Coral,Ocean,Conservation,-,Growing,Corals,On,Shallow,Reef,Nursery

The ocean is in trouble. Two-thirds of our coastal regions have already been altered or damaged. Fishing methods that drag gear across the ocean floor, known as bottom-contact fisheries, disturb nearly 5 million square kilometers of marine habitat every year requiring eventual restoration. 



And that's just one piece of the puzzle. Marine litter and chemical pollutants are adding more pressure. These intrusions interfere with natural processes that sustain life in the ocean, and biodiversity is paying the price.



Oil and gas drilling is typically limited in space, but when something goes wrong - like the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ghosts-of-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill-still-haunt-the-ecosystem/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deepwater Horizon spill</a> in 2010 - the consequences ripple across the deep sea for years. Now, seabed mining is poised to enter the scene. The Pacific’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone is one of many deep-sea regions that could be affected as this industry grows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-protection-isn-t-enough">Ocean protection isn’t enough</h2>



The UN Agenda 2030 sets a bold goal: protect 30% of the ocean by the end of the decade. Scientists from the University of Naples and the <a href="https://www.univpm.it/Entra/Universita_Politecnica_delle_Marche_Home/L/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Polytechnic University of Marche</a>, working through EU-funded projects like CLIMAREST and REDRESS, are developing strategies to support this goal. 



However, the researchers noted that protection alone won’t be enough. “This target may be insufficient to reverse current declines in specific habitats and overall ecosystem functionality,” said Roberto Danovaro, project coordinator of REDRESS.



To truly help <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/overfishing-and-habitat-degradation-have-devastated-marine-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine ecosystems</a> recover, we need more than just protected zones. Restoration must be part of the solution. That means actively reintroducing the very organisms that build marine habitats - such as seagrasses, mangroves, kelp, corals, and cold-water animal forests.



“Several coastal habitats need to be restored for their crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and sustaining ecosystem processes in the ocean,” said Professor Simonetta Fraschetti. Letting nature recover on its own - called passive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/restoration-of-underwater-seaweed-forests-offers-hope-for-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restoration</a> - can work, but it’s a slow road. In some cases, full recovery could take up to 200 years.



That’s especially true for habitats where the key species take decades to establish themselves. “Active restoration measures, such as stabilizing the seafloor and planting organisms, can significantly accelerate recovery,” said Cristina Gambi, project manager for REDRESS.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-restoration-works">Ocean restoration works </h2>



The idea of marine restoration might seem new, but it’s already been tested many times. In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers reviewed 764 marine restoration projects around the world.



The results? A 64% average success rate. Restoration efforts have succeeded across many environments, from shallow coastal areas to the deep sea, with especially strong results for coral reefs and habitats built by foundation species like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salt-marshes-are-enormously-valuable-for-coastal-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">saltmarshes</a>.



“In this work, we show that the development of new approaches to marine ecosystem restoration enables expansion of efforts over larger spatial scales and even within impacted areas, as demonstrated by an increasing number of success stories showing the effective recovery of diverse habitat types,” said Fraschetti.



These stories matter. They prove that ocean floor restoration isn’t just possible - ecosystems and the vast marine life can thrive again. 



“Success stories from marine ecosystem restoration are crucial to motivate society and private enterprises to invest. We need to show that these efforts can meet the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration targets,” noted Danovaro.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-ocean-restoration">Rethinking ocean restoration </h2>



Another major takeaway from the research: you don’t have to wait for perfect conditions to begin restoration. In fact, restoring even the most degraded sites can still produce meaningful results.



According to Danovaro, this changes how we should think about restoration. Rather than postponing action until threats are reduced, we should begin work immediately. Early ocean floor restoration can give us faster returns and buy time for long-term solutions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-a-project-succeed">What makes a project succeed?</h2>



To figure out what drives restoration success, the researchers studied 618 case studies. They identified four main factors that made the biggest difference.



First, the specific methods used for restoration had the strongest impact on whether a project succeeded. How the restoration was carried out mattered more than any other single factor.



Second, ongoing maintenance after the restoration began played a crucial role. Continued care and support for the restored <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/top-marine-predators-may-suffer-massive-habitat-loss-by-2100/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat</a> - often in partnership with local fishers and dive centers - significantly improved outcomes.



Third, careful selection of the restoration site was essential. Projects fared better when located in areas with strong ecological connectivity, natural protection from physical disturbances like storms and wave action, and environments that offered refuge to species sensitive to climate change.



Finally, the creation of buffer zones around the restored area helped reduce human pressure. Establishing marine protected areas or fishery-restricted zones near the project sites often contributed to higher success rates.



But restoration doesn’t always go to plan. When conditions were unsuitable, extreme weather struck, or the wrong methods or species were used, some projects failed entirely.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-restoration-three-types-of-support">Ocean restoration: Three types of support </h2>



Success in the water depends on strong support on land. According to the team, every restoration project relies on three essential types of support.



First, policy support is critical. This includes the creation and enforcement of laws and regulations that prioritize the restoration of damaged habitats. International efforts like the UN's ecosystem restoration targets and regional initiatives such as the EU’s Nature Restoration Law play a central role in setting the direction.



Second, economic support is necessary to fund restoration efforts. While governments currently provide the bulk of this funding, private companies are beginning to recognize the value of investing in ecosystem repair. These investments not only benefit the environment but also create new job opportunities and encourage eco-friendly innovation.



Third, technology support is vital. Advances in tools and scalable restoration methods are making it more practical to restore a wider range of marine habitats across different regions of the world.



“All these types of support are crucial for successful marine ecosystem restoration and really needed considering present degradation state of our marine ecosystems,” concluded Fraschetti.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57254-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Ocean floor restoration could make or break 2030 goals

The ocean is in trouble. Two-thirds of our coastal regions have already been altered or damaged. Fishing methods that drag gear across the ocean floor, known as bottom-contact fisheries, disturb nearly 5 million square kilometers of marine habitat every year requiring eventual restoration. And that's just one piece of the puzzle. Marine litter and chemical pollutants are adding more pressure. These intrusions interfere with natural processes that sustain life in the ocean, and biodiversity is paying the price. Oil and gas drilling is typically limited in space,...

The expansion of solar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/horses-gut-bacteria-talk-to-their-cells-to-regulate-energy/">energy</a> can be shaped to benefit pollinators, according to new research. The experts have identified many ways that bees and other pollinators could gain from the strategic development of solar parks across Europe. 

"Land use change for solar parks could cause further degradation of our environment but, if done well, offers much potential to improve our environment," said Dr. Alona Armstrong of <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a>.

"If we transition well, we could use energy system decarbonization to also address the ecological crisis. Given where we are, can we afford not to?"

Renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic (PV) take out much more space than fossil fuels. The study shows that, with careful planning, the deployment of clean energy could actually help pollinators instead of hurting them. 

Pollinators like bees, wasps, beetles, and butterflies play a key role in food production, with around 75 percent of the leading global food crops depending on them to some degree.

For the Lancaster study, a team of environmental scientists systematically reviewed the available evidence on how land management practices relating to solar parks could enhance pollinator biodiversity in Northwest Europe.

The researchers have outlined ten evidence-based ways to protect and even enhance pollinator biodiversity. The strategies range from planting wildflowers to connecting solar parks to nearby habitats.

Solar parks can produce large amounts of power, with the UK's largest solar park set to power 91,000 homes once complete. However, the amount of land required for solar parks can be damaging to the environment.

About half of PV in the UK has been installed as ground-mounted solar parks, ranging in size from one to 40 hectares. The experts report that, because solar parks are often built on landscapes that have been intensively farmed and are poor for biodiversity, they may provide opportunities to establish hotspots of pollinator biodiversity.

"Many pollinators are in decline both in the UK and in other parts of the world," said study co-author Hollie Blaydes. "Actions to conserve pollinators include reversing agricultural intensification and maintaining natural habitat, both of which can be achieved within solar parks. Often built amongst agricultural land, solar parks offer a unique opportunity to provide pollinator resources where they are most needed."

"As well as promoting biodiversity, pollinator-friendly solar parks also have the potential to provide tangible economic benefits to farmers through enhancing pollination services to adjacent agricultural land, boosting crop yields," explained Professor Simon Potts of the University of Reading. 

"Imagine a world where solar parks not only produced much needed low carbon electricity but were also diverse and attractive wildflower meadows buzzing with insect life."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-and-sustainable-energy-reviews">Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pollinators can benefit from the expansion of solar energy

The expansion of solar energy can be shaped to benefit...

Critically endangered lemurs may be able to survive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-reduction-in-bird-habitats-found-in-colombia/">habitat</a> loss thanks to a flexible diet, according to a new study from <a href="https://duke.edu/">Duke University</a>. 

While lemurs are accustomed to eating mainly leaves, the researchers discovered that some species have the anatomy and digestive genes necessary to adapt to eating fruit, flowers, or even pine needles. 

The experts analyzed the genomes of four sifaka species found in different habitats in Madagascar, ranging from arid deciduous forests to rainforests.

The researchers identified genetic adaptations shared by the sifakas that eliminate toxic compounds in leaves, optimize the absorption of nutrients, and detect bitter tastes. The genome shows patterns of evolution similar to those found in other distantly related herbivores, such as colobus monkeys in Central Africa.

"Sifakas can take advantage of foods that are higher energy and are more nutrient dense, and can fall back and subsist on leaves in times of scarcity," said study lead author Professor Elaine Guevara.

In the face of habitat loss and human disturbance, dietary flexibility may give sifakas an advantage over their relatives that strictly eat leaves or fruit.

The analysis also revealed that sifakas are genetically more diverse than what is typically seen in a critically endangered species. "These animals do seem to have very healthy levels of genetic diversity, which is very surprising," said Professor Guevara. 

Sifakas were found to have high heterozygosity, which is a measure of genetic diversity and an indicator of population size. This finding suggests that they are more resilient to threats such as climate change, habitat loss, and new pathogens.

"Sifakas are still critically endangered, their population numbers are decreasing, and habitat loss is accelerating drastically," said Professor Guevara.

However, these lemurs have a good chance of survival with the help of conservation. "Our results are all the more reason to do everything we can to help them."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>. 

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lemurs eat flowers and pine needles to survive habitat loss

Critically endangered lemurs may be able to survive habitat loss...

By 10,000 BC, nearly 75 percent of Earth's land had already been transformed by humans. However, human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dolphins-change-their-behavior-to-adapt-to-coastal-development/">development</a> was not always at nature's expense, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>.

The researchers analyzed current biodiversity data, and compared this with global maps of population and land use over the past 12,000 years. The results highlight the great care and respect that Indigenous and traditional peoples have shown to nature and the environment.

Professor James Watson said the findings challenge the modern assumption that human development inevitably led to environmental destruction.

"There's a paradigm among natural scientists, conservationists and policymakers that human transformation of terrestrial nature is mostly recent and inherently destructive," said Professor Watson. "But lands now characterized as 'natural,' 'intact,' and 'wild' generally exhibit long histories of human use."

"Even 12,000 years ago, most of Earth's land had been shaped by humans, including more than 95 percent of temperate lands and 90 percent of tropical woodlands."

"And, importantly, current global patterns of vertebrate species richness and key biodiversity areas are strongly associated with past patterns of human land use, when compared to current, 'natural,' recently-untouched landscapes."

Professor Watson explained that humans have been intertwined with nature for most of humanity's existence, and this is critical for how we should plan for conservation in the future.

According to the researchers, the modern world's biodiversity crisis has been caused by more complicated factors than simple human expansion and development.

"Modern environmental destruction has resulted from the appropriation, colonisation and intensifying use of biodiverse cultural landscapes, long shaped and sustained by prior societies," said Professor Watson. "As such, we need to harness the knowledge of traditional and Indigenous peoples."

"We're in a biodiversity crisis - an enormous extinction event - and lessons learned through millennia of stewardship are, and will be, invaluable. Areas under Indigenous management today are now some of the most biodiverse areas remaining on the planet."

"Landscapes under traditional low-intensity use are generally much more biodiverse than those governed by high-intensity agricultural and industrial economies."

"Here in Australia, our Indigenous peoples have lived in sync with incredible biodiversity for the last 50,000 years."

Professor Erle Ellis of the University of Maryland said the results showed Indigenous collaboration was critical.

"Effective, sustainable and equitable conservation of biodiversity needs to recognise and empower Indigenous, traditional and local peoples and foster their cultural heritage of sustainable ecosystem management," said Professor Ellis.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Human development was not always destructive

By 10,000 BC, nearly 75 percent of Earth's land had...

In a new study from <a href="https://uci.edu/">UC Irvine</a>, experts report that California's wildfire season has grown more intense with a longer duration every year this century. The researchers also found that the wildfire season is peaking earlier in the year. 

The longer fire season has been driven by climate change and human expansion into areas that were once uninhabited.

For their investigation, the experts analyzed wildfire statistics from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection wildfire from 2000 to 2019. They compared this information with historical data from 1920 to 1999.

The study revealed that the annual burn season has lengthened in the past two decades and that the yearly peak has shifted from August to July. 

The team also determined that the number of hotspots with severe fire risk has increased in recent years. This increase is tied to higher temperatures, drought, and an elevated risk of human-caused fires.

"CALFIRE data show that each new year of the 21st century has been a record breaker in terms of wildfire damage in California," said study co-author Professor Tirtha Banerjee. 

"We also have seen that about 80 percent of the total number of the state's wildfires over the past few decades have been small, measuring less that 500 acres. But when fires get large, their deadliness greatly increases."

In order to gain a proper understanding of the growth of fire risk in California, it is important to put large and small incidents into separate buckets, explained Professor Banerjee. The experts discovered that just about 20 percent of the fires were responsible for 97 percent of the total area burned from 2000 to 2020.

"And more than nine-tenths of the casualties and property losses can be attributed to fires exceeding the 500-acre threshold," said Professor Banerjee. He noted that over the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in extreme wildfires scorching more than 10,000 acres. 

According to lead-author Shu Li, one of the most alarming findings of the study is the substantial spatial growth of fire risk throughout the state. 

From 1920 to 1999, California's only hotspot that was classified as having "very high wildfire density" was Los Angeles County. But over the past 20 years, these types of hotspots have greatly expanded to include Ventura, Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino Counties, and even some areas of northern California.

"Before 2000, there were almost no human-caused wildfires along California's Pacific coastline, but now nearly every coastal county is experiencing increased risk, and the San Benito-Monterey Unit and the San Luis Obispo Unit have even become new hot spots," said Li.

"The concurrence of human-caused climate change, which is drying out our forests and grasslands and creating longer stretches of hot weather, and a steady influx of people into remote areas is creating conditions for the perfect fire storm," said Professor Banerjee. "But there is some good news in all of this; human-caused fire risk can be mitigated by better fire management practices by humans."

Professor Banerjee said he hopes the study - and the near real-time analysis of fire risks in California's natural environment it provides - can be used by government agencies and public policy officials to both prevent and combat costly blazes.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

California wildfire season is longer, peaks earlier

In a new study from UC Irvine, experts report that...

Last year, filmmakers witnessed an astonishing transformation in nature when human activities slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic. The brilliantly illustrated documentary "<a href="https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/originals/the-year-earth-changed/">The Year Earth Changed</a>” provides us with rare proof that humans and wildlife can coexist in harmony. 

Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the film highlights nature's extraordinary response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sir Attenborough says that "the moment we paused, Earth was able to breathe again."

After COVID-19 lockdowns were issued, the lack of human disruption transformed the natural world with "clearer air, cleaner waters, and animals starting to flourish in ways we haven't seen for decades."

Within days of lockdown, Los Angeles experienced its best air quality for 40 years, while toxic gases in China were reduced by half. 

After just 12 days, air pollution in Jalandhar, India was so greatly reduced that people suddenly had a view of the Himalayan mountains for the first time in decades. The mountains had been completely hidden by thick smog for more than 30 years. 

In April 2020, there were 140 million fewer international tourists compared to the previous year. Loggerhead sea turtles in Juno Beach, Florida greatly benefited from a break in tourism. 

For the first time, scientists were able to measure the scale of human disturbance on the endangered turtles. They found that, in the absence of humans, there was a dramatic improvement in the breeding success of the loggerheads. 

The effects of COVID-19 restrictions could be seen in even the most remote places. Penguins had a record breaking mating season, and no rhinos were killed for their horns for the first time since 1999.

There have been striking changes beneath the Earth's surface too, says Sir Attenborough. "With the vibrations from travel and industry halved, it has been the quietest period underground in recorded history." 

"But the impact of this lockdown will not last forever. What inspiration can we take from this moment to find ways to better coexist with nature?"

“The Year Earth Changed” was produced by <a href="https://www.bbcstudios.com/case-studies/natural-world/">BBC Studios Natural History Unit</a>. The documentary made its debut on Apple TV+ on April 16th, just ahead of Earth Day 2021.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The Year Earth Changed, humans lived harmoniously with nature

Last year, filmmakers witnessed an astonishing transformation in nature when...

As we celebrate the 51st anniversary of <a href="https://www.earthday.org/">Earth Day</a> today, we must not overlook the significance of this year’s theme, “Restore Our Earth." 

The message comes at a time when the world is grieving the loss of over three million people to a global pandemic that continues to claim lives. By January of 2021, in the United States alone, someone was dying from COVID-19 every 26 seconds.

A growing collection of evidence shows that climate change played a role in the emergence of the virus that causes COVID-19. Outbreaks of disease will continue to become much more common and much more dangerous as a direct result of climate change.

Human activities are making unnatural changes to the Earth's climate system. According to <a href="http://noaa.org">NOAA</a>, carbon dioxide levels are the highest they have been in 3 million years. This heat-trapping gas is dramatically changing the climate, and those changes ultimately threaten the survival of every living thing. 

At the most recent United Nations climate conference, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the urgency of preventing "irreversible and catastrophic climate disruption." 

"We are in trouble. We are in deep trouble with climate change," said Guterres. "Climate change is running faster than we are and we must catch up sooner rather than later before it is too late."

"For many, people, regions - even countries - this is already a matter of life and death... Even as we witness devastating climate impacts causing havoc across the world, we are still not doing enough, nor moving fast enough."

Guterres noted that the 20 warmest years on record have been in the past 22 years, with the top four in the past four years.

"Climate change is the single most important issue we face," said Guterres. "It affects all our plans for sustainable development and a safe, secure and prosperous world."

Today, President Joe Biden will host a special Earth Day climate meeting, the Leaders Summit on Climate. Officials from around the world will discuss the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help vulnerable countries cope with inevitable climate impacts.

Day one of the Leader's Summit will begin live streaming at 8:00 a.m. EDT, and is available <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xa7yyypznY">here</a>. 

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth Day Initiative: Climate Change

As we celebrate the 51st anniversary of Earth Day today,...

The Lyrid meteor shower will peak tonight and into the early morning hours, kicking off a special Earth Day celebration that is focused on restoring our planet. 

According to the <a href="https://www.amsmeteors.org/2021/04/viewing-the-lyrids-in-2021/">American Meteor Society</a>, the Lyrid meteors will be visible in all parts of the sky, and all over the world, between midnight and dawn. The best time for viewing will be just before twilight, around 4:00 to 5:00 a.m., when the Lyrids' radiant lies highest above the horizon in a dark sky.

"That doesn’t mean you should rule out the late evening hours, though," reports <a href="https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-lyrid-meteor-shower">EarthSky</a>. "Late evening might be the best time to catch an earthgrazer, which is a slow-moving and long-lasting meteor that travels horizontally across your sky."

The Lyrids, which are the most visible in the Northern Hemisphere, have been observed for 2,700 years, according to NASA. During the peak, you can expect to see about 10 to 20 meteors per hour. However, NASA notes that the Lyrids can surprise watchers with as many as 100 meteors per hour. "Sightings of these heavier showers occurred in 1803 (Virginia), 1922 (Greece), 1945 (Japan), and 1982 (U.S.)."

Each year, the Lyrids can be seen shooting through the sky from around April 16th through the 25th, as particles shed from Comet 1861 G1 Thatcher. 

This year, the moon will be more than half full, making it more difficult to spot a fireball until after moonset.

"These dazzling meteors are fast and bright, with a striking golden trail of dust streaking behind them," said <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/21/world/lyrid-meteor-shower-april-2021-scn/index.html">CNN</a> meteorologist Judson Jones.

The earliest account of the annual Lyrid meteor shower was documented by Chinese astronomers in 687 BC, who said that “at midnight, stars dropped down like rain.”

NASA shares the following viewing tips:

"Find an area well away from city or street lights. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible."

"After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient - the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse."

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth Day 2021 will kick off with a meteor shower

The Lyrid meteor shower will peak tonight and into the...

In the decades since plastic production first skyrocketed in the 1950s, more than 8,000 million metric tons of plastics have been manufactured. At least 75 percent of this plastic has ended up as waste, with 15 million metric tons entering the ocean every year. 

In a recent collection of commentaries published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/">PLOS Biology</a>, experts addressed the critical scientific challenges in understanding the full scope of plastic pollution.

"The explosive production of affordable plastic goods during the 1950s ushered in an era of disposable living, fueled by an addiction to convenience and consumerism, that has created one of the world’s most vexing pollution problems. Plastic, for all its uses, has left a trail of debris from the deepest ocean trenches to the remotest polar reaches," wrote the researchers.

"Plastic pollutes throughout its life cycle, from its beginnings as a by-product of greenhouse gas-emitting oil and natural gas refining to its degradation-resistant end as increasingly fragmented shards of micro-and nanoplastics in atmospheric currents, alpine snow, estuaries, lakes, oceans, and soils. Researchers are finding microplastics in the gut or tissue of nearly every living thing they examine, including the placentas of unborn children."

The first sign of the ongoing plastic pollution crisis in the ocean emerged nearly 50 years ago, when marine biologists spotted plastic pellets stuck to tiny marine organisms and seaweed in the Sargasso Sea. The experts accurately predicted that marine plastic pollution would become much more prevalent over time as plastic production increased. 

"Researchers have struggled to keep tabs on plastic production and waste ever since," said the researchers. "The first global assessment of mass-produced plastics, reported in 2017, estimated that manufacturers had produced 8,300 million metric tons of virgin plastics, creating 6,300 million metric tons of plastic waste - with only 9% recycled, 12% incinerated, and the rest either piling up in landfills or entering the environment."

Plastic production is expected to double, or possibly even triple, by mid-century. At this rate, there will be more plastic than fish in the world's oceans within the next three decades.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added an entirely new dimension to the ongoing crisis in the form of plastic masks. According to <a href="https://www.earthday.org/">EarthDay.org</a>, roughly 52 billion face masks were manufactured in 2020, and 1.56 billion of those masks have ended up in our oceans.

"Each year, ocean plastic pollution kills about 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, over a million seabirds and even greater numbers of fish and other species," noted the Earth Day Network. "What’s more, it greatly impacts coastal communities and economies who rely on oceans for their livelihoods."

However, these alarming trends in marine plastic pollution could still be reversed, especially with the help of organizations that are working to rid the oceans of plastic. 

<a href="https://theoceancleanup.com/#:~:text=We%20aim%20to%20clean%20up,rid%20the%20oceans%20of%20plastic.">The Ocean Cleanup</a> is a non-profit organization that is developing advanced technologies to extract plastic pollution from the ocean. The company aims to remove 90 percent of all floating ocean plastic.

<a href="https://oceanconservancy.org/">Ocean Conservancy</a> is also working to eliminate marine plastic pollution. For more than 30 years, Ocean Conservancy has hosted its International Coastal Cleanup, which brings millions of volunteers together to clean beaches across the world.

"Earth Day is a time to reflect on all of the wild and spectacular things our planet has to offer," wrote the advocacy group. "And since more than 70% of Earth is covered by the ocean, it’s only fitting that we single out the incredible places in the sea."

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth Day Initiative: Global Clean Up

In the decades since plastic production first skyrocketed in the...

A new study suggests that the catastrophic consequences of climate "tipping points" could still be prevented if global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warming-climate-triggers-major-changes-in-the-temperate-rainforest/">warming</a> is swiftly reversed. The experts report that tipping points will not necessarily be permanent, depending on how quickly we act. 

Once a certain threshold of warming is reached, tipping points in the climate system will trigger abrupt changes such as the loss of major ice sheets and large carbon stores like forests.

In previous studies, scientists have warned that a cascading series of climate events could push the Earth into a hothouse state that is characterized by food and water shortages, the displacement of hundreds of millions of people due to sea level rise, and unsuitable living conditions.

But while it is assumed that crossing the threshold of climate tipping points would be the point of no return, the new study concludes that thresholds could be "temporarily exceeded" without prompting permanent shifts.

According to the researchers, the time available to act would depend on the level of global warming and the timescale involved in each tipping point.

Study lead author Dr. Paul Ritchie is an expert in the Global Systems Institute and the Department of Mathematics at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>.

"The more extreme the warming, the less time we would have to prevent tipping points," said Dr. Ritchie. "This is especially true for fast-onset tipping points like Amazon forest dieback and disruption to monsoons, where irreversible change could take place in a matter of decades."

"Slow-onset tipping points take place over a timescale of many centuries and - depending on the level of warming - this would give us more time to act."

Study co-author Joe Clarke said that fortunately, the events that are predicted to occur first are slow-onset tipping points. "This may give us a lifeline to avoid dangerous climate change."

Major tipping points, like the shrinking Greenland ice sheet, are the main focus of the Paris Agreement. For this treaty, 197 nations have made commitments to work toward a common goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. 

However, the current rates of climate warming make it almost inevitable that Earth's temperature will exceed the targeted, noted Professor Peter Cox.

"It is widely assumed that this means we are now committed to suffering these tipping events," said Dr. Ritchie.

"We show that this conventional wisdom may be flawed, especially for slow-onset tipping elements such as a collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation or the melting of ice sheets."

Dr. Chris Huntingford said that, ideally, we will not cross tipping point thresholds, but this gives hope we may be able to pull back from danger if needed.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate tipping points will not be the point of no return

A new study suggests that the catastrophic consequences of climate "tipping...

Forests in Central Africa are not equally vulnerable to climate change, according to a new study from <a href="https://en.ird.fr/node/8">The Research Institute for Development</a>. 

Home to the world's second-largest area of dense tropical rainforest, Central Africa is a biodiversity hotspot. The future of Central African forests is threatened by climate change and human development. 

In order to best protect Africa's valuable forest ecosystems, experts must gain a better understanding of how sensitive they will be to upcoming changes.

"The forest area of Central Africa is far from being a homogeneous green carpet. It is home to a wide variety of forests with different characteristics, including their own particular carbon storage capacity," explained study first author Maxime Réjou-Méchain. 

"This diversity can be explained by the different types of climate (humidity, temperature, evapotranspiration rate, amount of rainfall) and soils, as well as by the history of the African flora and the degree of human activity that has disturbed the forests for thousands of years, such as shifting agriculture."

For their investigation, the researchers worked with forestry consultants and logging companies to compile an inventory dataset of six million trees on over 185,000 plots of land.

The team mapped the0 composition of Central African forests and calculated their vulnerability, while accounting for different climate scenarios and population projections for the end of the century.

The researchers found that some parts of the forest are more sensitive to climate change than others. 

"The forest margins in the north and south of the region, the Atlantic forests and most of those in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is home to more than half of Central Africa's forests, are among the most vulnerable," said study co-author Professor Bonaventure Sonké.

The data and maps used for the study, which are available online on the Cirad data repository, provide useful information regarding the functional composition of the forests, such as their carbon storage potential.

"The diversity of forest types in Central Africa offers a wide range of potential responses to global changes. It is therefore an essential element to take into account in the framework of sustainable management policies and the fight against climate change," said study co-author Professor Alfred Ngomanda.

Sylvie Gourlet-Fleury is a forest ecologist at CIRAD and one of the main coordinators of the study. She said the results must now be applied to develop land use plans that preserve forest characteristics while maintaining connections between protected zones through sustainably managed timber production forests. 

"In places where human pressure is too great, managers could re-establish these connections through biodiversity restoration programs or the development of agroforestry."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Forests of Central Africa have varying levels of climate sensitivity

Forests in Central Africa are not equally vulnerable to climate...

In the first survey of Himalayan rock glaciers, experts have discovered that they are more resilient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/abrupt-climate-changes-have-a-domino-effect/">climate</a> change than what was expected. According to the study, rock glaciers will melt more slowly as temperatures rise due to the enhanced insulation provided by surface rock debris.

The team identified approximately 25,000 rock glaciers that cover an estimated 3,747 square kilometers across the Himalayas. Despite their prevalence, these glaciers have generally been overlooked in studies about the future of Himalayan ice.

The study, led by Dr. Darren Jones at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, reveals that the Himalayan rock glacier to ice glacier water storage ratio is 1:25. The proportion of water held in rock glaciers will rise as ice glaciers continue to melt, and some transition to become rock glaciers.

"Glaciers play a vital role in regulating water supplies, and Himalayan glaciers regulate water for hundreds of millions of people," said Professor Stephan Harrison.

"Over the past century, these glaciers have lost about 25% of their mass due to climate change, and they are predicted to lose more in the future."

"However, glacier models have treated glaciers as uniform lumps of ice - and our study shows not all glaciers will melt at the same rate. Many are covered in rock and are in various stages of the transition to rock glaciers."

According to Professor Harrison, these slow-moving glaciers are well insulated, and as a result they are more resilient to global warming than other glaciers. 

The estimated 25,000 rock glaciers in the region contain a total of about 51 cubic kilometers of ice, which is equivalent to up to 62 trillion liters of water.

"Although we find that rock glaciers are more resilient to warming, it remains clear that all Himalayan glaciers are in long-term decline, with enormous implications for the people who rely on them for water supplies," said study lead author Dr. Darren Jones.

"Further research into Himalayan rock glaciers is critical for underpinning climate change adaptation strategies and to ensure that this highly populated region is in a strong position to meet sustainable development goals," said study co-author Professor Richard Betts.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/science-of-the-total-environment">Science of the Total Environment</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Himalayan rock glaciers are far more important than expected

In the first survey of Himalayan rock glaciers, experts have...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-has-worsened-covid-19-outcomes/">COVID-19</a> pandemic has served as a painful reminder that the world is in urgent need of more resilient food systems. For years to come, setbacks resulting from the pandemic will threaten food security and nutrition, particularly in developing countries that were already struggling with hunger and poverty.

The <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/home">World Bank Group</a> reports that 124 million people were pushed into poverty and hunger in 2020, with 163 million more at risk in 2021.

"COVID-19 impacts have led to severe and widespread increases in global food insecurity, affecting vulnerable households in almost every country, with impacts expected to continue through 2021 and into 2022," World Bank said in a news brief.

According to the report, global food prices rose by nearly 20 percent from January 2020 to January 2021, which is consistent with trends in other commodity prices.

The brief states that the primary risks to food security are at the country level - higher retail prices combined with reduced incomes means that more households are having to cut down on the quantity and quality of their food. 

World Bank conducted phone surveys in 48 countries and found that a significant number of people are running out of food or reducing their consumption. 

"Reduced calorie intake and compromised nutrition threaten gains in poverty reduction and health and could have lasting impacts on the cognitive development of young children," said World Bank.

"Some food producers also face losses on perishable and nutritious food as consumption patterns shift towards cheaper staples. Though current food insecurity is by and large not driven by food shortages, supply disruptions and inflation affecting key agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and seeds, or prolonged labor shortages could diminish next season’s crop." 

"If farmers are experiencing acute hunger, they may also prioritize consuming seeds as food today over planting seeds for tomorrow, raising the threat of food shortages later on." 

Global food insecurity was already an urgent issue before the pandemic. The <a href="http://www.fao.org/home/en/">Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations</a> estimates that the number of undernourished people increased from 624 million in 2014 to 688 million in 2019. This trend was largely driven by extreme climate events. 

To tackle rising food insecurity, the World Bank’s <a href="http://ida.worldbank.org/">International Development Association</a> is working with a diverse coalition of partners, including UN agencies, humanitarian organizations, and research institutions.

<a href="https://www.feedthefuture.gov/">Feed the Future</a>, an initiative launched in 2010 by the United States government and the Obama Administration, is also working to address global hunger and food insecurity.

The agency is taking action to prevent widespread hunger, malnutrition, and poverty by helping partner countries mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. To learn more about how you can join Feed the Future in helping to end hunger, check out these <a href="https://www.feedthefuture.gov/get-involved/">volunteer opportunities</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth Day Initiative: Food Systems

The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a painful reminder that...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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