For decades, oceanographers assumed the surface waters circling Antarctica were becoming progressively fresher - a shift that helped lock deep heat away and nurture expansive winter sea ice.



However, new observations show the opposite is now happening. An international team led by the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a> reported a sudden rise in surface <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salinity-is-rising-in-coastal-areas-and-hurting-farmlands/">salinity</a> south of 50° latitude. This shift coincided with the steepest drop in Antarctic sea-ice extent ever recorded.



The analysis combines European satellite data with readings from autonomous floats that profile the water column. The result reveals an unanticipated pivot in the Southern Ocean’s salt balance sometime after 2015.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-excessive-salt-melts-sea-ice">Excessive salt melts sea ice</h2>



Cold, fresh surface water normally overlies warmer, saltier layers at depth, creating strong density “stratification” that traps heat below. When the surface grows saltier, that barrier weakens. Heat then mixes upward, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarcticas-melting-ice-shelves-threaten-global-sea-levels/">melting sea ice</a> from beneath and preventing extensive winter growth.



“Saltier surface water allows deep ocean heat to rise more easily, melting sea ice from below," said lead author Alessandro Silvano, an oceanographer at the University of Southampton. "It's a dangerous feedback loop: less ice leads to more heat, which leads to even less ice.” 



Since 2015, the continent has shed sea ice equivalent to the area of Greenland. Researchers call it the largest environmental shift detected anywhere on Earth in recent decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-ice-hole-returns-after-decades">Sea ice hole returns after decades</h2>



One striking symptom is the re-opening of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-hole-polynya-the-size-of-switzerland-appeared-in-the-antarctica-sea-ice/">Maud Rise polynya</a> - a yawning hole in the Weddell Sea ice cover. It spans nearly four times the size of Wales and last appeared in the late 1970s.



“The return of the Maud Rise polynya signals just how unusual the current conditions are,” Silvano said. “If this salty, low-ice state continues, it could permanently reshape the Southern Ocean - and with it, the planet.”



Reduced Antarctic ice darkens the ocean, absorbing more sunlight and already feeding back into the global climate system. This, as Silvano put it, will give rise to “stronger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rapid-antarctic-sea-ice-loss-is-causing-severe-storms-around-the-world/">storms</a>, warmer oceans, and shrinking habitats for Antarctic wildlife.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-predictions-fall-short">Old predictions fall short</h2>



Climate models had projected eventual Antarctic sea-ice loss under greenhouse forcing. However, many scientists believed that enhanced snowfall and increased melt from continental ice sheets would keep surface waters fresh for decades, delaying large declines. The new evidence challenges that assumption.



“While scientists expected that human-driven climate change would eventually lead to Antarctic sea ice decline, the timing and nature of this shift remained uncertain,” said co-author Aditya Narayanan, a physical oceanographer at the University of Southampton.



“Previous projections emphasized enhanced surface freshening and stronger ocean stratification, which could have supported sustained sea ice cover. Instead, a rapid reduction in sea ice - an important reflector of solar radiation - has occurred, potentially accelerating global warming.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eyes-on-the-southern-ocean">Eyes on the Southern Ocean</h2>



Because this turnaround was detected only after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellites-reveal-a-sudden-drop-in-global-freshwater-levels/">satellites</a> began tracking sea-surface salinity in detail, researchers worry that other rapid transitions might be missed without constant observation.



“The new findings suggest that our current understanding may be insufficient to accurately predict future changes,” said senior author Alberto Naveira Garabato, a professor of physical oceanography at the University of Southampton.



“It makes the need for continuous satellite and in-situ monitoring all the more pressing, so we can better understand the drivers of recent and future shifts in the ice-ocean system.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-ice-loss-changes-the-planet">Sea ice loss changes the planet</h2>



Antarctic sea ice acts as a reflective shield, bouncing sunlight back to space and modulating heat exchange between ocean and atmosphere.



Its precipitous decline could amplify warming worldwide, disturb wind patterns, and alter the formation of the deep water masses that power global ocean circulation.



Saltier surface layers may also influence how much carbon the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-storage-mystery-emerges-in-the-southern-ocean/">Southern Ocean</a> can absorb, potentially weakening one of Earth’s most important climate buffers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-and-salt-reinforce-sea-ice-loss">Heat and salt reinforce sea ice loss</h2>



The study leaves open questions about what triggered the sudden salinity jump. Possibilities include shifts in wind patterns, changes in precipitation, or increased intrusion of warm Circumpolar Deep Water onto the continental shelf.



Whatever the cause, the new feedback between salt and sea ice could lock the region into a self-reinforcing cycle of warming and ice loss.



Scientists stress that only sustained measurements - combining satellites, autonomous floats, and ship-based surveys - will reveal whether the Southern Ocean snaps back to its former fresher state or continues toward an unfamiliar, saltier future.



For now, the message is clear: Antarctica’s floating fringe, once thought relatively resistant to near-term change, is undergoing a rapid transformation that matters far beyond the frozen continent.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500440122">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Antarctic sea ice collapse linked to a sudden surge in ocean salt

For decades, oceanographers assumed the surface waters circling Antarctica were becoming progressively fresher - a shift that helped lock deep heat away and nurture expansive winter sea ice. However, new observations show the opposite is now happening. An international team led by the University of Southampton reported a sudden rise in surface salinity south of 50° latitude. This shift coincided with the steepest drop in Antarctic sea-ice extent ever recorded. The analysis combines European satellite data with readings from autonomous floats that profile the water column. The...

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

Himalayan rock glaciers are far more important than expected

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

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

Earth Day Initiative: Food Systems

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

The adoption of biotechnologies to improve crop production has stalled, which threatens global food security, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a>.

The researchers are urging the scientific community to work harder to raise awareness on the value of biotechnology in the face of climate change. Plant breeding technologies are urgently needed to create crops that can endure global warming. 

The interdisciplinary research team, which includes economists, plant breeders and plant scientists, is calling on governments worldwide to establish policies and regulations that will drive progress in biotechnology.

In an article published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/home">Trends in Plant Science</a>, the experts noted that societal acceptance of technologies such as gene editing is a big barrier to adoption. 

"Plant science has advanced rapidly over the past 25 years. Adopting these new technologies would enable us to make huge advances in reducing agricultural emissions, improving agricultural sustainability and productivity and increasing the nutritional value of plants," said Professor Christine Foyer.

"Despite this, public acceptance has been slow. This is partly because the benefits are not sufficiently widely recognized, and partly because of historic fears and misconceptions around genetically modified plants."

"Learning from the harsh lessons of past failures, plant scientists must now be advocates for their achievements in order to gain public confidence in new and emerging technologies."

Study co-author Professor Wallace Cowling explained that future food security depends on accelerating crop genetic improvement using all sources of valuable genes.

"Breeding for complex traits, such as heat or drought tolerance, will require optimized breeding strategies in a more rapid and sustainable form of plant breeding," said Professor Cowling.

"Modeling suggests that we can keep pace with climate change and improve crop yields long into the future if we integrate genes derived from biotechnology into improved breeding schemes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/home">Trends in Plant Science</a>,

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Biotechnology must be embraced to protect food security

The adoption of biotechnologies to improve crop production has stalled,...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> has revealed that 64 percent of the world's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-than-one-third-of-the-corn-belt-impacted-by-farmland-erosion/">farmland</a> is at risk of pesticide pollution. The researchers also found that more than 30 percent of global agricultural land has a "high risk" of pollution from pesticide chemicals.

"Pesticides are widely used to protect food production and meet global food demand but are also ubiquitous environmental pollutants, causing adverse effects on water quality, biodiversity and human health," wrote the researchers.

"Here we use a global database of pesticide applications and a spatially explicit environmental model to estimate the world geography of environmental pollution risk caused by 92 active ingredients in 168 countries."

"We considered a region to be at risk of pollution if pesticide residues in the environment exceeded the no-effect concentrations, and to be at high risk if residues exceeded this by three orders of magnitude."

The total amount of farmland at risk of pesticide pollution is estimated to be 24.5 million square kilometers. 

The largest land areas at a high risk of pesticide pollution were found in Asia, including agricultural areas in China, Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Some of these countries are referred to as "food bowl" nations because they feed a large portion of the world's population.

Study lead author Dr. Fiona Tang said the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture could have potential implications for the environment, human and animal health.

"Our study has revealed 64 percent of the world's arable land is at risk of pesticide pollution. This is important because the wider scientific literature has found that pesticide pollution can have adverse impacts on human health and the environment," said Dr Tang.

Pesticides can make their way into surface waters and groundwater through runoff and infiltration. This pollution reduces the usability of water resources, often in areas where they are very limited.

"Although the agricultural land in Oceania shows the lowest pesticide pollution risk, Australia's Murray-Darling basin is considered a high-concern region both due to its water scarcity issues, and its high biodiversity," said study co-author Professor Federico Maggi.

According to Dr. Tang, 34 percent of the highest risk areas are in high-biodiversity regions, 19 percent are in lower-income nations, and five percent are in water-scarce areas.

"In a warmer climate, as the global population grows, the use of pesticides is expected to increase to combat the possible rise in pest invasions and to feed more people," said Professor Maggi. This raises concerns that the overuse of pesticides could destabilize ecosystems and degrade the quality of water sources that humans and animals depend upon for survival.

"Although protecting food production is essential for human development, reducing pesticide pollution is equivalently crucial to protect the biodiversity that maintains soil health and functions, contributing towards food security," said Dr. Tang.

According to study co-author Professor Alex McBratney, the director of the Sydney Institute of Agriculture, the research shows it will be important to carefully monitor residues on an annual basis to detect trends and mitigate risks from pesticide use.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geoscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The majority of global farmland is at risk of pesticide pollution

A new study from the University of Sydney has revealed...

In 2012, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/meltwater-is-accelerating-the-movement-of-greenland-ice/">Greenland</a> Ice Sheet experienced intense surface melting which exceeded anything than had been seen in the satellite record in decades. Researchers at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> recently set out to investigate the long-term impacts of the extreme melt season of 2012, and found that the event ultimately reduced the ice sheet's ability to store future meltwater.

"When you have these extreme, one-off melt years, it's not just adding more to Greenland's contribution to sea-level rise in that year - it's also creating these persistent structural changes in the ice sheet itself," said lead study author Riley Culberg. "This continental-scale picture helps us understand what kind of melt and snow conditions allowed this layer to form."

The extreme melt season was caused by unusually warm temperatures which were compounded by high atmospheric pressure over Greenland. This weather event was likely caused or intensified by climate change.

The Stanford team used a new approach to ice-penetrating radar data, revealing that extreme melt in 2012 left behind an adjacent layer of refrozen ice inside the snowpack, including near the middle of the ice sheet where surface melting is usually minimal. The formation of this melt layer has greatly reduced the storage capacity of the ice sheet. 

Ice sheets that have not experienced extreme melt can store meltwater in the upper 150 feet, which prevents it from running off into the ocean. According to the study, the melt layer that formed after 2012 reduced meltwater storage capacity in some parts of the Greenland Ice Sheet to only about 15 feet.

"Normally we'd say the ice sheet would just shrug off weather - ice sheets tend to be big, calm, slow things," said study senior author Professor Dustin Schroeder. "This is really one of the first cases where you can say, shockingly, in some ways, these slow, calm ice sheets care a lot about a single extreme event in a particularly warm year."

Melting ice sheets and glaciers are the biggest contributors to sea-level rise, yet are also the most complex elements to account for in climate model projections. 

On the Greenland Ice Sheet, meltwater that can no longer be stored may drain down to the ice bed, creating slippery conditions that speed up the ice and release chunks into the ocean - pushing up the sea level. 

Greenland currently experiences change much more rapidly than the South Pole, but lessons from Greenland may still be applied to Antarctica when the seasons shift, said Professor Schroeder.

"I think now there's no question that when you're trying to project into the future, a warming Antarctic will have all these processes," explained Professor Schroeder. "If we don't use Greenland now to better understand this stuff, our capacity to understand how a warmer world will be is not a hopeful proposition."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Extreme melt seasons change the behavior of ice sheets

In 2012, the Greenland Ice Sheet experienced intense surface melting...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.jic.ac.uk/">John Innes Centre</a> explains why some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alpine-plants-are-gradually-losing-their-protective-snow-cover/">plants</a> grow tall, yet have relatives that stay close to the ground. The researchers set out to investigate the various growth habits of plants, including differences that exist even among closely related species. 

For example, plants belonging to the Brassica family include a widely variable assortment of heights, ranging from the compressed rosette growth of cabbages to tall crops such as oilseed rape.

The experts have identified the genes that control changes in growth habits. Using genetic analysis, microscopy, and a technique called ChIP sequencing, the team linked compact growth to two different types of genes, ATH1 and DELLA, which work in tandem.

When both types of genes are turned off, compact growth is converted to elongated growth. On the other hand, when the genes are active, either can stop the activity of well-known genes that normally promote elongated growth.

"It is well known that the way plants grow depends heavily on the environment. At the same time, each species of plant keeps its recognizable shape. We know a little about how responses to the environment are integrated with the genetic mechanisms that give plants their basic, characteristic shape, or morphology. Thanks to this study, we now understand how responses to the environment can be modified in specific parts of the plant to produce their characteristic shape," explained study co-author Professor Robert Sablowski.

"It was exciting to see that a relatively small number of genetic changes can convert the plant's growth habit from one like cabbage to one like oilseed rape. It remains to be seen whether comparable changes explain the differences in growth habit we see in nature."

Previous research has shown that there is a similar mechanism of two genes that work together to control the growth habits of rice, which indicates this may be a common tool that controls plant architecture.

Genes that control plant height are important in agriculture. DELLA genes have been used extensively in crop breeding to improve yields.

By understanding the genes that regulate how tall a plant grows, experts can develop more reliable ways to improve the shape of crop plants. Going forward, the researchers are planning to explore how ATH1 is regulated.

"If we can alter the location or time when ATH1 is active, this could lead to useful ways to modify plant height and shape," said study first author Dr. Mahwish Ejaz.

"We have shown that ATH1 and DELLA genes prevent stem growth in part by stopping the activity of genes that cause stems to elongate in response to light. But this is not the whole story - there are many other genes and processes that ATH1 and DELLAs regulate to change the growth habit, most of which remain unstudied."

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://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

What makes plants change their growth habits?

A new study from the John Innes Centre explains why...

The world is losing millions of hectares of forest to deforestation each year. According to the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a> (UN), almost two billion hectares of forest are also impacted by land degradation, which affects the well-being of 3.2 billion people.

“Every year, seven million hectares of natural forests are converted to other land uses such as large-scale commercial agriculture, and other economic activities," said Liu Zhenmin, head of the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).

"And while the rate of deforestation has slowed over the past decade, tree cover loss has continued unabated in the tropics - largely due to human and natural causes."

The UN reports that nearly a third of emerging infectious diseases like COVID-19 are linked to land-use changes, such as deforestation.

Last month, during a virtual event to commemorate the International Day of Forests, Zhenmin said that recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic should lead to stronger action to safeguard the world’s forests. He pointed out how natural resources have helped to protect health and well-being during the global crisis. 

Green spaces, parks, and forests became much-needed refuges during times of social distancing. Furthermore, healthy forests act as natural buffers against zoonotic diseases, lowering the risk of future pandemics. 

“Yet, despite their obvious importance, forests continue to be under threat," said Liu. He noted that while COVID-19 has been “a harsh wake-up call," it also presents a unique opportunity to recover better and stronger.

Qu Dongyu is the Director-General of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He emphasized that restoring forests, and managing them sustainably, benefits both people and the planet.   

This investment will also contribute to economic recovery from the pandemic, Dongyu added, as forest restoration activities create green jobs, generate incomes, improve human health, and increase human security.

Individual countries have already made commitments under the <a href="https://www.bonnchallenge.org/">Bonn Challenge</a>, which is a global goal to bring 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested landscapes into restoration by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030.

According to WWF, every forest in the world today is affected by human disturbance - either directly by destruction or indirectly by the impacts of climate change. 

Forest restoration involves improving soils, protecting wildlife habitats and corridors, managing land sustainably, and - of course - planting trees.

To learn more about how you can get involved in the restoration of forests, visit <a href="https://trees.org/">Trees.org</a> as the nonprofit agency celebrates Earth Month 2021.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth Day Initiative: Forest Restoration

The world is losing millions of hectares of forest to...

The cost of wind energy will drop by nearly 50 percent within the next three decades, according to a study led by the <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/">Berkeley Lab</a>. The experts report that cost reductions will be driven by technological and commercial advancements, including bigger and more efficient turbines, as well as lower capital and operating costs.

The researchers surveyed 140 wind experts on three wind applications - onshore wind, fixed-bottom offshore wind, and floating offshore wind. For all three types of wind energy, the anticipated future costs are half what experts predicted in a similar study in 2015. 

"Wind has experienced accelerated cost reductions in recent years, both onshore and offshore, making previous cost forecasts obsolete. The energy sector needs a current assessment," said Ryan Wiser, senior scientist at Berkeley Lab. 

"Our 'expert elicitation' survey complements other methods for evaluating cost-reduction potential by shedding light on how cost reductions might be realized and by clarifying the important uncertainties in these estimates."

In January, President Joe Biden signed an executive order aiming to maximize offshore wind potential. He has identified wind power as a key component of the nation's renewed efforts to combat climate change. 

The results of the survey indicate that across the three wind applications studied, there will be cost reductions of 17 to 35 percent by 2035, and reductions of 37 to 49 percent by 2050, compared to costs in 2019.

According to the researchers, there is substantial room for continued improvement, and costs could drop even lower. The experts predict a 10 percent chance that cost reductions could reach up to 53 percent by 2035 and as high as 64 percent by 2050. At the same time, there are some uncertainties involved with the projections.

"All else being equal, these trends will enable wind to play a larger role in global energy supply than previously thought while facilitating energy-sector decarbonization," said study co-author Joachim Seel. 

"Analysts, investors, planners, and policymakers should avoid outdated assumptions and forecasts." At the same time, as documented in the study, uncertainties in the magnitude of future cost reduction are significant, illustrating the importance of embedding uncertainty considerations in modeling and in policy, planning, investment, and research decisions.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nenergy/">Nature Energy</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wind energy costs could drop by more than half by mid-century

The cost of wind energy will drop by nearly 50...

In a new study from <a href="https://duke.edu/">Duke University</a>, experts have used machine learning to autonomously detect heavy air pollution, city block by city block. The new technique could be a godsend for finding sources of hazardous aerosols, and for clarifying the effects of air pollution on human health.

"Before now, researchers trying to measure the distribution of air pollutants throughout a city would either try to use the limited number of existing monitors or drive sensors around a city in vehicles, but setting up sensor networks is time-consuming and costly, and the only thing that driving a sensor around really tells you is that roads are big sources of pollutants," explained study co-author Professor Mike Bergin. "Being able to find local hotspots of air pollution using satellite images is hugely advantageous."

The researchers are specifically interested in tiny airborne particles called PM2.5. These particles are so small that they can travel deep into the lungs, posing a major threat to human health. 

The 2015 Global Burden of Disease study reported that PM2.5 was annually responsible for about 4.2 million deaths and 103.1 million years of life lost or lived with disability. 

In a previous study, the Duke team demonstrated that machine learning could be combined with satellite imagery and weather data to measure particle pollution on a small scale.

"When predictions are made first with the weather, and then satellite data is added later to fine-tune them, it allows the algorithm to take full advantage of the information in satellite imagery," explained study lead author Tongshu Zheng.

Through a trial focused on Beijing, the researchers have now refined their methods. They have used machine learning to automatically find hotspots of air pollution with a resolution of 300 meters, which is about the length of a New York City block.

"These hotspots are notoriously difficult to find in maps of PM levels because some days the air is just really bad across the entire city, and it is really difficult to tell if there are true differences between them or if there's just a problem with the image contrast," said Professor David Carlson. "It's a big advantage to be able to find a specific neighborhood that tends to stay higher or lower than everywhere else, because it can help us answer questions about health disparities and environmental fairness."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing">Remote Sensing</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Machine learning used to locate sources of heavy pollution

In a new study from Duke University, experts have used...

A new study from <a href="https://en.uit.no/">UiT The Arctic University of Norway</a> has revealed that the loss of the Arctic sea ice has triggered more extreme snowfall further south across Europe.

In France, an above-average warm spell at the end of March was followed by days of extreme frost. French winemakers lit thousands of small fires to save their vines, but this year's losses are still expected to be 90 percent above average. 

The natural disaster, which has impacted vineyards from Bordeaux to Champagne, illustrates the unpredictability of global warming.

"Climate change doesn't always manifest in the most obvious ways," said study co-author Professor Alun Hubbard. "It's easy to extrapolate models to show that winters are getting warmer and to forecast a virtually snow-free future in Europe, but our most recent study shows that is too simplistic. We should beware of making broad sweeping statements about the impacts of climate change." 

The UiT study, led by Dr. Hanna Bailey at the University of Oulu, has uncovered a climatic paradox. The experts report that a massive 50 percent reduction in Arctic sea ice cover has increased open-water and winter evaporation, triggering more extreme snowfall to the south.

In particular, the researchers found that long-term decline of Arctic sea ice since the late 1970s had a direct connection to a 2018 winter storm known as the "Beast from the East." Large parts of the European continent were impacted, and extreme snowfall caused an estimated £1bn a day in losses.

According to the findings, atmospheric vapor traveling south from the Arctic carried a unique geochemical fingerprint, revealing that its source was the warm, open-water surface of the Barents Sea region of the Arctic Ocean. 

The study revealed that open-water conditions in the Barents Sea supplied up to 88 percent of the fresh snow that fell over Europe during the 2018 storm.

"What we're finding is that sea-ice is effectively a lid on the ocean. And with its long-term reduction across the Arctic, we're seeing increasing amounts of moisture enter the atmosphere during winter, which directly impacts our weather further south, causing extreme heavy snowfalls," said Dr. Bailey. "It might seem counter-intuitive, but nature is complex and what happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic."

The analysis of long-term trends since 1979 showed that for every square meter of winter sea-ice lost from the Barents Sea, there was a corresponding 70 kg increase in the evaporation, moisture, and snow falling over Europe.

It is predicted that the Barents Sea will likely become ice-free within the next six decades. The lack of sea ice could become a significant driver of increased winter precipitation in Europe.

"This study illustrates that the abrupt changes being witnessed across the Arctic now, really are affecting the entire planet." said Professor Hubbard.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geoscience</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

Ice-free parts of Arctic are driving extreme snowfall in Europe

A new study from UiT The Arctic University of Norway...

A team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.wcs.org/">Wildlife Conservation Society</a> (WCS) has published a new method for counting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/african-elephants-only-inhabit-a-small-part-of-their-potential-range/">African</a> forest elephants. These elephants were recently recognized by the IUCN as being a critically endangered species that is distinct from African savannah elephants. 

"The more accurately we can count forest elephants, the more we can measure whether conservation efforts are successful," said study lead author Alice Laguardia.

"We are hopeful that the results of this study will help governments and conservation partners protect this Critically Endangered species throughout its range."

The research is part of a larger initiative to conduct the first nationwide census for more than 30 years in Gabon, a country along the Atlantic coast of Central Africa.

Scientists typically use aerial surveys to count savannah elephants, but forest elephants cannot be detected so easily. To determine the best method to count them, the team compared the use of traditional methodologies with spatial capture-recapture (SCR) techniques. 

"We compare DNA- and camera trap based-spatial capture-recapture approaches to the widely-used, dung-based line transect distance sampling (LTDS) method to assess their performance when applied to three relatively large populations of forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis," explained the study authors.

The study showed that a method using camera traps for SCR and DNA sampling was the most accurate and least expensive way to count forest elephants.

Camera trap surveys were more precise on smaller scales but more expensive. The experts recommend that the use of both SCR methods, and their development, continue. 

The researchers said that future findings and improvements should be compiled across studies to ensure their robust evolution as an option for monitoring the African forest elephant across its range and inform strategies and action for its conservation.

In recent years, forest elephants have been severely impacted by ivory poachers. A WCS census that was released in 2014 showed that forest elephants declined by 65 percent between 2002 and 2013. Through the new study, researchers can gain a better understanding of how many forest elephants remain and where they reside. 

Gabon is considered the most important country for forest elephant conservation. Despite accounting for less than 15 percent of the species' range, Gabon is thought to harbor more than 50 percent of the remaining forest elephant population.

Lee White is the Gabonese Minister of Water, Forests, the Seas, the Environment, charged with Climate Change &amp; Land Use Planning. 

"As long as ivory is a precious commodity, elephants will be at risk," said White. "In Africa there is a clear link between environmental governance, peace and security. Countries that have lost their elephant populations have all too often descended into civil strife. Through the results of this study we hope to obtain a clear picture of the trend of poaching and elephant populations in all of Gabon."

Ted Schmitt is the director of conservation at Vulcan Inc., a Seattle company that funded the research.

"Vulcan recognizes the significant role of accurate population data for conservation management and policy decisions," said Schmitt.

"By providing timely census data, we can fill critical knowledge gaps and enable prioritization of conservation resources. We are pleased to be part of this effort with Wildlife Conservation Society and the government of Gabon to help preserve this important species."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/global-ecology-and-conservation">Global Ecology and Conservation</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

Counting critically endangered forest elephants

A team of scientists led by the Wildlife Conservation Society...

Experts at <a href="https://www.iastate.edu/">Iowa State University</a> have created a comprehensive guide to help plant scientists communicate their work to the world. 

Professor Gustavo MacIntosh predicts that plant science will play an increasingly important role in the world, but many people lack an understanding of plants - both their biology and their critical place in the functioning of human society. 

Climate change and population growth will increasingly threaten the global food supply. Without progress in the field of plant science, crop production will not be able to keep pace with such major changes.

It isn't an overstatement to say that populations around the world will go hungry if plant science stagnates, said Professor MacIntosh.

"At the end of the day, either you eat plants or you eat food that ate plants. "Plants are the basis for the food we have."

According to Professor MacIntosh, plant scientists are not doing enough to raise awareness of the discipline among the general population, which could slow the rate of progress in the future. To address this issue, he collaborated with about 30 other scientists for more than two years to assemble a guide for communicating about plant science. 

The 28-page guide identifies challenges to communicating the importance of plant science to a wide audience and provides some strategies for doing so. 

"We want people to be convinced that we need more outreach efforts, and we want this guide to make sure those outreach efforts are effective," said Professor MacIntosh.

The work stresses the importance of humanizing plant science to make it accessible to a wide range of audiences. Professor MacIntosh said scientists and nonscientists seem to be growing farther apart for various reasons, but everyone benefits when more diverse voices enter the conversation.

The guide is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/24754455">Plant Direct</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

Plant science is becoming increasingly critical to society

Experts at Iowa State University have created a comprehensive guide...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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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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