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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



They run two versions of the economy. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



This frame anchors the new threshold concept for developing countries.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

Carbon credits have become a popular tool for offsetting the environmental impact of air travel. 



Every flight we take adds to the growing cloud of greenhouse gas emissions hovering over the planet. The aviation industry now emits more carbon dioxide than many individual nations. 



To soften the environmental blow, some airlines offer passengers the option to “offset” their emissions - usually by paying into forest protection schemes. 



The promise is simple: fund the preservation of trees, and they’ll absorb enough carbon to balance out your flight. But does it really work? A new study says not always.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-concerns-about-carbon-credits">Concerns about carbon credits</h2>



Researchers from <a href="https://www.bu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston University</a> and the nonprofit Clean Air Task Force recently examined how forest carbon credit systems are run and regulated in North America. 



These programs are often part of the voluntary carbon market, where companies and individuals can buy credits to compensate for their emissions. But the study found that the protocols behind many of these credits are weak - and in some cases, entirely ineffective.



“There’s been a lot of appetite for these credits so corporations can meet their sustainability goals, but some of the credits that have been sold have been found to be dubious at best,” said Lucy Hutyra, a BU College of Arts &amp; Sciences Distinguished Professor, and chair of Earth and Environment.



“This paper is not about whether the system is broken, let’s just scrap it; it’s looking at what works well, what doesn’t, and how we can improve it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flaws-in-the-current-system">Flaws in the current system</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-carbon-credits-are-not-tied-to-forest-preservation-as-claimed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest carbon credits</a> come in different forms. Some are part of mandatory systems; others are voluntary. At the cheaper end, they involve paying landowners to keep forests standing. 



On paper, each credit is a promise to absorb one ton of carbon dioxide somewhere to make up for one ton emitted elsewhere. But it’s not always that simple.



The researchers evaluated 20 forest carbon credit protocols and gave each one a score based on how effectively it guarantees climate benefits. Most didn’t score well. 



Only one protocol received a “satisfactory” rating - and it hasn’t even been used yet. None earned a “robust” rating or higher.



“Our results show that the protocols used to generate credits are a critical weak link in the forest carbon market system,” said BU alum Rebecca Sanders-DeMott, the Clean Air Task Force's director of ecosystem carbon science. 



“Without significant improvements, the integrity of the forest carbon market will remain at risk,” she stated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-essential-role-of-forests">Essential role of forests</h2>



Forests play an essential role in absorbing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atmospheric-co2-could-push-temperatures-much-higher-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric carbon</a>. But depending on how a credit scheme is managed, the benefits may be overstated. 



One example is the use of “buffer zones,” which are extra preserved areas intended to act as insurance in case something happens to the main forest area, such as a wildfire or disease outbreak.



“In the current system, the buffer pool risks are very conservative, very low estimates of risk,” said Hutyra. “The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-wildfire-season-is-longer-peaks-earlier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfire</a> risk in one part of California could be really quite different than another part.”



They propose the establishment of larger buffer zones and detailed, location-specific risk maps to better reflect real-world threats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-credits-need-improvement">Carbon credits need improvement</h2>



In addition to managing risk better, the study highlights four other areas where the carbon market could improve. 



It lists 22 total recommendations - half are relatively simple to implement, like reassessing project risks every five years. The rest are more complex.



One major issue is something called “leakage.” If you protect one area of forest from development, but that simply pushes deforestation or construction to another location, you haven’t achieved a true reduction in emissions.



“The net effect is no actual change in the land <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-sinks-are-a-powerful-weapon-against-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon sink</a>, in real emissions to the atmosphere,” Hutyra explained.



To fix this, they suggest national and global tracking of land use changes and stronger incentives to support truly climate-positive outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-carbon-credits">What’s next for carbon credits </h2>



The research team is now focused on getting their recommendations into the hands of those who can make a difference. 



The Clean Air Task Force is preparing an easy-to-read version of the report, organizing webinars, and reaching out to groups who manage carbon credit protocols.



Even without strong federal interest in regulating these markets right now, the researchers are hopeful that their work will help steer voluntary efforts in a more effective direction.



“Global energy demand is rising and, while decarbonizing our energy systems is critical, it will take time - decades, in fact. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change are already being felt and are accelerating. Forests, which have long served as vital <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixed-forests-with-many-tree-species-are-more-effective-at-carbon-storage/">carbon sinks</a>, are under increasing threat," said Sanders-DeMott.



"By taking these recommendations seriously, carbon market actors can help restore confidence in carbon markets and unlock the full potential of forests to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, buying us time as we scale the technologies we need to ensure a high-energy, zero-emissions future.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024EF005414" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a>.



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Forest carbon credits are failing, so what needs to change?

Carbon credits have become a popular tool for offsetting the...

Methane is the planet’s second-largest human-influenced climate driver after carbon dioxide. Its levels are climbing faster than at any time in the observational record.



The latest update of the <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/methanebudget/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Methane Budget</a>, covering 2000-2020, shows that atmospheric levels reached 1,931 parts per billion in January 2024. That's more than two and a half times their pre-industrial value.



Despite this worrying trajectory, researchers argue that cutting methane could deliver big climate dividends at lower cost than equivalent CO₂ reductions.



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



Methane's potency stems from three key characteristics. It absorbs more infrared radiation than CO₂, stays in the air for about a decade, and is rising sharply in concentration. That combination means aggressive methane cuts can slow near-term warming more quickly than CO₂ mitigation alone.



“Methane itself has contributed about 0.5°C of warming during the 2010s, accounting for two-thirds of the warming linked to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-carbon-dioxide-travels-in-the-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon dioxide</a>,” said co-author Sergio Noce, a scientist at the <a href="https://www.cmcc.it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CMCC Foundation</a>.



With 2023 global temperatures already 1.45 °C above pre-industrial averages, rapid action on methane could help keep mid-century climate targets within reach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-methane-s-origins">Tracing methane's origins</h2>



About two-thirds of annual global methane emissions come from human activities like fossil fuel use, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ai-can-help-reduce-methane-emissions-from-cows/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">livestock</a>, rice farming, and waste management. The remaining one-third to nearly one-half comes from natural systems - wetlands, wildfires, thawing permafrost, and even insects.



“These natural methane emissions are particularly significant, accounting for around 35% to 45% of total annual emissions, according to various estimates that make up our updated budget,” Noce explained.



Together with Simona Castaldi, a professor of ecology at the <a href="https://www.unicampania.it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli</a>, Noce accounted for biogenic sources not directly linked to human activities, with special attention to tiny but prolific contributors: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/termites-play-an-unexpected-role-in-rainforest-revival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">termites</a>.



“Within this broader context, our research focused specifically on termites, which represent a smaller but noteworthy portion of these natural emissions," Noce said. 



"Despite their small size, these tiny organisms produce a substantial amount of methane through their life processes, highlighting their role in the overall methane budget."



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



The Global Methane Budget is compiled by the <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Carbon Project</a>. It now involves about 70 scientists who merge atmospheric measurements, ground inventories, process models, and satellite retrievals.



The current release is the third major update, ensuring policymakers and researchers are working with the freshest numbers.



“Keeping track of methane emissions and maintaining a vigilant watch over their trends is crucial for effective climate action,” Noce said. 



“Understanding the sources and fluctuations of methane emissions allows us to implement targeted mitigation strategies and monitor their effectiveness.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watching-methane-from-space">Watching methane from space</h2>



One leap forward comes from new orbital eyes. Noce noted the recent advancements in satellite technology, such as MethaneSAT and CarbonMapper, provide valuable tools for real-time monitoring of methane sources.



"This can help identify major emitters and enhance our ability to create effective policies.”



These instruments can spot plumes from individual pipelines, landfills, and well pads, enabling regulators or companies to plug leaks quickly. 



Early trials suggest that a relatively small set of facilities accounts for a large slice of anthropogenic methane releases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-fix-that-pays">Climate fix that pays</h2>



Several analyses suggest that cutting methane offers equivalent warming benefits at a lower marginal cost than deep CO₂ reductions. 



This is largely because many abatement options - such as capturing gas that would otherwise leak or vent - are cost-effective and often pay for themselves.



The <a href="https://www.iea.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Energy Agency</a> estimates that the oil and gas sector could reduce its global methane emissions by up to 70 percent with existing technologies, often turning the captured gas into profitable product.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fast-action-fast-impact">Fast action, fast impact</h2>



Because methane reacts quickly in the atmosphere, any reductions translate into a noticeable temperature slowdown within a decade. That makes methane strategies an attractive complement to long-term CO₂ decarbonization.



Consistent monitoring enables swift action against warming, helping protect the environment and support long-term sustainability.



International agreements such as the <a href="https://www.globalmethanepledge.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Methane Pledge</a>, launched at COP26, aim for a 30 percent cut in human-caused methane by 2030. Accurate budgets and real-time satellite surveillance will be essential for verifying progress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-remaining-uncertainties">The remaining uncertainties</h2>



Despite improved datasets on global methane emissions, gaps remain. Wetland responses to climate change, the exact scale of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/permafrost-is-becoming-a-source-of-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">permafrost thaw</a> emissions, and the resilience of natural sinks all introduce uncertainty.



The budget’s multi-method approach - combining bottom-up inventories with top-down atmospheric inversions - helps reduce uncertainties. 



However, ongoing field campaigns and improved process models are still needed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-unified-front-on-a-potent-gas">A unified front on a potent gas</h2>



The new Global Methane Budget highlights both urgency and opportunity: methane is rising fast, but affordable solutions are available. The findings highlight methane’s key role in climate change and the need for coordinated scientific action to address it.



With coordinated monitoring, swift leak repair, and targeted agricultural practices, the world could curb a significant slice of near-term warming - buying precious time for the deeper, more expensive task of driving CO₂ to net zero.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/17/1873/2025/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth System Science Data</a>.



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Cutting methane emissions could quickly slow global warming

Methane is the planet’s second-largest human-influenced climate driver after carbon...

Glaciers are melting faster than at any other time in recorded history, and the consequences extend far beyond iconic vanishing ice.



A recent review synthesizes more than 160 studies. It warns that the loss of glacial ecosystems is triggering planet-wide ripples across ice, water, land, and the countless organisms that depend on them.



The analysis was conducted by an international team that includes researchers from the University of Wollongong (<a href="https://www.uow.edu.au/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UOW</a>) and the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">British Antarctic Survey</a>. 



The research highlights a looming <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/">biodiversity</a> crisis in some of Earth’s most specialized environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glaciers-store-climate-secrets">Glaciers store climate secrets</h2>



Study co-author Sharon Robinson is a fellow at UOW’s School of Science and Deputy Director of Science Implementation at <a href="https://arcsaef.com/">Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future</a> (SAEF). 



“Glaciers are one of the most valuable tools we have for understanding the health of our planet,” said Robinson.



Ice cores preserve air bubbles and chemical clues, revealing thousands of years of past climates, eruptions, and temperature shifts.



Yet these same glaciers are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-reshaping-landscapes-and-national-borders-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shrinking</a>. Global forecasts suggest that by mid-century, the world will lose roughly one-third of present glacial mass. As meltwater pours into rivers and oceans, physical and biological systems are jolted out of long-held equilibria.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecosystems-losing-life">Ecosystems losing life</h2>



“Glaciers and glacially influenced ecosystems host unique biodiversity spanning all kingdoms of life, but glaciers are retreating as the global climate warms, threatening specialist species, ecosystem functions, and stability,” Robinson said.



Microbial mats, mosses, cold-adapted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-are-still-disappearing-and-there-are-hundreds-of-reasons-why/">insects</a>, and hardy vertebrates - all honed over millennia to thrive in frigid, nutrient-poor settings - now face habitat shrinkage or outright disappearance.



“Glacier retreat drives changes in biodiversity and ecosystem functions across countless different habitats," Robinson noted. "Glacial ecosystems worldwide contain thousands of microorganisms, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-newcomers-overtake-native-species">Newcomers overtake native species</h2>



When ice withdraws, bare rock and sediment open new habitats for life. Pioneer species - those first colonizers - often flourish in the short term.



But the study reveals a troubling trend. As temperatures rise, generalist species outcompete the specialists that once defined these ecosystems in Glaciers.



Glacial ecosystems lose their unique biodiversity over time as generalist species gradually replace specialized microbes and organisms. 



"This ecological turnover reduces the distinctive biological signature of glacial landscapes and may permanently erode global biodiversity," Robinson said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacier-melt-reshapes-rivers">Glacier melt reshapes rivers</h2>



Beyond local habitat loss, accelerated melt reshapes regional hydrology. Normally, glaciers act as slow-release reservoirs, feeding rivers through dry seasons and buffering communities against drought. 



Rapid melt sends surges of freshwater that disrupt ecosystems, raise <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-cities-will-spend-over-3-trillion-dollars-damages-from-sea-level-rise/">sea levels</a>, and threaten water supplies.



“Given that three-quarters of Earth's freshwater is stored in glaciers, rapid retreat will lead to the disappearance or considerable disruption of many aquatic ecosystems and species. This includes food supply, foraging areas, and mating grounds and could lead to local extinctions,” Robinson said.



“The future of mammals who use glaciers as refuges or as places to nest is also uncertain. Essentially, the distinctive functions performed by glaciers may be eroded, leading to long-time impacts on the planet's delicate ecosystem.”



Changes in meltwater flow can also alter ocean currents and weather patterns far from the ice, linking glacial retreat to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-extremes-in-2024-what-have-we-learned/">extreme climate events</a> and fisheries collapse worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-impacts">Understanding the impacts</h2>



The review stresses that scientists still lack detailed knowledge of how newly ice-free landscapes evolve over decades. Which pioneer species establish their habitats there? How quickly do nutrient cycles stabilize? Which functional traits help or hinder survival? 



Filling these gaps is crucial for forecasting biodiversity outcomes and crafting conservation plans.



“We need to understand the impacts to be able to inform management conservation practices and policies, which could mitigate the devastating changes taking place in the glacial landscape,” Robinson said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-push-to-save-glaciers">Global push to save glaciers</h2>



Recognition of these far-reaching impacts prompted the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations</a> to declare 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. 



The initiative aims to raise awareness of glaciers’ roles in climate regulation, hydrological cycles, and socio-economic stability.



The researchers hope the initiative will spur funding for long-term monitoring and strengthen international collaboration on adaptation strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-melting-glaciers-signal-climate-crisis">Melting glaciers signal climate crisis</h2>



Glaciers are melting symbols of planetary change, but they are also living ecosystems teeming with organisms found nowhere else.



As ice retreats, it sets off a domino effect - from species loss to weather shifts - stressing the need to protect the cryosphere.



The new synthesis makes clear that protecting glaciers is not just about saving ice; it is about preserving the intricate web of life - and the climatic services - that ice sustains.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44358-025-00049-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Reviews Biodiversity</a>.



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Melting glaciers are putting many unique ecosystems at risk

Glaciers are melting faster than at any other time in...

Plants in the Alps are now springing to life sooner than they did just a few decades ago. A new study shows that over the past 25 years, vegetation in mountain regions has begun growing about six days earlier on average after snowmelt than it used to.



The research, led by Michael Zehnder of the <a href="https://www.slf.ch/en/%C3%B9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF</a>, points to a clear driver: rapid warming following the disappearance of seasonal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-droughts-could-quadruple-by-2100-harming-water-supplies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">snow</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-speeds-up-alpine-spring">Warming speeds up alpine spring</h2>



“On average, as a result of climate change, the ambient temperature is almost two degrees Celsius warmer after the disappearance of snow cover than it was 25 years ago,” Zehnder said. 



The warmth accelerates growth, quickly turning snow-covered slopes into green alpine meadows. While that might seem like a small shift in timing, it marks a substantial change in the rhythm of alpine life. 



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-spring-flowers-can-save-bees-and-boost-pollination/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate change</a> is reshaping mountain ecosystems,” Zehnder said. From flowers to farming, the pace of spring is picking up across elevations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alpine-life-feels-the-change">Alpine life feels the change</h2>



The changes in plant timing go beyond scientific curiosity. They touch various aspects of daily life in alpine regions.



For instance, “alpine farming might also start earlier in the future,” Zehnder noted, suggesting that warmer, greener pastures could prompt earlier seasonal grazing. 



Hikers and tourists may also experience spring in the alpine region earlier than in past decades, potentially altering the timing of peak visitation.



But perhaps most consequential is what this shift could mean for alpine biodiversity. Some plants quickly respond to warm temperatures. Others rely on internal clocks or light levels, waiting for longer days before growing.



Some plants don’t begin growing right after the snow disappears. Some species wait for longer daylight, while others sprout quickly in response to rising temperatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-clocks-at-different-heights">Different clocks at different heights</h2>



The study uncovered important variation across elevations. Near the treeline, around 2,000 meters above sea level, vegetation required more cumulative warmth to begin growing when snowmelt came early. 



In other words, the earlier the snow disappeared, the more warming days plants seemed to need before responding.



But higher up the slopes, plant communities showed more consistency. Even when snowmelt occurred early, these high-altitude plants appeared to rely on a fixed number of warm days before growth kicked in.



These subtle differences could have long-term consequences for how mountain vegetation evolves. 



Species that respond quickly to warmth may expand their range or outcompete those tied more rigidly to other cues. Over time, that could change not only which plants dominate specific locations but also the entire structure of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alpine-ecosystems-are-thrown-off-balance-by-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alpine ecosystems</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monitoring-the-mountain-spring">Monitoring the mountain spring</h2>



To measure these changes, Zehnder analyzed data from 40 stations that are part of the <a href="https://www.sensalpin.ch/en/measuring-networks/imis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intercantonal Measurement and Information System</a> (IMIS), a Swiss weather and snow-monitoring network. Each station includes an ultrasonic sensor that tracks snow depth throughout the year.



“This way we receive data without having to be in the field ourselves,” Zehnder explained. Because those sensors work in summer, they detect subtle ground cover changes as snow melts and vegetation appears.



Zehnder used machine learning to train a model that distinguishes snow-covered ground from plant-covered ground using sensor data. With this model, he was able to pinpoint when each location made the transition from winter white to spring green over a 25-year period, from 1998 to 2023.



Still, to know which species were growing at the monitored sites, Zehnder had to go into the field himself. That meant trekking to remote IMIS stations at altitudes ranging from 1,700 to 2,700 meters above sea level. 



“Researchers cannot tell from the IMIS station data which plants are growing under the sensors,” he noted, so direct observation was essential.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-picks-the-favorite-plants">Climate picks the favorite plants</h2>



Zehnder emphasized that not all Alpine plant species will benefit equally from earlier snowmelt and rising temperatures. 



“It’s important, though, to understand how different plant communities will have different responses to even earlier snowmelt in the future and who the winners and losers will be,” Zehnder said.



The shift in timing is likely to favor species that respond directly to warmth over those that wait for longer days. As these dynamics play out, the makeup of alpine meadows may transform, potentially reducing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-pressure-has-a-hidden-impact-on-plant-diversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant diversity</a> in some locations.



Combining environmental data, fieldwork, and machine learning, the study reveals how climate change is shifting alpine life’s timing. With snow melting earlier and spring arriving sooner, the alpine region - like many of the world’s mountain ranges - are on the move.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70195" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Change Biology</a>.



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Alpine spring begins earlier, speeding up plant growth

Plants in the Alps are now springing to life sooner...

When glaciers melt, they release water that carries sulfate-rich minerals previously trapped in the ice. This sulfate flows into streams and wetlands, increasing its concentration in watersheds.



As sulfate accumulates, it creates conditions that can trigger the production of toxic methylmercury, posing risks to ecosystems and wildlife.



Methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin, forms in waterlogged, sulfate-rich wetlands and enters water systems. It accumulates in fish, moves up the food chain to birds, and eventually reaches people who consume contaminated wildlife.



"Very little research has looked at methylmercury production in high-elevation wetlands," said Hannah Miller, a PhD student at <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CU Boulder</a> and lead author of a recent study.



"This leaves important knowledge gaps regarding how much is being produced in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-melting-threatens-global-water-supplies-and-coastal-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mountain</a> wetlands and how this may change with ongoing climate change."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-mercury-turns-toxic-in-wetlands">How mercury turns toxic in wetlands</h2>



Methylmercury production from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-reshaping-landscapes-and-national-borders-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glacier</a> melt sulfate only occurs within a specific range in wetland soils. If glacier-derived sulfate levels are too low, the conversion process doesn’t start; too high, and it stalls.



The ideal range - 0.60 to 1.4 milligrams per gram of dry soil - creates optimal conditions for mercury to transform into its toxic methylated form.



Miller’s team pinpointed this “Goldilocks zone” after testing soil from peatlands, alpine meadows, and riparian zones. Above the treeline, methylmercury levels barely budged. Below the treeline, peatlands pulsed with microbial activity, converting mercury to its toxic form.



"We also found in our experiment that moderate sulfate additions to the subalpine peatlands resulted in the greatest production of methylmercury within the soils," Miller said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peatlands-as-mercury-hotspots">Peatlands as mercury hotspots</h2>



In the lab, Miller pumped different sulfate concentrations into soil samples. The response? Peatlands with moderate sulfate additions churned out the most methylmercury.



But there’s a catch. Wetlands above the treeline don’t have much vegetation. Fewer plants mean less carbon-rich material to feed the microbes that convert sulfate to methylmercury. But in the subalpine peatlands, dense vegetation and waterlogged soils create the perfect storm.



Sulfate-reducing bacteria thrive in these oxygen-starved <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-could-run-out-of-water-if-glaciers-continue-to-melt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environments</a>. They grab onto sulfate, munch through carbon, and churn out methylmercury as a byproduct. And as glaciers keep melting, more sulfate keeps coming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-melting-glaciers-spread-sulfate">Melting glaciers spread sulfate </h2>



Sulfate doesn’t stay put. It migrates downstream, riding currents and seeping into soils. In the past 30 years, sulfate levels in Boulder’s watershed have shot up by 200%. That spike mirrors a global pattern.



Glacier-fed streams in the Andes, Alps, and Himalayas show similar trends - up to a 2000% increase in sulfate concentrations. As these minerals flow, so does the risk of methylmercury contamination.



"It's a really interesting climate-driven signal that is starting to get more attention," Miller said. "And while increasing sulfate concentrations have direct implications for ecosystems, they can also have indirect impacts, including changing how mercury is transformed within wetlands."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mercury-moves-through-food-chains">Mercury moves through food chains</h2>



Methylmercury doesn’t just stay in the soil. It slips into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-threaten-global-water-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a>, where fish absorb it through their gills. Small fish pass it to bigger fish. Birds swoop down, eat the fish, and the toxin moves up the food chain.



"In semi-arid mountain ecosystems, poorly developed soils and limited water bodies make it easy to think there is a lower risk for mercury contamination," noted Miller.



"But our findings show there is a risk, particularly in subalpine peatlands, and raise important questions about how this toxin may impact the communities and wildlife that rely on that water source now and in the future."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sulfate-isn-t-the-only-player">Sulfate isn’t the only player</h2>



Sulfate takes the spotlight, but it’s not alone. Iron, carbon, and water levels also play crucial roles in the methylmercury cycle.



In Boulder’s watershed, dry conditions could limit the spread of peatlands, reducing the areas where methylmercury thrives. But increased precipitation could do the opposite - more wetlands, more methylmercury.



Miller’s study also hints at the role of iron. Sulfate additions alone triggered methylmercury production, but iron concentrations could magnify or mitigate that effect.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-melting-glaciers-rising-mercury-levels">Melting glaciers, rising mercury levels</h2>



Glaciers worldwide are melting, releasing sulfate-rich minerals into nearby streams and wetlands. This surge in sulfate is not limited to Boulder but is occurring in mountain watersheds globally. 



As sulfate levels rise, so does the risk of toxic methylmercury formation, impacting ecosystems far beyond Colorado.



Glacial melt in Peru’s Andes has turned once-pristine wetlands into mercury-contaminated hotspots. The European Alps and the Himalayas face similar risks as warming temperatures increase sulfate runoff. 



As glaciers recede, more sulfate spills into wetlands, driving methylmercury production and threatening ecosystems globally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-mercury-in-wetlands">Controlling mercury in wetlands</h2>



Monitoring sulfate is one thing. Mitigating its impact is another. Restoring wetlands, managing runoff, and regulating upstream mining could reduce sulfate flow. But Miller and her team aren’t stopping there.



"This research is timely, given the confluence of global changes, including climate warming, changes in the supply of reactive elements, and the occurrence of wildfires that are threatening sensitive high-elevation ecosystems," said Eve-Lyn Hinckley, co-author and CIRES Fellow.



Glaciers keep melting, releasing more sulfate into streams and wetlands. This ongoing process fuels methylmercury production, posing increasing risks to ecosystems. 



The outcome hinges on monitoring efforts and proactive intervention to manage these toxic threats.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/add8a5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



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Mountain wetlands are turning into mercury hotspots

When glaciers melt, they release water that carries sulfate-rich minerals...

Earth’s soils are a powerful carbon reservoir. In fact, soils contain more than twice as much carbon as the atmosphere holds. As temperatures climb and weather patterns shift, the storage or release of soil carbon becomes a critical piece of the climate puzzle.



Scientists have long focused on the melting permafrost, where rising temperatures thaw frozen soil and unleash carbon into the air. But in subtropical and tropical regions, where vast stores of organic carbon also sit, the key driver of carbon release has been less clear.



Some research has pointed to shifts in rainfall as the main culprit. Other studies identified temperature as the bigger influence.



Dr. Vera Meyer, a scientist at the MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, is the lead author of a recent investigation.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-type-of-microbes-found-earths-deep-soil-critical-zone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microbes</a> that break down organic matter are generally more active under warm and humid conditions, so the carbon content in tropical soils responds very quickly to climatic changes. Some studies report a main influence of changing hydroclimatic conditions, while in others temperature plays the main role,” said Dr. Meyer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-changes-in-soil-carbon">Studying changes in soil carbon </h2>



To sort this out, the research team decided not to analyze soil directly. Instead, they studied what the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/energy-trades-could-resolve-longstanding-nile-river-disputes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nile River</a> had washed out to sea over thousands of years.



The Nile drains a massive area that stretches across subtropical and tropical parts of northeast Africa. As it flows, it picks up organic material from the land and eventually deposits it into the Mediterranean. 



To study how soil carbon changed over time, the researchers turned to a sediment core collected from the seafloor near the Nile Delta. This record holds layers of material built up over thousands of years and offers a timeline that stretches back to the last ice age.



“The age of the organic material delivered by the Nile essentially depends on two factors: how long it was in the soils, and how long it took to be transported in the river. The advantage of our approach is that long time scales can be investigated, in this case the last 18,000 years since the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">last ice age</a>,” said Enno Schefuß, also from MARUM.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-release-from-soils">Carbon release from soils </h2>



The results surprised the team. It turned out that changes in rainfall and runoff didn’t significantly affect how old the soil carbon was. Temperature, on the other hand, had a big impact.



As the Earth warmed after the last ice age, the age of carbon in the Nile sediments dropped sharply. This meant that warmer conditions had accelerated the breakdown of soil organic matter. 



Microbes had gotten to work more quickly, releasing carbon dioxide in the process. This spike in decomposition was far stronger than what current carbon cycle models had predicted.



“The fact that the models underestimate carbon release from soils so strongly shows us that we need to revise the sensitivity of soil carbon in our models,” said study co-author Dr. Peter Köhler from AWI Bremerhaven.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-major-factor-in-climate-predictions">Major factor in climate predictions </h2>



Most people don’t think of soil as something that affects the air we breathe, but it does. Soils are one of the planet’s largest natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-farming-practices-boost-soil-carbon-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon sinks</a>, storing huge amounts of organic matter. 



When this material breaks down, carbon dioxide is released - and that has direct consequences for the climate.



In subtropical and tropical regions, this breakdown can happen faster. Warm temperatures and moisture help microbes become more active, speeding up the process. That means these soils can quickly go from storing carbon to releasing it.



Scientists have started to pay closer attention to this shift. How soils respond to temperature changes is turning out to be a major factor in climate predictions. Yet many climate models still underestimate just how sensitive these soils are.



The study of Nile River sediments helps fill in some of these gaps. By tracking how soil carbon changed over thousands of years, researchers are getting a clearer picture of just how much influence soils can have on our future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-warning-for-the-future">A warning for the future</h2>



This isn’t just a story about ancient climates. The same temperature-driven feedback that happened thousands of years ago could be repeating itself today - with serious consequences.



As the planet continues to heat up, tropical and subtropical soils may once again start releasing more carbon into the air. If our models are underestimating this effect, we may also be underestimating how fast <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-pool-of-global-soil-carbon-alters-climate-change-models/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a> could accelerate.



The research was supported by the Cluster of Excellence “Ocean Floor - Earth's Uncharted Interface,” based at MARUM at the University of Bremen. 



The team is working to better understand how carbon travels through the ocean floor system, from land to sea - and what that means for our future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59013-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Global warming may trigger rapid release of soil carbon

Earth’s soils are a powerful carbon reservoir. In fact, soils...

Around six hundred million years ago, our planet almost lost the invisible shield that keeps its surface hospitable. Earth's magnetic field, generated by whirling molten iron deep below our feet, faded until it was so weak it was barely detectable.



At the same moment, oxygen flooded the oceans and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrogen-was-plentiful-for-early-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmosphere</a>, and curious soft-bodied creatures began sliding across the seafloor. The coincidence has fascinated geologists and biologists for decades.



Fresh measurements from ancient crystals now reveal just how close Earth came to a magnetic stall. They also strengthen the suspicion that a waning field set the stage for the rise of complex life. 



The new data trace a dramatic drop in magnetic intensity and help explain why the field later rebounded, saving Earth from becoming a dry, radiation-blasted rock like Mars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-ancient-magnetic-field">Earth's ancient magnetic field</h2>



To read the planet’s magnetic diary, researchers collected grains of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-mantle-may-contain-a-wealth-of-green-metals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pyroxenite and gabbro</a> from South Africa, Brazil, and Canada.



Each mineral contains microscopic iron needles that froze in alignment with the ambient field when the rocks cooled. 



By reheating single crystals in a carefully shielded furnace, the team coaxed out tiny magnetic signals that record field strength at the time of eruption.



After analyzing hundreds of crystals, <a href="https://www.rochester.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Rochester</a> geophysicist John Tarduno and colleagues saw a clear pattern. 



“In general, the field is protective. If we had not had a field early in Earth history, water would have been stripped from the planet by the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-storms-experts-identify-the-mysterious-source-of-solar-wind/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar wind</a> (a stream of energized particles flowing from the Sun toward Earth),” Tarduno explained.



“But in the Ediacaran, we had a fascinating period in the development of the deep Earth when processes creating the magnetic field … had become so inefficient after billions of years that the field almost completely collapsed.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-very-weak-magnetic-field">Very weak magnetic field</h2>



Crystals dated to 591 million years ago indicate a magnetic field about 30 times weaker than today - the most feeble long-term value ever measured. 



Follow-up samples show the enfeebled state persisted for at least 26 million years.



Before and after that window, rocks more than 2 billion years old and younger than 565 million years record a field as sturdy as the modern one, revealing just how exceptional the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ecosystem-behavior-earth-first-sea-creatures-stirring-water-drove-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ediacaran lull</a> was.



During the low-field stretch, solar wind could punch far deeper into the atmosphere. Charged particles stripped away lightweight hydrogen, a process that left relatively heavy oxygen behind. 



The timing lines up with multiple geochemical markers that show a sharp increase in oxygen levels, supporting the idea that the weakened shield helped push Earth past a threshold needed for the development of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossils-capture-a-turning-point-in-the-evolution-of-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">large, mobile animals</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thinner-armor-richer-air">Thinner armor, richer air</h2>



The atmospheric link also finds support from geobiologist Shuhai Xiao of <a href="https://www.vt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virginia Tech</a>. 



“The <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/earths-magnetic-field-origin-structure-and-impact-on-humanity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetosphere shields the Earth</a> from solar wind, thus holding the atmosphere to the Earth. Thus, a weaker magnetosphere means that lighter gases such as hydrogen would be lost from the Earth’s atmosphere,” Xiao explained to CNN.



As hydrogen escaped, oxygen concentrations rose, allowing metabolism-hungry organisms to branch out.



Tarduno agrees that other processes - such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-oxygen-discovery-deep-ocean-no-photosynthesis-baffles-scientists/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthetic microbes</a> - were certainly at work.



“We do not challenge that one or more of these processes were happening concurrently. But the weak field may have allowed oxygenation to cross a threshold, aiding animal radiation (evolution),” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-magnetic-field-and-earth-s-core">Magnetic field and Earth's core</h2>



Rock records also solve a puzzle about when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-inner-core-is-not-solid-it-is-shape-shifting-time-for-textbooks-to-be-rewritten/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth’s inner core</a> began to form. Once field strength hit its nadir, it bounced back quickly.



“The observations appear to support the claim that the inner core first nucleated soon after this time, pushing the geodynamo (the mechanism that creates the magnetic field) from a weak, unstable state into a strong, stable dipolar field,” noted Peter Driscoll of the <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carnegie Institution for Science</a>. 



A solid seed at the center released extra heat, turbocharging convection in the outer core and restoring the magnetic screen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strange-seafloor-pioneers">Strange seafloor pioneers</h2>



While the field flickered, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-first-animals-were-very-picky-about-where-they-lived/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ediacaran seas</a> hosted life forms unlike anything alive today.



Disk-shaped <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rewrite-the-textbooks-life-on-earth-did-not-arise-due-to-increased-oxygen-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dickinsonia</a> spread as wide as 4.6 feet (1.4 meters) across the mud; quilted fronds waved gently in the currents; and slug-like Kimberella scraped microbial mats for food.



These pioneers vanished before the Cambrian period began, around 539 million years ago, but their brief reign proved that multicellular bodies could flourish once oxygen climbed to breathable levels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-if-it-happens-again">What if it happens again?</h2>



Not every expert is convinced the magnetic dip directly influenced the course of evolution.



“It is hard for me to evaluate the veracity of this claim because the influence that planetary magnetic fields might have on climate is not very well understood,” Driscoll cautioned. 



Untangling all the variables - solar activity, mantle chemistry, biological innovation - will take years of careful detective work.



For now, the crystal record points to a simple narrative: Earth’s shield weakened, gases escaped, oxygen levels increased, and life took a bold new turn.



By tracing that chain of events, scientists gain insight into how planets and biospheres interact, a lesson that will guide the search for living worlds far beyond our own.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01360-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications, Earth and Environment</a>.



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Complex life emerged on Earth 591 million years ago, scientists think they finally know how and why

Around six hundred million years ago, our planet almost lost...

Seagrass meadows are a hidden treasure of Florida’s coastal beauty, often overlooked in favor of beaches and mangroves. Yet beneath the surface, these underwater fields quietly support marine life, stabilize shores, and protect coastal communities. 



Along Florida’s Nature Coast, seagrass meadows are not just surviving - they’re thriving. A recent study reveals that seagrass ecosystems in this region have remained remarkably healthy and undisturbed for thousands of years - and this resilience is rare.



Globally, seagrass meadows are in trouble. Since 1879, nearly 30% have vanished. Between 1990 and 2009 alone, seagrass beds declined by an estimated 7% each year. Unlike many regions where seagrass meadow loss is the norm, Florida’s Nature Coast has become a rare refuge for these vital ecosystems.



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



Researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History at the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Florida</a> set out to understand how these meadows have endured. The common problem they faced is that we don’t really know what an untouched ecosystem looks like anymore.



“Nothing is really pristine today, because humans have altered all of Earth’s environments, but this is about as good as it gets,” said Michal Kowalewski, senior author of the study.



One major hurdle is the lack of long-term environmental data. “Most of the contemporary biological data we have postdates the Industrial Revolution,” Kowalewski explained. 



“If you think about any type of real-time instrumentation that collects physical and chemical information about an environment, or if you think about the rigorous bio-inventory surveys, all of those things are from the last 50 to 100 years at most.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-clues-beneath-seagrass-meadows">Fossil clues beneath seagrass meadows</h2>



In other words, humanity has been altering nature far longer than we've been systematically observing it. Luckily, Earth itself keeps a record - in the form of fossils.



This is where conservation paleobiology steps in. Scientists use the recent fossil record to reconstruct past ecosystems. 



Seagrasses, unfortunately, don’t leave fossils. Their soft tissues decompose quickly. But the animals living in seagrass meadows - especially shell-bearing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mollusks-evolution-shishania-aculeata-spiny-armor-no-shells-500-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mollusks</a> - do leave lasting traces.



Kowalewski and his team have shown that mollusk fossils are reliable indicators of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-plays-critical-role-ecosystem-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystem health</a>. When mollusks thrive, it’s a good sign that the surrounding environment is in good shape, too.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-florida-s-nature-coast">Studying Florida's Nature Coast</h2>



For their study, the team sampled 21 sites across six estuaries along the Nature Coast. Using PVC hoses, they collected sediment from the seafloor, sifting through centuries of accumulated material.



“We collect sediment samples while scuba diving, and then we sieve those samples and extract all that we find in it,” Kowalewski said. “The samples are dominated by dead material, because it has accumulated there over many centuries. Typically, for every live bivalve or snail, we find thousands of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-meadows-are-very-reliable-fishing-grounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dead specimens</a>.”



Identifying and cataloging these specimens took years. But when the data was analyzed, the results were clear: mollusk diversity had barely changed in millennia. This suggests that the seagrass meadows they inhabit have remained stable, too.



“Only rarely do we find historical evidence that can make us optimistic about the current state of a local ecosystem,” Kowalewski said. 



“Most conservation paleobiology studies tell depressing stories about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-heat-shrinking-habitats-insects-face-hidden-threats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shrinking habitats</a>, declining biodiversity and diminishing ecosystem services. For once, at least, this is not the case. What’s thrilling to me is we can show this system is still in very good condition, which makes it even more important to protect it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-model-for-seagrass-restoration">A model for seagrass restoration</h2>



This discovery is more than just a pleasant surprise. It provides a valuable reference point for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/without-tackling-climate-change-coral-restoration-efforts-are-insufficient/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restoration efforts</a> elsewhere. Healthy seagrass meadows are disappearing, but Florida's Nature Coast shows us what these ecosystems should look like.



Elsewhere in Florida, seagrass has not been so fortunate. In Tampa Bay, nearly half of the seagrass was lost between 1950 and 1980 due to urban growth and pollution. 



Although restoration efforts brought some recovery by 2018, recent declines have been noted again. On the state’s east coast, surveys show that up to 60% of seagrass has vanished in parts of the Indian River Lagoon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-nutrient-pollution">Hidden nutrient pollution</h2>



Most of these losses stem from nutrient pollution. Runoff from farms and cities feeds algae and bacteria, creating dense blooms that cloud the water. This “marine cloud” blocks sunlight from reaching the seagrass below, starving them of the light they need to survive.



The Nature Coast has so far escaped this fate. In 2020, it was designated an aquatic preserve, helping protect its relatively undeveloped watersheds.



Study co-author Thomas Frazer is a dean at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science.



“There’s not a lot of development in those watersheds, particularly from the area around Weeki Wachee all the way up into the Panhandle, so the effects of excess nutrient delivery are not as pronounced as is in other places that have suffered as a consequence,” said Frazer.



However, this does not mean the threat has passed. <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1969992&amp;action=edit" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algal blooms</a> are now an annual event in many parts of Florida. Even Nature Coast seagrasses may be affected if water quality declines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-and-moving-species">Climate change and moving species</h2>



Climate change adds another layer of complexity. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-and-extreme-rainfall-study-reveals-a-missing-link/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rising temperatures</a> are pushing temperate and subtropical species northward. Florida’s Gulf Coast, backed against the Panhandle, offers little room for further migration.



“There’s nowhere for them to go,” Frazer said. As marine life shifts, seagrass ecosystems may face new challenges. 



A single blade of seagrass is home to countless organisms - hydroids, bryozoans, sea squirts, bacteria, and algae. 



Normally, grazing fish and invertebrates keep these communities balanced. But if these grazers disappear or new species disrupt the balance, the health of the meadow could suffer.



“We’re already seeing range extensions of mobile fauna,” Frazer added. “A number of fishes, for example, are moving up north along the Gulf Coast, and they may either eat seagrass or consume grazers that help keep seagrasses clean of organisms that live on them.”



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



Seagrasses are ancient. They’ve been around longer than the dinosaurs and their benefits to both marine and human life are immense. Rachel Carson captured their importance in her 1955 book The Edge of the Sea. 



“Thrusting their roots into the sand and shifting coral debris, the seagrasses achieve a firmer attachment than the rootless algae do; where they grow thickly, they help to secure the offshore sands against the currents, as on the land the dune grasses hold the dry sands against the winds," she wrote.



Seagrasses stabilize the seabed, prevent erosion, and are vital for marine biodiversity. Despite covering just 0.2% of the ocean floor, they are responsible for 50% of marine carbon burial. They provide food for sea turtles, manatees, and fish. For countless species, seagrass meadows are essential nurseries.



“They provide very important nursery habitat,” Frazer said. “In Florida alone, more than 80% of the fish caught by commercial fisherman and recreational anglers spend some part of their life history in those seagrass beds.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-seagrass-meadows">Protecting seagrass meadows</h2>



Frazer noted that seagrasses serve as a front line for storm protection. Their dense underwater meadows reduce wave energy by up to 40% in shallow waters, acting as natural storm barriers.



Florida’s Nature Coast now holds the largest seagrass meadows bed in the Gulf of Mexico. With careful management and ongoing conservation, it has the potential to stay that way.



While much of the world races to restore what’s been lost, the Nature Coast reminds us of a simple truth: sometimes, the best thing we can do is protect what we already have.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v760/p71-86/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Ecology Progress Series</a>.



Image Credit: Ben Jones / Ocean Image Bank



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Seagrass meadows still thrive on Florida's Nature Coast

Seagrass meadows are a hidden treasure of Florida’s coastal beauty,...

The Southern Ocean, vast and cold, swallows more carbon than its size suggests. It’s a carbon sink, a crucial one, pulling atmospheric carbon down into its icy depths. But what happens when the rules change?



New research from the University of East Anglia (<a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UEA</a>) takes a hard look at this question. The study warns that the ocean’s role in carbon absorption might weaken as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions climb.



The old driver, the ozone hole, might be stepping back. In its place? Rising emissions, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-crisis-what-if-the-ocean-lost-all-of-its-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming waters</a>, and unpredictable winds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ozone-depletion-s-reversible-impact">Ozone depletion’s reversible impact</h2>



Back in the 20th century, the ozone hole ruled the Southern Ocean’s winds. It churned up the waters, dragging carbon-heavy currents to the surface. The result? The ocean became less capable of soaking up more carbon.



But now, the ozone hole is healing. And as it recovers, its grip on the winds is slipping. That might sound like good news, but there’s a catch.



Dr. Tereza Jarníková of the Tyndall Cente for Climate Change Research at UEA is the lead author of the study.



“An interesting, and hopeful, highlight of this work is that the effects of human-caused ozone hole damage on the winds, circulation, and carbon uptake of the Southern Ocean are reversible, but only under a lower scenario of greenhouse gas emissions,” noted Dr. Jarníková.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wind-patterns-in-the-southern-ocean">Wind patterns in the Southern Ocean</h2>



In the 20th century, ozone depletion drove wind <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-ocean-holds-carbon-hidden-mechanisms-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">patterns</a> in the Southern Ocean. The stronger winds pulled carbon-laden waters to the surface, reducing the ocean’s carbon sink potential.



Now, as the ozone hole mends, those winds are calming down. But will that last? The study suggests it won’t. 



Under a high-emission scenario, wind speeds could surge by 0.75 meters per second (2.46 feet per second) by the end of the century. In a low-emission world, the increase might hold at 0.35 meters per second (1.15 feet per second). In both cases, GHGs, not ozone, would be the dominant force behind the winds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-storage-in-the-southern-ocean">Carbon storage in the Southern Ocean</h2>



The ocean’s mixed-layer depth (MLD) tells a story of shifting currents. When the MLD deepens, carbon-rich waters rise to the surface, limiting how much more carbon the ocean can absorb.



Ozone depletion deepened the MLD in the past, slashing the Southern Ocean’s carbon sink capabilities. But as the ozone hole heals, the MLD could stabilize.



Still, there’s a new threat. Rising GHGs could keep pushing those waters up. In a high-emission scenario, MLD deepening could intensify, making it harder for the ocean to absorb atmospheric carbon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-currents-and-carbon-uptake">Ocean currents and carbon uptake</h2>



Meridional overturning circulation (MOC) acts like a conveyor belt, carrying nutrient-rich waters to the surface. This process fuels biological productivity, pulling carbon down into the deep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-weaker-ocean-will-release-more-carbon-into-the-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a>.



But the study finds that the MOC’s influence on carbon uptake is waning. Why? Rising surface temperatures are flattening the carbon gradient between surface and deep waters. The result is that less carbon gets absorbed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-temperature-the-new-carbon-thief">Temperature: The new carbon thief</h2>



The Southern Ocean is warming. By 2100, surface temperatures could rise by 1.6°C under a high-emission scenario. Warm water holds less carbon, making it harder for the ocean to trap atmospheric CO2.



Even if winds intensify and the MLD deepens, the warming <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-plays-a-major-role-in-global-carbon-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">waters</a> might still win. The ocean’s capacity to absorb carbon is shrinking, driven by temperature increases that are now outpacing other factors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-scenarios-a-tug-of-war">Future scenarios: A tug of war</h2>



The UEA team used the UK Earth System Model (UKESM1) to simulate three possible ozone futures. 



In the first scenario, the ozone hole never forms, maintaining stable winds and circulation. In the second, the hole forms but gradually recovers after the 1987 Montréal Protocol. The third scenario envisions the ozone hole persisting at its 1987 size, continuing to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-storage-mystery-emerges-in-the-southern-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">influence</a> wind patterns and circulation.



Layered over these scenarios are two GHG pathways: one with emissions peaking and then falling, and another where emissions keep climbing. The results reveal a tug of war between ozone recovery and GHG-driven warming. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-loses-its-grip-on-carbon">Ocean loses its grip on carbon</h2>



The Southern Ocean’s days as a reliable carbon sink may be numbered. The study suggests that by mid-century, GHG emissions will dominate wind patterns, mixed-layer depth, and overturning circulation.



In the past, ozone depletion drove the winds. It pushed carbon-rich waters to the surface, reducing the ocean’s capacity to absorb more carbon. 



But as the 21st century unfolds, GHGs will take the lead. Temperature changes, not wind shifts, will determine how much carbon the ocean can hold.



The research delivers a clear message and the findings serve as a stark reminder. The Southern Ocean's ability to absorb carbon depends on emissions, temperature, and circulation. 



The study was funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (<a href="https://www.ukri.org/councils/nerc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NERC</a>) and the <a href="https://royalsociety.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society</a>. The findings are published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr3589" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Rising emissions weaken carbon storage in the Southern Ocean

The Southern Ocean, vast and cold, swallows more carbon than...

Climate change solutions might be closer than we think - not in labs or remote forests, but in the microbes living in our homes. James Henriksen, a microbiologist at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a>, believes the secret to fighting climate change could be hiding in dishwashers, air conditioners, and water heaters.



Henriksen wants everyone to join the hunt for extremophiles - organisms that thrive in extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-wins-in-2025-came-from-unexpected-places/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conditions</a>. They’re tiny, they’re tough, and some might be surprisingly useful.



These microbes have adapted to harsh environments, evolving traits that could potentially absorb carbon dioxide or clean up pollutants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-home-microbes-fighting-climate-change">Home microbes fighting climate change</h2>



<a href="https://citsci.org/projects/the-extremophile-campaign-in-the-wild/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Extremophile Campaign: In Your Home</a> is a new initiative from CitSci, the Two Frontiers Project, and SeedLabs. It kicked off in October, rallying citizen scientists to search for hidden organisms.



“We believe that we have found new organisms, and we know that they have unique characteristics purely from the fact that they're growing and thriving in some of these unusual environments,” Henriksen said. Already, the campaign has led to some intriguing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/south-africas-land-is-continuously-rising-as-water-disappears-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discoveries</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-microbe-with-a-big-appetite">A microbe with a big appetite</h2>



Deep in the volcanic ocean vents off the island of Vulcano, Henriksen and his team stumbled upon Chonkus. This cyanobacterium isn’t just any microbe. It devours carbon dioxide and then sinks, locking away CO2 in the ocean depths.



Unlike plants, Chonkus can absorb far more CO2, using photosynthesis to turn the gas into biomass. It’s a microscopic powerhouse that might one day help mitigate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/todays-children-will-face-more-climate-extremes-than-ever-before/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> change.



Henriksen isn’t surprised. “Half the air you're breathing comes from microbes,” he said. “They play essential roles in carbon and nitrogen cycles.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-microbes">Mapping the microbes</h2>



Henriksen co-founded the Two Frontiers Project to hunt for microbes in extreme environments – from the depths of the ocean to outer space. But what about the extreme environments right under our noses?



“There’s not just unknown species,” he said. “It’s like there’s a rainforest everywhere you look, and we know almost nothing about the organisms there and what they can do.”



Our homes, it turns out, are teeming with unseen life - and Henriksen wants us to pay attention.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbes-hidden-in-the-home">Microbes hidden in the home</h2>



If you’re feeling brave, take a closer look at your appliances. What’s lurking inside your dishwasher or around the base of your water heater? If it’s slimy, crusty, or gooey, Henriksen wants to hear about it.



Instead of scrubbing away the weird spots and unpleasant odors, you can help scientists by documenting them. That slimy film? It could be home to a whole community of extremophiles - microbes that might hold the key to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-impacting-earths-rotation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate solutions</a>.



Participating is easy. Snap a photo of your odd discovery. Fill out an online survey at <a href="https://citsci.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CitSci.org</a>. If researchers need more information, they’ll send a collection kit.



Henriksen’s team will then analyze the samples using metagenomic sequencing. Each microbe’s DNA will be studied, cataloged, and possibly saved for future research. Some samples might even lead to new scientific breakthroughs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-in-the-slime">What's in the slime?</h2>



Metagenomic sequencing sounds complex, but the goal is simple: figure out what’s living in that slimy mess. Henriksen and his team are looking for microbes that can absorb CO₂, degrade <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollutants-from-fossil-fuels-are-embedded-in-coral-skeletons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollutants</a>, or perform other useful tasks.



The DNA data will be stored for future study. Some organisms might be cultivated and tested further. Every sample holds the potential for new discoveries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-s-hidden-survivors">Nature's hidden survivors </h2>



Beyond homes, the Extremophile Campaign: In the Wild asks people to keep an eye out for microbial hotspots in nature. Springs in places like Colorado and California often contain unusual chemistry - acidic water, carbonation, and, yes, slime.



"Life is surviving and thriving in this hot water, in water that is as carbonated as soda pop and as acidic as lemon juice,” Henriksen said. “Microbes are pulling high concentrations of CO₂ out of the water, out of the air, and they're building that slime or the green algae that you see.”&nbsp;



If you spot something slimy, crusty, or just plain weird, the researchers want to know.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-platform-to-fight-climate-change-nbsp">A platform to fight climate change&nbsp;</h2>



Both extremophile campaigns run through CitSci.org, a platform that connects researchers with citizen scientists. The site was developed at Colorado State University’s Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory two decades ago and now hosts nearly 1,500 projects.



“CitSci has been an amazing partner in helping get this up and running,” Henriksen said. 



Through CitSci, Henriksen hopes to gather data from as many people and places as possible. With more eyes on the ground, the chances of finding new microbial allies in the climate fight increase.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-gunk-might-save-the-planet">Your gunk might save the planet</h2>



Henriksen sees potential in every home. That gross gunk in your appliance? It might contain the next Chonkus – a microbe that could capture <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountains-both-carbon-sinks-and-carbon-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> or break down pollutants. All it takes is a photo, a survey, and a bit of curiosity.



“We believe that everybody can contribute and participate in science," Henriksen said. &nbsp;



From volcanic vents to kitchen sinks, the next big climate solution might be hiding in plain sight - and researchers want you to help find it.



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Slime found in home appliances could help fight climate change

Climate change solutions might be closer than we think -...

The Amazon rainforest appears able to endure decades of intense drought, yet doing so would mean losing many of its tallest, most carbon-laden trees and releasing vast amounts of stored carbon into the air.



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Edinburgh</a>, the <a href="https://portal.ufpa.br/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University of Pará</a>, and partner institutes reached this conclusion after running the world’s longest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-amazon-rainforest-and-the-looming-threat-of-drought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainforest drought</a> experiment in a 22-year study. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tree-mortality-and-carbon-storage">Tree mortality and carbon storage</h2>



Starting in 2002, researchers covered a one-hectare plot in north-eastern Brazil with clear plastic panels that diverted roughly half the rainfall into gutters. 



The site, about the size of London’s Trafalgar Square, was left otherwise undisturbed so the team could watch how a mature forest coped with a sharply reduced water budget.



During the first fifteen years, the canopy thinned dramatically as many of the plot’s largest trees died. Their deaths removed more than one-third of the stand’s total woody biomass - the trunks, branches, and roots where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-carbon-sinks-are-being-pushed-to-their-limits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> is locked away.



Such a mass drought across the two-million-square-mile Amazon would send a pulse of carbon skyward and hobble the region’s role as a global carbon sink.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-fragile-new-equilibrium"><a></a>A fragile new equilibrium</h2>



After the initial crash, conditions began to stabilize. With fewer giants competing for resources, surviving <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-trees-decide-between-growing-and-breathing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a> had greater access to soil moisture. Measurements showed they were no more drought-stressed than trees in a nearby control plot receiving normal rainfall.



The rejuvenated survivors even began making modest carbon gains, though the plot’s total biomass remains far below that of a typical intact rainforest.



“Our findings suggest that while some rainforests may be able to survive prolonged droughts brought on by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-the-driving-force-behind-droughts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a>, their capacity to act as both a vital carbon store and carbon sink could be greatly diminished,” said lead author Pablo Sanchez Martinez, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh.



The experiment demonstrates that the Amazon forests possess a kind of resilience despite drought. However, the path to that resilience is paved with lost giants, reduced biomass, and the sudden release of long-sequestered carbon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-additional-climate-change-factors">Additional climate change factors</h2>



The study isolated one stress: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-diversity-threatened-by-reduced-rainfall-and-drought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reduced rainfall</a> reaching the soil. Real climate change, however, entails hotter air, shifting humidity, fiercer storms, and more fires. 



The authors note that their biomass-loss figures may be conservative once those additional factors are folded in. They also point out a geographical wrinkle. 



The experimental site lies in the Amazon’s drier northeast, a region projected to grow even warmer and less rainy. Central and western Amazonia may respond differently. Long-term plots in multiple zones will be needed to paint a complete picture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-drought-in-the-amazon">Future of drought in the Amazon</h2>



Global carbon-cycle models routinely assume that tropical forests will keep soaking up CO2 at current rates. This experiment shows that assumption may be risky. If drought becomes chronic, forests could flip from a net sink to a source until a new, lower-biomass equilibrium is achieved.



“Ecological responses to climate can have very large impacts on our environment, locally and globally; we cannot understand and predict them without long-term collaborative research of this sort,” said senior author Patrick Meir, a professor at the University of Edinburgh.



Climate negotiators often view the Amazon as a safety valve that buys time for emissions cuts. The results here suggest the valve’s capacity is not limitless - and severe drought could crank it closed for decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-drought-in-the-amazon">Studying drought in the Amazon</h2>



Running a two-decade field manipulation in dense rainforest required physical endurance, a stable funding stream, and local partnerships. 



Crews had to keep thousands of plastic panels clear of leaves and fallen branches while monitoring soil moisture, sap flow, canopy structure, and tree deaths year after year.



Researchers plan to layer additional stressors onto similar plots - raising air temperature, altering humidity, or exposing trees to smoke - to mimic the full suite of climate impacts. Remote-sensing satellites and airborne laser scans will help scale plot-level findings to the basin as a whole.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adaptation-comes-with-costs">Adaptation comes with costs</h2>



In the meantime, the current results deliver a stark message. The Amazon can adapt to a drier future, but the adaptation comes with heavy carbon costs. 



Protecting the forest from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-deforestation-crisis-how-can-we-stop-massive-forest-losses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deforestation</a> and fire remains essential; so does limiting global warming to prevent droughts from growing even more severe.



Only by combining local conservation with rapid emissions cuts, scientists argue, can the world keep the Amazon in its role as a living, breathing ally against climate change - even if that ally is thinner and lighter than before.



Funding came from the <a href="https://www.ukri.org/councils/nerc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UK’s Natural Environment Research Council</a>, the <a href="https://royalsociety.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society</a>, and the <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UK Met Office</a>. Collaborating institutions included the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Universities of Exeter</a> and <a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cardiff</a> and Spain’s <a href="https://www.creaf.cat/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CREAF</a>. 



The late professor Antonio Carlos Lôla Da Costa, who co-led the project on the Brazilian side, provided crucial continuity and local knowledge.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02702-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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Amazon forests can survive drought - but it comes at a high cost

The Amazon rainforest appears able to endure decades of intense...

An unprecedented survey of nearly 5,500 plant communities across 119 regions has uncovered a hidden ecological deficit: in landscapes with heavy human pressure, typical habitats contain barely one-fifth of the species they could support.



The international <a href="https://macroecology.ut.ee/en/darkdivnet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DarkDivNet</a> consortium - whose members include the Biodiversity and Evolution Research Group at the <a href="https://www.ehu.eus/en/en-home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Basque Country</a> (UPV/EHU) - reached this conclusion by analyzing “dark diversity,” the pool of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plant-diversity-can-help-combat-climate-change/%C3%B9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant</a> species that should thrive in a site yet are absent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-human-pressure-on-plants">Measuring human pressure on plants</h2>



Conventional field studies tally the species that are present, but the DarkDivNet team flipped that approach. 



For every one-hectare plot, the researchers used climate, soil, and regional species pools to predict the full roster of plants likely to live there under natural conditions. They compared this “potential community” with the species that actually grew on the ground. 



Conventional approaches to measuring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feeding-the-world-without-harming-nature-the-complex-balance-of-farming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a>, which focus solely on counting the species currently present and ignore those that could potentially inhabit an area, often downplay the full extent of human influence on ecosystems.



Because the technique captures loss before it becomes obvious, it serves as an early-warning system and a yard-stick for restoration goals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-pristine-reserves-to-patchy-farmlands"><a></a>From pristine reserves to patchy farmlands</h2>



The DarkDivNet project was conceived by Meelis Pärtel of the <a href="https://ut.ee/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tartu</a> and launched in 2018. Since then, research teams on every continent have followed a single protocol to ensure results are comparable.



One contribution came from lecturers Idoia Biurrun-Galarraga and Juan Antonio Campos-Prieto (UPV/EHU), who mapped 55 plots in Spain’s Gorbeia Nature Reserve, focusing on beech woods and upland heaths. 



Data gathering spanned five field seasons and navigated hurdles such as COVID-19 travel bans and political unrest affecting partner institutions.



To rate human pressure, the scientists turned to the <a href="https://hub.arcgis.com/maps/65518e782be04e7db31de65d53d591a9/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Human Footprint Index</a>, a composite measure that integrates population density, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/using-more-land-agricultural-expansion-will-harm-climate-and-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">land-use</a> conversion, and infrastructure such as roads. Scores ranged from virtually undisturbed wilderness to intensively farmed or urbanized territory.



The resulting pattern was stark. Sites in low-footprint zones harbored about one-third of their potential species - already a significant shortfall caused mainly by natural dispersal limits. Where the footprint was high, realized diversity slumped to 20 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-pressure-beyond-plant-life">Human pressure beyond plant life</h2>



The deficit is not confined to places where bulldozers roar or fields extend to the horizon. Modelling showed that roads, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-how-air-pollution-forms-may-help-us-prevent-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollution</a>, and land-use change depress diversity hundreds of kilometers away, even inside protected areas.



According to the authors, the results “are alarming because they show that human disturbance exerts a much greater impact than initially thought, even reaching protected areas far from the source of human impact. 



Pollution, deforestation, overgrazing, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fewer-forest-fires-happen-today-than-in-the-past-ironically-causes-bigger-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forest fires</a> can exclude plant species from their natural habitats, preventing them from recolonizing.”



Yet the study did uncover a mitigating factor. Landscapes in which at least one-third of total area remains intact fare markedly better; species stranded in little-touched blocks can drift back into damaged patches.



“The negative influence of human activity was less pronounced when at least one third of a region's area remained well preserved, which supports the global goal of protecting 30% of the planet's surface,” the authors wrote. 



The finding lends empirical weight to the “30 by 30” conservation target adopted in the 2022 <a href="https://www.cbd.int/gbf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dark-diversity-and-hidden-issues">Dark diversity and hidden issues</h2>



Identifying which species should be present but are missing allows land managers to diagnose underlying problems - be it altered fire regimes, livestock browsing, or lost <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-face-extinction-risk-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollinators</a> - and to direct re-introductions where they stand a fighting chance. 



In restoration projects, the metric can reveal whether ecosystem recovery from human disturbance is on track long before plant counts return to pre-disturbance numbers.



Because the same protocol works in grasslands, forests, and wetlands, DarkDivNet data provide a common currency for comparing impacts and gauging trade-offs among land-use policies worldwide. 



The approach can also highlight priority corridors between intact refuges, where recolonization pressure is greatest.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



The network plans to extend its reach to under-sampled biomes and to layer animal and fungal dark-diversity maps onto the botanical baseline, producing a multidimensional picture of ecological debt. 



Remote-sensing teams are testing whether patterns of missing species leave spectral fingerprints detectable by drones or satellites.



For now, the project delivers a sobering message: even where forests still stand tall and fields appear green, a silent erosion is under way.



By documenting both visible and invisible losses, dark-diversity analysis reveals the full scope of human influence - and spotlights how much of the living world can return if true refuges are safeguarded across at least 30 percent of every region.



The global tally of species we fail to see, in other words, may be the most important conservation number we need to track.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08814-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Human pressure has a hidden impact on plant diversity

An unprecedented survey of nearly 5,500 plant communities across 119...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

<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.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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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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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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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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