Coral,Ocean,Conservation,-,Growing,Corals,On,Shallow,Reef,Nursery

The ocean is in trouble. Two-thirds of our coastal regions have already been altered or damaged. Fishing methods that drag gear across the ocean floor, known as bottom-contact fisheries, disturb nearly 5 million square kilometers of marine habitat every year requiring eventual restoration. 



And that's just one piece of the puzzle. Marine litter and chemical pollutants are adding more pressure. These intrusions interfere with natural processes that sustain life in the ocean, and biodiversity is paying the price.



Oil and gas drilling is typically limited in space, but when something goes wrong - like the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ghosts-of-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill-still-haunt-the-ecosystem/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deepwater Horizon spill</a> in 2010 - the consequences ripple across the deep sea for years. Now, seabed mining is poised to enter the scene. The Pacific’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone is one of many deep-sea regions that could be affected as this industry grows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-protection-isn-t-enough">Ocean protection isn’t enough</h2>



The UN Agenda 2030 sets a bold goal: protect 30% of the ocean by the end of the decade. Scientists from the University of Naples and the <a href="https://www.univpm.it/Entra/Universita_Politecnica_delle_Marche_Home/L/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Polytechnic University of Marche</a>, working through EU-funded projects like CLIMAREST and REDRESS, are developing strategies to support this goal. 



However, the researchers noted that protection alone won’t be enough. “This target may be insufficient to reverse current declines in specific habitats and overall ecosystem functionality,” said Roberto Danovaro, project coordinator of REDRESS.



To truly help <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/overfishing-and-habitat-degradation-have-devastated-marine-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine ecosystems</a> recover, we need more than just protected zones. Restoration must be part of the solution. That means actively reintroducing the very organisms that build marine habitats - such as seagrasses, mangroves, kelp, corals, and cold-water animal forests.



“Several coastal habitats need to be restored for their crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and sustaining ecosystem processes in the ocean,” said Professor Simonetta Fraschetti. Letting nature recover on its own - called passive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/restoration-of-underwater-seaweed-forests-offers-hope-for-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restoration</a> - can work, but it’s a slow road. In some cases, full recovery could take up to 200 years.



That’s especially true for habitats where the key species take decades to establish themselves. “Active restoration measures, such as stabilizing the seafloor and planting organisms, can significantly accelerate recovery,” said Cristina Gambi, project manager for REDRESS.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-restoration-works">Ocean restoration works </h2>



The idea of marine restoration might seem new, but it’s already been tested many times. In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers reviewed 764 marine restoration projects around the world.



The results? A 64% average success rate. Restoration efforts have succeeded across many environments, from shallow coastal areas to the deep sea, with especially strong results for coral reefs and habitats built by foundation species like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salt-marshes-are-enormously-valuable-for-coastal-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">saltmarshes</a>.



“In this work, we show that the development of new approaches to marine ecosystem restoration enables expansion of efforts over larger spatial scales and even within impacted areas, as demonstrated by an increasing number of success stories showing the effective recovery of diverse habitat types,” said Fraschetti.



These stories matter. They prove that ocean floor restoration isn’t just possible - ecosystems and the vast marine life can thrive again. 



“Success stories from marine ecosystem restoration are crucial to motivate society and private enterprises to invest. We need to show that these efforts can meet the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration targets,” noted Danovaro.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-ocean-restoration">Rethinking ocean restoration </h2>



Another major takeaway from the research: you don’t have to wait for perfect conditions to begin restoration. In fact, restoring even the most degraded sites can still produce meaningful results.



According to Danovaro, this changes how we should think about restoration. Rather than postponing action until threats are reduced, we should begin work immediately. Early ocean floor restoration can give us faster returns and buy time for long-term solutions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-a-project-succeed">What makes a project succeed?</h2>



To figure out what drives restoration success, the researchers studied 618 case studies. They identified four main factors that made the biggest difference.



First, the specific methods used for restoration had the strongest impact on whether a project succeeded. How the restoration was carried out mattered more than any other single factor.



Second, ongoing maintenance after the restoration began played a crucial role. Continued care and support for the restored <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/top-marine-predators-may-suffer-massive-habitat-loss-by-2100/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat</a> - often in partnership with local fishers and dive centers - significantly improved outcomes.



Third, careful selection of the restoration site was essential. Projects fared better when located in areas with strong ecological connectivity, natural protection from physical disturbances like storms and wave action, and environments that offered refuge to species sensitive to climate change.



Finally, the creation of buffer zones around the restored area helped reduce human pressure. Establishing marine protected areas or fishery-restricted zones near the project sites often contributed to higher success rates.



But restoration doesn’t always go to plan. When conditions were unsuitable, extreme weather struck, or the wrong methods or species were used, some projects failed entirely.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-restoration-three-types-of-support">Ocean restoration: Three types of support </h2>



Success in the water depends on strong support on land. According to the team, every restoration project relies on three essential types of support.



First, policy support is critical. This includes the creation and enforcement of laws and regulations that prioritize the restoration of damaged habitats. International efforts like the UN's ecosystem restoration targets and regional initiatives such as the EU’s Nature Restoration Law play a central role in setting the direction.



Second, economic support is necessary to fund restoration efforts. While governments currently provide the bulk of this funding, private companies are beginning to recognize the value of investing in ecosystem repair. These investments not only benefit the environment but also create new job opportunities and encourage eco-friendly innovation.



Third, technology support is vital. Advances in tools and scalable restoration methods are making it more practical to restore a wider range of marine habitats across different regions of the world.



“All these types of support are crucial for successful marine ecosystem restoration and really needed considering present degradation state of our marine ecosystems,” concluded Fraschetti.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57254-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Ocean floor restoration could make or break 2030 goals

The ocean is in trouble. Two-thirds of our coastal regions have already been altered or damaged. Fishing methods that drag gear across the ocean floor, known as bottom-contact fisheries, disturb nearly 5 million square kilometers of marine habitat every year requiring eventual restoration. And that's just one piece of the puzzle. Marine litter and chemical pollutants are adding more pressure. These intrusions interfere with natural processes that sustain life in the ocean, and biodiversity is paying the price. Oil and gas drilling is typically limited in space,...

In 1953, the Urey-Miller experiment replicated the atmospheric conditions that may have been present on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/early-earth-life-planets/">early Earth</a> in an attempt to identify the chemical origin of life. The study confirmed that organic compounds, including amino acids, could have formed spontaneously under the simulated conditions. 

On the other hand, just because these molecules had the potential to form does not mean that they actually did. 

A new study from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> may help to finally unravel this mystery. The researchers have produced evidence that interactions between just two small molecules, hydrogen cyanide and water, could have given rise to most of the important precursors of RNA and proteins.

The 1953 experiment was based on the potential role of lightning in forming the building blocks of life. The team simulated lightning by running electrical sparks through a flask containing water, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen. These simple chemicals, which were present on early Earth, reacted to form hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, and other compounds that reacted further to make amino acids and biomolecules. 

However, many scientists now believe that the hazy atmosphere that lingered over our planet roughly four billion years ago would have made it difficult for high-energy photons, like those found in lightning, to reach the Earth's surface. 

A team of scientists led by Kumar Vanka theorized that heat from the boiling hot ocean waters of the time could have driven the chemical reactions instead of lightning. To investigate, the researchers used an advanced tool that simulates how mixtures of molecules react and form new molecules. 

The study revealed that hydrogen cyanide, which was present in Earth's early oceans, could have created the molecules necessary to produce the amino acid glycine and the precursors of RNA when mixed with water. 

According to the ACS team, these reactions were both thermodynamically and kinetically feasible. In other words, they did not require a lot of energy or metal catalysts. The researchers said that the findings open up the possibility of interesting new potential pathways for the chemical origin of life. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/centralscience">ACS Central Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/HelenField

Origins of life may be traced to two simple molecules in a boiling hot ocean

In 1953, the Urey-Miller experiment replicated the atmospheric conditions that...

Magma is not the driving force behind Yellowstone’s supervolcano. The force behind Yellowstone’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earthquakes-yellowstone-supervolcano/">supervolcano</a> has been long debated, with most scientists arguing that the volatility of this region is driven by a magma plume. Dr. Ying Zhou, a geoscientist at <a href="https://vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a>, has found that the history of the Yellowstone volcano is much different than what has been previously assumed.

“In this research, there was no evidence of heat coming directly up from the Earth's core to power the surface volcano at Yellowstone,” said Dr. Zhou. 

“Instead, the underground images we captured suggest that Yellowstone volcanoes were produced by a gigantic ancient oceanic plate that dove under the Western United States about 30 million years ago. This ancient oceanic plate broke into pieces, resulting in perturbations of unusual rocks in the mantle which led to volcanic eruptions in the past 16 million years.”


Dr. Zhou explained that the eruptions were very explosive. After creating X-ray-like images of the seismic region, she discovered an irregular structure somewhere between 250 to 400 miles below the Yellowstone Caldera, which is located in the Rocky Mountains.

“This evidence was in direct contradiction to the plume model,” said Dr. Zhou.

Images of the Earth's deep interior showed that the oceanic Farallon plate, which was once where the Pacific Ocean is now, moved beneath the present-day western United States. 

The ancient plate was broken into pieces, and part of the subducted oceanic plate began sinking deep into the Earth. As this portion of the plate sank, it gradually projected hot materials that formed the volcanoes of Yellowstone, and these volcanoes have been slowly moving ever since.

“The process started at the Oregon-Idaho border about 16 million years ago and propagated northeastward, forming a line of volcanoes that are progressively younger as they stretched northeast to present-day Wyoming,” said Dr. Zhou.


This study is unique because of its use of X-ray-like images.


“This is the first time the new imaging theory has been applied to this type of seismic data, which allowed us to see anomalous structures in the Earth’s mantle that would otherwise not be resolvable using traditional methods,” said Dr. Zhou.


The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geoscience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Magma is not the driving force behind Yellowstone’s supervolcano

Magma is not the driving force behind Yellowstone’s supervolcano. The...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> and <a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/">Cardiff University</a> have found that acknowledging people's spiritual, magical, and cultural beliefs could help to better protect endangered species. The report mentions both positive and negative impacts that mythical creatures have had on conservation efforts in countries including Madagascar, Iceland, Scotland, and Tanzania

"It is difficult to predict how magical creatures can affect conservation goals,” said lead author Dr. George Holmes. “There are examples of myths and superstitions seriously harming the survival of certain species, and examples where they actually help species to survive."

Dr. Holmes explained that conservationists often disregard magical animals and view them as “irrational beliefs.”

"What we need is a more interdisciplinary approach to conservation that helps us to understand the interactions between humans and both living and magical biodiversity,” said Dr. Holmes.

A big part of Madagascar's culture centers around spiritual beliefs of mythical animals. These beliefs are connected with local taboos, which can result in protection for species. For example, taboos have been linked to a historically low prevalence of bushmeat hunting in this region. Taboos have also helped to prevent the extinction of the radiated tortoise, an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/us-mexico-border-wall-threaten-100-endangered-species/">endangered species</a> that the people of Madagascar will not harm out of superstition.


On the other hand, taboos in Madagascar have led to the persecution of animals as well. The aye-aye is believed to be evil, predicting the death or sickness of someone in the village. Some people even think that aye-ayes sneak into houses and murder people in the night. The locals believe that aye-ayes must be killed and displayed on roadside poles in order to prevent bad luck. As a result, this species is endangered.

The study reveals that some magical creatures actually protect living animals that share the same habitats. For example, the construction of a new highway in Iceland was contested because it would cross through the territory of the Icelandic elves, or Huldufólk.

The Loch Ness Monster has helped draw in revenue for the conservation and management of the land in Scotland. 350,000 people visited the site of the mythical creature in 2015 alone.

"We really need to open up a discussion about how fantastic beasts can affect our ability to conserve the natural world, because there are no simple cases,” explained co-author Dr. Thomas Smith.

"Further research into the impact of magical creatures on conservation and local people is required if we are to effectively conserve the world's endangered species,” added Dr. Holmes.

The study is published today in the journal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oryx">Oryx</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Spiritual beliefs about animals can help or hurt conservation

Researchers from the University of Leeds and Cardiff University have...

It is extremely difficult and expensive for scientists to observe <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/coral-equator-bleaching/">coral reefs</a>, especially those in remote locations that are not easy to access. But now, researchers are describing a mysterious phenomenon that could make it possible to monitor the health of coral reefs from space.

Coral reef are often surrounded by very large “halos” made up of bare sand that are hundreds to thousands of square meters. Two recent studies and a feature story led by Professor Elizabeth Madin of the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawaii at Manoa</a> are providing new insight into these remarkable natural barriers. 

For decades, scientists have attributed reef halos to fish who hide from predators in patches of coral, yet venture out to eat the grass and algae surrounding the reef. The new research has identified additional factors that are giving rise to the halos.

For example, Madin's team found that marine reserves dramatically shape the vegetation patterns in coral reef ecosystems, contributing to the “halo” effect. According to the researchers, this finding indicates that marine reserves have even greater impacts on coral reef seascapes than previously realized.

In an article published recently in <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a>, Madin explained that if the halos were being formed by small fish who were afraid of being attacked, the number of predators would influence where the halos emerge and how big they are. “With fewer predators, you would expect the grazing fish to be less fearful and so venture further from the reef, resulting in wider halos.”

However, satellite imagery showed there was no difference in the size of the halos inside and outside of no-fishing marine reserves. On the other hand, the team noted that the reef halos were significantly more likely to occur in marine reserves.

A separate study revealed that the species interactions driving these halos are more complex than previously assumed. Madin and her colleagues found that, in addition to the plant-eating fishes known to play a role in halo formation, invertebrate-eating fishes that dig in the sand for prey were disrupting the algae around the edges of the sand circles and making them bigger.

Collectively, the studies show that the presence and size of halos could be used to predict reef ecosystem health.

[caption id="attachment_1871686" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/heron-island.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1871686" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/heron-island.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="488" /></a> Heron Island and lagoon, Australia. Image Copyright: DigitalGlobe[/caption]

“We urgently need more cost- and time-efficient ways of monitoring such reefs,” said Madin. “Our work couples freely-available satellite imagery, with traditional field-based experiments and observations, to start to unravel the mystery of what the globally-widespread patterns of 'halos' around coral reefs can tell us about how reef ecosystems may be changing over space and/or time due to fisheries or marine reserves.”

“This will therefore pave the way for the development of a novel, technology-based solution to the challenge of monitoring large areas of coral reef and enable management of healthy reef ecosystems and sustainable fisheries.”

The research is published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a> and in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a>.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: CNES/Airbus; DigitalGlobe

Reef halos allow experts to monitor coral health from space

It is extremely difficult and expensive for scientists to observe...

Historic volcanic eruption helped convert Iceland to Christianity. Researchers used medieval texts and an epic Icelandic poem to help confirm the chronology and impact of one of the largest lava flood eruptions in history. 

The poem, which describes apocalyptic imagery and the end of pagan gods in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-iceland-sells-risky-seismic-activity-tourist-attraction/">Iceland</a>, may have been used as a way to help drive the conversion to Christianity in that region. 

A team of scientists and medieval historians led by the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> studied ice cores and tree ring data to gauge when a major medieval eruption of Eldgjá in Iceland occurred in the 10th century. 

Although texts from all over the world describe events caused by a huge eruption, it had been unclear exactly when it occurred.

The study, published in the journal Climate Change, accurately dates the eruption and shows how the famous medieval poem used imagery of the eruption and help convert people to Christianity.

The eruption of the Eldgjá caused a lava flood totaling around two cubic kilometers.

The researchers were able to determine from ice core records in Greenland that the eruption of the Eldgjá began in the spring of 939 and continued through the autumn of 940. 

“This places the eruption squarely within the experience of the first two or three generations of Iceland's settlers,” said Clive Oppenheimer, the study’s first author. “Some of the first wave of migrants to Iceland, brought over as children, may well have witnessed the eruption.”

The impact of the eruption was felt all over Europe, in parts of Asia, and the Middle East. A haze of sulfurous dust spread across Europe, and the researchers confirmed this with Irish, German, and Italian texts citing a blood-red, weakened sun. 

The eruption and dust layer also caused cooling, droughts, famine, and a high number of fatalities all over the world. 

“Human suffering in the wake of Eldgjá was widespread. From northern Europe to northern China, people experienced long, hard winters and severe spring-summer drought,” said Tim Newfield, a co-author of the research. “Locust infestations and livestock mortalities occurred. Famine did not set in everywhere, but in the early 940s we read of starvation and vast mortality in parts of Germany, Iraq, and China.”

Although there are no surviving texts from Iceland itself that document of the eruption, the researchers used lines from the famous poem Voluspá ('The prophecy of the seeress') to show what the eruption was like for early Icelandic settlers. 

The poem dates back to 961 and describes an apocalyptic event that signaled the end of the of pagan gods in exchange for one god. 

The researchers theorize that the poem purposely invoked memories of the Eldgjá eruption to help drive a mass conversion to Christianity. 

“The poem's interpretation as a prophecy of the end of the pagan gods and their replacement by the one, singular god, suggests that memories of this terrible volcanic eruption were purposefully provoked to stimulate the Christianisation of Iceland,” said Oppenheimer. 

---

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Clive Oppenheimer

Historic volcanic eruption helped convert Iceland to Christianity

Historic volcanic eruption helped convert Iceland to Christianity. Researchers used...

A new study published by <a href="https://www.biomedcentral.com/">Biomed Central</a> has found that traffic noise may be linked to an increased rate of telomere loss, which accelerates the aging process, in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/zebra-finches-sing-sleep/">Zebra finches</a> that have left the nest. 

Telomeres are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that prevent damage to DNA strands during cell division. The shortening of telomeres indicates accelerated biological aging.

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.orn.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for Ornithology</a> and <a href="https://www.ndsu.edu/">North Dakota State University</a> teamed up to investigate the effect of traffic noise on the telomere length of offspring Zebra finches. 

The study revealed that Zebra finches who had been exposed to traffic noise after leaving the nest had shorter telomeres at 120 days than finches with less or no exposure.


“Our study suggests that urban noise alone, independent from the many other aspects of city life, such as light pollution or chemical pollution, is associated with increased telomere loss and may contribute to aging in Zebra finches,” said study co-author Dr. Adriana Dorado-Correa.  

“Our study is a first step towards identifying the causal mechanisms that may account for differences in life span observed between birds living in urban or rural environments.”

Dr. Sue Anne Zollinger added: “Cellular aging as a result of urban stressors is something that may not have a very visible impact, but our study indicates that although birds may seem to be adapting to life in noisy cities, they may actually be aging faster.” 

“It may be important to consider developmental stages in birds when studying the effects of urbanization, as the mechanisms by which these human-induced habitat changes impact individuals may change throughout their lifetime.”


The study results suggest that birds are more vulnerable to noise between 18 and 120 days after hatching. For Zebra finches, in particular, this is the time in life when they begin learning songs, which could make them more sensitive to noise.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://frontiersinzoology.biomedcentral.com/">Frontiers in Zoology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Traffic noise can speed up the aging process for some birds

A new study published by Biomed Central has found that...

Solar heated surface waters are melting the world’s largest ice shelf. The Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica is the largest ice platform in the world, covering an area about the size of France. An international team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> has now discovered that the massive ice shelf is melting ten times faster than what was previously realized due to the inflow of warm surface waters in the surrounding ocean. 

“The stability of ice shelves is generally thought to be related to their exposure to warm deep ocean water, but we've found that solar heated surface water also plays a crucial role in melting ice shelves,” explained study first author Dr. Craig Stewart. Solar heated surface waters are melting the world’s largest ice shelf

Over the course of four years, the scientists investigated how the northwest region of the ice shelf interacts with the ocean beneath it. The Ross Ice Shelf stabilizes the West Antarctic ice sheet by blocking ice that flows in from some of the world's largest <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/microplastic-pollution-remote-glaciers/">glaciers</a>.

“Previous studies have shown that when ice shelves collapse, the feeding glaciers can speed up by a factor or two or three,” said study co-author Dr. Poul Christoffersen. “The difference here is the sheer size of Ross Ice Shelf, which over one hundred times larger than the ice shelves we've already seen disappear.”

By deploying instruments through a 260 meter-deep borehole, the team collected data on temperature, salinity, melt rates, and ocean currents in the cavity under the ice. The researchers also used an extremely precise radar system to survey the changing thickness of the ice shelf. 

The study revealed that solar heated surface water flows into the cavity under the ice shelf near Ross Island and nearly triples the rate of ice melt during the summer months. The findings suggest that the forward section of the ice shelf will melt more quickly in response to changes in the uppermost layer of the ocean than what has been expected. 

“Climate change is likely to result in less sea ice, and higher surface ocean temperatures in the Ross Sea, suggesting that melt rates in this region will increase in the future,” said Dr. Stewart.

The rapid melting identified in the study is taking place beneath a thin and structurally important part of the ice shelf, where the ice pushes against Ross Island. This contact with the island slows the flow of the entire ice shelf.

“The observations we made at the front of the ice shelf have direct implications for many large glaciers that flow into the ice shelf, some as far as 900 km away,” said Dr. Christoffersen.

The researchers emphasized that the study results do not mean that the ice shelf is currently unstable. The research has, however, identified the Ross Island pinning point as a site of future vulnerability.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geoscience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Poul Christoffersen

Solar heated surface waters are melting the world’s largest ice shelf

Solar heated surface waters are melting the world’s largest ice...

After nine months, biodegradable plastic bags disintegrated – if they were left out in the open air. But after three years underwater or buried in soil, they’re still capable of carrying a load of groceries, according to researchers at the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a>.

“For a biodegradable bag to be able to do that was the most surprising,” said research fellow Imogen Napper, who led the study. “When you see something labelled in that way, I think you automatically assume it will degrade more quickly than conventional bags. But, after three years at least, our research shows that might not be the case."

Napper and her team studied five types of plastic bags readily available in retail stores in the United Kingdom, including biodegradable plastic bags and conventional plastic bags. They placed some of the bags out in the open air, buried some in dirt, and simulated marine conditions for the rest. 

They monitored the bags regularly, taking note of changes in tensile strength, texture, chemical structure and loss of surface area to disintegration.

The researchers found that all of the bags disintegrated after nine months in the open air. None of the bags disintegrated after 27 months in the soil, and only the compostable bags came apart in the marine environment, after three months. 

Plastic bags have become a major problem in Earth’s oceans. In February 2017, a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dying-whale-found-plastic-bags/">dying whale</a> was found with 30 plastic bags in its digestive system. A plastic bag was spotted in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mariana-trench-plastic-trash/">Mariana Trench</a>, 36,000 feet deep, in May 2018.

"This research raises a number of questions about what the public might expect when they see something labelled as biodegradable,” said Dr. Richard Thompson, head of the university’s International Marine Litter Research Unit. “We demonstrate here that the materials tested did not present any consistent, reliable and relevant advantage in the context of marine litter. It concerns me that these novel materials also present challenges in recycling.”

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b06984">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>. 

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Biodegradable plastic bags may not be so eco-friendly

After nine months, biodegradable plastic bags disintegrated – if they...

When we think of the main contributors to carbon storage within our planet’s forests, we’re generally thinking about the trees – but what if I told you the most carbon storage occurs under our feet? 

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unsuitable-soils-stop-plants/">soil</a> on Earth’s surface holds roughly twice as much carbon as the planet’s atmosphere. Unfortunately, this enormous reservoir of carbon stored in soil is entering Earth’s atmosphere at an alarming rate. In a new study in <a href="https://www.nature.com/nature/">Nature</a>, researchers have found that this process is only speeding up as the Earth warms, and is occurring at a faster rate than that which plants are taking in carbon through photosynthesis.

So how is this carbon that’s been stored in the soil being released due to increasing temperatures? It’s all due to microbes and how they react to warmer temperatures. The microbes are bacteria that live in the soil and eat detritus such as dead leaves and logs. This food contains carbon, and when bacteria eat decaying leaves or fungi break down a fallen tree, they convert that storehouse of carbon into carbon dioxide, which then enters the Earth’s atmosphere.

The researchers determined that the rate at which microbes are transferring carbon from soil to the atmosphere has increased 1.2 percent from 1990 through 2014. Although that number may seem small, this increase on a global scale over a relatively short time period is huge. Furthermore, this finding is consistent with predictions scientists have made about how the Earth may respond to warming temperatures.

“It’s important to note that this is a finding based on observations in the real world. This is not a tightly controlled lab experiment,” explains first author Ben Bond-Lamberty of the <a href="http://www.globalchange.umd.edu/">Joint Global Change Research Institute</a>, a partnership between the University of Maryland and the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 

“Soils around the globe are responding to a warming climate, which in turn can convert more carbon into carbon dioxide which enters the atmosphere. Depending on how other components of the carbon cycle might respond due to climate warming, these soil changes can potentially contribute to even higher temperatures due to a feedback loop.”

The study used two global science networks paired with satellite observations to assess a wide swath of data. The Global Soil Respiration Database contains data on soil respiration from over 1,500 studies around the world, and FLUXNET takes data from more than 500 towers globally that record information on temperature, rainfall, and other factors. “Most studies that address this question look at one individual site which we understand very well,” says study author Vanessa Bailey, a soil scientist. 

“This study asks the question on a global scale. We’re talking about a huge quantity of carbon. Microbes exert an outsize influence on the world that is very hard to measure on such a large scale.”

It’s hard to imagine that something so small can cause such a drastic effect on an entire planet. But it’s clear that our own greenhouse gas emissions aren’t all we need to worry about in this warming climate, other life forms have joined in the cause as well.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Warming temperatures have Earth’s soil expelling more CO2

When we think of the main contributors to carbon storage...

Climate change is making droughts hotter and more intense. Even in the face devastating wildfires sweeping through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carr-fire-california/">California</a>, Greece, and even the Arctic Circle, many still refuse to acknowledge the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/31/california-wildfire-climate-change-carr-fire">impacts of climate change over the years</a>. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://uci.edu/">University of California Irvine</a> shows how heat waves and drought are connected, revealing that dry, hot months in the summer are only getting hotter and drier due to climate change. 

The results, published in the journal Science Advances, show that the increased devastation of wildfires, the long stretches of record-breaking heat waves, and an increase in droughts and weather extremes are not random freak occurrences, but a stark forecast for the future. 

During droughts, soil moisture and plant water stores are quickly used up causing vegetation to die off and watersheds to deplete. 

The researchers found that in recent decades, temperatures during droughts are rising faster than in past years because of changes in atmospheric water vapor which only exacerbates drought conditions. 

“Available soil moisture can remove surface heat through evaporation, but if the land is dry, there is no opportunity to transport it away, which increases the local temperature,” said Felicia Chiang, the lead author of the study. “Atmospheric conditions can influence soil, and we argue that they're shaping the temperatures we experience during droughts.”

The researchers analyzed temperature and precipitation data collected through the 20th century and discovered that areas in the United States prone to droughts warmed four times faster than regions in the southern and northeastern parts of the country.

Warmer temperatures mean more droughts and heat-waves which increases the risk of wildfires. This is a well-documented pattern we have seen around the world in recent years. 

“Heat waves and droughts have significant impacts on their own, but when they occur simultaneously, their negative effects are greatly compounded,” said Amir AghaKouchak, a co-author of the study. “Both phenomena, which are intensifying due to climate warming, are expected to have increasingly harmful consequences for agriculture, infrastructure, and human health.”

The study explains exactly how droughts and climate change are interconnected and that unless more is done to mitigate climate change, we will only see an increase in extreme weather events, heat waves, droughts and with it devastating wildfires. 

“The observed escalation in the number and intensity of wildfires is likely caused by the increase in frequency of hot droughts,” said AghaKouchak. “We need to bolster our resiliency against these threats to protect our population health, food supply and critical infrastructure.”

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Amir AghaKouchak / UCI

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Climate change is making droughts hotter and more intense

Climate change is making droughts hotter and more intense. Even...

Warming temperatures linked to rise in Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness commonly found in North America, but it may soon become even more common. 

According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/humancases.html">Centers for Disease Control</a>, approximately 30,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, a sharp increase from the 10,000 cases reported in 1991. 

Over the past few years, Lyme disease has been on the rise, and research shows that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a> may be responsible. The increase in temperature and humidity creates perfect conditions for tricks to thrive in some parts of the country, and more ticks equal more carriers of Lyme disease. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.cmu.edu/">Carnegie Mellon University </a>conducted a study examining the connection between Lyme disease and changes in climate in the 15 states where Lyme disease cases are concentrated in the US. 

The results, published in the Canadian Journal of Infectious Disease and Medical Microbiology, show that rising temperatures could increase the number of Lyme disease cases by more than 20 percent by the mid-century 

“A sizable increase in the incidence of cases of Lyme disease in the United States due to climate change is imminent,” said Edson Severnini, a co-author of the study. “Our findings should alert clinicians, public health professionals, and policymakers, as well as the general public.”

The researchers focused on the states that have the highest incidence of Lyme disease to see how climate changes would impact ticks and their ability to spread disease in those regions. 

Epidemiologic data collected from 568 counties as well as meteorological data from the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> were analyzed for the study. 

The <a href="https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/">US National Climate Assessment</a> predicts that temperatures will rise by two degrees Celsius by 2065 and the researchers discovered that this would increase Lyme disease cases. 

If temperatures rise as projected, there will 8.6 more cases of Lyme disease per 100,000 people each year.  

“Tick-borne diseases are an important public health concern, and the incidence of these infections is increasing in the United States and worldwide,” said Igor Dumic, the leader of the study. “Lyme disease is a classic example of the link between environmental factors and the occurrence and spread of disease.”
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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Warming temperatures linked to rise in Lyme disease

Warming temperatures linked to rise in Lyme disease. Lyme disease...

A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)</a> shows how air pollution and smoke from human activities affect clouds and rainfall. 

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications examines how pollution and smoke impact deep convective clouds like thunderclouds. 

The researchers <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7244&amp;utm_source=iContact&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=nasajpl&amp;utm_content=daily20180924">discovered</a> that high levels of smoke in the atmosphere hinder deep convective cloud development, but <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-intelligence/">pollution</a> helps the clouds form, provided there are only moderate pollution levels in the atmosphere. 

The team used observational data from two satellites, the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) and CloudSat, which orbited the Earth on the same track very close together.

The satellites offered researchers a unique, in-depth look at pollution levels and cloud formation around the world. 

Convective clouds are formed by warm air rising but it was not well understood how human activities like pollution or smoke from wildfires affect precipitation and cloud growth. 

That’s where the satellites come in. From 2006 until this year, the CALIPSO and CloudSat orbited the Earth, one measuring aerosols like smoke and pollution while the other measured cloud locations and heights. 

The researchers went through the two data sets and chose a specific consecutive five year period to analyze in order to better understand the impact of pollution on cloud formation. 

While some aerosols are crucial for cloud formation, too many pollutants can hinder cloud growth.

The researchers also found that because smoke particles block out the sun, preventing moisture from evaporating, it prevents clouds from forming. 

Like smoke blocking out the sun, the team also discovered that that high levels of pollution creates a similar atmospheric effect and hinders cloud growth. 

The same could not be said for dust particles though, the data showed there was simply too much variation on dust aerosols in the atmosphere depending on the location, and in some places cloud growth benefitted where in others, cloud development was suppressed.  

The study helps shed light on the important relationship between human activities and cloud growth and precipitation which could help improve future climate models and provide more incentive to reduce pollution. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jackfrench/32332780/in/photolist-3RHpJ-jS2P2o-4FMNkz-4FRY7h-b3aWyr-mjsSN6-aMhaSK-21vQDtP-ntkKWx-4FMNqc-gcjZkJ-QMv99N-dRhjPm-294wpv2-eF4jxP-ehNsHV-dRbLWM-5tNVjb-rbo5Bw-6uQbaX-9dUuc5-qFVyhV-4FVBdp-iC2RW2-9BSs7X-eF4jRV-5iPMK4-mJAdsQ-haWeNh-nfSmjn-eJpeeP-arui9v-pdpBA8-mHJnc4-c1brCo-fquwkN-fBjPt4-eRLxH1-dPuGGx-p9w2jA-cZNSvU-9rTB2x-ov1BHP-4DPtFh-24EcoRd-4YMsG4-aZvRBp-4AJR2x-bXJBuC-qse6b">Jack French</a>/CC BY-NC 2.0

Pollution and smoke can have a big impact on cloud formation

A new study conducted by researchers from the NASA's Jet...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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