peaked with a global catch of 2.3 million tons. Since then, however, catches have steadily decreased. 



Fishing effort increased between 1950 and 2010, and the catch per unit effort (CPUE) peaked in 1971, after which it declines. Today, the CPUE is 60 percent lower than it was in 1950, indicating the decline in abundance of coral reef fish. In addition, reef-associated biodiversity has decreased by 63 percent since 1950.



Countries with the highest per-capita indigenous consumption of coral reef fish were often small-island developing nations, such as Palau, Micronesia, and Kiribati. For people in these countries, reef-associated seafood provides the majority of their animal protein. Therefore, losses in species richness and abundance threatens food security. 



“Our analysis indicates that the capacity of coral reefs to provide ecosystem services has declined by about half globally,” said Professor William Cheung of the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. “This study speaks to the importance of how we manage coral reefs not only at regional scales, but also at the global scale, and the livelihoods of communities that rely on them.



The capacity of coral reefs to provide ecosystem services to humans has clearly declined in the past 70 years, threatening the well-being of millions of people who depend on this resource.&nbsp;



“The effects of degraded and declining coral reefs are already evident through impacts on subsistence and commercial fisheries and tourism in Indonesia, the Caribbean, and South Pacific, even when marine protected areas are present, as they do not provide protection from climate change and may suffer from lack of enforcement and marine protected area staff capacity,” wrote the researchers.



“Fish and fisheries provide essential micronutrients in coastal developing regions with few alternative sources of nutrition. Coral reef biodiversity and fisheries take on added importance for Indigenous communities, small island developing states, and coastal populations where they may be essential to traditions and cultural practices." 



"The reduced capacity of coral reefs to provide ecosystem services undermines the well-being of millions of people with historical and continuing relationships with coral reef ecosystems.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.oneearth.org/">One Earth.</a>



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

Coral reefs have declined by half since the 1950s

An estimated six million people worldwide make use of coral...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> has found that nearly 85 percent of 5,500 coastal areas all over the world leach sediment to coral reefs. This phenomenon is currently the second largest threat to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-help-corals-survive-when-they-get-into-hot-water/">coral reefs</a> after climate change. Scientists claim that increasing reforestation efforts in these regions could significantly reduce sediment run-off and protect reefs.



Excess sediment run-off along coastal areas is generally caused by land clearing and agrochemical pollution. The sediment causes a massive reduction in light levels, which are crucial for coral growth and reproduction.



“Increased sedimentation can cause aquatic ecosystems to be more sensitive to heat stress, which decreases the resilience of corals to pressures caused by climate change,” explained lead author Dr. Andrés Suárez-Castro&nbsp;from University of Queensland’s&nbsp;<a href="https://cbcs.centre.uq.edu.au/">Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science</a>.&nbsp;



“If the link between the land and sea is not recognized and managed separately, any future efforts to conserve marine habitats and species are likely to be ineffective.”



According to Dr.&nbsp;Suárez-Castro&nbsp;and his research team, a key solution to reduce the amount of sediment run-off would be for countries to commit to land and forest restoration along coastal regions. They estimate that if an average of 1,000 hectares per coastal basin was restored, sediments reaching coral reefs could be reduced by 8.5 percent for 63,000 square kilometers of reefs.



“Reforestation is hugely important as it maintains the stability of soils that are vital in limiting erosion risk – it also helps to trap more sediments and prevent them from reaching aquatic systems,” Dr.&nbsp;Suárez-Castro&nbsp;said.



Even though global initiatives such as the Paris Climate Agreement are stressing the importance of forest restoration, it will be a great challenge to get countries and local governments to commit to reforestation activities, said the study authors.



“It’s encouraging to see many countries with high coral diversity committing large areas to land restoration, however the cost of reforestation, as well as political and social barriers may make it difficult to achieve these ambitious goals,” explained Dr. Suárez-Castro.&nbsp;



Further research is urgently needed to facilitate more informed and educated conversations around the importance of an integrated land-sea approach for protecting our planet.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15811">Global Change Biology</a>.



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

Reforestation needed to save coral reefs from sediment run-off

A new study led by University of Queensland has found...

Microscopic, photosynthetic algae (phytoplankton) form the base of polar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mercury-levels-in-bluefin-tuna-reveal-patterns-of-ocean-pollution/">ocean</a> food webs - some of the largest and most complex in the world. On the other extreme of these polar food webs are top predators such as orcas and polar bears.&nbsp;



Phytoplankton populations vary throughout the world, but prokaryotic species (those with no nucleus) tend to favor warmer waters. Colder waters such as those in polar regions tend to be populated more with eukaryotic species (those containing a nucleus). A new study led by the <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/">Berkeley Lab</a> suggests that prokaryotic phytoplankton could possibly replace the eukaryotic species.&nbsp;



“A lot of our food comes from the North Atlantic, North Pacific and South Pacific fisheries, because of eukaryotic phytoplankton - not prokaryotes," explained study senior author Dr. Thomas Mock. "Prokaryotes are not capable of producing all the juicy proteins and lipids that eukaryotes are.”&nbsp;



For their investigation, the researchers travelled from pole to pole on massive scientific expeditions. Algae assemblages were captured by nets along four transects throughout the world’s oceans. The algae samples were analyzed by DNA sequences to determine the species and gene expression.&nbsp;



The research team discovered a variety of algae communities throughout the ocean, with different communities in distinct regions. Clear boundaries are drawn between different communities in waters with moderate temperatures.&nbsp;



“We can think about the ocean, naively, as a sort of homogeneous medium. In reality, it's not - there is variation of nutrients, temperatures, and other physico-chemical properties," said study co-author Igor Grigoriev. "But still, there are no boundaries in the ocean. Yet, what was found here is that there is this invisible partitioning of algal communities.”



There is a clear difference between microbiome communities, including algae, found in warm waters versus those found in cold waters. Unfortunately, this suggests that the communities are also vulnerable to changes in temperature.&nbsp;



Andy Allen from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, who was not involved with the research, said that the findings also suggest a certain level of vulnerability we might not have been aware of. "If the system is perturbed, it could be very hard to return to baseline.”



The researchers noted that climate change is severely affecting sea ice and water temperature in polar regions, which endangers these algal communities that are so vital to polar food webs.



“We know so little about these algal communities; they could have beneficial findings, like antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, and novel enzymes that function at low temperature. But these ecosystems are literally melting away," said study co-lead author Katrin Schmidt.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.&nbsp;



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

Climate change threatens the base of polar food webs

Microscopic, photosynthetic algae (phytoplankton) form the base of polar ocean...

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

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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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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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"

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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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