As the global population grows, pressure on farm systems and biodiversity intensifies. How we grow food shapes the planet’s health. From wheat fields in the Midwest to rice paddies in Southeast Asia, farmland is expanding and changing rapidly. But at what cost?



For decades, environmentalists and policymakers have debated two main strategies to boost food production. One is expansion - clearing more land for farms. The other is intensification - increasing the yield on existing farmland through high-input practices like pesticides, fertilizers, and irrigation.



The common belief is that intensification is less damaging to biodiversity. But a new study by researchers at University College London (<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL</a>) reveals that this assumption may not always hold.



The findings challenge long-held views and call for a more informed, flexible strategy in agricultural policy and conservation. The study invites us to question how food security and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-2025-a-global-call-to-protect-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental protection</a> can truly coexist.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farm-expansion-and-intensification">Farm expansion and intensification </h2>



At first glance, farmland intensification seems ideal. It promises more food from the same land, sparing natural ecosystems from conversion. Yet the study led by Dr. Silvia Ceaușu at the UCL Center for Biodiversity &amp; Environment Research suggests a deeper problem.



“Feeding the global human population comes at an increasing cost for our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet</a>'s biodiversity. Our new research highlights that it's actually more complicated than that,” noted Dr. Ceaușu.



Using a large global dataset, the researchers analyzed biodiversity patterns around farms producing maize, wheat, rice, and soybean - crops that make up over half of the world’s calorie intake.



The experts focused on areas where some natural vegetation remained, excluding untouched wildlands. They then assessed biodiversity in terms of species richness, total abundance, and how widespread species were.



The results revealed that both expansion and intensification damage biodiversity, but the extent varies by region, crop type, and existing vegetation. In some areas, intensification harmed local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-biodiversity-scientists-discover-hidden-pattern-guiding-species-distributions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a> more than converting new land.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-boosting-farm-yields-can-harm-biodiversity">Boosting farm yields can harm biodiversity</h2>



Much of modern agricultural planning encourages “closing yield gaps,” meaning increasing production in areas where crop yields lag behind their potential. The logic is to reduce the need for land expansion. But this new study shows that doing so may come with serious ecological consequences.



“We show that farmland expansion is indeed drastically changing local biodiversity. However, once agriculture is established, intensifying agricultural practices can further degrade local biodiversity, sometimes more so than by further removing natural vegetation from the area,” noted Dr. Silvia Ceaușu.



This challenges the narrative of intensification as a safe compromise. It also suggests that even well-meaning conservation policies might backfire if they overly favor intensification without context.



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-pressure-is-changing-biodiversity-faster-than-we-realize/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">implications</a> stretch far. International trade agreements often restrict imports from newly converted farmland but welcome goods from intensified farms. That distinction might be too simplistic, especially when intensified farms are located in biodiversity hotspots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complexity-over-simplicity-in-agricultural-policy">Complexity over simplicity in agricultural policy</h2>



One of the most striking conclusions of the study is that there is no universal rule. Every landscape is different. What works in temperate monocultures may fail in tropical mosaics. This variation makes broad policies difficult to apply effectively.



“Simple suggestions like favoring farmland intensification over expansion are not always effective - there’s no one-size-fits all solution for sustainable agriculture,” noted Professor Tim Newbold at UCL.



Instead of relying on single-solution strategies, policymakers must consider specific ecological, social, and agricultural data. This includes understanding which species are at risk, how ecosystems function locally, and what kind of vegetation remains around farms.



It’s not just about where and how we farm - but also about what lives nearby, and what might disappear as farming intensifies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farm-practices-reshape-biodiversity-over-time">Farm practices reshape biodiversity over time</h2>



Beyond ecological damage, the study touches on evolutionary consequences. As intensified agriculture becomes more common, it reshapes entire ecosystems. 



Only species that can adapt to altered environments survive. Over time, this selects for generalist traits - those that thrive in simplified, human-managed landscapes.



This process, described in the study as a shift in "evolutionary filters," could gradually lead to less diverse and more homogenized wildlife communities. 



Specialists, who depend on complex, intact ecosystems, are the first to vanish. This affects not only biodiversity statistics but also ecosystem function and resilience.



In intensified landscapes, nature becomes simpler. And while simple might seem efficient for farming, it rarely is for ecology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-farmland-use">Rethinking farmland use </h2>



While the researchers don’t endorse farmland expansion into untouched habitats, they do caution against assuming that intensification is always benign. In certain contexts, expansion into already degraded or marginal lands could do less harm than squeezing more output from heavily farmed areas



“There is likely a balance that can be struck between intensification and expansion… informed by local and crop-specific data,” noted co-author David Leclère of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (<a href="https://iiasa.ac.at" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IIASA</a>), Austria.



The goal isn’t to choose one path but to design farming systems that work for both people and the planet.



“We would not suggest expanding farmland into intact natural areas as it is vital for the planet that such unmodified landscapes are preserved,” said Dr. Newbold.



In other words, any new expansion must avoid primary forests, wetlands, and biodiversity-rich habitats. The challenge lies in identifying and managing lower-risk landscapes while avoiding additional intensification that might push ecosystems past recovery.



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



For consumers, the picture remains complex. It’s difficult to track how sustainable any specific food product is, especially when impacts vary so widely across regions and crops. However, individuals still hold some power.



The researchers recommend reducing food waste and cutting back on meat consumption. Both actions lower agricultural demand and reduce pressure on biodiversity. 



These changes, while small at the individual level, can aggregate into meaningful shifts when adopted widely.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-farming-and-biodiversity">Balancing farming and biodiversity </h2>



As the climate crisis unfolds and food insecurity grows, the global community must confront difficult questions. How do we produce enough food without sacrificing biodiversity? Can we make space for nature and still nourish billions?



This new study makes one thing clear: the answers will not come from easy slogans or blanket policies. They will come from detailed data, local context, and a willingness to embrace complexity.



Feeding the world is not just a technical challenge - it is a deeply ecological one. And how we respond will determine the kind of world future generations inherit.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02691-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Feeding the world without harming nature: The complex balance of farming

As the global population grows, pressure on farm systems and biodiversity intensifies. How we grow food shapes the planet’s health. From wheat fields in the Midwest to rice paddies in Southeast Asia, farmland is expanding and changing rapidly. But at what cost? For decades, environmentalists and policymakers have debated two main strategies to boost food production. One is expansion - clearing more land for farms. The other is intensification - increasing the yield on existing farmland through high-input practices like pesticides, fertilizers, and irrigation. The common belief...

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a>, experts assembled a 10,000-year record of alpine <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meltwater-lakes-cause-glaciers-to-retreat-much-more-rapidly/">glacier</a> fluctuations in Wyoming's Teton Range. The analysis of this timeline revealed that some glacial ice in the western United States was able to withstand global warming during the early Holocene. 

The researchers found evidence that glacial ice persisted in a dormant state, sealed off underneath debris. The findings contradict the common assumption that all Rocky Mountain glaciers completely disappeared during the warm, dry conditions of the Holocene.

The study suggests that glacial ice shrunk before was covered by dirt, rocks, or other debris, which would have insulated the dwindling ice from the heat and saved it from disappearing. 

This remarkable new insight may help scientists better understand how glaciers in the region will respond to future warming. 

"The long-term survival of glacial ice through warm conditions highlights the potential role of debris-covered glaciers and/or rock glaciers to continue providing ecosystem services into the future, despite unfavorable climatic conditions," explained study lead author Darren Larsen. 

Due to an incomplete glacial record, little is known about how glacial ice in the western U.S. responded to environmental changes thousands of years ago. 

To construct a continuous record, the team sampled sediment cores from two lake basins in the Tetons. Delta Lake provided a record of glacier activity, while other non-glacial lakes including Surprise Lake provided a record of climate variability. 

Using accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating, the researchers developed composite rock layer sequences that revealed changes in the glaciers as they experienced climate shifts over 10,000 years. 

Sediment fluctuations and meltwater flow from the Teton Glacier appeared to decrease during a warm period between about 10,000 and 6,300 years ago. At the same time, Delta Lake sediments maintained distinct glacial characteristics which indicate that glacial ice persisted.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Glacial ice persisted in the Teton Range during past warming

In a new study published by AAAS, experts assembled a...

Despite previous reports that vertebrates are in a global state of decline, a new study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> has determined otherwise. The researchers found that some specific <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/human-development-has-the-biggest-impact-on-dwindling-koala-populations/">populations</a> really are in trouble, such as those in the Indo-Pacific region, but that vertebrates are actually stable overall. 

Mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and fish are all animals within the subphylum Vertebrata. Based on historical monitoring data, experts have typically estimated that vertebrates have declined by an average of more than 50 percent over the last five decades. 

The McGill researchers determined that this average number is greatly impacted by a small portion of animal populations that have experienced extreme losses.

"Recent analyses have reported catastrophic global declines in vertebrate populations,"wrote the experts. "However, the distillation of many trends into a global mean index obscures the variation that can inform conservation measures and can be sensitive to analytical decisions. For example, previous analyses have estimated a mean vertebrate decline of more than 50% since 1970." 

"Here we show, however, that this estimate is driven by less than 3% of vertebrate populations; if these extremely declining populations are excluded, the global trend switches to an increase."

Study senior author Brian Leung explains that given the previous mathematical methods used to model vertebrate populations, an estimate could arise from two very different scenarios: widespread systematic declines or a few extreme declines. For the current investigation, the researchers took a different approach.

The team analyzed a dataset of over 14,000 vertebrate populations from around the globe collated in the Living Planet Database. The  researchers identified a very small percentage of vertebrate populations which have suffered extreme population losses, including reptiles in tropical areas of North, Central and South America, and birds in the Indo-Pacific region. 

When these extreme losses were accounted for, the remaining vertebrate populations as a whole were not generally increasing or decreasing.

"The variation in this global aggregate is also important. Some populations really are in trouble and regions such as the Indo-Pacific are showing widespread systematic declines. However, the image of a global 'biodiversity desert' is not supported by the evidence." said Leung. "This is good, as it would be very discouraging if all of our conservation efforts over the last five decades had little effect."

"We were surprised by how strong the effect of these extreme populations was in driving the previous estimate of average global decline," said study co-author Professor Anna Hargreaves. "Our results identify regions that need urgent action to ameliorate widespread biodiversity declines, but also reason to hope that our actions can make a difference."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Vertebrate populations are not in a global state of decline

Despite previous reports that vertebrates are in a global state...

People who are starved or stuffed share a lack of nutrition. Part of the world is starving, another part overindulges and throws <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/otters-can-count-on-their-friends-to-gain-access-to-food/">food</a> away every day, and both suffer from a lack of nutrition. According to the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK), the gap between people who are starved and people who are stuffed is expected to widen, and the environmental impacts will worsen.

The researchers say that based on the current nutrition transition, more than four billion people will be overweight and 500 million people will continue to be underweight by mid-century.

"If the observed nutrition transition continues, we will not achieve the United Nations goal of eradicating hunger worldwide," said study lead author Benjamin Bodirsky. "At the same time, our future will be characterized by overweight and obesity of mind-blowing magnitude." 

The experts predict that by 2050, 45 percent of the world's population could be overweight compared to about 29 percent in 2010. The underlying issues include an insufficient global distribution of food and a shift from plant-based diets toward unbalanced diets that are based on animal protein, sugar, and fat.

"The increasing waste of food and the rising consumption of animal protein mean that the environmental impact of our agricultural system will spiral out of control," said Bodirsky. "Whether greenhouse gases, nitrogen pollution or deforestation: we are pushing the limits of our planet - and exceed them."

Food production dominates about one-third of the global land area and is responsible for up to a third of all greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers found that on the current trajectory, global food demand will increase by about 50 percent between 2010 and 2050 and the demand for animal products will approximately double. These increasing demands will require more and more land.

"Using the same area of land, we could produce much more plant-based food for humans than animal-based food," said study co-author Alexander Popp. "To put it in a very simplistic way: If more people eat more meat, there's less plant-based food for the others - plus we need more land for food production which can lead to forests being cut down. And greenhouse gas emissions rise as a consequence of keeping more animals."

The study is the first to provide a long-term overview of a continued global nutrition transition from 1965 to 2100. The team used a computer model to account for various factors that influence food demand such as population growth, aging, increasing height, growing body mass index, and increasing food waste. 

"There is enough food in the world - the problem is that the poorest people on our planet have simply not the income to purchase it. And in rich countries, people don't feel the economic and environmental consequences of wasting food," said study co-author Prajal Pradhan.

Redistribution would not be sufficient on its own, however, because there is a lack of knowledge among both rich and poor people about a healthy way of life and nutrition.

"Unhealthy diets are the world's largest health risks," said study co-author Sabine Gabrysch. "While many countries in Asia and Africa currently still struggle with undernutrition and associated health problems, they are increasingly also faced with overweight, and as a consequence, with a rising burden of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer." 

"We urgently need political measures to create an environment that promotes healthy eating habits. This could include binding regulations that limit the marketing of unhealthy snacks and promote sustainable and healthy meals in schools, hospitals and canteens. A stronger focus on nutrition education is also key, from early education in kindergarten to counseling by medical doctors and nurses. What we eat is of vital importance - both for our own health and that of our planet."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People who are starved or stuffed share a lack of nutrition

People who are starved or stuffed share a lack of...

Holes that drain summer meltwater on the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ancient-lake-bed-may-reveal-secrets-of-the-greenland-ice-sheet/">Greenland</a> ice sheet are much larger than previously realized, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.uark.edu/">University of Arkansas</a>. 

The researchers are working to understand how the size of these holes, known as moulins, may affect the stability of the Greenland ice sheet and influence how quickly it slides toward the sea. The team studied the relationship between the size of the moulins and daily variations of the depth of the summer meltwater they hold each season. 

Experts theorize that increased water depth inside of moulins, along with the subsequent increase in pressure, polishes the base of the ice sheet and accelerates its movement toward the ocean. Prior to this study, however, little was known about the actual size of moulins and how much water they can hold.

"We compared our models with in-the-field observations of the water levels and it seemed like we would need really huge volumes inside moulins to produce the relatively smaller water variations that we were seeing," said study first author Professor Matt Covington. "Then when we went back in the following year and explored a moulin, it was giant. It was a case where the model made the prediction, and we went out in the field and it turned out to be right."

During each of two trips to the Greenland ice sheet in October of 2018 and October of 2019, the scientists used climbing equipment to rappel 100 meters into two separate moulins until they nearly reached the water level. 

Despite being an experienced cave explorer, Professor Covington said that rappelling into these holes was intimidating. "You back over the edge and you just see blueish ice going down as far as you can see, and then it's blackness and there also are occasional sounds of crashing ice, which is pretty unnerving."

Scientists have anticipated that under warming climate conditions, more summer meltwater will speed up the movement of Greenland's ice sheet. The new research will help experts understand the interaction between meltwater and the base of the ice sheet. 

"We're trying to understand the way the meltwater is interacting with the ice motion, and the main thing that we found is that the water pressure within these moulins is not as variable as was previously observed, and that this seems to result from really large volumes in the moulins," said Professor Covington.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Summer meltwater is drilling giant holes through Greenland’s ice

Holes that drain summer meltwater on the Greenland ice sheet...

In a new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, researchers describe how the conservation of tropical peatlands could reduce the likelihood of future <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/environmental-era-of-pandemics/">pandemics</a>. 

The experts found that the combination of habitat loss, wildlife harvesting, and the high levels of biodiversity found in peat-swamp forests can create "suitable conditions" for deadly diseases to jump from animals to humans.

The specific strain of the HIV virus that causes AIDS originated in a tropical area with extensive peatlands in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was also the site of the first Ebola outbreak in 1976, which emerged in a community near to Ebola River.

Study lead author Dr. Mark Harrison is an expert at the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Exeter's Penryn Campus and at the Borneo Nature Foundation International.

"We're not saying tropical peatlands are unique in this respect - but they are one important habitat where zoonotic diseases (those that jump from animals to humans) could emerge," said Dr. Harrison. "Tropical peat-swamp forests are rich in fauna and flora, including numerous vertebrates known to represent zoonotic EID risk, such as bats, rodents, pangolins and primates."

"Exploitation and fragmentation of these habitats, as well as peat wildfires (ultimately driven by human activity) and wildlife harvesting bring more and more people into close contact with peatland biodiversity, increasing the potential for zoonotic disease transmission."

"Our review shows that protecting tropical peatlands isn't therefore just about wildlife and carbon emissions - it's also important for human health."

The researchers investigated the possible impact of COVID-19 on tropical peatland conservation and local communities, and identified "numerous potential threats." 

The team also noted the high impacts of COVID-19 in some countries with large tropical peatland areas - some of which do not have the resources to handle pandemics.

"Many communities in these areas are remote, relatively poor, disconnected, have limited infrastructure, sub-standard or non-existent medical facilities, and depend heavily on external trade," said Dr. Ifo Suspense of Université Marien, Republic of Congo. "As a result, the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 may be particularly severe in these communities."

Study co-author Dr. Muhammad Ali Imron pointed out that the effects of major wildfires in peatland areas that cause massive air pollution, particularly in South East Asia, also increase the threat of emerging human respiratory diseases like COVID-19.

"In terms of the impacts on peatlands themselves, we reveal that conservation, research and training are all being affected by the pandemic, which may result in increased habitat encroachment, wildlife harvesting and fires started to clear vegetation," explained Dr. Ali.

The study authors conclude that the sustainable management of tropical peatlands and their wildlife is important for mitigating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and for reducing the potential for future zoonotic diseases. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Protecting tropical peatlands could prevent future pandemics

In a new study led by the University of Exeter,...

Sinking fish carcasses carry toxic mercury pollution from the surface waters to the most remote parts of the ocean, including the 36,000-foot-deep Mariana Trench, according to a study led by the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a>. The scientists report that most of this mercury originates in atmospheric emissions from coal-fired power plants, mining operations, and other human activities.

"Mercury that we believe had once been in the stratosphere is now in the deepest trench on Earth," said U-M environmental geochemist and study lead author Professor Joel Blum. 

"It was widely thought that anthropogenic mercury was mainly restricted to the upper 1,000 meters of the oceans, but we found that while some of the mercury in these deep-sea trenches has a natural origin, it is likely that most of it comes from human activity."

A team of Chinese researchers recently concluded that mercury reaches the deep-sea trenches by hitching a ride on microscopic particles of sinking organic matter, such as fecal material and dead plankton. However, Professor Blum's team suggests that the mercury is delivered by sinking carrion of fish that feed near the surface of the ocean.

Scientists and policymakers seek to understand how changing global mercury emissions will affect mercury levels contained in seafood. While mercury is a naturally occurring element, more than 2,000 metric tons are emitted into the atmosphere each year as a result of human activities. Mercury emissions have recently declined in North America and Europe, but continue to increase in China and India.

"Yes, we eat fish caught in shallower waters, not from deep-sea trenches," said Professor Blum. "However, we need to understand the cycling of mercury through the entire ocean to be able to model future changes in the near-surface ocean."

When mercury reaches the ocean or land, some of it is converted into methylmercury - a highly toxic version that can accumulate in fish that are consumed by humans. This hazardous substance is known to cause damage to the central nervous system, the heart, and the immune system. The developing brains of fetuses and young children are particularly vulnerable to methylmercury.

The researchers analyzed the isotopic composition of methylmercury in fish and crustaceans collected at the bottom of two deep-sea trenches in the Pacific Ocean. The tissues of snailfish and crustaceans called amphipods were collected at depths of up to 33,630 feet in the Mariana Trench in the northwest Pacific, southwest of Guam. Additional samples were collected at depths of up to 32,800 feet in the Kermadec Trench in the southwest Pacific, northeast of New Zealand.

"These samples were challenging to acquire, given the trenches' great depths and high pressures," said study co-author Jeffrey Drazen, an oceanographer at the University of Hawaii. "The trenches are some of the least studied ecosystems on Earth, and the Mariana snailfish was only just discovered in 2014."

The experts determined that the mercury from deep-sea-trench amphipods and snailfish had a chemical signature that matched the mercury from a wide range of fish species in the central Pacific. These fish feed at depths of around 1,640 feet, and were analyzed by Professor Blum and his colleagues during previous research.

The Michigan team also ruled out the possibility that the mercury was sinking in particles of detritus, which was proposed by the Chinese team, based on the chemical signature of the mercury in the trench organisms.

The study showed that most of the mercury in the deep trench samples had been transported in the carcasses of fish that feed in near-surface waters, where most of the mercury comes from human activities.

"We studied the trench biota because they live in the deepest and most remote place on Earth, and we expected the mercury there to be almost exclusively of geologic origin--that is, from deep-sea volcanic sources," said Professor Blum. "Our most surprising finding was that we found mercury in organisms from deep-sea trenches that shows evidence for originating in the sunlit surface zone of the ocean."

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

Mercury is carried in fish carcasses to the deepest parts of the ocean

Sinking fish carcasses carry toxic mercury pollution from the surface...

Dog ticks that transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) are more than twice as likely to bite humans instead of dogs when temperatures rise. The research, which was presented at the <a href="https://www.astmh.org/annual-meeting">Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene</a> (ASTMH), provides new evidence that global warming elevates the risk of deadly <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/slow-living-animals-could-be-the-source-of-more-diseases/">disease</a> transmission among humans. 

"Our work indicates that when the weather gets hot, we should be much more vigilant for infections of RMSF in humans," said study lead author Dr. Laura Backus of UC Davis. "We found that when temperatures rose from about 74 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, brown dog ticks that carry the disease were 2.5 times more likely to prefer humans over dogs."

Spotted fevers have become increasingly prevalent over the last two decades. While RMSF is treatable if it is detected in the first week of infection, the fatality rate for prolonged infections can reach higher than 20 percent.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever can cause many serious complications, including damaged blood vessels, kidney failure, and inflammation of the heart, lungs, or brain. In the last ten years, deadly RMSF outbreaks have emerged among indigenous communities in Arizona and northern Mexico.

Dr. Backus said there have been indications from earlier work that brown dog ticks, which are found throughout the continental United States, may be more aggressive toward humans in hot weather. This is even more concerning given that climate change is greatly expanding areas of the country that experience multiple days of temperatures that exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The UC Davis team set out to investigate how rising temperatures may elevate the risk of RMSF infections. They designed an experiment to observe whether brown dog ticks preferred humans or dogs when they were exposed to a temperature of 74 degrees Fahrenheit and also at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

One type of brown dog tick, known as the tropical lineage tick, made an obvious shift in sniffing out humans over dogs in the hotter conditions. These ticks are currently found in southern regions of the United States, such as Arizona, Florida, southern California, and southern Georgia. According to Dr. Backus, the range of the tropical lineage tick is expected to expand north as temperatures rise.

Temperate brown dog ticks, which also carry RMSF, were found to slightly shift their attention toward humans in warmer weather. Instead of showing a preference for dogs, as they normally would, the temperate ticks appeared to become neutral about which host they would choose when they were influenced by heat. These ticks are distributed across all of the lower 48 states. 

"We believe that this decreased preference for dogs - combined with a slight increase in preference for humans - suggests that hot temperatures may also elevate risks of RMSF in areas where the temperate ticks are more common," said Dr. Backus.

She noted that it is important to identify conditions that can increase infection risks, especially considering that symptoms in the treatable early phase of RMSF can be easily mistaken for a number of more common ailments such as headache, fever, and muscle aches.

"The findings from the use of this simple but effective laboratory experiment to gauge how rising temperatures might lead to more human infections with a very dangerous tick-borne pathogen adds to the growing evidence of the increasing connection between climate change and its impact on health," said ASTMH President Dr. Joel Breman. 

"Climate change is moving so quickly that it is critical to keep pace with the many ways it may alter and intensify the risk of a wide range of infectious diseases so we are better prepared to diagnose, treat and prevent them."

The research was presented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 68th Annual Meeting.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dog ticks prefer human hosts in hotter weather conditions

Dog ticks that transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) are...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.isglobal.org/en">ISGlobal</a> have investigated the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/heat-related-cardiovascular-hospitalizations-are-on-the-rise/">cardiovascular</a> health impacts of urban exposures among children. The study showed that air and noise pollution during pregnancy, as well as high building density, are associated with higher blood pressure in early life.

The team analyzed data from 4,279 children living in six European cities who had participated in the European HELIX project. To study the cardiovascular effects of prenatal exposure to air and noise pollution in urban environments, the experts evaluated multiple aspects of the children's environment, such as their place of residence during the prenatal period.

The team looked at factors such as the built environment, natural spaces, traffic, air pollution, noise, and the level of social and economic hardship. The researchers also measured the children's blood pressure when they were between four and five years of age to examine the long-term consequences of the various exposures.

The experts found a clear link between high blood pressure in childhood and higher levels of air pollution during the first two terms of pregnancy. Noise and high building density were also found to be associated with higher blood pressure, while good urban transport connectivity was linked to lower blood pressure. 

"It is possible that these associations reflect how people move around in the city and may indicate that greater connectivity promotes physical activity in the population," said study first author Charline Warembourg. 

The researchers estimate that one in every five children lives in an urban environment characterized by levels of pollution, noise, and building density that are associated with high blood pressure. This condition is one of the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which is currently the leading cause of death worldwide. 

Study lead author Martine Vrijheid is the director of ISGlobal's Childhood and Environment Programme. 

"Numerous studies have shown that children with higher blood pressure are more likely to develop hypertension later in life," said Vrijheid. "The results of this study show how important it is to identify environmental exposures that contribute to hypertension in early life, from conception onwards."

As more and more of the world's population moves into the city, it is increasingly important to understand the role of urban design and transport in human health. The current study is the first of its kind to examine how numerous aspects of the urban environment affect the cardiovascular health of children.

"Our results show that, from conception onwards, the urban environment can affect blood pressure in preschool children," said Warembourg. "This means that a commitment to urban design and transport planning designed to reduce damaging environmental exposures has the potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international">Environment International</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution linked to higher blood pressure in children

Researchers at ISGlobal have investigated the cardiovascular health impacts of...

Plastic particles have now invaded natural spaces all over the globe, including the most remote regions of Antarctica and some of the deepest parts of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/arctic-rivers-heat-up-the-ocean-and-shrink-sea-ice/">ocean</a>. A new study from <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> describes how these particles move and accumulate in various types of environments worldwide. 

While it is known that microplastics are carried over long distances, the methods of transport have remained somewhat of a mystery. The researchers report that plastic particles get stuck as they travel through porous materials such as soil and sediment, and then break free and continue to travel. 

Professor Sujit Datta said that this is the first time this stop-and-restart process and the conditions that control it have been identified. Prior to this study, experts assumed that when microparticles got stuck, they generally stayed put.

According to the researchers, the microparticles are pushed free when the rate of fluid flowing through the soil, groundwater, or other repository remains persistent. The Princeton team showed that the process of deposition - the formation of clogs and their breakup - runs in cycles. Clogs are broken up by fluid pressure over time and distance, pushing particles further through the pore space until clogs reform.

"Not only did we find these cool dynamics of particles getting stuck, clogged, building up deposits and then getting pushed through, but that process enables particles to get spread out over much larger distances than we would have thought otherwise," said Professor Datta.

Polystyrene is a plastic microparticle that makes up styrofoam, which is often dumped into soils and waterways through shipping materials and fast food containers. 

The researchers pumped fluorescent polystyrene microparticles and fluid through a transparent porous media created in Professor Datta's lab. The transparency allowed them to watch the microparticles move under a microscope. 

"We figured out tricks to make the media transparent. Then, by using fluorescent microparticles, we can watch their dynamics in real time using a microscope," said Professor Datta. "The nice thing is that we can actually see what individual particles are doing under different experimental conditions."

Professor Philippe Coussot said the study authors took a remarkable approach that "opened the black box" to reveal how plastic particles move through natural environments. 

The ultimate goal is to use the findings to improve parameters for larger scale models to predict the amount and location of contamination. The research can inform mathematical models to predict the likelihood of a particle moving over a certain distance and reaching a vulnerable destination, such as a nearby farmland or river. This would help prevent the spread and accumulation of contaminants in food and water sources.

Professor Datta said this experiment is the tip of the iceberg in terms of particles and applications that researchers can now study. "Now that we found something so surprising in a system so simple, we're excited to see what the implications are for more complex systems."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New study reveals how plastic particles travel

Plastic particles have now invaded natural spaces all over the...

Air pollution set the stage for the rapid spread of COVID-19. A new study suggests that air pollution and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/environmental-era-of-pandemics/">pandemics</a> are an extremely dangerous combination, as the harmful health impacts of pollution make people more susceptible to infections. Scientists at the McKelvey School of Engineering at <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a> found that higher levels of fine particle pollution (PM2.5) are directly linked to higher rates of the community spread of SARS-CoV-2. 

For many COVID-19 patients, the severity of infection can be traced back to pre-existing health conditions. The study shows how the health of the environment played a critical role in increasing the number of people who were exposed to the virus in the first place. 

The research was conducted in the lab of Professor Rajan Chakrabarty. The team found a correlation between the basic reproduction ratio (R0), which represents the number of people each sick person can infect, and long-term exposure to PM2.5.

Professor Chakrabarty said that the presence of secondary inorganic components in PM2.5 only makes things worse. "We checked for more than 40 confounding factors. There was a strong, linear association between long-term PM2.5 exposure and R0."

In July, a study published in the journal Science found that susceptibility to COVID-19 is a driving factor for the pandemic. Fine particle pollution can enter the lungs and cause damage to respiratory health, which increases an individual's susceptibility to respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.

Another previous study that was published in the Journal of Infection found that the highest number of cases of COVID-19 with severe and prolonged illness were occurring in places with higher pollution levels.

"I was thinking, why, in the majority of the U.S. states, have we had such a rapid spread of the virus?" said Professor Chakrabarty. "We wanted to confine our study to the point in time when the shutdown was in place. For the most part, people did remain confined from early March until the end of April."

The team focused on regions where R0 was greater than one - the point at which one person can spread an illness to more than one person. Using computer models that accounted for air pollution estimates in these areas, the experts discovered that an increase of 0.25 in R0 corresponded with a 10 percent increase in sulfate, nitrogen dioxide, or ammonium. The same boost in R0 also corresponded with a one-millionth of a gram per cubic meter (μg/m3) increase in PM2.5 mass concentrations.

"Annual mean PM2.5 national standards are set at or below 12 micrograms per cubic meter, below that you are supposed to be safe," said Professor Chakrabarty. "What we saw, the correlation we're seeing is well below that standard." In fact, the team found that the link between R0 and PM2.5 when exposure levels were below 6 micrograms per cubic meter.

"Although decades of strict air quality regulations in the U.S. have resulted in significant reductions of nitrogen dioxide levels, recent reversal of environmental regulations which weaken limits on gaseous emissions from power plants and vehicles threaten the country's future air quality scenario," wrote the study authors. Professor Chakrabarty said these reversals could be setting up the United States for future pandemics.

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

Air pollution set the stage for the rapid spread of COVID-19

Air pollution set the stage for the rapid spread of...

As global warming continues at an uncertain pace, scientists have been investigating the capacity for animals all over the world to adapt to heat stress. There is concern regarding <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tropical-lizards-are-surprisingly-adaptable-to-climate-extremes/">tropical</a> species, in particular, because they are used to living in a relatively stable thermal environment.

But now, in the first study of its kind, researchers at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> report that birds in both temperate and tropical regions have a much higher tolerance for acute heat stress than what was previously realized.

"In terms of their thermal physiology, a lot of these birds, including tropical species, can tolerate temperatures that are a lot higher than what they experience in their daily lives," said study first author Henry Pollock.  

"That was surprising because tropical ectotherms, such as insects, have been shown to be extremely vulnerable to climate warming. We're just not seeing the same things in birds. It is somewhat encouraging."

While the research indicates that tropical birds can adapt and survive in a warmer world, it is too soon to tell how these species will respond to a rapidly changing environment. 

"It's not necessarily comforting news. If someone walked away from this thinking tropical birds are going to do fine because they're not going to overheat, that would be a simplistic bottom line to take away from this paper," said study co-author Professor Jeff Brawn. 

"Warming is likely to affect tropical birds indirectly, by impacting their resources, the structure of tropical forests. So they may not be flying around panting, suffering from heat exhaustion, but there may be more indirect effects."

The research was focused on 81 bird species from Panama and South Carolina who were exposed to rising temperatures in field labs. The team used tiny sensors to detect the internal body temperatures and the metabolic rates of the birds.

While the temperate birds from South Carolina were found to have a higher average heat tolerance, tropical birds from Panama handled the heat much better than expected. 

Among all of the species, doves and pigeons had the greatest resistance to heat stress by taking advantage of their unique ability to sweat. According to Pollock, these birds actually exceeded the limits of the testing equipment.

"This is the first geographic comparison ever for birds. We need more data from more sites and studies of chronic heat stress over longer periods of time. But I think at the very least, what we can say is that they're able to tolerate higher temperatures than I think anybody expected," said Pollock.

"We're just starting to scratch the surface of what we need to do to really understand how climate change is going to affect birds," concluded Professor Brawn. "But this is an important first step."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652435">Functional Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tropical birds handle heat stress much better than expected

As global warming continues at an uncertain pace, scientists have...

A glacier that has been hanging onto an Alaskan slope for centuries is melting and facilitating what scientists call a slow-motion landslide. The soil is gradually being released from beneath the glacier and if this movement were to speed up, it could trigger a powerful tsunami.

The slope is located on the Barry Arm fjord on Prince William Sound in southeastern Alaska. A study led by Chunli Dai of <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">The Ohio State University</a> Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center estimates that from 2010 to 2017, the slope shifted by about 120 meters. "We are measuring this loss of land before the tsunami occurs," said Dai.

Climate change is accelerating the pace at which glaciers are melting, and the ice loss can cause nearby slopes to become unstable. When the subsequent landslides dump massive amounts of dirt, rocks, and vegetation into a body of water, this can unleash a dangerous tsunami with no warning. 

In the current study, the researchers found that if the entire slope on the Barry Arm fjord collapsed at once, tsunami waves could reach communities throughout the sound. These communities are home to hundreds of people, including fishermen, tourists, and members of an indigenous Alaskan group called the Chugach.

The researchers used satellite data to measure the size of the glacier that had covered the Barry Arm slope, as well as the amount of land that has already been displaced. Using these measurements, the team built models to identify the potential landslide risk.

The analysis revealed that from 1954 to 2006, Barry Glacier melted at a rate of less than a meter per year. After 2006, the rate of melting sped up so quickly that the glacier was thinning by about 40 meters per year. The glacier continued to retreat rapidly from 2010 to 2017, until the bottom point of the falling slope had butted against the glacier and became exposed to the water in Prince William Sound.

According to computer simulations, if the land along the slope collapsed at once, the resulting tsunami would send currents between 25 and 40 meters per second. This would be enough strength to cause significant damage to large cruise and cargo ships. Small fishing boats and kayaks, which frequent Prince William Sound, would be completely overwhelmed.

The study authors estimate that waves from the tsunami could reach 32 feet in the nearby town of Whittier. The tsunami could also disrupt fiber optic service to parts of Alaska, and release oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill that is still contained in sediment in Prince William Sound.

The team noted that an earthquake, excessive rainfall, or snowmelt could easily trigger the landslide. "If the slope fails at once, it would be catastrophic," said Dr. Bretwood Higman.

"People are working on early-detection warnings, so if a landslide happens, people in nearby communities might at least get a warning," said Anna Liljedahl. "This kind of research might help with building those early-warning systems."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19448007/0/ja">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Alaska's Barry Glacier could trigger a catastrophic tsunami

A glacier that has been hanging onto an Alaskan slope...

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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter 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/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[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



---



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

News coming your way