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...

Building development is responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. A new study from <a href="https://www.aalto.fi/en">Aalto University</a> has revealed that wooden buildings in cities could store half of the cement industry's current <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/carbon-emissions-from-fire-are-controlled-by-soil-composition/">carbon</a> emissions.

In Europe alone, nearly 47,000 acres of housing space is built every year, and this rate is growing by about one percent each year. 

In collaboration with the Finnish Environment Institute, the Aalto team has determined that shifting to wood for building could substantially reduce the environmental impact of construction. 

The researchers estimated the carbon storage potential of using wood to construct residential buildings in Europe. The analysis showed that if 80 percent of these new homes were made of wood - including the structures, cladding, surfaces, and furnishings - the buildings could store 55 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. This is equivalent to 47 percent of the cement industry's annual emissions across Europe.

"This is the first time that the carbon storage potential of wooden building construction has been evaluated on the European level, in different scenarios," explained study co-author Ali Amiri. "We hope that our model could be used as roadmap to increase wooden construction in Europe."

According to the researchers, the potential carbon storage capacity is not generally related to building or wood type, or even to the size of a building. Instead, this capacity is based on the number and volume of wood used as building components, such as beams, columns, and walls.

The study also examined how Europe could reach a target of storing 55 million tons of CO2 per year. The team reports that the share of new wooden residential buildings would need to grow to 80 percent by 2040. Over time, each wooden building would need to store even more carbon dioxide by falling into a 200 CO2 kg m2-storage group, and eventually falling into the 300 CO2 kg m2-storage group.

The researchers pointed out that half of the carbon footprint of "zero-energy" houses occurs before anyone has even lived in them.

"Certificates for green buildings used around the world, such as LEED and BREEAM, could better take the climate benefits of wood construction into account. So far, they are strongly focused on how energy is consumed during use," said Amiri.

As far as wood products go, a wooden building provides longer-term storage for carbon than pulp or paper. According to the study, a wooden building of 100 m2 has the potential to store 10 to 30 tons of carbon dioxide. 

'Wood construction is sustainable only if the wood comes from forests that are grown in a sustainable manner. Shifting from short-lived products, like paper, to products with a long life-cycle, like wooden construction materials, would help minimise the impact on European forests and the crucial carbon sinks they hold," said study co-author Juudit Ottelin.

"The environmental concerns together with the increasing demand of building construction make it necessary to find building materials which not only produce less emissions during their production but also serve as carbon sequestration solution in order to mitigate climate change," concluded the study authors. "As a widely available material in Europe, wood is a considerable option."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental 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

Wooden buildings could store half of the cement industry's CO2 emissions

Building development is responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas...

Some of the largest floods on Earth are glacial outburst floods known as jokulhlaups, which emerge with no warning. These floods occur when the water that is accumulated in lakes underneath glaciers is suddenly released.

Scientists have long investigated jokulhlaups, and a recent study from the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawaii Manoa</a> is providing new details about their development.

"These floods may affect the motion of some glaciers and are a significant hazard in Iceland," said study lead author Eric Gaidos. "But the mechanism and timing of the initiation of these floods has not been understood."

In 2015, the researchers were drilling a hole to an Icelandic lake to study its microbial life. As the experts collected samples, they noticed a downwards current in the hole like a bathtub drain.

"The flow was so strong we nearly lost our sensors and sampling equipment into the hole," said Professor Gaidos. "We surmised that we had accidentally connected a water mass inside the glacier to the lake beneath. That water mass was rapidly draining into the lake."

After the team left a few days later, the lake drained in a glacial outburst flood. Professor Gaidos noted that fortunately, Icelanders have an elaborate early-warning system on their rivers and no one was injured.

The researchers used a computer model to simulate the draining of the flow and its effect on the lake to show that this could have triggered the flood.

"We discovered that the glacier can contain smaller bodies of water above the lakes fed by summer melting," said Professor Gaidos. "If this water body is hydraulically connected to the lake then the pressure in the lake rises and that allows water to start draining out underneath the glacier."

Connections can form when water from rain or melting snow builds up in crevasses. The pressure eventually forces a crack through the glacier to the lake. 

The research provides brand new insight into how glacial outburst floods can start and how this depends on the weather and the season. Scientists in Iceland are continuing to study this phenomenon using radio echo-sounding to search for water bodies within the ice and to study the larger lake below it.

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

Scientists have solved the mystery of glacial outburst floods

Some of the largest floods on Earth are glacial outburst...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.uaf.edu/">University of Alaska Fairbanks</a>, researchers have found that rivers are dumping heat into the Arctic Ocean that is melting sea ice and warming the atmosphere. The study has revealed that Arctic rivers are contributing much more to the warming Ocean than they did in 1980.

The researchers report that the heat from Arctic rivers is responsible for up to 10 percent of the total sea ice loss that occurred from 1980 to 2015 over the shelf region of the Arctic Ocean. This loss is equivalent to about 120,000 square miles of ice with a thickness of one meter.

"If Alaska were covered by one-meter thick ice, 20% of Alaska would be gone," explained study co-author Igor Polyakov.

When sea ice breaks up in the spring, rivers have the greatest impact. The warm water pours into the ice-covered Arctic Ocean and deteriorates the ice as it spreads underneath. After the sea ice melts, the warm water heats up the atmosphere.

"The increasing ice-free area in the shelf seas results in a warmer ocean in summer, enhancing ocean-atmosphere energy exchange and atmospheric warming. Our findings suggest that a positive river heat-sea ice feedback nearly doubles the river heat effects," wrote the study authors.

The heat energy that enters the atmosphere is mobile, which means it can affect areas of the Arctic far from river deltas. According to the researchers, the most pronounced impacts were found in the Siberian Arctic, where several large rivers flow onto a shallow shelf region extending nearly 1,000 miles offshore. 

The only river that is large enough to significantly influence sea ice retreat near Alaska is the Mackenzie River in Canada, but smaller rivers also contribute.

Polyakov said that rising global air temperatures will continue to warm Arctic rivers in the future. In a reinforcing feedback loop, the rivers and the Arctic Ocean will heat up, followed by accelerated sea ice retreat and atmospheric warming.

"It's very alarming because all these changes are accelerating," said Polyakov. "The rapid changes are just incredible in the last decade or so."

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

Arctic rivers heat up the ocean and shrink sea ice

In a new study from the University of Alaska Fairbanks,...

The compounding effects of climate change and human development have spoiled the natural habitats of most mammals, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/migratory-birds-rely-on-spring-greening-which-is-now-changing-with-the-climate/">birds</a>, and amphibians by an average of 18 percent. A new study from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> suggests that the geographical ranges of animals will continue to shrink worldwide, and that nearly a quarter of these ecosystems will be lost by the end of the century. 

The researchers analyzed changes in the geographical ranges of nearly 17,000 species over more than three centuries. The team used this data to predict future changes under 16 different scenarios.

A diverse range of species is needed to perform critical ecosystem functions from pest regulation to carbon storage. The vulnerability of any given species to extinction is strongly impacted by the size of its geographical range. In order to develop effective conservation strategies, experts need to understand how ranges have changed in the past and how they will change in the future.

"The habitat size of almost all known birds, mammals, and amphibians is shrinking, primarily because of land conversion by humans as we continue to expand our agricultural and urban areas," said study first author Dr. Robert Beyer.

The impacts are disproportionately distributed, with some species more severely affected than others. For example, an alarming 16 percent of species have lost over half of their estimated historical range, and this number of species could grow to 26 percent in the coming decades. 

More recently, the most significant losses of geographical ranges were found in tropical areas. Up until about 50 years ago, most agricultural development was in Europe and North America. Since then, large areas of land have been converted for agriculture in the tropics.

"The tropics are biodiversity hotspots with lots of small-range species. If one hectare of tropical forest is converted to agricultural land, a lot more species lose larger proportions of their home than in places like Europe," said Dr. Beyer.

"Species in the Amazon have adapted to living in a tropical rainforest. If climate change causes this ecosystem to change, many of those species won't be able to survive - or they will at least be pushed into smaller areas of remaining rainforest. We found that the higher the carbon emissions, the worse it gets for most species in terms of habitat loss."

The clearing of land for agricultural and urban development and climate change are the main drivers of the decline in geographical range sizes, and two of the biggest threats to global terrestrial biodiversity.

Study lead author Andrea Manica is a professor in the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge.

"Whether these past trends in habitat range losses will reverse, continue, or accelerate will depend on future global carbon emissions and societal choices in the coming years and decades," said study lead author Professor Andrea Manica.

"While our study quantifies the drastic consequences for species' ranges if global land use and climate change are left unchecked, they also demonstrate the tremendous potential of timely and concerted policy action for halting - and indeed partially reversing - previous trends in global range contractions. It all depends on what we do next."

The study is the 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

The geographical ranges of most animals are shrinking worldwide

The compounding effects of climate change and human development have...

Global warming could have dire consequences for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-species-of-pterosaur-had-a-long-skinny-beak-for-hunting/">species</a> that depend on a stable food supply at specific times of the year. If warming takes place too quickly, these species may not have enough time to adapt. This could be precisely the case for great tits as the larvae they depend on for survival are hatching earlier, according to a new study. 

"If the changes happen too fast, species can become extinct," said study first author Emily Simmonds, an associate professor in the Department of Biology at <a href="https://www.ntnu.edu/">Norwegian University of Science and Technology</a> (NTNU).

The researchers investigated how great tits may be affected if the availability of larvae changes in the spring. These birds depend on an abundant supply of larvae to feed their young. If this supply peaks earlier in the spring than usual, there may be a lack of food for the hatchlings.

Spring is arriving earlier and winters are becoming warmer. This causes some trees to sprout their leaves early, which prompts the larvae that feed on the plants to hatch out earlier. "When the climate changes, the interactions between different species changes too," said Professor Simmonds.

In collaboration with experts at the University of Oxford, the researchers used population models to estimate the consequences of different climate scenarios for great tits. The team wanted to identify the tipping point at which the changes would happen too fast for the great tit to modify its behavior and keep pace with the hatching larvae.

Due to genetics, great tits have varying abilities to adapt to different conditions. For example, an earlier supply of larvae can be advantageous for great tits that hatch their young earlier in the spring. This advantage can be transferred to the next generation of birds and they will hatch their young earlier in the season as well. 

For this strategy to work, however, the great tits have to evolve fast enough and be flexible enough to keep up with the behavior of their prey.

"Given conditions with big greenhouse gas emissions, the great tits won't always be able to keep up with the changes in the larvae supply," said Professor Simmonds.

In the worst case scenario, the researchers found that entire populations of great tits will simply disappear by the end of this century because they cannot find enough food for their young.

"This could happen even if the great tits are also modifying their behavior faster in a rapidly changing environment. The larvae might be changing even faster than the great tits," said Professor Simmonds. 

The tipping point for populations of great tits, or the point at which they will not have a chance of survival, will be reached if larvae begin hatching 24 days earlier compared to when they hatch now. According to the researchers, this threshold even applies to populations that appear to be completely stable today.

"It could be that the apparent stability today is hiding a future collapse," said Professor Simmonds. "The good news is that the populations will be able to survive scenarios with lower or medium warming trends."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14610248">Ecology Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Great tits can adapt to climate change, but only to a point

Global warming could have dire consequences for species that depend...

Greenhouse gas <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/china-captures-nearly-half-of-its-annual-co2-emissions/">emissions</a> associated with global food production would make it difficult to reach the targets of the Paris Agreement even if all other fossil fuel emissions were immediately halted, according to a study from a new study from <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a>.

"To have any hope of meeting the central goal of the Paris Agreement, which is to limit global warming to 2°C or less, our carbon emissions must be reduced considerably, including those coming from agriculture," wrote the study authors.

"Meeting the 1.5°C target requires rapid and ambitious changes to food systems as well as to all nonfood sectors. The 2°C target could be achieved with less-ambitious changes to food systems, but only if fossil fuel and other nonfood emissions are eliminated soon." While most mitigation efforts have been focused on reducing transportation, power, and industrial emissions, the new research reveals the magnitude of the emissions that are tied to global food production.

The researchers found that the food system is responsible for nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The major sources of emissions include deforestation for agriculture and livestock production, the widespread use of fertilizers, and the burning of fossil fuels involved in food production and supply chains. 

From 2012 to 2017, global food production released an average of 16 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, according to the report. 

To investigate how these emissions could impact the feasibility of meeting the targets outlined by the Paris Agreement, a team led by Michael Clark of the University of Oxford estimated future food systems emissions. The researchers found that reducing food-related emissions is critical for reaching the targets established in Paris.

In a business-as-usual scenario, food system emissions could reach as high as 1,356 gigatons from now until the end of the century. The experts calculated that this amount would exceed the 1.5°C limit between 2051 and 2063, and approximately match the 2 ° C limit by 2100. 

The team has proposed several strategies to change this trajectory, including large-scale dietary changes, reduction of food waste, and improved agricultural efficiency. These strategies combined have the potential to create a carbon neutral, or even slightly carbon negative, food production system.

"Our work shows that food is a much greater contributor to climate change than is widely known," said study co-author Professor Jason Hill. "Fortunately, we can fix this problem by using fertilizer more efficiently, by eating less meat and more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts and by making other important changes to our food system," said Jason Hill

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Food production linked to one-third of global emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with global food production would make...

Animals in the Arctic are shifting their behavior to keep pace with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-officially-arrived-in-the-black-forest/">climate</a> change. The research is based on data collected from more than 200 studies which tracked the movements of thousands of Arctic animals over the last three decades. 

The database combines the work of ecologists from all over the world. Study co-lead author Gil Bohrer is a professor of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">The Ohio State University</a>.

"What we ended up with is this massive dataset that can tell us how the behavior of animals is evolving in the face of climate change," said Professor Bohrer.

In the Arctic, the average temperatures have increased about 2.3 degrees Celsius since the 1970s. The researchers found that the cumulative effects of earlier springs, warmer winters, melting sea ice, and human development have transformed the behavior of native Arctic animals. 

Professor Bohrer said that collecting the data in one place was important. Without the database, it would be difficult for scientists to quantify the long-term effects of climate change and human activities on Arctic animals.

"Ecologists are doing the best they can, but often, movement track data would be lost - researchers retire or move to other positions, the hard drive ends up getting lost, the research notebook is misplaced or thrown away, and then that data is gone," said Professor Bohrer. "And animal tracking is very hard to do, so a research project might cover a handful of animals, maybe 10s at the most. Each animal-movement tag costs hundreds -- and sometimes thousands - of dollars, and you need to catch the animal and follow it. It's a lot of work and a lot of money."

Three separate analyses of the data show large-scale shifts in the movement of golden eagles, bears, caribou, moose, and wolves. The behavioral changes could impact the ability for these species to eat, mate, and survive.

The first study compared the movements of more than 100 golden eagles from 1993 to 2017. The experts found that immature birds migrating north in the spring arrived to the region earlier after a mild winter, which suggests that warmer temperatures are prompting the eagles to migrate sooner. On the other hand, adult golden eagles did not change their migration patterns. According to the study authors, this could have consequences for nesting and chick survival.

The second analysis tracked more than 900 female caribou from 2000 to 2017. The study revealed that northern herds are giving birth earlier in the spring, while the calving dates of southern populations have not changed. The early spring is associated with more extreme variation in weather patterns, posing some serious risks. For example, heavy snowfall events in the late spring snow could be fatal for calves born earlier in the season.

The third study monitored the speed of bear, caribou, moose, and wolf movement from 1998 to 2019. These species were found to move at different speeds depending on seasonal temperatures and precipitation. The investigation revealed that moose and caribou moved more in days with higher temperatures, while their predators moved less. The findings suggest that it will be more difficult for herbivores to avoid predators as temperatures continue to rise.

"I'm really excited about how this work shows what you can learn from comparing data across populations on a very large scale," said study co-author Elie Gurarie of the University of Maryland. "I would say this is an early example of what we might call global animal movement ecology. We're increasing our ability to monitor the pulse of animal populations across the Earth and ask big picture questions about what it means."

"This work has given us a baseline to understand the large-scale picture so we can get a sense of how animals and environments are really interacting across species and across space as the environment changes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Arctic animals are changing their behavior in a warming climate

Animals in the Arctic are shifting their behavior to keep...

Sea-level rise will impact humans and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-protect-coastlines/">coastlines</a> in complicated and unpredictable ways, according to research from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. The experts found that in the past, there were variable rates of changes across societies and landscapes that did not match the pace of rising sea levels.

"When we're thinking about future sea-level rise, we need to consider the complexity of the systems involved, in terms of both the physical geography and the human response," said study lead author Dr. Robert Barnett.

"The speed at which land disappears is not only a function of sea-level rise, it depends on specific local geography, landforms and geology. Human responses are likely to be equally localized. For example, communities may have powerful reasons for refusing to abandon a particular place."

The study was focused on the Isles of Scilly off the southwest coast of the UK. Less than 1,000 years ago, this chain of 140 islands existed as one single island.

The researchers reconstructed sea-level rise to produce maps of coastal changes over the last 12,000 years across the Isles of Scilly. The maps were compared to reconstructions of the region's landscape, vegetation, and human population. Much of the data had been collected by the Lyonesse Project, a study of the historic coastal and marine environment of the Isles of Scilly.

The findings suggest that during a period between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago, the land was rapidly becoming submerged. As the coastline shifted, people did not abandon the new landscape, but rather stayed put and adapted to it. 

The study suggests that land was being lost at a rate of 10,000 square meters per year. About half of this land was transforming into intertidal habitats, which may have been able to support the coastal communities.

"This new research confirms that the period immediately before 4,000 years ago saw some of the most significant loss of land at any time in the history of Scilly - equivalent to losing two-thirds of the entire modern area of the islands," said Charlie Johns, who is the co-director of the Lyonesse Project.

The islands continued to be submerged, even when the rate of sea-level rise was as low as one millimeter per year.

"It is clear that rapid coastal change can happen even during relatively small and gradual sea-level rise," said Dr. Barnett. "The current rate of mean global sea-level rise (around 3.6 mm per year) is already far greater than the local rate at the Isles of Scilly (1 to 2 mm per year) that caused widespread coastal reorganization between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago."

"It is even more important to consider the human responses to these physical changes, which may be unpredictable. As can be seen today across island nations, cultural practices define the response of coastal communities, which can result in polarised agenda, such as the planned relocation programmes in Fiji versus the climate-migration resistance seen in Tavalu."

Dr. Barnett pointed out that the coastal reorganization at the Isles of Scilly led to the availability of new resources for coastal communities. "It is perhaps unlikely that future coastal reorganization will lead to new resource availability on scales capable of supporting entire communities."

"More certain though, is that societal and cultural perspectives from coastal populations will be critical for responding successfully to future climate change."

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

The impacts of sea-level rise are too complex to predict

Sea-level rise will impact humans and coastlines in complicated and...

Planets that orbit very close to their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dead-stars-will-help-astronomers-find-signs-of-life-on-exoplanets/">stars</a>, which have the potential to contain oceans of hot lava, are some of the most fascinating of all of the exoplanets that have ever been discovered. But now, a new study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> suggests that one such exoplanet is even more intriguing than what has been anticipated. 

The research suggests that an Earth-size exoplanet known as K2-141b has a magma ocean that is 100 kilometers deep and supersonic winds that reach over 5,000 kilometers per hour. 

The researchers used computer simulations to predict the conditions on K2-141b. They found that the surface, ocean, and atmosphere are all made up of rocks that can evaporate and "rain" back down on the planet. 

The extreme weather that is predicted by the study would gradually and permanently change the surface and atmosphere of K2-141b over time.

"The study is the first to make predictions about weather conditions on K2-141b that can be detected from hundreds of light years away with next-generation telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope," said study lead author and PhD student Giang Nguyen.

K2-141b is so close to its star that it is gravitationally locked in place - with the same side of the planet constantly facing the heat. The experts determined that about two-thirds of the surface of K2-141b experiences endless daylight, while the remaining one-third of the exoplanet experiences frigid temperatures of below -200 degrees Celsius. 

On the hot side of K2-141b, temperatures of an estimated 3,000 degrees Celsius are hot enough to not only melt rocks but also to vaporize them, ultimately creating a thin atmosphere in some areas. 

"Our finding likely means that the atmosphere extends a little beyond the shore of the magma ocean, making it easier to spot with space telescopes," said study co-author Professor Nicolas Cowan.

The extreme heat on K2-141b would cause the rock vapor atmosphere to undergo precipitation just like the water cycle on Earth. On our planet, water evaporates and rises into the atmosphere, where it condenses and falls back as rain. This is also the case for the sodium, silicon monoxide, and silicon dioxide on K2-141b. Here, the mineral vapor formed by evaporated rock is pushed over to the frigid night side by supersonic winds, and the rocks "rain" back down into a magma ocean. The rocks are then swept back over to the hot side of the exoplanet, and the rocks evaporate all over again. 

The researchers explained that the weather cycle is not as stable on K2-141b as it is on Earth. For example, the magma flow returning to the hot side of K2-141b is slow, which could ultimately reshape the surface of the planet.

"All rocky planets­, including Earth, started off as molten worlds but then rapidly cooled and solidified," said Professor Cowan. "Lava planets give us a rare glimpse at this stage of planetary evolution."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

An exoplanet exists where rocks evaporate and rain back down

Planets that orbit very close to their stars, which have...

For decades, a network of 14 research facilities located across five different continents has been working to predict the impacts that future CO2 levels will have on crop production. The research involves "Free-Air Concentration Enrichment" (FACE) experiments, which are real-world field surveys designed to study the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/environmental-era-of-pandemics/">environmental</a> factors that impact crop growth and yield.

Based on the analysis of 30 years of FACE data, researchers have found some discouraging details of how global crop production may be impacted by rising CO2 levels.

Study co-author Lisa Ainsworth is a research plant physiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). 

"It's quite shocking to go back and look at just how much CO2 concentrations have increased over the lifetime of these experiments," said Ainsworth."We are reaching the concentrations of some of the first CO2 treatments 30 years back. The idea that we can check the results of some of the first FACE experiments in the current atmosphere is disconcerting."

The study was focused on two groups of plants: C3 plants such as soybeanand rice, which are less efficient at converting CO2 and light into energy through photosynthesis; and C4 plants, such as corn and sugarcane, which are up to 60 percent more efficient at using CO2 and light for energy. 

Many commercial growers elevate CO2 levels in greenhouses to boost photosynthesis and crop production among plants like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.

In the current analysis, the researchers found that CO2 levels expected at the second half of this century could increase C3 crop production by 18 percent with adequate nutrients and water.

Study co-author Stephen Long is a professor of Crop Sciences and Plant Biology at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> and a member of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology.

"So should we anticipate a bounty as CO2 rises?" said Professor Long. "Sadly not because rising CO2 is the primary cause of change in the global climate system. The anticipated 2° C rise in temperature, caused primarily by this increase in CO2, could halve yields of some of our major crops, wiping out any gain from CO2."

While CO2 could increase crop production, the experts found that the resulting crops would lose some critical components of their quality, such as nutrient and protein content. The study also revealed that major food crops become considerably more vulnerable to pests and diseases when exposed to higher levels of CO2.

"Lots of people have presumed that rising CO2 is largely a good thing for crops: assuming more CO2 will make the world's forests greener and increase crop yields," said Ainsworth. "The more recent studies challenge that assumption a bit. We're finding that when you have other stresses, you don't always get a benefit of elevated CO2."

Looking on the bright side, the study authors noted that there is sufficient genetic variation in major crops to overcome some of the negative effects of higher CO2 levels and to capitalize on the yield benefits. 

"Where genetic variation is lacking, there are some bioengineering solutions with one already demonstrated to prevent yield loss when the temperature is raised with CO2," explained Professor Long. "But, given the time taken to develop new crop cultivars, this potential could only be realized if we start now."

"We are driven by a motivation to prepare for the future and to identify the traits that are going to be important for maximizing this CO2 response while dealing with the aspects of global change that may drive down yields," said Ainsworth. "The last 15 years have taught us to account more for the complex interactions from other factors like drought, temperature, nutrients, and pests."

According to Ainsworth, researchers should explore a wider variety of crops and genotypes as well as different management practices, such as seeding density, tillage, and cover crops, to find solutions that are less burdensome on the environment. In addition, it would be greatly beneficial to make the FACE data on crop production more accessible.

"We don't have a formal database of all of the FACE results from the last two decades of research. There's an opportunity to put all of the information together in one place and make it openly accessible for everyone to use and to encourage more people to use the data to think about solutions."

"The ideal solution will be that we dramatically decrease our release of CO2 into the atmosphere and quickly achieve carbon neutrality," said Professor Long. "But we also need to take out an insurance policy against this not being achieved. That is, we need to breed and engineer future-proof crops and systems that can be sustainable and nutritious under the combined changes in atmospheric composition and climate to help realize the goal of zero hunger."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How does rising CO2 affect crop production?

For decades, a network of 14 research facilities located across...

Based on three fossilized baby <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-from-ancient-rainforests-can-be-identified-in-fossil-teeth/">teeth</a>, researchers at the <a href="https://www.unibo.it/it">Università di Bologna</a> have discovered that Neanderthals raised their children much like we do today. The team found that Neanderthal children were surprisingly similar in how they developed and also in how they were weaned off their mother's milk.

"The beginning of weaning relates to physiology rather than to cultural factors," said study co-first author Alessia Nava. "In modern humans, in fact, the first introduction of solid food occurs at around 6 months of age when the child needs a more energetic food supply, and it is shared by very different cultures and societies. Now, we know that also Neanderthals started to wean their children when modern humans do."

A combination of geochemical and histological analyses of the teeth revealed that they belonged to three different Neanderthal children who lived between 70,000 and 45,000 years ago in a small area of Northeastern Italy.

Just like trees store a record of environmental data in their tree rings, teeth register information in their growth lines. Using various techniques to access this information, the scientists were able to show that the Neanderthal children had been introduced to solid foods at around 5 to 6 months of age.

"In particular, compared to other primates, it is highly conceivable that the high energy demand of the growing human brain triggers the early introduction of solid foods in child diet," said study co-first author Federico Lugli.

Despite the fact that Neanderthals are closely related to Homo Sapiens, there has been a lot of uncertainty regarding their pace of growth and early life metabolic constraints.

"This work's results imply similar energy demands during early infancy and a close pace of growth between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. Taken together, these factors possibly suggest that Neanderthal newborns were of similar weight to modern human neonates, pointing to a likely similar gestational history and early-life ontogeny, and potentially shorter inter-birth interval," explained study co-senior author Stefano Benazzi.

The three baby teeth analyzed for the study were found between the modern-day provinces of Vicenza and Verona in the Broion Cave, Fumane Cave and the De Nadale Cave. Using time-resolved strontium isotope analysis, the scientists collected data on the movement of these particular Neanderthals.

"They were less mobile than previously suggested by other scholars," said study co-senior author Wolfgang Müller. "The strontium isotope signature registered in their teeth indicates in fact that they have spent most of the time close to their home: this reflects a very modern mental template and a likely thoughtful use of local resources."

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

Neanderthal children were raised like modern humans

Based on three fossilized baby teeth, researchers at the Università...

Artificial night lighting is causing widespread impacts to wildlife, according to researchers at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. The team analyzed more than 100 relevant studies and found consistent evidence of physical and behavioral changes in animals, particularly related to their hormone levels and sleep-wake cycles.

In every animal species studied, levels of the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin were reduced by exposure to artificial lights.

The researchers said that artificial night lighting has a diverse range of effects across the natural world, and should be limited whenever possible.

"Lots of studies have examined the impacts of artificial night-time lighting on particular species or communities of species," said study co-author Professor Kevin Gaston. "Our research brings those studies together - and we find the effects are very diverse and very pervasive."

"Particularly strong responses are seen in hormone levels, the timing of daily activity in diurnal (daytime) species, and 'life-history' traits such as number of offspring."

"People may imagine this is all about powerful light, but in fact we are seeing a lot of responses at quite low levels of artificial light."

Dr. Dirk Sanders said the differences were found in both animals that are active during the day and those that are active at night. 

"For rodents, which are mostly nocturnal, the duration of activity tended to be reduced by night-time lighting," said Dr. Sanders. "In contrast, for birds - with all of those included strictly diurnal - artificial light led to an extension of the duration of their activity, with singing and foraging starting earlier."

Previous studies have shown that artificial night lighting has a broad scope of impacts, ranging from reducing pollination to tricking trees into budding earlier in spring.

Just like climate change, night-time lighting appears to benefit some species in certain locations, but Professor Gaston said the clear message of the study is to reduce lighting where possible.

"Both climate change and night-time lighting are human-driven and enormously disruptive to the natural world. Historically, we have not really worried about the impact of night-time lighting. Only now are we discovering its wide-ranging effects," said Professor Gaston.

"Our study shows that we should, as a matter of principle, only use night-time lighting where we need it and no further, and at intensities that we need and no more. In effect, we need to view light like any other pollutant."

"Obviously it would be ridiculous to say 'switch the world's lights off' - but we could reduce our use of light immensely with absolutely no impact on ourselves."

Professor Gaston is the scientific advisor on an upcoming natural history series called Earth at Night in Colour, which will be released on Apple TV+ on December 4th.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Artificial night lighting is disrupting the natural world

Artificial night lighting is causing widespread impacts to wildlife, according...

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