High Mountain Asia, often called the “Third Pole,” holds the largest store of ice outside the Arctic and Antarctic. Its glaciers have shaped landscapes, nourished rivers, and sustained communities for thousands of years. But today, these frozen giants are shrinking at a troubling pace. 



Scientists have long agreed that warming temperatures drive the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/half-of-the-worlds-glaciers-can-be-saved-with-strong-climate-action/">retreat</a>, yet new evidence reveals another culprit: shifting rainfall and snowfall patterns, especially those tied to the South Asian monsoon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glaciers-losing-ice-faster">Glaciers losing ice faster</h2>



The numbers are staggering. Glaciers across the region are losing more than 22 gigatons of ice each year, equivalent to nearly nine million Olympic swimming pools. 



While rising temperatures explain much of the retreat, researchers from the <a href="https://www.utah.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Utah</a> and <a href="https://www.vt.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virginia Tech</a> show that the timing and type of precipitation now play a major role. Rain falling instead of snow fuels melt, and shorter or weaker monsoon seasons reduce the ice that glaciers can accumulate.



“These findings highlight that glaciers dominated by the South Asian monsoons, such as the Central Himalaya, Western Himalaya and Eastern Himalaya, are especially vulnerable,” said Sonam Sherpa, assistant professor at the University of Utah and lead author of the study. 



“If the timing and intensity of the monsoon continues to alter, it could accelerate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glaciers-from-the-rockies-to-the-alps-are-melting-much-faster-than-expected/">ice</a> loss and threaten water availability for millions downstream.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-billions-rely-on-glacier-water">Billions rely on glacier water</h2>



The glaciers of High Mountain Asia supply freshwater to more than 1.4 billion people. These rivers sustain agriculture, hydropower, and drinking water across South and Central Asia. 



As glaciers retreat more rapidly, rivers will depend less on glacial melt and increasingly on rainfall as their main source of water.



“Looking ahead, a faster retreat of mountain glaciers will shift the main source of river flow from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glaciers-are-melting-from-hidden-underwater-waves/">glacier</a> melt to rainfall, thereby heightening the risk of droughts in downstream regions for future generations,” said Susanna Werth, assistant professor at Virginia Tech and co-author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monsoon-impacts-on-glaciers">Monsoon impacts on glaciers</h2>



To understand these shifts, the researchers used satellite gravimetry from NASA’s GRACE and GRACE-FO missions. These satellites can “weigh” changes in water storage, including ice, by measuring gravity variations.



Scientists corrected the data to account for groundwater use, soil moisture, surface water, and snow. They paired this with climate reanalysis models, dividing the year into four phases: winter, premonsoon, monsoon, and postmonsoon. 



By analyzing rainfall and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-melting-threatens-global-water-supplies-and-coastal-communities/">snowfall</a> separately, they revealed how timing and precipitation type affect glacier mass.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monsoon-timing-speeds-ice-loss">Monsoon timing speeds ice loss</h2>



The experts found that glaciers respond more strongly to seasonal precipitation than to annual totals. 



Cycles repeating every 3 to 4.5 years and 5 to 8 years match the natural rhythm of South Asian monsoons. In the Central Himalaya, glacier loss was tied to reduced premonsoon rainfall.



In the Eastern Himalaya, declining postmonsoon snowfall accelerated retreat. In the Western Himalaya, increased summer rain caused rain-on-ice events that sped melting. These details show that the seasonality of rain and snow is as important as overall precipitation amounts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacier-loss-differs-by-region">Glacier loss differs by region</h2>



Different climate systems influence each subregion. Monsoon-fed glaciers in the Central and Eastern Himalaya show the highest rates of ice loss.



Glaciers dominated by the Westerlies, such as those in the Pamir–Hindu Kush and Karakoram, show slower declines or in some cases slight gains.



The Tien Shan, influenced by Siberian systems and western cyclones, also shows significant losses. These contrasts highlight how winds and precipitation phase shifts shape glacier health differently across the mountains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hazards-on-the-rise">Hazards on the rise</h2>



Rapid melting brings hazards that are both immediate and long-term. Glacial lake outburst floods are becoming more common as ice retreats, creating unstable lakes held back by fragile moraine walls. Landslides and river floods often follow, putting downstream communities at risk.



“This risk is not only about long-term water shortages but also about immediate threats to lives and infrastructure,” said Sherpa.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacier-loss-under-stronger-monsoons">Glacier loss under stronger monsoons</h2>



Climate projections suggest stronger and more intense monsoons in the coming decades, with possible changes in their timing. 



By 2100, ice loss in monsoon-dominated basins could reach 38–58 percent, depending on future emissions.



Such a shift would profoundly affect river flows, agriculture, and disaster risks. The study emphasizes that improved monitoring networks are urgently needed to capture rain, snow, and temperature changes across high-altitude regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-communities-downstream">Protecting communities downstream </h2>



High Mountain Asia’s glaciers are retreating under the combined weight of heat and shifting monsoons. Seasonal timing and the balance of rain versus snow now shape their fate more than annual totals. 



Protecting communities downstream will require better observation and planning that accounts for these seasonal fingerprints. 



The research makes clear that what happens in these mountains will ripple far beyond their valleys, potentially impacting the lives of more than a billion people.



The study is published in the <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11107312/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing</a>. 



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Shrinking glaciers in the Himalayas are not just threatened by heat

High Mountain Asia, often called the “Third Pole,” holds the largest store of ice outside the Arctic and Antarctic. Its glaciers have shaped landscapes, nourished rivers, and sustained communities for thousands of years. But today, these frozen giants are shrinking at a troubling pace. Scientists have long agreed that warming temperatures drive the retreat, yet new evidence reveals another culprit: shifting rainfall and snowfall patterns, especially those tied to the South Asian monsoon. Glaciers losing ice faster The numbers are staggering. Glaciers across the region are losing...

Moisture isn’t just a background player in the atmosphere. New research shows it can make one kind of atmospheric block dig in and linger while weakening another. 



The study helps explain why some heat waves, cold spells, droughts, and flood patterns persist for days or weeks - and why some climate models have predicted fewer blocking events as the planet warms.



The research was led by Zhaoyu Liu, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at <a href="https://www.eaps.purdue.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purdue University</a>. Lei Wang, an assistant professor who conceived the idea and served as corresponding author, set the study in motion.



Their paper reframes a decades-old assumption about a “dry” atmosphere and replaces it with a moisture-aware view of how atmospheric blocks evolve.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-the-jet-stream-stops">When the jet stream stops</h2>



Atmospheric blocking occurs when large-scale pressure patterns stall the normal west-to-east flow. Ridge blocks are bulging domes of high pressure that shove the jet stream north and often anchor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/africas-heat-waves-are-getting-hotter-longer-and-deadlier/">heat waves</a>.



Dipole blocks pair a high and low side by side, locking contrasting weather in place. In both cases, persistence is the problem. The longer the block, the greater the impacts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dry-theories-miss-moisture">Dry theories miss moisture</h2>



“Since the beginning of modern meteorology (around the 1940s), most classical theories for atmospheric blocking were developed based on the assumption that we are living in a completely dry world,” Wang said.



“Obviously, that assumption was helpful for simplifying the processes to its essence, but a completely dry assumption is not the case in the real atmosphere.”



In reality, moist air rises, condenses, and releases latent heat. That “diabatic” heating changes pressure patterns, feeds certain waves, and can either reinforce or erode a block. The question has been how - and whether the answer differs by block type.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moisture-s-split-role-in-the-atmosphere">Moisture’s split role in the atmosphere</h2>



The team shows that the atmosphere’s moisture doesn’t act uniformly. It amplifies some blocks and damps others.



“We find that while moisture-induced diabatic heating is conducive to the persistence of ridge blocks, it exerts a surprising damping effect that significantly weakens the amplitude of dipole blocks,” Wang said.



That split personality helps untangle a climate-model puzzle. As the air warms, it can hold more moisture. If moisture makes ridges tougher but softens dipoles, then the balance of blocking behaviors can shift.



Some models have projected fewer total blocks in a warmer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/looking-to-earths-ancient-climate-to-predict-our-future/">climate</a>. The new mechanism shows how a moister atmosphere could, paradoxically, reduce the strength or number of dipole blocks even as it props up ridges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-physics-of-blocking">The physics of blocking</h2>



To move beyond patterns and into causes, the researchers leaned on the geopotential height tendency equation. This is a backbone of atmospheric dynamics and links heating and motion to changes in pressure surfaces aloft.



With it, they offered a physical interpretation for how latent heat released by condensation can reinforce high-pressure domes while sapping the seesawing strength of adjacent high–low pairs. 



The result is a clearer mechanistic bridge from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/clouds-are-shrinking-and-making-the-earth-hotter/">clouds</a> and rain to the fate of stalled weather regimes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-road-rules-meet-weather">Road rules meet weather</h2>



Wang compares blocked flows to congestion on a highway. “Without considering moisture, yes, blocks can happen,” Wang said.



“However, the role of moisture is just like the road condition at the time of the traffic jam. Sometimes, if the blocks are of different shapes (such as trough or dipole), they may exert an influence to reduce the strength of the blocks.”



In other words, depending on the configuration, moisture can act like a slick surface that loosens the jam. Or, for ridge blocks, it can be the sticky pavement that slows everything down.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moisture-improves-forecasts">Moisture improves forecasts</h2>



“Blocking events usually lead to extreme weather events, such as heat waves or cold spells or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drought-triggers-early-autumn-by-forcing-leaves-to-fall/">droughts</a>,” Wang said.



“Recognizing and unraveling these distinct roles of diabatic heating for different types of blocks will help us to better predict the evolution of blocking events.”



That prospect matters most on the subseasonal-to-seasonal timescales - two to eight weeks ahead&nbsp; where forecast skill is notoriously thin and societal stakes are high.



Improved treatment of moisture-block interactions can help forecasters anticipate whether a ridge will lock down and intensify a heat wave, or whether a dipole configuration will fade sooner than expected. 



This insight can also help climate modelers diagnose why different models disagree on blocking trends and adjust physics accordingly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-wetter-view-of-extremes">A wetter view of extremes</h2>



Wang’s group studies large-scale dynamics on Earth and other planets, with a particular eye on blocks and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-pushing-nature-toward-a-breaking-point/">extreme weather</a>. The goal is to close the forecast gap on events that cause outsized damage but remain hard to predict. 



This study’s message is both simple and actionable: moisture matters, and it matters differently depending on the shape of the block.



That insight updates a foundational theory without discarding its elegance. It takes the clean “dry-world” framework of classic meteorology and adds the messy ingredient that nature never leaves out. 



In doing so, it offers a path to sharper warnings for the high-impact spells that define our weather memories - when heat lingers, rain won’t quit, or cold air refuses to budge.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60811-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Moisture in the atmosphere causes extreme weather to last longer

Moisture isn’t just a background player in the atmosphere. New...

Cement keeps our cities standing, but it also keeps them hot. Roofs and pavements absorb sunlight, store heat, and then radiate it back into the air. Air conditioners fight that heat, but they burn electricity and drive up emissions. 



Fengyin Du and her team at <a href="https://www.seu.edu.cn/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southeast University</a> believe that cement itself can change the story by cooling cities instead of heating them up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-regular-cement-fails">Why regular cement fails</h2>



Ordinary cement is dark and doesn’t bounce sunlight away. Instead, it absorbs the sun’s energy and traps it as heat. 



The heat then moves into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/turning-co2-into-cement-a-new-path-to-greener-construction/">buildings</a>, making rooms hotter and harder to cool. It also warms the outside environment, so streets and sidewalks feel hotter too.



When cities heat up this way, people rely more on air conditioning, which uses a lot of electricity. If we continue to use the same materials, the demand for cooling will keep growing. 



By the middle of this century, the energy used for cooling could make carbon emissions up to three times higher than today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-different-cement">Building a different cement</h2>



The&nbsp;Southeast University team took a different approach. The researchers created a cement where crystals form naturally on the surface. The mineral ettringite does the heavy lifting.



“It works like a mirror and a radiator, so it can reflect sunlight away and send heat out into the sky, so a building can stay cooler without any air conditioning or electricity,” explained Du.



The cement also lets heat escape because of tiny pores and a gel rich in aluminum. Together, these features turn the surface into both reflector and radiator.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-cooling-cement-is-made">How the cooling cement is made</h2>



The recipe starts with common <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-roman-concrete-offers-lessons-for-sustainable-building/">minerals</a> like limestone, gypsum, alumina, and silica. These are shaped into pellets, heated, and then ground. 



When mixed with water, the particles react to form both ettringite and gel. To shape the surface, the team used molds and air bubbles that left behind microcavities. 



Crystals grow inside these cavities, creating patterns that scatter light and boost reflectivity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-the-cement-in-sunlight">Testing the cement in sunlight</h2>



The researchers placed the new cement on a rooftop at Purdue University to see how it worked in real sunlight. 



The cement stayed cooler than the air around it - by 5.4°C (9.7°F) - and much cooler than normal Portland cement - by 26°C (47°F). That means it didn’t trap heat the way regular cement does.



Even at night, when there’s no sunlight, the cement kept releasing stored heat into the sky. This showed that its cooling ability doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. It can keep surfaces cooler both day and night.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strength-and-resilience">Strength and resilience</h2>



Cooling power alone isn’t enough. Buildings need <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recycled-cement-is-an-absolute-miracle-to-lower-concrete-emissions/">materials</a> that last. The new cement showed compressive strength above 100 MPa, stronger than many traditional mixes. 



It resisted scratches, stayed intact under freeze-thaw cycles, and endured immersion in corrosive liquids. After months of UV exposure and a full year outdoors, its reflectivity barely dropped.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brighter-city-streets">Brighter city streets</h2>



Cement is usually gray, but the new research shows that it doesn’t have to stay that way. The team mixed in special phosphor dyes while making the cement. This produced colored versions - yellow, green, and red.



Even with the color, the cement still reflected about 90% of sunlight. That means it kept its cooling ability while also giving architects and city planners more design options to make buildings and streets look brighter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-benefits-of-cooling-cement">Climate benefits of cooling cement</h2>



Production matters as much as performance. This cement is made at lower temperatures, cutting emissions during manufacture by about 25 percent.



Life-cycle studies suggest that over 70 years, a tonne of this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-just-created-concrete-that-could-reverse-climate-damage/">cement</a> could reduce up to 2,867 kilograms of CO2 compared with standard Portland cement. 



Some cities, like Niamey and Mumbai, could reach carbon neutrality with it faster than others.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cooler-cities-with-less-energy-demand">Cooler cities with less energy demand</h2>



Oscar Brousse from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University College London</a> praises the material’s design but warns against simple conclusions. 



“It doesn’t mean that because the surface is 5°C lower, that the air temperature will be 5°C lower around it. The effect locally may be greatly limited,” said Brousse.



Even with that caution, the potential is clear. This cement could cut energy demand in cities, reduce emissions, and extend building lifespans. If scaled, it may help cool entire neighborhoods without flipping a switch.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adv2820" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Cement of the future: Cooling cities and cutting emissions

Cement keeps our cities standing, but it also keeps them...

The gas that shields us from ultraviolet radiation is also a heat trapper. That tension sits at the heart of a new analysis that recalculates how much extra warming will come from changes in ozone over the next quarter century.



The headline result is stark, but the mechanics matter even more. The research was led by Professor Bill Collins at the <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Reading</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ozone-recovery-and-pollution">Ozone recovery and pollution</h2>



A multi-model study shows that without strong air pollution controls, ozone will add 0.268 ± 0.084 W/m² of extra heating between 2015 and 2050. This makes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-ozone-layer-is-healing-will-the-hole-disappear-for-good/">ozone</a> the second-largest driver of near-term warming after carbon dioxide.



The team separated two drivers that push ozone upward. One is recovery of the high altitude layer as ozone depleting chemicals keep declining. 



The other is the build up of ozone near and above the surface, fed by ozone <a href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Ozone_Precursors.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">precursor</a> emissions such as methane and nitrogen oxides from industry, traffic, and agriculture.



Across seven state of the art Earth system and chemistry models, the signal was consistent. Roughly half of the added warming came from stratospheric recovery and half from tropospheric increases.



Those values exceed earlier estimates used by policymakers for the same scenario. The gap arises from the methods used to diagnose forcing and from how clouds, water vapor, and surface reflectivity respond to ozone changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-healing-ozone-also-traps-heat">Healing ozone also traps heat</h2>



Ozone acts as a greenhouse gas by absorbing infrared <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ozone-pollution-threatens-tree-survival-across-western-u-s/">radiation</a>, particularly near 9.6 micrometers. Higher concentrations in the upper atmosphere trap more outgoing heat, but increases closer to the surface have an even stronger effect because the air there is denser and warmer.



The Montreal <a href="https://ozone.unep.org/treaties/montreal-protocol" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Protocol</a> phased out Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), saving the protective layer and cutting dangerous ultraviolet exposure, yet its success has a climate side effect because a thicker ozone layer also holds more heat.



“Countries are doing the right thing by continuing to ban chemicals called CFCs and HCFCs that damage the ozone layer above Earth. However, while this helps repair the protective ozone layer, we have found that this recovery in ozone will warm the planet more than we originally thought,” said Professor Collins.



The study’s message is not to second guess the treaty. It is to count this unavoidable warming correctly while accelerating cuts to the pollutants that create ozone in the lower atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-today-warming-tomorrow">Pollution today, warming tomorrow</h2>



Near the ground, the <a href="https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/atmosphere/troposphere" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">troposphere</a> is where we live and where familiar emissions cook up ozone under sunlight. Those reactive gases are short lived, so trimming them yields benefits within years, and it eases a public health burden that hits lungs, hearts, and crops.



Ground level ozone raises risks of coughing, worsened asthma, and reduced lung function, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (<a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozone-pollution/health-effects-ozone-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPA</a>).



“Air pollution from vehicles, factories and power plants also creates ozone near the ground, causing health problems and warming the planet,” said Professor Collins.



Because ozone links air quality and climate, steps that reduce methane, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds can cool the climate while cleaning the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-heat-cleaner-air-the-surprising-ozone-connection/">air</a>. The dual payoff is large in cities and rapidly industrializing regions where ozone chemistry is most active.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-metrics-change-warming-numbers">Metrics change warming numbers</h2>



Climate science uses radiative forcing to tally how different agents change Earth’s energy budget. The effective radiative forcing (ERF) for ozone since 1750 is assessed at 0.47 [0.24 to 0.71] W/m², reflecting historical increases in tropospheric ozone as well as stratospheric changes.



ERF is powerful here because it includes fast adjustments in clouds, water vapor, and surface reflectivity that kick in when ozone changes, while leaving out the slower response of surface temperature. That makes ERF more representative of the actual climate push than methods that ignore these rapid adjustments.



By contrast, stratospheric temperature adjusted radiative forcing (SARF) accounts for the quick cooling or warming of the stratosphere but not other rapid adjustments. 



The new analysis shows that for ozone changes driven by declining ozone depleting substances, ERF is roughly double SARF, meaning older approaches can undercount the climate push from the healing layer.



This metric choice is not a technical footnote. It influences how we attribute warming to different pollutants, how we design near term mitigation, and how we set expectations for temperature outcomes by mid century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ozone-recovery-needs-pollution-cuts">Ozone recovery needs pollution cuts</h2>



According to a <a href="https://csl.noaa.gov/assessments/ozone/2022/executivesummary/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOAA report</a>, stratospheric ozone will continue to recover for decades, meaning the associated warming is effectively locked in regardless of air quality policies on the ground.



That does not weaken the case for the Montreal Protocol’s success or its health protections. It simply means climate planners should pencil a larger ozone line into their near-term forcing budgets and not assume a free climate bonus from the treaty’s chemical ban.



Where we do have leverage is on precursors. Cutting methane curbs a major source of global background <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rocket-launches-threaten-earths-ozone-recovery/">ozone</a> and reduces warming on short time scales. 



Tightening controls on nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds lowers urban and regional ozone peaks, improving health while shaving future climate forcing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ozone-recovery-speeds-up-warming">Ozone recovery speeds up warming</h2>



Ozone’s protective shield is on the mend, and that is non-negotiable for human and ecosystem health. 



At the same time, the climate system will feel extra heat from both the healing layer above and the pollution made ozone below, and counting it correctly helps us choose smarter levers.



Practical steps include updating inventories with ERF-based ozone data, accelerating cuts to methane and ozone precursors, and upholding the Montreal Protocol. These measures protect health gains while aligning energy and air quality policy with the physics that truly drives warming.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/25/9031/2025/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics</a>.



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Ozone recovery will amplify near-term global warming

The gas that shields us from ultraviolet radiation is also...

Antarctica is edging toward abrupt, potentially irreversible climate shifts in its ice, oceans, and living systems. Those changes would reverberate far beyond the pole, accelerating sea level rise, altering climate, and disrupting marine life. The speed of warming means every fraction of a degree now matters.



A new study, led by researchers from the Australian National University (<a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ANU</a>) and the University of New South Wales (<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNSW</a>), working with scientists across Australia’s Antarctic research centers, pulls these strands together.



The experts warn that large, sudden changes are unfolding across the continent that interlink amplifying risks for the global climate, sea level, and ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-west-antarctica-on-the-brink"><a></a>West Antarctica on the brink</h2>



The researchers flagged the West Antarctic Ice Sheet as especially vulnerable as atmospheric carbon dioxide keeps rising. A large-scale collapse would add more than three meters (10 feet) to global sea levels, reshaping coasts and flooding cities.



According to study lead author Nerilie Abram, chief scientist at the <a href="https://www.antarctica.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australian Antarctic Division</a>, such a collapse would bring “catastrophic consequences for generations to come”.



“Rapid change has already been detected across Antarctica’s ice, oceans, and ecosystems, and this is set to worsen with every fraction of a degree of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-in-distress-the-escalating-consequences-of-global-warming/">global warming</a>,” said Abram, who carried out this work during her time as a professor of climate science at ANU.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antarctic-sea-ice-in-rapid-decline">Antarctic sea ice in rapid decline</h2>



The loss of Antarctic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarcticas-melting-ice-shelves-threaten-global-sea-levels/">sea ice</a> is another abrupt change that has a whole range of knock-on effects, including making the floating ice shelves around Antarctica more susceptible to wave-driven collapse. 



"The decline in Antarctic sea ice and the slowdown of deep circulation in the Southern Ocean are showing worrying signs of being more susceptible to a warming climate than previously thought,” Abram said.



As sea ice disappears from the ocean surface around Antarctica, it changes how much solar heat the climate system retains, intensifying warming across the region.



“Other changes to the continent could soon become unstoppable, including the loss of Antarctic ice shelves and vulnerable parts of the Antarctic ice sheet that they hold behind them," she said.



These processes feed on one another. Less sea ice means a darker ocean that absorbs more sunlight. That extra heat accelerates melt and weakens ice shelves further. A sluggish overturning traps heat and carbon at the surface, weakening the Southern Ocean’s buffer against global warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-australia-faces-antarctic-fallout">Australia faces Antarctic fallout</h2>



Study co-author Matthew England of UNSW and the <a href="https://antarctic.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ARC Australian Center for Excellence in Antarctic Science</a> warns that the impacts will be felt far beyond, but especially in Australia.



"Consequences for Australia include rising sea levels that will impact coastal communities, and a warmer and deoxygenated Southern Ocean being less able to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere," he said.



Warmer, lower-oxygen waters also stress fisheries and corrode the climate’s natural safety valves, compounding heat and drought on land. Planning for coastal protection, infrastructure, and insurance will need to assume faster, higher sea level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antarctic-wildlife-face-extinction-risk">Antarctic wildlife face extinction risk</h2>



Ice loss is not only a physical problem. It is a biological one. “The loss of Antarctic sea ice brings heightened extinction risk for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emperor-penguins-may-disappear-in-our-lifetime/">emperor penguins</a>, whose chicks depend on a stable sea ice habitat prior to growing their waterproof feathers,” England said.



“The loss of entire colonies of chicks has been seen right around the Antarctic coast because of early sea ice breakout events, and some colonies have experienced multiple breeding failure events over the last decade.”



Ripple effects extend through the food web. Adult survival and breeding of krill, penguins, and seals are at risk. Warming and acidification strain keystone phytoplankton. As habitats contract and food chains fray, recovery becomes harder with each bad year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-currents-falter-life-suffers">Ocean currents falter, life suffers</h2>



Another potential risk is a collapse in the Antarctic overturning circulation. That would mean vital nutrients stay at the seafloor instead of recirculating to the surface, where biological systems - including marine animals - depend on them.



A stalled conveyor would dim the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/southern-ocean-mystery-satellites-reveal-a-strange-glow/">Southern Ocean</a>’s productivity and undermine one of Earth’s great carbon sinks. 



That is why, Abram stressed, local protections remain essential - but they cannot stop warming-driven impacts alone. Efforts under the Antarctic Treaty System to reduce pressures on ecosystems fall short unless we rapidly cut the root cause - greenhouse gas pollution.



“While critically important, these measures will not help to avoid climate-related impacts that are already beginning to unfold,” she said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antarctica-s-climate-decline">Antarctica’s climate decline</h2>



There is still a chance to shape the future - the thermostat dictates the scale of abrupt change.



“The only way to avoid further abrupt changes and their far-reaching impacts is to reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2023-climate-change-report-record-high-temperatures-greenhouse-gases-sea-level-rise/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> fast enough to limit global warming to as close to 1.5°C (2.7°F) as possible,” Abram said.



“Governments, businesses, and communities will need to factor in these abrupt Antarctic changes that are being observed now into future planning for climate change impacts, including in Australia.”



That means faster emissions cuts, stronger resilience plans, and sustained investment in observing systems around Antarctica. 



The message is stark but actionable: curb warming quickly, and the odds of crossing irreversible thresholds fall. Delay, and the continent’s ice, oceans, and ecosystems will lurch into states we cannot easily reverse.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09349-5">Nature</a>.



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Antarctica is approaching an irreversible climate tipping point

Antarctica is edging toward abrupt, potentially irreversible climate shifts in...

Bandung,,Indonesia,:,People,Collect,Trash,That,Can,Be,Recycled

Efforts to hammer out a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution have once again hit a wall. After years of work and six formal negotiation rounds, talks wrapped up in Geneva without an agreement. 



Delegates from 185 countries worked past the deadline and into the early hours, but the gap between two opposing sides proved too wide to bridge.



This round of negotiations - billed as a last-chance summit after a similar breakdown in South Korea last year - was seen as a potential turning point. Instead, frustration ruled.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-holding-back-a-plastic-treaty">What's holding back a plastic treaty?</h2>



The main split was clear. One group, known as the <a href="https://hacfornatureandpeople.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">High Ambition Coalition</a>, includes countries like Canada, the UK, and members of the EU. 



They’re pushing for limits on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastics-treaty-talks-slow-progress-yet-restored-hope/">plastic</a> production and a gradual phase-out of harmful chemicals used in plastics.



On the other side, oil-producing nations grouped under the "Like-Minded Group" - including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, Kuwait, and Malaysia - want a treaty focused only on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-zero-waste-a-global-commitment-to-a-sustainable-future/">waste management</a>, not production cuts. 



These countries argue that targeting production would penalize resource-rich developing nations.



"Our views were not reflected without an agreed scope, this process cannot remain on the right track and risks sliding down a slippery slope," said Kuwait.



Bahrain added that it supported a treaty that "does not penalize developing countries for exploiting their own resources."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tensions-boil-over">Tensions boil over</h2>



The emotional toll was visible. France's Ecological Transition Minister, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, didn’t mince words. "I am disappointed, and I am angry," she said. 



"A handful of countries, guided by short-term financial interests, had blocked the adoption of an ambitious treaty. Oil-producing countries and their allies have chosen to look the other way."



Tuvalu, speaking on behalf of 14 Pacific island nations, voiced deep frustration.



"For our islands this means that without global cooperation and state action, millions of tons of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-think-their-biotech-breakthrough-could-end-plastic-waste-forever/">plastic waste</a> will continue to be dumped in our oceans, affecting our ecosystem, food security, livelihood and culture."



Colombia was equally direct, nothing that the negotiations were consistently blocked by a small number of states who simply don't want an agreement.



"We have missed a historic opportunity but we have to keep going and act urgently. The planet and present and future generations need this treaty," said Cuba. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-treaty-process-in-chaos">Plastic treaty process in chaos</h2>



Midweek, as talks looked increasingly fragile, the chair of the negotiations, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, issued a draft treaty based on overlapping areas. It was rejected across the board.



The High Ambition Coalition said it was too weak. The Like-Minded Group said it was too broad.



Valdivieso scrambled to salvage the talks with closed-door meetings and a revised draft. But shortly before sunrise, it was clear: no deal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-plastic-problem-by-the-numbers">The plastic problem, by the numbers</h2>



Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year. Half of that is used once and tossed.



Only 15% of plastic waste is even collected for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-recycling-day-creating-a-healthier-planet-for-all/">recycling</a>. Of that, only 9% ends up actually recycled.



Nearly half goes straight to landfills. Another 17% is incinerated. The remaining 22% ends up polluting landscapes, oceans, and waterways.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/">Microplastics</a> have now been found on Mount Everest and in the Mariana Trench. They’re in our lungs, our blood, and our food.



And the problem is accelerating. 



According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (<a href="https://www.oecd.org/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OECD</a>), plastic production could nearly triple by 2060, reaching 1.2 billion tons a year. 



Plastic waste is expected to top one billion tons annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next-for-plastic-talks">What happens next for plastic talks?</h2>



No one is quite sure what happens next. Some countries called for a seventh round of talks. South Africa insisted that it cannot end here. The EU called the latest draft a "good basis for a resumed session."



Whether or not countries return to the table will depend on political pressure, shifting alliances, and the mounting cost of inaction. 



Scientists and environmental groups are urging negotiators not to let the momentum slip away.



In the meantime, national governments may move forward with their own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-packaging-is-leaking-harmful-chemicals-into-meals/">plastic</a> restrictions, bans, or recycling mandates. 



But without a global plan, the patchwork approach will struggle to keep up with a problem that knows no borders.



Consumers, too, are becoming more vocal. The failure to reach a deal may only fuel public demand for action, transparency, and accountability from industries driving plastic production.



The urgency remains. Plastic pollution isn't slowing down - and neither should the effort to stop it.



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Global plastic treaty negotiations end in failure with no solution in sight

Efforts to hammer out a global treaty to tackle plastic...

Heat defined the summer of 2024, a harsh reminder of our changing climate. In the West African city of Kayes, temperatures soared past 119 degrees Fahrenheit in April. 



People couldn't escape the brutal heat. Air conditioners strained electrical grids. Hospitals filled with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-and-humidity-sharply-raise-heart-risks/">heat</a>-related illnesses. This wasn't just a bad week of weather. It was part of a dangerous trend that's reshaping life across an entire continent. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deadly-heat-waves-in-europe-can-be-predicted-by-melting-sea-ice/">Heat waves</a> are becoming Africa's new normal. These prolonged periods of abnormally hot weather now hit harder, last longer, and happen more often than they did just decades ago. 



The change is so dramatic that scientists are calling it a complete transformation of African climate patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-africa-s-heat-waves-changed">How Africa's heat waves changed</h2>



New research reveals just how much things have changed. The research team examined heat wave patterns using large-ensemble computer models that could separate different contributing factors. They looked at daytime, nighttime, and compound <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humid-heat-days-are-a-growing-threat-to-public-health/">heat</a> waves that combine both.



Between 1950 and 1979, Africa experienced relatively mild heat waves that occurred roughly once every three to eight years. During this earlier period, natural factors dominated the climate system. 



About 80% of heat wave activity came from natural causes like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-orbit-may-trigger-massive-volcanic-eruptions/">volcanic eruptions</a> and normal weather variations. Sulfate aerosols - tiny particles released by volcanic eruptions and some human activities - actually helped cool the planet by making clouds reflect more sunlight back to space.



Fast forward to recent decades, and the picture looks completely different. From 1985 to 2014, heat waves started showing up every two years or less. They lasted up to three times longer than before. 



By this period, human influences had taken over. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-reach-another-all-time-high/">Greenhouse gas emissions</a> from burning coal, oil, and gas trapped more heat in the atmosphere. Black carbon emissions - essentially soot from incomplete combustion - absorbed sunlight and added to the warming effect.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-driven-heat-waves-in-africa">Human-driven heat waves in Africa</h2>



The researchers found that only 30% of recent heat wave activity could be blamed on natural causes. The rest comes directly from human actions. 



The team also found a strong connection between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-is-on-pace-to-surpass-1-5c-global-temperature-increase-for-second-year-in-a-row/">heat</a> wave frequency and near-surface air temperatures. This relationship makes sense because both are influenced by similar factors like air circulation patterns and how energy moves between the Earth's surface and atmosphere.



"Raising awareness of heat waves is critical to saving human life," said Akintomide Afolayan Akinsanola, head of the Climate Research Lab and assistant professor of Earth and environmental sciences in the UIC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 



"In a developing continent like Africa, where the capacity for adaptive infrastructure is relatively low, heat waves can have greater consequences."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-africa-suffers-more-from-heat">Why Africa suffers more from heat</h2>



Africa sits in a particularly vulnerable position as our planet warms. The continent lacks the extensive air conditioning, emergency cooling centers, and heat-warning systems that help protect people in wealthier regions. Many communities depend on outdoor work and lack access to reliable electricity for cooling.



The human cost is already mounting. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/state-of-the-climate-2024-record-heat-and-rising-seas/">Heat</a>-related illnesses kill about 5,600 people annually in the United States - a country with extensive cooling infrastructure and emergency services. Some experts predict that Nigeria alone could see heat-related deaths rise to 23,000 or even 43,000 per year by the end of this century.



The most vulnerable people - infants, older adults, and those with existing health conditions - face the greatest risks. But heat waves don't just threaten individual health. They damage entire ecosystems, reduce crop yields, and overwhelm energy systems when people desperately need power for cooling.



"I was surprised to see that these changes were consistent across the African subregions, not just a specific isolated area," said Vishal Bobde, a doctoral student in Akinsanola's lab and the study's first author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ripple-effects-of-extreme-heat">Ripple effects of extreme heat</h2>



Heat waves create a cascade of problems that extend far beyond uncomfortable temperatures. When crops fail due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-pushing-parts-of-earth-beyond-human-survival/">extreme heat</a>, food prices rise and communities face shortages. 



Energy systems struggle to meet cooling demands, leading to blackouts that make the heat even more dangerous.



These climate pressures can force people to leave their homes in search of cooler, more livable areas. Large-scale migration puts stress on destination communities and can create conflicts over resources. The researchers warn that these effects don't stay contained within Africa's borders.



"The impacts are wide-ranging, from productivity to food shortage to energy," said Akinsanola, who is jointly appointed at the Environmental Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory. 



"Remember that the African population is close to 2 billion. Heat waves can lead to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drought-kills-trees-faster-than-previously-thought/">drought</a>, trigger migration and spark conflicts, thereby impacting regional, continental and even global stability."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-toward-heat-solutions">Looking toward heat solutions</h2>



Scientists hope their findings will help African communities, governments, and international organizations develop better strategies for dealing with heat waves. 



This includes creating early warning systems that can alert people when dangerous heat is approaching, and improving what researchers call "heat-risk literacy" - helping people understand and respond to heat dangers.



"While Africa contributes a relatively small share of global greenhouse gas emissions, climate change is a global issue that is intensifying heat waves everywhere. Addressing this requires global cooperation to aggressively reduce emissions and build adaptive capacity," said Kayode Ayegbusi, co-first author and UIC doctoral student in Akinsanola's lab.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-a-hotter-future">Preparing for a hotter future</h2>



The research team plans to investigate how future heat wave patterns might change depending on whether the world meets the goals set in the 2015 Paris Agreement. This international treaty aims to limit global temperature increases and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.



Understanding these climate patterns represents just the first step. The real challenge lies in translating scientific knowledge into practical solutions that can protect vulnerable communities from an increasingly hostile climate.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02578-6">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Africa’s heat waves are getting hotter, longer, and deadlier

Heat defined the summer of 2024, a harsh reminder of...

Flyers may soon help unlock one of the most mysterious regions of Earth’s atmosphere. Between 30 and 60 miles above our heads lies the mesosphere - a stretch of sky too high for planes and weather balloons, too low for satellites, and nearly impossible to reach with current tools. 



Yet inside this no-man’s land sits valuable data that could sharpen weather forecasts and strengthen climate models.



Now, a group of scientists from the Harvard John A. Paulson <a href="https://seas.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School of Engineering and Applied Sciences</a> and the University of Chicago may have found a way in.



Their new study introduces an ultra-light flying device that can lift itself into this thin, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-may-amplify-the-impacts-of-geomagnetic-storms/">upper atmosphere</a> using only sunlight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lightweight-flyers-lifted-by-sunlight">Lightweight flyers lifted by sunlight</h2>



The secret behind these floating flyers is a little-known physics trick called photophoresis.



“We are studying this strange physics mechanism called photophoresis and its ability to levitate very lightweight objects when you shine light on them,” said Ben Schafer, the lead author of the study.



Photophoresis happens when gas molecules bounce harder off the warm side of an object than the cool side. That creates a tiny push. In most environments, the force is too weak to notice. But in very low-pressure <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-space-station-observes-something-unknown-55-miles-above-earth/">conditions</a> - like those in the mesosphere - that small push can turn into a steady lift.



The research team built ultra-thin structures from ceramic alumina and coated one side with a thin chromium layer to absorb sunlight. When exposed to light, the temperature difference between the two sides generates a lift strong enough to counter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/theory-gravity-exists-without-mass-so-dark-matter-does-not-exist/">gravity</a>.



“This phenomenon is usually so weak relative to the size and weight of the object it’s acting on that we usually don’t notice it,” Schafer explained. “However, we are able to make our structures so lightweight that the photophoretic force is bigger than their weight, so they fly.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthroughs-in-technology">Breakthroughs in technology </h2>



The idea for these light-powered devices started over a decade ago. David Keith, now at the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Chicago</a>, had been exploring ways photophoretic particles might be used in climate engineering. 



That sparked a collaboration with Schafer and Joost Vlassak, a materials engineering expert with deep knowledge in nanofabrication.



Recent breakthroughs in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nanotech-material-graphene-passes-human-safety-tests/">nanotech</a> made it all possible. Scientists can now build featherweight structures with precise control over material thickness and shape.



“We developed a nanofabrication process that can be scaled to tens of centimeters,” said Vlassak. “These devices are quite resilient and have unusual mechanical behavior for sandwich structures. We are currently working on methods to incorporate functional payloads into the devices.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sunlight-powered-flyers-in-the-atmosphere">Sunlight-powered flyers in the atmosphere</h2>



To see if the theory would hold up, the team designed and built their devices in the lab. They placed them inside a low-pressure chamber, designed by Schafer and Harvard postdoctoral fellow Jong-hyoung Kim, to simulate conditions found in the upper atmosphere.



“This paper is both theoretical and experimental in the sense that we reimagined how this force is calculated on real devices and then validated those forces by applying measurements to real-world conditions,” Schafer said.



In one key experiment, a structure just one centimeter wide was able to float at a pressure of 26.7 Pascals when exposed to light at 55% the intensity of sunlight. That’s about what you'd experience 60 kilometers above Earth.



“This is the first time anyone has shown that you can build larger photophoretic structures and actually make them fly in the atmosphere,” Keith said. “It opens up an entirely new class of device: one that’s passive, sunlight-powered, and uniquely suited to explore our upper atmosphere. Later they might fly on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-plan-terraform-mars-nanoparticles-would-make-it-habitable-for-humans/">Mars</a> or other planets.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-ways-to-study-the-mesosphere">New ways to study the mesosphere </h2>



These devices could open up entirely new ways to monitor and study the mesosphere. With small sensors attached, they could collect data like wind speed, temperature, and pressure - information that’s hard to come by today, but critical for accurate forecasting and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exxons-climate-predictions-were-remarkably-accurate-but-ignored/">climate predictions</a>.



Fleets of flyers in the mesosphere could also be used for emergency communication networks or defense, acting like near-Earth satellites but without the high cost or lag time.



And since the atmosphere on Mars shares similar characteristics with our mesosphere, these devices could even help in future planetary missions. The team is now working on building communication payloads that will let the devices send back data in real time.



“I think what makes this research fun is that the technology could be used to explore an entirely unexplored region of the atmosphere. Previously, nothing could sustainably fly up there,” Schafer said. “It’s a bit like the Wild West in terms of applied physics."



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09281-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image Credit: Ben Schafer and Jong-hyoung Kim



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Sunlight-powered flyers could unlock secrets of Earth's atmosphere

Flyers may soon help unlock one of the most mysterious...

A short, self-guided program built around everyday contact with nature reports meaningful gains in mood and stress after just four weeks. It is simple by design and aimed at adults with low wellbeing who want help they can start today.



The approach is called Roots and Shoots. It pairs at-home reflections with brief outdoor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-nature-conservation-day-2025-a-healthy-future-for-all/">activities</a> near where people live, adding light digital support for those who want it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-helps-improve-mental-health">Nature helps improve mental health</h2>



The study was led by <a href="https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/24356-matt-owens" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Matt Owens</a> at the University of Exeter, with Clinical Psychologist <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Hannah-L-I-Bunce-2217974973" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Hannah L. I. Bunce</a>, co-founders of the <a href="https://www.rowantree.uk/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ROWAN</a> nature and mental health research group.



Researchers across psychology, public health, and ecology have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31355340/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">linked</a> time in natural settings with improved attention, mood, and stress biology, forming a coherent picture of benefits to mental health. 



<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1807504116" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evidence</a> extends across the life course, with large cohort work suggesting childhood access to greenspace predicts a lower risk of several psychiatric disorders in adulthood.



The adult intervention literature has moved from anecdotes to trials. 



A comprehensive <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34646931/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> finds nature-based interventions such as green exercise, gardening, and forest therapy improve mental health outcomes in adults, often with practical sessions of 20 to 90 minutes several times per week.



Prescribed contact with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-what-were-really-fighting-for/">nature</a>, from park walks to blue space visits, has also shown benefits for symptoms of depression and blood pressure in randomized and quasi-experimental <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/piis2542-5196%2823%2900025-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-program-activities">Nature program activities</h2>



<a href="https://rootsandshoots.org/resources/roots-shoots-formula-toolkit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Roots and Shoots is a printed guidebook</a> organized into six short sections that unfold over four weeks. It introduces the science of nature and wellbeing, then leads people through simple tracking of time in nature, mood, and values-based actions.



Core tools include a habit wheel for building small, repeatable moments <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nature-has-its-own-internet-and-were-only-beginning-to-understand-it/">outdoors</a>, a coping tool to swap unhelpful routines for neutral ones, and a honeycomb challenge to notice different kinds of nature contact. 



Brief meditations and breathing exercises are available online, supporting practice when getting outside is hard.



The study used a randomised controlled trial design. Adults with low wellbeing were assigned either to start the program or to a waitlist control and completed measures at baseline, two weeks, and four weeks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-program-results">Nature program results</h2>



On the primary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-environment-day-the-critical-role-of-nature-in-human-well-being/">outcome of wellbeing</a>, the intervention group improved more than the waitlist group across four weeks, with a large effect size by the study end. The design was remote and light touch, yet the signal was clear. 



Eighty-two percent of program completers made reliable improvements in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mutual-relationships-with-nature-offer-hope-for-a-sustainable-future/">wellbeing</a>, and 59 percent met the threshold for clinically significant change. None showed deterioration.



Average scores on anxiety and depression started in the clinical range and shifted below caseness by week four.



Effects were medium for anxiety and small for depressive symptoms. Engagement and acceptability were high. Ninety four percent of those who finished said they would recommend the guidebook to a friend.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practicing-the-program-daily">Practicing the program daily</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-nature-heals-outdoor-activities-greatly-improve-mental-health/">Nature time</a> is not treated as a luxury. It is framed as a small, daily behavior that can sit alongside existing routines and responsibilities.



The psychological ingredients are familiar and low cost. People practice mindfulness, track mood, write briefly, and connect actions to values that matter to them.



The program avoids all-or-nothing goals. It welcomes brief, nearby, and accessible encounters with trees, water, or sky, and includes virtual nature options when needed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-matters-for-care">Why this matters for care</h2>



Self-help options can play a useful role when services are stretched and stigma or logistics make formal care harder to access. They also give people a way to start while they wait for more intensive support if needed.



Mental health problems <a href="https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/MHF-Investing-in-Prevention-Report-Summary.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cost</a> the UK economy an estimated 118 billion pounds per year, about 5 percent of GDP, which makes low-cost, scalable options worth testing carefully. 



A month-long guidebook that people can complete without appointments or travel is inexpensive to deliver at scale.



The team emphasizes that a booklet is not a substitute for clinical care in crisis. It is an early step that can help many people feel and function better while easing pressure on services.



Health systems increasingly look for stepped care and preventive options. If confirmed in larger trials, a short nature guide could sit at step 1 or step 2 and augment therapy as homework after higher-intensity care.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-program-in-science">Nature program in science</h2>



“We have developed a self-help package that uses principles from both clinical psychology and nature research to empower individuals to spend more time in nature, rediscover their relationship with natural environments and improve their wellbeing,” said Dr. Owens.



Several streams of evidence propose why nature contact helps. Attention restoration, stress recovery, and social connection are all plausible, testable mechanisms.



Recent reviews point to dose and variety as practical levers. Short, regular sessions in green or blue spaces appear better than rare marathons, and mixing settings may matter as much as time logged.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-near-major-roads-increases-dementia-risk/">Urban living</a> need not be a barrier. Street trees, pocket parks, and canal paths can be enough to practice the habits described in the guide, especially when paired with brief indoor or virtual nature for consistency.



The structure here is the quiet shift. A light-touch plan that invites repeated, low-effort contact with nearby nature can build momentum without demanding free afternoons or long travel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-this-nature-program">Next steps for this nature program</h2>



This was a pilot, so the next step is a larger, fully powered trial that tests durability, mechanisms, and who benefits most. Duration is an open question, since many participants said they would welcome a longer version.



Precision also matters. Some people may respond most to habit building outdoors, while others change more through mindfulness or values work.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/8/1096" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Behavioral Sciences</a>.



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Simple and self-guided nature program quickly improves mood and reduces stress

A short, self-guided program built around everyday contact with nature...

Aerial,View,Of,A,Suburban,Intersection,With,Green,Grass,And

Human land use has removed a quarter of the carbon that would otherwise sit in vegetation and the top 12 inches of soil. That equates to roughly 344 billion metric tons of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-is-just-three-years-away-from-dangerous-carbon-milestone/">carbon</a>.



With pasture expansion, cropland expansion, and forest management determined to be the leading drivers, the analysis shows popular dynamic global vegetation models miss roughly 37 percent of this deficit on average.



The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332225002180" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimate</a> comes from a high resolution global map built by combining Earth observations, historical land use records, and machine learning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-land-carbon-loss-matters">Why land carbon loss matters</h2>



The work was led by <a href="https://www.geo.lmu.de/geographie/en/people/contact-page/raphael-ganzenmueller-61da7c76.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Raphael Ganzenmüller</a> with colleagues at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (<a href="https://www.geo.lmu.de/geographie/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LMU</a>). 



Vegetation and soils hold carbon that moves between land, ocean, and air, and together they store more carbon than the atmosphere at any time, which shapes temperature and risk.



Scientists track terrestrial carbon <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/15/5301/2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stocks</a> in living biomass and in soil organic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-burps-from-earths-past-warn-of-ocean-trouble-ahead/">carbon</a> (SOC). 



SOC is commonly assessed in the top 0 to 12 inches because that layer responds most to tillage, drainage, and erosion, and is mapped globally by national efforts coordinated through FAO’s <a href="https://www.fao.org/soils-portal/data-hub/soil-maps-and-databases/global-soil-organic-carbon-map-gsocmap/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GSOCmap</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-carbon-losses">Measuring carbon losses</h2>



The researchers estimated a terrestrial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-carbon-credits-are-failing-so-what-needs-to-change/">carbon</a> deficit by comparing today’s actual carbon stocks with potential stocks under current climate if land had not been directly altered by people. 



That contrast shows how much carbon landscapes have lost through clearing, grazing, cropping, and intensive forest use.



They trained models on areas with very low human influence as well as protected lands, then predicted potential vegetation and SOC at roughly 0.6 mile resolution. 



That lets them attribute losses to specific land uses and benchmark the results against widely used simulation models.



“Our study reveals the far-reaching human impact on the global carbon cycle. Our study provides important insights for climate policy,” said <a href="https://www.cas.lmu.de/en/people-at-cas/details/julia-pongratz-ba7ba916.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Julia Pongratz</a>, Professor of Physical Geography and Land Use Systems at LMU.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-deficit-of-carbon-matters">Why the deficit of carbon matters</h2>



The new map quantifies depletion, not annual emissions. It shows how much carbon is missing from land relative to what could be stored if ecosystems were intact under today’s conditions.



That stock gap matters because it sets the ceiling for restoration, informs where protection avoids the largest additional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-solutions-are-failing-but-they-can-still-be-fixed/">losses</a>, and clarifies how much headroom exists for land-based carbon removal without harming food or fiber production.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-models-missed-so-much">Why models missed so much</h2>



Most process models treat environmental changes and land use in ways that can produce conceptually inconsistent budgets.



Several recent <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39198386/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> show models often allocate too much to the natural land sink while undercounting land-use emissions, especially where degradation has erased sinks. That mismatch propagates into remaining carbon budget estimates and risk assessments.



By anchoring estimates in observation-based carbon densities and using consistent assumptions about potential stocks, the new work reduces those inconsistencies. 



It provides a constraint that modelers can use to re-tune land processes and improve verification of land carbon projects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-carbon-disappeared-from-land">Where carbon disappeared from land</h2>



Pasture expansion dominates the global deficit because it replaces woody vegetation and suppresses regrowth. 



Croplands follow because conversion reduces biomass and, under many systems, lowers SOC through disturbance and removal of residues.



Modern <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-22702-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reconstructions</a> that blend satellites with national statistics show how fast land use has shifted, with roughly one third of the planet’s land area affected since 1960.



This is driven largely by agricultural expansion in the global South and management transitions elsewhere. The new deficit map lines up with those patterns.



Independent <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39338-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> also shows that land conversion for crop production typically causes large SOC losses, and many forest management practices reduce soil carbon, especially where repeated disturbance limits recovery. 



That tracks with the study’s finding that vegetation losses dominate but soils contribute a substantial share in several temperate and boreal regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-policy">What this means for policy</h2>



The deficit highlights two levers with different timelines. Vegetation carbon can rebound in years to decades when pressure eases and trees return. Soil carbon often recovers more slowly and can plateau if management does not change.



For policy, this means protection of high carbon landscapes prevents further drawdown while targeted restoration can rebuild stocks where the potential is high and competing demands are limited. 



It also means crediting systems need to separate genuine stock recovery from merely avoiding ongoing losses.



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



The map is a screening tool, not a prescription. It points to regions where restoring vegetation or rebuilding SOC is physically plausible under today’s climate, and where the same actions would yield small gains.



It also helps evaluate land carbon projects more honestly by comparing outcomes against the appropriate potential baseline instead of against degraded starting points. That makes additionality, permanence, and leakage tests more concrete.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limits-of-carbon-estimates">Limits of carbon estimates</h2>



Potential stocks were trained on low influence and protected areas, which are imperfect analogs for pre-alteration ecosystems in long-settled regions. Some sparsely documented areas still carry higher uncertainty.



Even so, the estimate sets a useful lower bound on what people have already removed from land. It clarifies why relying on models alone can be risky when budgets are tight and timelines short.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-next">What to watch next</h2>



Expect model intercomparison projects to incorporate these observation-based constraints and report revised land sinks and land-use emissions. 



In addition, national inventories need to cross-check their land carbon accounting against high resolution maps that use the same underlying datasets.



Finally, project developers must use these maps to justify where not to intervene as much as where to act.



When done well, the biggest wins will blend conservation, restoration, and smarter management rather than chase a single metric.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332225002180" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">One Earth</a>.



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Human land use has removed billions of tons of carbon sequestration

Human land use has removed a quarter of the carbon...

Gold,Panning,,Man,Striking,It,Rich,By,Finding,The,Mother

Gold does not just sit on Earth’s surface in neat little nuggets, ready to be picked up or panned by lucky prospectors. That's not how it works - not even close.



Most gold is trapped in rocks deep in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sunken-worlds-discovered-under-the-pacific-ocean-in-earths-mantle/">Earth’s mantle</a>, which is the super-hot layer sandwiched between the crust we walk on and the planet’s core.



Scientists have been trying for years to figure out how gold escapes from the mantle and ends up in deposits that miners can dig up. 



Now, a new study has identified a big piece of the puzzle involving unusual chemistry occurring 30 to 50 miles beneath the surface.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gold-in-earth-s-mantle">Gold in Earth's mantle</h2>



Picture the edge of an ocean where the seafloor is slowly sliding under a continent. Geologists call these spots <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/subduction-zone" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subduction zones</a>, and they act as recycling centers for old oceanic crust. 



As that old seafloor sinks, it drags along water and chemicals that became trapped in the rocks over millions of years.



Here is where it gets interesting. When the sinking slab reaches depths of 30 to 50 miles, the pressure and heat squeeze out super-hot, salty fluids. 



These fluids rise into the mantle rock above, helping create the magma that feeds the volcanoes around the Pacific. Sometimes, if conditions align, these fluids also carry large amounts of gold.



Adam Simon, a professor of Earth and environmental sciences at the <a href="https://umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a>, and his team recently published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 



"This thermodynamic model that we've now published is the first to reveal the presence of the gold-trisulfur complex that we previously did not know existed at these conditions," Simon explained. 



"This offers the most plausible explanation for the very <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-high-grade-gold-mine-found-in-an-unexplored-area-of-south-america/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high concentrations</a> of gold in some mineral systems in subduction zone environments."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gold-travels-from-the-mantle-with-sulfur">Gold travels from the mantle with sulfur</h2>



Left alone, gold is essentially a homebody. It does not dissolve easily and prefers to stay put. But pair it with the right partner - sulfur, specifically - and suddenly it is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/couple-finds-a-gold-nugget-measuring-7-inches-across-weighing-more-than-9-pounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ready to travel</a>. 



The research team built a computer model that tracks the heat, pressure, and chemical reactions happening deep underground. What they found changes how we think about gold transport.



When those fluids from the sinking oceanic plate hit the mantle, they change its whole personality. They make it more oxidizing, which means it becomes better at removing electrons from other atoms. Think of it as switching the mantle from calm to aggressive mode.



In this aggressive, oxidized mantle, sulfur shape-shifts into forms it normally would not take. 



One of these forms creates a molecule in which one gold atom links with three sulfur atoms in a chain. This <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1506378112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gold-trisulfur complex</a> is essentially gold’s first-class ticket to the surface.



Without this complex, gold stays locked in minerals. With it, huge amounts of gold can dissolve in those hot fluids and ride them upward. 



We are talking grams of gold per cubic meter of fluid - thousands of times more than is normally scattered through mantle rocks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-subduction-zones">Global subduction zones</h2>



Not every <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-dangerous-part-of-this-west-coast-earthquake-fault-cascadia-subduction-zone/">subduction zone</a> produces gold deposits, and now we know why. 



You need the right ingredients: enough oxidizing fluids from the sinking plate, water to create the proper fluid-transport system, and temperatures and pressures that hit the sweet spot for forming that gold-trisulfur complex. 



The study found that water is not optional - it is absolutely essential. Systems with water can move far more gold than dry ones. Water is the delivery truck that makes everything work.



When all these ingredients come together, the mantle hands off its gold to rising magmas. 



These magmas rise toward the surface, cool, and deposit their golden cargo into cracks and veins. After a few million years, a deposit worth mining can form.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connecting-the-dots">Connecting the dots</h2>



"On all of the continents around the Pacific Ocean, from New Zealand to Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, Russia, Alaska, the western United States and Canada, all the way down to Chile, we have lots of active volcanoes," Simon explained. 



"All of those active volcanoes form over or in a subduction zone environment. The same types of processes that result in volcanic eruptions are processes that form gold deposits."



This is not just interesting science - it is also practical. Now that geologists understand this process, they can be smarter about where to look for gold. 



Find an old subduction zone where the conditions were just right, and you might find <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supergiant-gold-deposit-find-claims-to-be-the-worlds-largest-discovery-ever/">the next big deposit</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-settling-the-argument">Settling the argument</h2>



Scientists have been debating whether this gold-trisulfur complex could exist under mantle conditions. Some said yes; others said no. 



This study effectively ends that argument by showing not only that it exists, but that it is probably the main way gold moves from the deep Earth to the surface.



"These results provide a really robust understanding of what causes certain subduction zones to produce very gold-rich ore deposits," Simon noted.



"Combining the results of this study with existing studies ultimately improves our understanding of how gold deposits form and can have a positive impact on exploration."



It turns out that subduction zones are not just garbage disposals for old ocean floor. They are chemical factories that remix sulfur, water, and heat into a system that can move gold from the deep Earth to places where we can mine it. 



When the chemistry is right, Earth essentially runs its own gold-concentration process, creating the deposits that have fascinated humans since we first spotted that distinctive yellow gleam in a riverbed.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2404731121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Scientists discover how gold reaches Earth's surface from deep underground

Gold does not just sit on Earth’s surface in neat...

Mixed,Diatoms,From,A,Small,Creek.,This,Image,Has,Been

Phytoplankton in the waters around Antarctica are changing - and the shift could have big consequences for the climate and the entire Southern Ocean ecosystem.



Over the past 25 years, scientists have used satellite data to track changes in the makeup of these microscopic organisms. 



Their findings point to a long-term, climate-driven transformation in the region’s marine environment - one that could weaken the ocean’s ability to capture and store carbon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-shifts-in-phytoplankton">Detecting shifts in phytoplankton</h2>



The study was focused on data from the European Space Agency’s Climate Change Initiative (<a href="https://climate.esa.int/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA’s CCI</a>) and more than 14,000 samples collected between 1997 and 2023. The goal was to analyze changes in phytoplankton populations.



Alexander Hayward, Earth System Scientist at the <a href="https://www.dmi.dk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Danish Meteorological Institute</a> and lead-author on the paper, explained how the research team used ESA’s CCI data in the study.



“We built machine-learning models using in-situ samples, which we then combined with data from the European Space Agency, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-are-substantially-changing-the-seasons-of-the-ocean/">sea surface temperature</a>, ocean color and sea ice concentration, to track changes in different phytoplankton groups over time," Hayward explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decline-in-diatoms">Decline in diatoms</h2>



The team identified key changes in the balance of phytoplankton types across the Southern Ocean.



“We observed major reductions in diatom populations between 1997-2016 - a period where sea ice increased,” noted Hayward. 



“From 2016 onwards, the satellite record revealed a slight rebound in Antarctic diatom populations, and a related group of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-algae-genes-chlorophyll-boost-crop-yields-land-plants/">marine algae</a> - cryptophytes - rapidly proliferated.”



The researchers found that diatoms - large, carbon-absorbing phytoplankton - fell sharply during the first two decades of the study. 



After sea ice retreated in 2017, diatom numbers began to recover in some regions, while smaller phytoplankton such as cryptophytes and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-plankton-algae-could-change-the-fate-of-the-arctic-food-web/">haptophytes</a> continued to grow. 



In West Antarctica, however, diatom populations have continued to decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-all-phytoplankton-are-equal">Not all phytoplankton are equal</h2>



Phytoplankton are the foundation of the Antarctic marine food web. Diatoms, haptophytes, and cryptophytes make up the bulk of the microscopic life in these waters. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-plankton-play-a-big-role-in-the-global-carbon-cycle/">Diatoms</a> alone account for nearly half of the phytoplankton here, with haptophytes close behind.



But these organisms don’t all play the same role. Diatoms are heavy hitters when it comes to carbon. 



Their hard silica shells trap carbon dioxide, and when diatoms die and sink, they carry that carbon to the ocean floor. They also feed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-krill-are-natures-unexpected-carbon-warriors/">krill</a> - the tiny crustaceans that feed whales, penguins, and seals.



The smaller types, like haptophytes and cryptophytes, don’t store carbon as effectively. So a long-term shift away from diatoms could weaken one of the ocean’s most important carbon storage systems.



“If we observe a decrease in the number of diatoms, it is likely that the biological carbon pump will weaken, resulting in less carbon dioxide being transported to the deep sea,” said Hayward.



“Now more than ever, we need more research and observation to monitor the changes in this sensitive ecosystem. What’s happening at the microscopic level could impact the climate itself and needs our attention.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-track-phytoplankton-nbsp-shifts">Satellites track phytoplankton&nbsp;shifts</h2>



You might wonder how a satellite flying 815 kilometers above Earth can tell anything about microscopic plankton. It doesn’t see the organisms directly. Instead, satellites like Copernicus Sentinel-3 measure the light reflected off the ocean’s surface. 



Changes in that light - especially in the green and blue parts of the spectrum - signal the presence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shifting-ocean-color-is-pushing-marine-life-toward-the-poles/">chlorophyll</a> and other pigments used in photosynthesis.



Different phytoplankton groups have distinct pigment profiles. When combined with data from water samples, these color signals help scientists map where different phytoplankton are and how their populations are changing over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-carbon-and-the-ocean">Climate, carbon, and the ocean</h2>



Phytoplankton extract carbon from the air, fuel entire ecosystems, and are closely connected to climate change. But long-term records of how these creatures function exist in short supply.



That is why ESA is creating a new project known as Phyto-CCI. It will utilize advanced satellite methods for tracking phytoplankton changes from space, and make it possible for scientists to comprehend their contribution to ocean health and the global climate.



As this research illustrates, the Southern Ocean is already in transition due to climate pressures. What will follow depends not only on ice and temperature - but also on these invisible microorganisms that underpin the entire food chain.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02379-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 



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Phytoplankton changes found in Antarctic waters could impact food webs and carbon storage

Phytoplankton in the waters around Antarctica are changing - and...

The NISAR mission - short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar - has successfully deployed its massive 39-foot antenna reflector in space.



Seventeen days after launch, the reflector, which had been folded up like an umbrella, finally unfurled after the satellite’s 30-foot boom was fully extended and locked in place. Now it’s ready to begin its work monitoring Earth in stunning detail.



The mission is a collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (<a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ISRO</a>). It launched on July 30 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in southeastern India. 



From its orbit, <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/nisar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NISAR</a> will track movements in ice sheets, glaciers, and land surfaces affected by earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides. It will also monitor forests and wetlands with precision down to a fraction of an inch.



“The successful deployment of NISAR’s reflector marks a significant milestone in the capabilities of the satellite,” said Karen St. Germain, director of NASA’s Earth Science Division. 



“From innovative technology to research and modeling to delivering science to help inform decisions, the data NISAR is poised to gather will have a major impact on how global communities and stakeholders improve infrastructure, prepare for and recover from natural disasters, and maintain food security.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-antenna-matters">Why this antenna matters</h2>



This reflector is the largest ever deployed for a NASA Earth science mission. 



It’s built to handle two powerful radar systems at once: an L-band radar that can see through clouds and trees, and an S-band radar that’s better at detecting changes in light vegetation and wet snow. The reflector is essential to both.



“This is the largest antenna reflector ever deployed for a NASA mission, and we were of course eager to see the deployment go well. It’s a critical part of the NISAR Earth science mission and has taken years to design, develop, and test to be ready for this big day,” said Phil Barela, NISAR project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (<a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPL</a>). 



“Now that we’ve launched, we are focusing on fine-tuning it to begin delivering transformative science by late fall of this year.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-antenna-opened-in-orbit">How the antenna opened in orbit</h2>



The reflector weighs around 142 pounds and is built from 123 composite struts and a gold-plated wire mesh. 



On August 9, the satellite's boom began unfolding, one joint at a time. Four days later, it was fully extended. The reflector assembly, attached to the end of the boom, was next.



On August 15, small explosive bolts fired to release the reflector. This kicked off the "bloom" - a gradual unfurling that relied on tension built up in the frame while it was stowed. Motors and cables then pulled it into its final locked position.



To image <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biomass-satellite-mission-sends-first-images-of-earths-most-extreme-environments/">Earth's changing landscape</a> at about 30-foot resolution, the antenna had to be big - about the width of a school bus. Without synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the same level of detail would require a traditional antenna nearly 12 miles long.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-lens-on-earth-s-surface">A new lens on Earth’s surface</h2>



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radar-imaging-will-help-protect-polar-bears-from-human-disturbances/">Synthetic aperture radar</a>, in principle, works like the lens of a camera, which focuses light to make a sharp image. The size of the lens, called the aperture, determines the sharpness of the image,” explained Paul Rosen, NISAR’s project scientist at JPL. 



“Without SAR, spaceborne radars could generate data, but the resolution would be too rough to be useful. With SAR, NISAR will be able to generate high-resolution imagery." 



Using special interferometric techniques that compare images over time, NISAR enables researchers and data users to create 3D movies of changes happening on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-model-reveals-the-evolution-of-the-earths-surface/">Earth’s surface</a>.



NISAR builds on decades of radar research. It follows earlier missions from JPL, including Seasat in 1978 and Magellan in the 1990s, which mapped the surface of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/venus-secret-past-may-have-implications-for-earths-future/">Venus</a>. But this is the first time two SAR systems have flown together on a single Earth science satellite.



The technology has come a long way, and the stakes are real. 



NISAR isn’t just about pretty pictures from space. It’s about tracking the changes happening on our planet - shifting ice, sinking coastlines, moving fault lines - so we can respond faster, plan smarter, and understand the systems we all depend on to live, grow food, and stay safe.



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NISAR satellite unfurls antenna in orbit, set to begin unprecedented Earth imaging mission

The NISAR mission - short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar...

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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...

<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=prrq8Ql81zk
</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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https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[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"

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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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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

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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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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