The world’s seas have long acted as a planetary safety net, soaking up excess heat and roughly a quarter of all human-generated carbon dioxide. 



Yet this crucial buffer is anything but uniform. Some waters capture carbon, others release it, and the balance can swing in a matter of days.



Until now, most global maps blurred those variations into month-long snapshots at coarse, 100-kilometer grids. 



A new satellite-driven product called <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/13/777/2021/">OceanSODA-ETHZ</a> changes that picture, offering eight-day updates at 25-kilometer resolution and revealing the ocean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-carbon-sinks-are-being-pushed-to-their-limits/">carbon sink</a> in unprecedented detail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-fill-ocean-carbon-gaps">Satellites fill ocean carbon gaps</h2>



Direct readings of surface-water CO2 come from ships and buoys, leaving vast gaps in space and time.



“Increasing the resolution of these global datasets is challenging because the number of direct measurements of carbon dioxide at the ocean’s surface is rather sparse across all regions and times,” explained project co-leader Nicolas Gruber of ETH Zurich.



To fill those gaps, Gruber’s team paired the in situ data with a suite of Earth-observation satellites that sense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-are-substantially-changing-the-seasons-of-the-ocean/">sea-surface temperature</a>, color, wind, and more - variables tightly linked to how much CO2 water can hold.



Feeding that information into a cascade of machine-learning algorithms produced a fine-grained, eight-day global mosaic.



“This new version maps the parameters of the ocean carbon system every eight days at a resolution of about 25 by 25 kilometers, more than 30 times finer than previous products,” Gruber said.



“A critical part of the approach is the use of satellite data, which provides detailed information to interpolate the measurements in time and space.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-track-ocean-carbon-changes">Satellites track ocean carbon changes</h2>



Presented this week at <a href="https://lps25.esa.int/">ESA’s Living Planet Symposium</a>, the dataset already highlights dramatic short-term swings. 



An animation released by the team tracks the 2017 Atlantic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-hurricanes-help-oceans-fight-climate-change/">hurricane</a> season, when storms such as Maria and Irma churned deep, carbon-rich waters to the surface.



<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://youtu.be/cEUvoY8krHM?si=cX1giVtLnycyFKqr
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Animation generated using the new OceanSODA-ETHZv2 product by Luke Gregor, Jamie Shutler and Nicolas Gruber</figcaption></figure>



In the visualization, red plumes - areas where the sea outgasses CO2 - flare beneath the swirling wind arrows, then fade as cooler, oxygen-laden surface layers return.



Jamie Shutler from the University of Exeter, while not involved in developing the product, is already using it for storm studies.



“Thanks to its fine detail, the dataset can help us separate and understand the influence of events like hurricanes - where deep water, often high in carbon, can be forced to rise to the surface - which can cause sudden spikes or changes in surface ocean carbon dioxide levels,” said Shutler.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-view-of-ocean-acidification">A new view of ocean acidification</h2>



Every molecule of CO2 that the ocean absorbs reacts with seawater, lowering pH and shifting carbonate chemistry in ways that erode coral skeletons, thin oyster shells, and alter plankton communities.



Until now, researchers tracking this “other CO2 problem” relied on sparse records or coarse climatologies. 



OceanSODA-ETHZ delivers near-real-time fields of surface pH and carbonate ions, letting scientists watch <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-is-spreading-into-deeper-waters/">acidification</a> pulses unfold as upwelling, rainfall, or melting sea ice change local chemistry.



Because the product also extends back to 1985, analysts can mine four decades of fine-scale variability to see where buffers are weakening and hotspots are emerging. 



Those insights can feed into fisheries management, coastal planning, and global carbon-budget assessments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-esa-powers-new-ocean-maps">ESA powers new ocean maps</h2>



The dataset is the latest deliverable from <a href="https://eo4society.esa.int/">ESA’s FutureEO “Science for Society” program</a>, which funds innovative uses of satellite records.



“The fact that we can use this method to gain new insights into the exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere - and on the ocean acidification altogether - is a great step forward in ocean science,” said Roberto Sabia, an ocean scientist at <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth">ESA Earth-Observation</a>. 



Gruber and colleagues emphasize that OceanSODA-ETHZ is not a static atlas but a living product that can assimilate new ship measurements and leverage upcoming satellite missions.



Higher-resolution sensors such as <a href="https://pace.gsfc.nasa.gov/">NASA’s PACE</a> and <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Copernicus_Sentinel_Expansion_missions">ESA’s Copernicus Expansion</a> promise even clearer views of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plankton-help-predict-ocean-biodiversity-losses/">plankton</a> blooms, sea-surface roughness, and dissolved organic matter - all factors that modulate carbon exchange.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forecasts-of-regional-carbon-uptake">Forecasts of regional carbon uptake</h2>



Ultimately, the goal is to couple these detailed maps with ocean-atmosphere models, yielding short-term forecasts of regional carbon uptake akin to daily weather predictions.



Such tools could alert coastal managers when acidification thresholds are likely to be breached or help negotiators refine national emissions budgets by tracking natural carbon sinks more precisely.



For now, the new product already reshapes our understanding of the ocean’s role in moderating climate. 



Where earlier charts smoothed over crucial dynamics, OceanSODA-ETHZ reveals a living, breathing carbon landscape - one where swirling eddies, roaring storms, and shifting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-ocean-currents-play-a-huge-role-in-earths-climate/">currents</a> all leave their stamp on the planet’s most important carbon reservoir.



Image Credit: ESA



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Satellites reveal how oceans absorb carbon in unprecedented detail

The world’s seas have long acted as a planetary safety net, soaking up excess heat and roughly a quarter of all human-generated carbon dioxide. Yet this crucial buffer is anything but uniform. Some waters capture carbon, others release it, and the balance can swing in a matter of days. Until now, most global maps blurred those variations into month-long snapshots at coarse, 100-kilometer grids. A new satellite-driven product called OceanSODA-ETHZ changes that picture, offering eight-day updates at 25-kilometer resolution and revealing the ocean carbon sink in unprecedented...

For climatologists, one of the biggest unknowns in predicting anthropogenic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-damage-by-wild-pigs-is-worse-than-a-million-cars/">climate</a> change is the effect of clouds. Now, a new study led by researchers at <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> suggests that cloud feedback amplifies global heating. 

One of the goals of climatology is to model Earth’s climate and simulate how it may change. With the complex effects of anthropogenic climate change looming, one of the most important indicators that experts can use to predict global warming is known as "climate sensitivity." 

This particular index tells us how the planet’s thermostat will adjust when we double our pre-industrial carbon dioxide level of 240 parts per million (ppm). The higher that number, the warmer the planet gets. 

For those keeping score at home, we’re currently sitting at 420 ppm, with that number increasing about 2.5 ppm every year, according to the American Meteorological Society’s 2019 State of the Climate.

"The value of the climate sensitivity is highly uncertain, and this translates into uncertainty in future global warming projections and in the remaining 'carbon budget' - how much we can emit before we reach common targets of 1.5°C or 2°C of global warming," explained study co-author Dr. Paulo Ceppi.

Clouds that float closer to the ground tend to have a cooling effect, because they keep sunlight from directly reaching the Earth. Clouds higher up in the atmosphere let sunlight hit the ground, while also trapping energy emitted from our planet - enhancing the greenhouse effect. 

In collaboration with study co-author Dr. Peer Nowack, Dr. Ceppi looked at temperature and cloud cover data from satellite measurements. They used this data in a statistical learning analysis, a machine learning program that attempts to predict behavior from raw data. The program tells the researchers how clouds will react to a warming climate. 

"There's been a growing amount of evidence that clouds probably have an amplifying effect on global warming," said Dr. Nowack. "However, our new approach allowed us for the first time to derive a global value for this feedback effect using only the highest quality satellite data as our preferred line of evidence.”

The prognosis is not promising. The study found with more than 97.5 percent probability that clouds will exacerbate the warming of the planet by enhancing the greenhouse effect and by reflecting less sunlight. According to the researchers’ model, this will ultimately raise the global mean temperature by 3.2°C.

"Our paper makes a major step towards narrowing the most important uncertainty factor in climate sensitivity projections," said Dr. Nowack. "As such, our work also highlights a new pathway in which machine learning methods can help us constrain the key remaining uncertainty factors in climate science." 

The experts hope that by specifying those constraints, they can better estimate the future effects of global warming.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Clouds have an amplifying effect on global warming

For climatologists, one of the biggest unknowns in predicting anthropogenic...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a>, experts have found 15,000-year-old viruses preserved in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/last-ice-refuge-of-the-arctic-may-soon-be-gone/">ice</a> from the Tibetan Plateau in China. The experts report that most of the microbes are previously unknown to science.

For their investigation, the researchers created a method of analyzing microbes in ice without the risk of contamination. The findings may ultimately shed new light on how viruses have evolved over centuries. 

"These glaciers were formed gradually, and along with dust and gases, many, many viruses were also deposited in that ice," said study lead author Zhi-Ping Zhong. "The glaciers in western China are not well-studied, and our goal is to use this information to reflect past environments. And viruses are a part of those environments."

The ice cores examined for the study were collected in 2015 from the Guliya ice cap in western China. The cores originated at the summit of Guliya, which sits at an altitude of 22,000 feet above sea level. 

After dating the ice cores back 15,000 years, the team found the genetic codes for 33 viruses - only four of which have been previously identified. 

"These are viruses that would have thrived in extreme environments," said study co-author Professor Matthew Sullivan. "These viruses have signatures of genes that help them infect cells in cold environments - just surreal genetic signatures for how a virus is able to survive in extreme conditions."

According to Professor Sullivan, the genetic signatures were not easy to pull out. He said that the method developed by the team to decontaminate the cores and to study microbes could help us search for the genetic sequences in other extreme icy environments - like on Mars or the moon. 

The results of the analysis suggest that the viruses likely originated with soil or plants, not with animals or humans.

"We know very little about viruses and microbes in these extreme environments, and what is actually there," said study senior author Professor Lonnie Thompson. 

"The documentation and understanding of that is extremely important: How do bacteria and viruses respond to climate change? What happens when we go from an ice age to a warm period like we're in now?"

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/">Microbiome</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

15,000-year-old viruses found in Tibetan ice

In a new study from Ohio State University, experts have...

During the height of the COVID <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ozone-pollution-dropped-dramatically-during-pandemic/">pandemic</a>, and even now when some countries seem to see light at the end of the tunnel, disposable masks are more expensive and harder to find due to increased demand. 

It should come as no surprise that all those little paper products wreak havoc on the environment, especially with more of them circulating than ever before.  

The pandemic is responsible for an estimated 7,200 tons of medical waste every day. Much of that waste comes in the form of disposable masks. Even now, many healthcare workers must wear masks at all times during work. 

A new study from the <a href="https://www.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> shows that financial and environmental costs could be drastically reduced by switching to reusable masks. 

"Perhaps unsurprisingly, the approaches that incorporate reusable aspects stand to have not only the greatest cost savings, but also significant reduction in waste," explained study senior author Professor Giovanni Traverso.

"Our vision was that if we had a reusable system, we could reduce the cost. The majority of disposable masks also have a significant environmental impact, and they take a very long time to degrade."

 "During a pandemic, there's a priority to protect people from the virus, and certainly that remains a priority, but for the longer term, we have to catch up and do the right thing, and strongly consider and minimize the potential negative impact on the environment."

The experts have been developing reusable silicone masks with filters that are disposable or can be sterilized after exposure as a way to reduce cost, environmental impact and as a response to short supplies. 

Ultimately, the researchers envision a system like this becoming more widespread as a way to protect people with less environmental impact and fincancial cost.  

"Masks are here to stay for the foreseeable future, so it's critical that we incorporate sustainability into their use, as well as the use of other disposable personal protective equipment that contribute to medical waste," said study lead author Dr. Jacequline Chu.

The study is published in the <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/">British Medical Journal Open</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Addressing the environmental impact of disposable masks

During the height of the COVID pandemic, and even now...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a>, experts report that climate change threatens food security for millions of people in countries that depend the most on the fishing industry. The study revealed that the increasing strain of climate change and overfishing will impact the availability of micronutrients that come from our oceans.

The researchers analyzed the future distribution and abundance of more than 800 fish species in 157 countries. These fish are a critical source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, iron, zinc, and calcium. 

When it comes to the availability of these essential micronutrients from marine fish catches, the experts found that climate change poses the biggest threat.

The study reveals that climate change threatens the supply of vital micronutrients from fisheries in 40 percent of countries. The micronutrient supplies were found to be less vulnerable to overfishing.

Countries with micronutrient sources that are most at risk are tropical nations, including Malaysia, Cambodia, and Indonesia. The Sub-Saharan African countries of Mozambique and Sierra Leone were also found to be particularly at risk.

"As climate change and overfishing are significant and growing pressures on global fish stocks, it is essential for the dietary requirements of millions of people to know the extent that these pressures will have on the availability of micronutrients in our seas in the future," said study lead author Dr. Eva Maire.

"We have shown that climate change is the most pervasive threat to the supply of vital micronutrients for many countries around the world, and in particular in the tropics."

According to the researchers, some countries may be able to adapt their fisheries to switch from vulnerable species and instead target alternative micronutrient-rich species that are also resilient to both climate change and overfishing.

"As well as highlighting the growing threat of climate change to the food security of millions of people, our study also offers hope for the future," said study co-author Professor William Cheung from the University of British Columbia.

"Armed with nutritional information about different fish species, many countries have the capacity to adapt their fisheries policies to target different more resilient fish species. By doing this then these nations can ensure a more reliable supply of micronutrients for their people."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change threatens vital micronutrients from fisheries

In a new study from Lancaster University, experts report that...

An international team of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/individual-corals-seen-engulfing-algae-for-the-first-time/">coral</a> scientists is calling on policy makers around the world to take action for the protection of coral reefs. New research presented at the International Coral Reef Symposium paints a bleak future for reefs.

Study co-author Andréa Grottoli, a professor of Earth Sciences at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a>, explains the dire situation and the small window of opportunity for action.

"The model projections show that up to 30% of coral reefs will persist through this century if we limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius," said Professor Grottoli.

"But if we are to limit warming to 1.5 degrees, we have to do it now: The science and the models show that we have only a few years left to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that put us on that path. It has to happen this decade, or we won't make that target."

Climate change is a huge threat to coral reefs, but it’s not the only challenge they face. 

"As bad as climate change has been for the last decades, we also have lost vast amounts of coral reefs through overfishing, pollution and other local actions, and we need to tackle both of those fronts simultaneously," said study first author Nancy Knowlton.

"Climate change is important but it's important that these other things aren't neglected. There's no time for arguing about which is most important; we need to do all of them."

Study co-author David Obura is the director of CORDIO East Africa, a coral reef and sustainability non-profit organization. He explained what needs to happen if the beauty and biodiversity of reefs are to continue to exist on Earth.

"The window for opportunities to act both on coral reef adaptation and on climate change mitigation will soon close for good," said Obura.

"We need a massive increase in commitment now and even more in coming years, coherence across all scales and jurisdictions, and innovation - new mindsets, approaches and techniques. More than anything we need everyone to act, including us scientists by providing our approaches and knowledge, to do our part in saving coral reefs."

The research was presented at the <a href="https://www.icrs2021.de/">International Coral Reef Symposium</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The fate of coral reefs hangs in the balance

An international team of coral scientists is calling on policy...

A new study from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> has produced evidence that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/adults-are-more-compassionate-when-children-are-nearby/">children</a> who live near woodlands have better cognitive development and a lower risk of emotional and behavioral problems. The research may ultimately influence planning decisions in urban areas.

"Previous studies have revealed positive associations between exposure to nature in urban environments, cognitive development and mental health. Why these health benefits are received remains unclear, especially in adolescents," said study lead author Mikaël Maes.

"These findings contribute to our understanding of natural environment types as an important protective factor for an adolescent's cognitive development and mental health and suggest that not every environment type may contribute equally to these health benefits."

"Forest bathing, for example (being immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of a forest), is a relaxation therapy that has been associated with physiological benefits, supporting the human immune function, reducing heart rate variability and salivary cortisol, and various psychological benefits. However, the reasons why we experience these psychological benefits from woodland remain unknown."

The study was focused on data involving 3,568 children and teenagers in 31 schools across London. The subjects ranged in age from 9 to 15, which is a key time in the development of thinking and reasoning.

The researchers used satellite data to estimate each child's daily exposure rate to "green spaces" such as woods, meadows and parks, and to "blue spaces" such as rivers, lakes, and the ocean. 

The goal was to examine the links between natural urban environments and and the children's cognitive development, mental health, and overall well-being.

The analysis revealed that higher daily exposure to woodland - but not grassland - was associated with higher scores for cognitive development. Wooded areas were also associated with a 16 percent lower risk of emotional and behavioral problems two years later. Other green spaces produced a similar effect.

"It's been suggested previously that the benefits of natural environments to mental health are comparable in magnitude to family history, parental age and even more significant than factors like the degree of urbanisation around you, but lower than your parents' socio-economic status," said study co-senior author Professor Mireille Toledano.

"Sensory and non-sensory pathways have been suggested as potentially important for delivering cognition and mental health benefits received from exposure to nature."

"It's critical for us to tease out why natural environments are so important to our mental health throughout the life course - does the benefit derive from the physical exercise we do in these environments, from the social interactions we often have in them, or from the fauna and flora we get to enjoy in these environments or a combination of all of these?"

Study co-senior author Professor Kate Jones said that one possible explanation for the findings may be that audio-visual exposure through vegetation and animal abundance provides psychological benefits. 

"Even though our results show that urban woodland is associated with adolescent's cognitive development and mental health, the cause of this association remains unknown," said Professor Jones. "Further research is fundamental to our understanding of the links between nature and health."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain/">Nature Sustainability</a>.

 ---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Children who live near woodlands have better mental health

A new study from University College London has produced evidence...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> reveals the enormous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/terrestrial-plants-changed-how-earth-regulates-its-climate/">climate</a> impact of wild pigs. The experts report that by digging around in the soil to find food, wild pigs are releasing 4.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. 

According to the researchers, the massive amount of CO2 emissions related to pigs worldwide is the equivalent of emissions from 1.1 million cars.

In collaboration with experts at the University of Canterbury, the researchers used predictive population models and advanced mapping techniques to pinpoint the climate damage caused by wild pigs across five continents.

Dr. Christopher O'Bryan said the globe's ever-expanding population of feral pigs could be a significant threat to the climate.

"Wild pigs are just like tractors ploughing through fields, turning over soil to find food. When soils are disturbed from humans ploughing a field or, in this case, from wild animals uprooting, carbon is released into the atmosphere," explained Dr. O'Bryan.

"Since soil contains nearly three times as much carbon than in the atmosphere, even a small fraction of carbon emitted from soil has the potential to accelerate climate change."

"Our models show a wide range of outcomes, but they indicate that wild pigs are most likely currently uprooting an area of around 36,000 to 124,000 square kilometres, in environments where they're not native."

"This is an enormous amount of land, and this not only affects soil health and carbon emissions, but it also threatens biodiversity and food security that are crucial for sustainable development."

Based on the number and locations of wild pigs, the team simulated 10,000 maps to represent their density on a global scale. The experts calculated the amount of CO2 emissions associated with soil damage by wild pigs based on previous research conducted in China, Europe, and America. 

Study co-author Nicholas Patton said the research may have help to curb the effects of climate change going forward.

"Invasive species are a human-caused problem, so we need to acknowledge and take responsibility for their environmental and ecological implications," said Patton.

"If invasive pigs are allowed to expand into areas with abundant soil carbon, there may be an even greater risk of greenhouse gas emissions in the future. Because wild pigs are prolific and cause widespread damage, they're both costly and challenging to manage."

"Wild pig control will definitely require cooperation and collaboration across multiple jurisdictions, and our work is but one piece of the puzzle, helping managers better understand their impacts."

"It's clear that more work still needs to be done, but in the interim, we should continue to protect and monitor ecosystems and their soil which are susceptible to invasive species via loss of carbon."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate damage by wild pigs is worse than a million cars

A new study from the University of Queensland reveals the...

Droughts and fires have released massive amounts of carbon from one of the most biodiverse forests on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-cycling-microbes-lived-on-earth-billions-of-years-ago/">Earth</a> all while killing untold billions of animals and plants. 

The 2015-16 El Niño caused an extreme drought that was a contributing factor in massive fires in the Amazon, killing roughly 2.5 billion trees and other plants, touching on only about 1.2% of the Amazon. In this relatively small portion of the forest, 495 million tons of carbon dioxide were released into the atmosphere.

Typically, the Amazon is too wet for much of it to burn, but the drought made the now drier forest vulnerable.

The research comes from an international team of researchers who have been working on the project for eight years. The findings do not bode well for the future. The researchers found that plants continued to die at high rates years after the end of the drought, showing that drier spells can have serious long term consequences. Fires also have a greater negative impact on the Amazon rainforest, a habitat that did not evolve with fire as did many forests in North America and elsewhere. 

The experts found that secondary forests had higher declines than the mature primary forests. This shows how disturbance of the forest is long term, even if the forest is allowed to recover. The research emphasizes the need to reduce illegal logging as much as possible for the survival of the Amazon region as well as for the Earth as a whole.

Unfortunately, droughts are expected to increase with the advent of climate change, meaning impacts from wildfires and humans will become amplified as drier rainforests will become more and more vulnerable. This hurts not only the Amazon, one of the world’s most magical places but also allows for the release of even more carbon from destroyed forest.  

"The results highlight the need for action across different scales," said principal investigator Professor Jos Barlow of <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a>.

Internationally, we need action to tackle climate change, which is making extreme droughts and fires more likely. At the local level, forests will suffer fewer negative consequences from fires if they are protected from degradation."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By Zach Fitzner, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fires in the Amazon destroy billions of trees and vines

Droughts and fires have released massive amounts of carbon from...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.mtu.edu/">Michigan Technological University</a> have uncovered new information on two iconic wildlife populations that inhabit Isle Royale - an island of the Great Lakes located northwest of Lake Superior. 

The researchers found evidence that wolves are thriving in the region, while the moose population appears to be in a state of decline.

The COVID-19 pandemic canceled the wintertime survey of wolves and moose on Isle Royale for the first time in 63 years. The MTU team visited the remote national park in the spring, gaining new insights into wolf and moose abundance. The experts report that the Isle Royale wolf population is likely growing. 

"We recovered footage of a group of four wolf pups taken in January 2021 by remote cameras at the east end of Isle Royale," said Professor Sarah Hoy. "Additionally, observations of tracks and scats left by wolf pups last fall at two different locations suggest that there were probably two different litters of pups living at the east end of the island in September 2020."

"Wolf foraging behavior seems driven by minimizing the risks associated with killing large prey, like moose, even when the differences in vulnerability among individual moose might seem relatively subtle compared to when predators are choosing between different prey species."

The moose population is particularly sensitive to nutritional stress, which has concerning implications for how the animals will respond to a warming climate. 

"We found that the nutritional health of moose was importantly influenced by how hot it is during the summer, and also by how deep the snow is in winter," said Hoy. "Moose tended to be more nutritionally stressed during winters with deep snow, which may be because deeper snow makes it more difficult for moose to move around and find food."

The moose population is likely declining, and Hoy noted that moose really struggled to find enough food this past winter. 

"Because there have been such large numbers of moose on the island over the last five years and moose ate branches faster than the trees can recover and replace them, the amount of food available to moose during winter has been getting progressively worse each year since 2017."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/animal-behaviour">Animal Behaviour</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Iconic wildlife populations are declining on Isle Royale

Scientists at Michigan Technological University have uncovered new information on...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a>, researchers have used trail cameras to study interactions between white-tailed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cortisol-levels-can-be-used-to-predict-mortality-in-newborn-deer/">deer</a> fawns and their predators in human-dominated landscapes. The investigation revealed that when fawns feel that they are constantly in danger, they seem to relax instead of trying to head for cover. 

The experts compare this phenomenon to the effects of "burnout" in humans who endure chronic stress. The results of the study suggest that prey animals experience their own version of burnout.

"And you can understand why they do," said study lead author Asia Murphy, who recently graduated with a doctorate from Penn State's Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology. 

"Less than half of whitetail fawns live to see their first birthday, and many are killed by predators, such as coyotes, black bears and bobcats. Fawns instinctively 'know' they are in constant danger."

Ironically, said Murphy, the presence of humans - who would protect the fawns if they could - only ratchets up the stress the young animals experience. The fawns instinctively avoid areas with people, which further limits the part of the landscape they can use to feed and evade predators.

"The presence of people creates an environment where the danger seems so high that the animals basically stop having vigilance behaviors," said Murphy. "That was the surprising thing about my research - when fawns perceive that there is so much danger coming from so many sources, their behavior seemed like they just relaxed, like there's no point in being ready to hide or flee. I saw that in older deer, too."

Murphy noted that in areas where there are many predators and people present, fawns seem to relax instead of acting hypervigilant. "Like so much constant stress leaves them burned out."

The research was designed to investigate how human-dominated landscapes influence interactions between humans, black bears, coyotes, bobcats and fawns. The researchers compared camera trap data from surveys in six forested sites across Pennsylvania. The sites had different surroundings, including forest, agriculture, and developed areas.

The researchers found that bears, bobcats, coyotes, fawns, and adult deer all had more frequent overlaps in the agriculture and development sites compared to the mostly unbroken forest site. 

"By taking into account the different antipredator behaviors that can be detected and the different scales at which these behaviors might occur, we were able to gain a more comprehensive picture of how humans reduce available niche space for wildlife," said Murphy. 

"It was clear that disturbed landscapes - agriculture and development - create more time and space overlap between predators and fawns."

The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652656">Journal of Animal Ecology</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Constant danger leaves deer fawns in a state of burnout

In a new study from Penn State, researchers have used...

A devastating heatwave in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia has killed hundreds of millions of sea creatures. Mussels, clams, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warm-waters-disease-predator-sea-star/">sea stars</a>, crabs, and other animals literally baked in the heat as temperatures soared over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

During the last week of June, dozens of cities in the Northwestern U.S. and western Canada broke their all-time record high temperatures - some by four or five degrees. The heat dome lingered over the region for at least five days, killing hundreds of people and triggering nearly 200 wildfires in British Columbia alone.

Professor Christopher Harley, a marine biologist at the University of British Columbia, has been studying how the heatwave impacted marine animals on a Vancouver-area beach. He estimates that nearly one billion sea creatures were essentially cooked alive in the heat. 

"This is a preliminary estimate based on good data, but I'm honestly worried that it's a substantial underestimate," Professor Harley told <a href="https://www.npr.org/">NPR</a>. He compared what he has seen of the mass mortality event to a post apocalyptic movie.

"I've been working in the Pacific Northwest for most of the past 25 years, and I have not seen anything like this here. This is far more extensive than anything I've ever seen."

"I'm also looking for all these dead barnacles. I've been hearing from people about dead clams and crabs and intertidal anemones and sea stars. And once you really start factoring in all these different species, it's been a huge catastrophe for marine life."

Professor Harley told NPR that while extreme heat in the Pacific Northwest is "exceptionally rare," he's seen estimates from other scientists that similar heat waves could start occurring once every five to ten years. "If it happens that frequently, the system won't have time to recover in between the die-offs."

The majority of the sea creatures lost were mussels, and losing so many at once could lead to devastating impacts - both in the water and on land. 

"Mussels are what's known as a foundation species because a lot of the ecosystem depends upon them... so losing the mussel bed would be losing all the apartment buildings in a city core," explained Professor Harley.

"The craziest thing is that it's just the tip of the iceberg," Professor Malin Pinsky of Rutgers University told NPR. "We can see the mussels because they're on the shoreline, but to a large extent, oceans are out of sight, out of mind, so we're likely to learn the magnitude of what's happening only much later."

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Hundreds of millions of sea creatures killed in historic heatwave

A devastating heatwave in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia...

The frequency of intense rainstorms will increase across Europe as a result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shocking-un-report-the-worst-of-climate-change-is-yet-to-come/">climate change</a>, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a>. The experts predict that by the end of the century, slow-moving storms could become 14 times more frequent across land. 

The slow-moving storms will dump extremely high levels of precipitation, with the potential for devastating impacts like those caused by the recent storms in Germany and Belgium.

"This study shows that in addition to the intensification of rainfall with global warming, we can also expect a big increase in slow-moving storms which have the potential for high rainfall accumulations. This is very relevant to the recent flooding seen in Germany and Belgium, which highlights the devastating impacts of slow-moving storms," said Professor Lizzie Kendon.

"Our finding that slow-moving intense rainstorms could be 14 times more frequent by the end of the century under the high emissions RCP8.5 scenario, shows the serious impacts that we may expect across Europe if we do not curb our emissions of greenhouse gases."

For the investigation, a team of researchers led by Dr. Abdullah Kahraman used very detailed climate model simulations at the UK Met Office Hadley Centre. 

The results of the study indicate that the weather phenomenon is directly related to climate change, which is causing intense rainstorms to move more slowly. The experts found that the slower movement of storms will drive an increase in local rainfall accumulations, raising the risk of flash flooding across Europe beyond what was previously expected. 

"With recent advances in supercomputer power, we now have pan-European climate simulations resolving the atmosphere in high detail as short-range weather forecasting models do. These models have grid spacing of approximately 2 km, which allows them to simulate storm systems much better, resulting in better representation of extremes," explained Dr. Kahraman.

"Using these state-of-the-art climate simulations, we have developed metrics to extract potential cases for heavy rainfall, and a smaller, almost-stationary subset of these cases with the potential for high rainfall accumulations. These metrics provide a holistic view of the problem, and help us understand which factors of the atmosphere contribute to heavy rainfall changes."

"This is one of the first studies to explore changes in the speed of such heavy rainfall systems - an important aspect contributing to flood risk. Currently, we are also investigating other extreme weather types by examining the climate simulations data with a severe weather forecaster's perspective."

Professor Hayley Fowler pointed out that governments across the world have been too slow in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and global warming is keeping pace. 

"This study suggests that changes to extreme storms will be significant and cause an increase in the frequency of devastating flooding across Europe," said Professor Fowler.

"This, alongside the current floods in Europe, is the wake-up call we need to produce improved emergency warning and management systems, as well as implementing climate change safety factors into our infrastructure designs to make them more robust to these severe weather events."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Europe will see a surge in slow-moving intense storms

The frequency of intense rainstorms will increase across Europe as...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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