Hotter summers are not just uncomfortable, they also changing the odds of getting sick from food. A new analysis links warmer air, higher moisture, specific dewpoint ranges, and longer daylight to spikes in Salmonella infections across two European countries. 



The team showed that risk climbs when average temperatures rise above about 50°F and days stretch past 12 to 15 hours.



Lead author <a href="https://www.londonntd.org/research/researchers/laura-c-gonzalez-villeta" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Laura C. González Villeta</a> of the University of Surrey’s <a href="https://www.surrey.ac.uk/school-veterinary-medicine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School of Veterinary Medicine</a> led work that tied laboratory confirmed Salmonella cases to local weather conditions using a transparent statistical approach.



The bacteria called Salmonella cause <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15697-salmonella" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food poisoning</a> that often brings diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Common symptoms usually start within hours to a few days and most people recover without treatment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-salmonella-and-the-weather">Salmonella and the weather</h2>



Researchers linked daily case counts from the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UK Health Security Agency</a> to detailed weather from the <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Met Office</a>, then checked the model with national surveillance data from the Netherlands. 



They examined 14 factors, including temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, sunshine, and dewpoint temperature.



Instead of forcing a complex equation to fit the data, the group calculated a conditional incidence that directly describes how often cases occur when specific combinations of weather are present. 



That method lets you see which trio of conditions lines up with higher infection counts without hiding the signal inside a black box.



The approach showed consistency when moved from one country to another after accounting for reporting differences. That matters because public <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/to-get-fit-and-stay-healthy-walk-this-exact-distance-every-day/">health</a> tools work best when they travel across borders without losing accuracy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-model-found">What the model found</h2>



Risk rose when average air temperatures topped roughly 50°F, day length sat between 12 and 15 hours, and dewpoint hovered around the mid 40s to about 50°F. The same pattern appeared regardless of location.



Not every weather knob seemed important. Wind speed, air pressure, and sunshine duration had little or no association with reported cases in this dataset.



Seasonal peaks in late summer were reproduced when the model fed on local weather. That gave officials a way to anticipate risk based on last week’s skies rather than waiting for lab reports to trickle in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-weather-boosts-salmonella">How weather boosts Salmonella</h2>



Broader evidence lines up with these findings. A large <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11530612/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meta-analysis</a> of 23 Salmonella studies found about a 5 percent rise in risk for every 1.8°F increase in temperature.



Europe’s outbreak history shows why this topic matters. In 2018, nearly one in three foodborne outbreaks in the European Union were caused by Salmonella, according to an EFSA <a href="https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/salmonella-most-common-cause-foodborne-outbreaks-european-union" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>.



That baseline risk has not disappeared in recent years. Surveillance summaries still identify Salmonella as a leading cause of foodborne outbreaks across the region, with eggs and mixed foods often involved, as noted in EFSA’s public <a href="https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/7666" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">publication</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-public-health">What this means for public health</h2>



“The study highlights how weather plays a significant role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-are-overlooked-sources-of-antibiotic-resistant-salmonella/">Salmonella</a> outbreaks and provides a valuable tool for predicting future risks and tailoring interventions, particularly in the context of climate change,” said Dr. Villeta. The work is not just about describing patterns.&nbsp;



Weather aware forecasting can help agencies time inspections, target hygiene messaging, and plan surge capacity when the odds of illness tick up. 



Food businesses can also adjust cold chain checks, staff training, and consumer advice when riskier conditions line up.



Individuals are not powerless either. Keep cold foods cold, cook poultry and eggs to safe temperatures, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, and wash hands and surfaces, especially when the air is warm and the day runs long.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-tech-forecasting-tools">High-tech forecasting tools</h2>



Most forecasting tools lean on regression or time series fits that struggle with tangled, non linear interactions. 



The conditional incidence approach shows how combinations of temperature, humidity, and daylight align with cases, which is easier to interpret and to explain.



That clarity helps separate what drives risk from noise. It also allows public health teams to identify factor combinations that do not explain much, saving effort where it will not pay off.



Model outputs replicated real world peaks and mapped risk at fine spatial scales. That is the level where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childrens-screen-time-shapes-their-mental-health-as-teens/">health</a> departments and food producers make day to day choices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limits-and-next-steps">Limits and next steps</h2>



The model tracks reported cases, which understate total infections. Even so, de trending and validation across two countries suggest the weather signals are real.



Future tests in different climates and income settings would show how far the method travels. Adding data on livestock density, land use, and consumer behavior could sharpen predictions without losing transparency.



Better early warnings do not replace basic food safety, but they can make those steps more timely. That is useful as warmer summers and longer heat seasons become more common.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journalofinfection.com/article/S0163-4453(25)00004-0/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Infection</a>.



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Warmer weather is impacting global food supply, but not in the way you think

Hotter summers are not just uncomfortable, they also changing the odds of getting sick from food. A new analysis links warmer air, higher moisture, specific dewpoint ranges, and longer daylight to spikes in Salmonella infections across two European countries. The team showed that risk climbs when average temperatures rise above about 50°F and days stretch past 12 to 15 hours. Lead author Dr. Laura C. González Villeta of the University of Surrey’s School of Veterinary Medicine led work that tied laboratory confirmed Salmonella cases to local weather...

The regrowth of deforested areas in the Amazon is greatly limited by <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/greenland-ice-is-more-sensitive-to-climate-change-than-expected/">climate</a> and human disturbances, according to a new study from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>. Secondary forests regrow naturally on land that was previously cleared for agriculture and is now abandoned. 

The secondary forests, which help absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, develop at different rates. The researchers have identified a link between slower tree-growth and land previously scorched by fire. 

The findings suggest that there is a need for a better protection of these forests if they are to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

"Our results show the strong effects of key climate and human factors on regrowth, stressing the need to safeguard and expand secondary forest areas if they are to have any significant role in the fight against climate change," said study lead author 

Viola Heinrich.

Tropical secondary forests can absorb carbon up to 11 times faster than old-growth forests At the same time, however, many factors can influence the spatial patterns of regrowth.

The investigation was focused on a combination of satellite-derived images that can be used to detect changes in forest cover over time. This allowed the experts to identify secondary forest areas and their ages. 

The team also analyzed satellite data that can monitor important factors that influence regrowth, including aboveground carbon levels, environmental conditions, and human activities.

The study revealed that the impact of human disturbances in the past, such as fire and repeated deforestations, reduced the regrowth rate by 20 to 55 percent across different areas of the Amazon.

"Across the tropics several areas could be used to regrow forests to remove CO2 from the atmosphere," said study co-author Dr. Luiz Aragão.

"Brazil is likely to be the tropical country with the largest potential for this kind of nature-based solution, which can generate income to landowners, re-establish ecosystems services, and place the country again as a global leader in the fight against climate change."

The researchers will now focus on applying their methods to estimate the regrowth of secondary forest across the tropics.

"The findings in our study highlight the carbon benefits of forest regrowth and the negative impact of human action if these forests are not protected," concluded study co-author Dr. Jo House.

"In the run up to the 26th Conference of the Parties, this is a time when countries should be raising their climate ambitions for protecting and restoring forest ecosystems, not lowering them as Brazil seems to have done."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Secondary forests in the Amazon are limited by human activities

The regrowth of deforested areas in the Amazon is greatly...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&amp;ai=DChcSEwjDlYrDrLrvAhUXb4YKHVzfCtEYABAAGgJ2dQ&amp;agsac=jmmSWxBvXXU&amp;cit=CkUKCQjw9MuCBhDLARI0AESdglgunhBUDP9rjl09M5HJ02TvErUujUuEc5YX1umMHgLw_-HObcgngjudP5WJP_ZYwxoCYU7w_wcB&amp;ei=TotTYJq1BO6UwbkP9ce4gAc&amp;ohost=www.google.com&amp;cid=CAESQeD2QPPUM5PyrR361OHjIqP_lYIJ6KyJYm2CT_Bd2A2UnlGF1uYb2sKnmJ-cS_K0oPi6gwlb-woge3vf15dOzWww&amp;sig=AOD64_36M2vuDoh23sFOYIyNLASvC8fMgA&amp;q&amp;sqi=2&amp;adurl&amp;ved=2ahUKEwialIDDrLrvAhVuSjABHfUjDnAQ0Qx6BAgDEAE&amp;ms=CoACLWc_QSpjxUjAPTHvVluPAKxkq3-Vl2EqV809Kwk-QbAmVdJgQ_pkVELeaCXe8uqTAmCVFsh8Vi_zzSTTrheDrdiurouJZmvgNHfUEPzhhlAAFPu6hNKfLCUZafdYvUj_1A3roWIzCaEJ3ETwpvuGH5HpEym0bcFKWyVVewtlkx98CWgdITEn4dvnUbFRuT6gOFOx5fWhYMRRltmeKgsGlHh1FHoA1aqTRdyzcHgqAmg8nW9zubPoBTQCFFxfIUoVUAVAuwMiPrjEgEbSt7QXY2azInHxZnbzZNDpU_9HWh60kRMB07Oi8kps-PwFEhIRg6Mr0pIUVUGTBhThZoXHGgqAAtkQHUa5CNVI3kIhD9wn79jBQymF2qJSyueu990T3f2YB40Vi9zotyj_j_c8mrEuxicFOStN8v_MlQQDW4_46DVfZDHZ6Q1rP2-XHwr1BIO56plDAgplLP0K9-nR_OBOLnSbWHaHjfyKgWav9EzH1mJVUUErJdYg_EDXRr5rNI1dIty8KYz4JEWDgHo1Iuk1AwUo3-pD4qkO2QFduaWa-GSAzrVfp8rbIaOVuVIyEgzcv12phol7wYjPSXbgicjTmibhS0PLT16Es2M-bpKhpzcMeGNF3AvSKgdhU3VAoMOvG9frFpDlsfvrslnOURlKvvMH6VPv8F-KRDl0Wjxl3_sSEO0CH1jwNwtD_Zso96YZgWQ">Weizmann Institute of Science</a> have revealed that Australian bushfire smoke traveled around the world. The experts report that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/mapping-the-recovery-of-vegetation-after-fires/">fires</a> injected vast amounts of smoke into the stratosphere, which led to high levels of atmospheric aerosols over the Southern Hemisphere in 2020. 

According to the study, the impact of the atmospheric aerosols was comparable to what would be produced by a volcanic eruption, and caused marked cooling over cloud-free ocean regions. 

From 2019 to 2020, the Australian bushfires released millions of tons of smoke particles into the atmosphere. Most of those particles settled to the ground in a matter of days. However, the researchers found that particles from fires in one corner of the country managed to blanket the entire Southern hemisphere for months. The persistent effects of these particles is similar to what is observed following explosive volcanic eruptions, which blast aerosols high into the upper atmosphere.

In early 2020, scientists observed record-breaking levels of aerosols over the Southern Hemisphere. The aerosol concentration even  exceeded what was measured after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, the second-largest eruption of the 20th century. 

Using data from two satellite missions, study co-authors Eitan Hirsch and Ilan Koren traced the aerosols to particularly intense bushfires in southeast Australia.

The experts report that the enormous levels of wildfire smoke in the stratosphere were made possible by the intensity of the fires combined with their location within the mid-latitude cyclone belt. Here, energetic convection lifted the bushfire smoke into the stratosphere.

Once the particles were in the stratosphere, a strong current moved them eastward over the ocean to South America and back over the Indian Ocean toward Australia, explained the researchers. The particles ultimately settled around the entire hemisphere. 

"People in Chile were breathing particles from the Australian fires," said Hirsch. "By sailing on an endless air current, these particles remained airborne for much longer than lower atmosphere smoke particles."

Koren noted that for people on the ground, the air may have just seemed a bit hazier or the sunsets a bit redder. "But such a high aerosol optical depth - much, much higher than normal - means sunlight was getting blocked, just as it does after volcanic eruptions." 

"So the ultimate effect of that smoke on the atmosphere was cooling, though we still do not know how much influence that cooling and dimming may have had on the marine environment or weather patterns."

"There are always fires burning in California, in Australia and in the tropics. We might not be able to stop all of the burning, but we do need an understanding that the precise locations of those fires may grant them very different effects on our atmosphere."

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

Australian bushfire smoke made its way around the globe

Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have revealed that...

Bottlenose dolphins adjust their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/irregular-sleep-linked-to-depression-and-mood-issues/">behavior</a> to cope with coastal development, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a>. The researchers found that dolphins adapted to the construction of a bridge by establishing feeding locations outside of the construction zone, and by shifting their activities to a time of day when construction was minimal.

Overall, 47 percent of coastal marine mammal species and 51 percent of their core habitats are exposed to human disturbances. Coastal development and other human activities can cause cumulative harm to wildlife through consequences such as pollution, vessel strikes, entanglement, and debris ingestion.&nbsp;

Two of the most harmful activities to marine life are dredging and pile driving. The removal of sediment and debris from bodies of water, or dredging, is lethal to fish eggs and larvae. Pile driving causes severe noise pollution, which disrupts animals that depend on sound to navigate, forage, dodge predators, and communicate.

Due to unprecedented levels of construction, coastal zones are becoming the noisiest and most endangered ecosystems on the planet, according to the study. Bottlenose dolphins are particularly vulnerable to the cumulative effects of human activities because they are strongly tied to their coastal habitats.

Dr. Ann Weaver set out to investigate how bottlenose dolphins were impacted by a bridge replacement project in John's Pass, St Petersburg in west central Florida. The bridge replacement project occurred in two phases over a five-year period.

The construction involved dredging and pile driving and caused both light and noise pollution. The study revealed two ways in which dolphins appeared to adapt to these human activities.&nbsp;

First, the dolphins stopped using John's Pass as a feeding ground, and shifted to areas outside of the construction zone. This led to a decrease in social interactions between dolphins in that region. The behavioral changes persisted five years after construction was finalized, and never recovered.

Furthermore, during the first phase of construction, the dolphins shifted certain activities to a time in the day when construction was minimal. By the second phase of construction, the dolphins appeared to have learned to cope with human disturbance, and their behavior returned back to normal.&nbsp;

"Adaptation may also have been related in part to the way construction was managed," said Dr. Weaver. "This two-phase exposure to construction may have allowed the dolphins to become familiar with construction in the first phase and perhaps enabled them to adapt a 'new normal' during the second phase."

"These results provide a two-sided key to managing future coastal construction projects by mandating the following conservation policies. First, study the wildlife before construction begins to learn their habits. Second, apply that knowledge: Plan coastal construction activities accordingly to give them a chance to adapt and help the dolphins maintain their historic habits as much as possible."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.

---

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

Dolphins change their behavior to adapt to coastal development

Bottlenose dolphins adjust their behavior to cope with coastal development,...

A groundbreaking new study has identified areas of the ocean that could be protected to help solve the biggest global challenges of this century- the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/greenland-ice-is-more-sensitive-to-climate-change-than-expected/">climate</a>, food, and biodiversity crises. The pinpointed regions could contribute to a more abundant supply of healthy seafood; provide a cheap, natural solution to address climate change; and protect valuable habitats and wildlife.

The research, which was conducted by an international team of 26 experts, identified specific areas that have the potential to protect over 80 percent of the habitats for endangered marine species, while increasing fishing catches by more than eight million metric tons. 

"Ocean life has been declining worldwide because of overfishing, habitat destruction and climate change. Yet only 7% of the ocean is currently under some kind of protection," said study lead author Dr. Enric Sala, explorer in residence at the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/">National Geographic Society</a>.

"In this study, we've pioneered a new way to identify the places that - if strongly protected - will boost food production and safeguard marine life, all while reducing carbon emissions. It's clear that humanity and the economy will benefit from a healthier ocean. And we can realize those benefits quickly if countries work together to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030."

For their investigation, the multidisciplinary team of experts analyzed the world's unprotected ocean waters, focusing on the extent to which they are threatened by human activities like overfishing that could be reduced through protective measures.

Next, the researchers developed an algorithm to identify those areas where protections would deliver the greatest benefits for biodiversity protection, seafood production,  and climate mitigation. The team mapped these locations to create a "blueprint" that can be used by governments as they implement their commitments to protect nature.

"There is no single best solution to save marine life and obtain these other benefits. The solution depends on what society - or a given country - cares about, and our study provides a new way to integrate these preferences and find effective conservation strategies," said study co-author Dr. Juan S. Mayorga, a marine data scientist with the Environmental Market Solutions Lab at UC Santa Barbara and <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/pristine-seas/">Pristine Seas</a> at National Geographic Society.

The study precedes the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which is expected to take place in Kunming, China in 2021. The meeting will bring together representatives of 190 countries to finalize an agreement to end the world's biodiversity crisis. 

The treaty is expected to center around the primary goal of protecting 30 percent of the planet's land and ocean by 2030. Countries including Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom have already made commitments to help achieve this target on a national and global scale.

The report identifies highly diverse marine areas that face the greatest threats from human activities. These regions urgently need to become established as marine protected areas (MPAs). The priority locations are distributed throughout the ocean, but the majority are contained within the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zones of coastal nations.

"Perhaps the most impressive and encouraging result is the enormous gain we can obtain for biodiversity conservation - if we carefully chose the location of strictly protected marine areas," said study co-author Dr. David Mouillot, who is a professor at the Université de Montpellier in France. 

"One notable priority for conservation is Antarctica, which currently has little protection, but is projected to host many vulnerable species in a near future due to climate change."

"The ocean covers 70% of the earth - yet, until now, its importance for solving the challenges of our time has been overlooked," said study co-author Dr. Boris Worm, who is a professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

"Smart ocean protection will help to provide cheap natural climate solutions, make seafood more abundant and safeguard imperiled marine species - all at the same time. The benefits are clear. If we want to solve the three most pressing challenges of our century - biodiversity loss, climate change and food shortages - we must protect our ocean."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Protecting the ocean can solve the three greatest challenges on Earth

A groundbreaking new study has identified areas of the ocean...

Artificial light is known to disrupt ecological processes such as the nighttime pollination of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-found-beneath-greenland-ice-represent-a-troubling-reality/">plants</a> by nocturnal insects, which could be detrimental to plant reproduction and agricultural crop yields. In a new study from the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a>, experts have demonstrated that artificial light at night also interferes with insects' pollination behavior during the daytime.

"A 'luminous fog' of artificial light at night is enveloping the locations inhabited by humans, with about 18.7% of the world’s terrestrial surfaces (excluding Antartica) currently being exposed to it," wrote the researchers. "Furthermore, the area experiencing direct emissions from artificial light sources is estimated to expand at about 2–6% per year while already illuminated areas become brighter at a similar rate." 

"In addition to effects on the physiology and behavior of organisms with consequences for mortality, reproduction, species abundance, and community composition, artificial light at night affects species interactions and ecosystem functioning."

For the investigation, the experts used commercial street lamps to illuminate natural plant-pollinator communities overnight on six natural meadows, while six other natural meadows were left dark. The research analyzed the interactions of 21 naturally occurring plant species and their pollinators.

"Our findings indicate that artificial light during the nighttime alters the number of plant-pollinator interactions during the daytime, depending on the plant species," explained study co-author Eva Knop.

For example, three plant species received significantly fewer pollinator visits during the daytime after LED illumination. By contrast, one plant species received substantially more pollinator visits.

Nocturnal pollinator activity was also found to vary in the presence of artificial light. For example, woodland geraniums received the same number of pollinator visits in illuminated and dark meadows, but not by the same insects. Dipterous insects reduced their visits to plants that were lit up during the night, and beetles tended to visit more frequently. 

"Since insects play a vital role in pollinating crops and wild plants and are already endangered by habitat destruction and climate change regardless of artificial light, it is important to study and clarify these indirect mechanisms," said Knop.

The study authors are calling for the ecological impact of light pollution to be researched more thoroughly and for actions to be devised to prevent adverse effects on the environment. 

"We conclude that the effect of artificial light at night on plant-pollinator interactions is not limited to the night, but can also propagate to the daytime with so far unknown consequences for the pollinator community and the diurnal pollination function and services they provide," wrote the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Artificial light disrupts plant pollination, even during the day

Artificial light is known to disrupt ecological processes such as...

A new study from <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> suggests that trillions of lightning strikes, occurring over a billion years, may have sparked life on our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-milky-way-may-be-filled-with-millions-of-planets-like-earth/">planet</a>. In collaboration with researchers at the University of Leeds, the experts propose that lightning bolts unlocked the phosphorus that was needed to create biomolecules, which formed the basis of life on Earth. 

Study lead author Benjamin Hess is a graduate student in Yale's Department of Earth &amp; Planetary Sciences. "This work helps us understand how life may have formed on Earth and how it could still be forming on other, Earth-like planets," said Hess.

Billions of years ago, phosphorus was mostly locked up inside insoluble minerals on Earth's surface, and was therefore not accessible. A key question that scientists have struggled to answer is how Earth's phosphorus get into a usable form to help create DNA, RNA, and other biomolecules.

The leading theory was once that meteorites containing the phosphorus mineral schreibersite crashed into our planet with enough frequency to build the foundation for life on Earth. The problem with this theory is that during the period when life is thought to have begun - between 3.5 and 4.5 billion years ago - meteorites were not crashing into Earth very frequently. 

According to Hess, schreibersite can also be found in certain glasses called fulgurites that form when lightning strikes the ground. The glass contains some of the phosphorus from surface rock, but in soluble form.

Today, our planet experiences about 560 million lightning flashes each year. Based on computer modeling, the researchers estimate that early Earth saw 1 to 5 billion lightning flashes every year - of which up to a billion would have struck the ground.

Over a billion years, this would add up to 0.1 to 1 quintillion strikes, along with a lot of accessible phosphorus. 

The lightning strike theory has other advantages as well, said the researchers. For example, the annual number of lightning strikes would have remained constant, unlike the number of meteorite collisions. "It makes lightning strikes a significant pathway toward the origin of life," said Hess.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Was life on Earth literally sparked by lightning?

A new study from Yale University suggests that trillions of...

Rare birds are being pushed out of their habitats in Colombia, which is home to more bird species than any other place on the planet. A new study from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/deforestation-continues-across-indonesian-islands/">deforestation</a> is increasingly destroying the historical habitats of hundreds of types of birds. 

The investigation was focused on the impact of deforestation on 550 bird species, including 69 species that are only found in Colombia.

"Our study has shown an astonishing reduction in bird species habitat," said study lead author Dr. Pablo Negret."One third of the forest bird species in Colombia have lost at least a third of their historical habitat, and that's just using the most recent data we have available - from 2015."

"Moreover, 18 percent or 99 species have lost more than half of their historical habitat to date. By 2040, we expect this will increase to 38 percent or 209 species."

"Sadly, many of those species are endemic to the country and are not currently classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, suggesting that there are many unlisted species that face an imminent extinction threat from ongoing habitat loss."

Dr. Negret said the results are concerning but not surprising, as deforestation is one of the main drivers of habitat loss for many species in the tropics.

"We know that deforestation affects thousands of species in these ecosystems, but our attention is usually focused on a tiny fraction - threatened and charismatic species," explained Dr. Negret.

"This study provides more data on species previously thought abundant that are actually dwindling - hopefully we can shine a light on them, so they can be recognized as under threat and don't fall through the cracks."

The researchers used historical and present satellite data to analyze changes in forest cover. They also looked at geographic information on other variables associated with deforestation patterns.

According to study co-author Professor Martine Maron, the research will help predict future habitat loss for already-threatened species.

"This methodology, and the technologies behind it, allow us to identify places where future habitat loss is predicted," said Professor Maron.

"This means that we can reveal the locations where threatened species are most likely to lose precious habitat, and prioritise their protection. And, in a country with growing threats to rich bird diversity, it pays to be ahead of the game."

The researchers hope the Colombian government and NGOs working in this region will use their findings to guide conservation and provide protection for Colombia's birds.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biological-conservation">Biological Conservation</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

"Astonishing reduction" in bird habitats found in Colombia

Rare birds are being pushed out of their habitats in...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-set-a-bedtime-alarm-that-helps-them-survive-the-night/">Plants</a> have been found preserved beneath mile-deep Greenland ice, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/">University of Vermont</a>. The experts believe that in the recent geologic history of Greenland, a vegetated landscape stood where an ice sheet as big as Alaska stands today.

The research confirms the troubling realization that Greenland's ice has melted off entirely during warm periods like the one we are now experiencing as a result of human-induced climate change.

With 20 feet of potential sea level rise frozen in the Greenland Ice Sheet, every coastal city in the world is at its mercy. In order to predict how the quickly the ice will melt in the future, it is critical for scientists to understand the ice sheet's behavior in the past.

The new study provides the strongest evidence yet that Greenland is more sensitive to climate change than what was previously expected. 

"Our study shows that Greenland is much more sensitive to natural climate warming than we used to think - and we already know that humanity's out-of-control warming of the planet hugely exceeds the natural rate," said UVM scientist Andrew Christ.

In 1966, the U.S. Army drilled down through nearly a mile of ice in northwestern Greenland. A massive sediment sample was recovered, but then lost in a freezer for decades. 

Two years ago, Christ examined the sediment under a microscope. He was stunned to see twigs and leaves instead of just sand and rock. 

In collaboration with an international team of researchers, Christ has been analyzing these fossil plants. The findings suggest that most, or all, of Greenland was ice-free within the last few hundred-thousand years.

"Ice sheets typically pulverize and destroy everything in their path, but what we discovered was delicate plant structures - perfectly preserved," said Christ. "They're fossils, but they look like they died yesterday. It's a time capsule of what used to live on Greenland that we wouldn't be able to find anywhere else."

The sediment sample examined for the study was pulled up from beneath the ice at Camp Century, located 75 miles inland from the coast and only 800 miles from the North Pole. The team's findings suggest that this ice completely vanished at least once within the last million years and was covered with vegetation, perhaps even a forest. 

"This is not a twenty-generation problem," said Paul Bierman, a geoscientist at UVM. "This is an urgent problem for the next 50 years."

"Greenland may seem far away, but it can quickly melt, pouring enough into the oceans that New York, Miami, Dhaka - pick your city - will go underwater."

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

Plants found beneath Greenland ice represent a troubling reality

Plants have been found preserved beneath mile-deep Greenland ice, according...

In a new report from <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a>, experts have discovered that "total eradication" is not the best approach to target <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-species-are-driving-rapid-evolution/">invasive species</a>. According to the researchers, lessons learned from a failed experiment are leading to more successful strategies for controlling non-native species. 

"A failure in science often leads to unexpected directions," said study lead author Professor Edwin Grosholz. "We slapped our foreheads at the time, but with thought and understanding, it's told us a lot about what we shouldn't be doing and provided a way forward for us. The world should get less focused on total eradication and work toward functional eradication."

The researchers consider functional eradication to be a much more effective approach to invasive species management. This technique was described in a previous study led by the University of Alberta and co-authored by Professor Grosholz.

In 2009, intensive efforts were focused on fully eradicating the European green crab from Stinson Beach's Seadrift Lagoon in California. This crab costs the U.S. commercial shellfish industry about $20 million in losses every year. 

By 2013, 90 percent of the crabs had been removed from the estuary, and the population had dropped from 125,000 to fewer than 10,000 individuals. A year later, however, the population had exploded to about 300,000 green crabs - nearly triple the pre-eradication population size.

The scientists were monitoring four additional neighboring bays, and no such population explosions of the green crab were observed at those sites. This finding indicates that the increase in crabs was the result of eradication efforts and not environmental changes.

The experts determined that the population explosion in the Seadrift Lagoon was due in part to the fact that the adult crabs typically cannibalize younger individuals. With most of the adults removed, juveniles grew unchecked and overcompensated for the loss of adults.

The study serves as a precautionary tale for natural resource managers. "Don't try to get them all, or it could come back to bite you," said Professor Grosholz.

"Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, this study highlights the need to evaluate possible unintended consequences in selecting management strategies and tailoring these to the particular context and expected outcome," said study co-author Greg Ruiz.

Just as researchers described in the Alberta-led study, the UC Davis team recommends a "Goldilocks level" approach, where the population is low enough to protect native species without risking a population explosion of the invasive species.

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

Total eradication is not the best approach to invasive species

In a new report from UC Davis, experts have discovered...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> has revealed that melting glaciers are accelerating the rate of plant decomposition downstream, which has a major influence on the global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/repeated-fires-reduce-the-ability-of-forests-to-store-carbon/">carbon</a> cycle. This means that melting glaciers are potentially speeding up carbon emissions, and therefore climate change, in a reinforcing feedback loop.

According to the report, the loss of glaciers worldwide enhances the breakdown of complex carbon molecules in rivers. The study represents the first time glacier-fed mountain rivers have been linked to higher rates of plant decomposition.

As a result of climate change, mountain rivers have warmer temperatures and other conditions that are favorable for fungi to become established. The fungi break down plant leaves, wood, and other organic materials, releasing the carbon that is stored inside of them. 

The researchers measured this process in 57 rivers across six mountain ranges worldwide. Study lead author Sarah Fell said that similar patterns were discovered in all of the sites, which were located in Austria, Ecuador, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United States.

"We found increases in the rate of organic matter decomposition in mountain rivers, which can then be expected to lead to more carbon release to the atmosphere," said Fell. "This is an unexpected form of climate feedback, whereby warming drives glacier loss, which in turn rapidly recycles carbon in rivers before it is returned to the atmosphere."

Mountain glaciers are shrinking at an unprecedented rate, and climate change will continue to drive ice loss throughout the remainder of this century. 

To investigate how critical river processes like plant decomposition and carbon cycling are impacted by glacier ice loss, the researchers designed an experiment using artists' canvas fabric to mimic plant materials like leaves that accumulate naturally in rivers. The canvas material was cotton, which is predominantly made up of cellulose, just like plants.

Canvas strips were left in the rivers for approximately one month, and then tested to determine how easily they could be ripped. The cotton material ripped more easily as fungi colonized them, which confirmed that decomposition is accelerated in warming rivers.

"Our finding of similar patterns of cellulose breakdown at sites all around the world is really exciting because it suggests that there might be a universal rule for how these river ecosystems will develop as mountains continue to lose ice," said study co-author Professor Lee Brown. "If so, we will be in much improved position to make forecasts about how river ecosystems will change in future."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Melting glaciers speed up plant decomposition, carbon emissions

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

In a new study from <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a>, experts have determined that the combination of urban development and climate change will cause devastating <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/high-tide-flooding-is-increasing-along-the-u-s-east-coast/">flooding</a> in U.S. cities.

On September 15, 2009, the Atlanta metropolitan area was hit with intense rainfall and catastrophic flooding. Entire neighborhoods were submerged, the state's busiest expressway was underwater, cars were swept away, and rising flood waters mixed with sewage.

The new research suggests that comparable scenarios will strike other urban areas in the coming years as a result of two coinciding human activities, greenhouse gas emissions and urban development.

"When we account for these twin forcing agents of environmental change, the effect of the built environment and the effect of greenhouse gasses, we note a strong tendency toward increased extreme precipitation over future US metropolitan regions," said study lead author Professor Matei Georgescu.

Previous research has shown that urban development intensifies precipitation through the urban heat island effect, which makes it hotter in cities compared to surrounding regions. The heat creates additional energy that forces the air to rise, condense, and form precipitation. 

The amount of precipitation a city receives either increases or decreases in response to the heat island effect. 

The researchers used regional climate modeling to investigate how extreme precipitation in cities throughout the continental United States would be affected by both urban development and climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

"This new study is unique," said Professor Georgescu. "We used climate-scale simulations with a regional climate model to examine potential changes in future extreme precipitation resulting from both urban expansion and increases in greenhouse gasses, across dozens of cities across the continental United States."

In essence, the results showed that incorporating greenhouse gasses into a regional climate model offset the sometimes-diminishing effect of urban development on extreme precipitation, said Professor Georgescu.

"These are the effects our cities are likely to experience when accounting for the twin forcing agents of urban expansion and greenhouse gas emissions, simultaneously. What this means for U.S. cities in the future is the need for a consistent response to an increase in extreme precipitation. We're no longer likely to see a decrease in precipitation as we've seen before."

Denver, Phoenix, and Houston are some of the cities like Atlanta that appear to be vulnerable to extreme precipitation and flooding. Professot Georgescu said the study's findings show the pressing need for cities to develop policies to address flooding that threatens each city's unique resilience and planned infrastructure investments.

"If we trust the models' capability to simulate average and extreme precipitation so well, and our results demonstrate such simulation skill, then we can conduct simulations that include future urbanization, future greenhouse gasses, separately and then together, and trust what the model will tell us."

Professot Georgescu noted that it's not just about reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "It's also about how you build cities. How extensive they are, how vertical they are, how dense they are, how much vegetation there is, how much waste heat you put into the environment through electricity use, through air conditioning, or through transportation. All of these things can impact future precipitation in our cities."

The study highlights the complex and regionally specific ways in which the competing forces of greenhouse gases and urban development can impact rainfall across U.S. metropolitan regions, explained Professor Ashley Broadbent of ASU's School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning.

"This complexity reinforces that future adaptation efforts must be informed by simulations that account for these interacting agents of environmental change," said Professor Broadbent.

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

Urban development and climate change create catastrophic floods

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

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.agronomy.org/">American Society of Agronomy</a>, experts have discovered that excess cow manure leads to healthier <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-is-a-source-of-food-contamination/">soils</a> that have improved microbial communities. This is not easy to achieve in dry areas like the Southern High Plains of Texas.

"We know that planting perennial grasslands for cattle production can help protect and restore soil in semi-arid lands that are likely to erode and degrade from intense farming. But producers need additional ways to increase soil carbon and nutrient stores," said study lead author Lindsey Slaughter.

She describes soil health as the ability of a living soil ecosystem to perform a variety of important functions, such as nutrient cycling and storing and purifying water.

The "living" part of the soil is made up of a community of microorganisms that help maintain its health. For example, they help break down materials like manure so that its nutrients become part of the soil.

"Improving the soil's ability to perform these roles and support plant and animal life is our target for soil health," said Slaughter. "Adding the manure can provide a boost of material that can be incorporated into soil organic matter. This helps provide a stronger foundation for more microbial activity and nutrient cycling."

To investigate, the experts applied a low level of manure to two types of pastures. These pastures consisted of either grass that was fertilized occasionally or a mix of grass and legumes that was not fertilized.

Overall, manure helped increase soil organic carbon and the number of microbes in the soil. It took almost a year and a half to see these changes, but the researchers said this is not totally surprising.

"This tells us that it can take a long time for even a little added compost to become incorporated into the soil organic matter of semi-arid grasslands, but it definitely helps," said Slaughter.

"We think this is mostly due to the dry climate at our study site," says Slaughter. "We commonly get little rainfall per year. The microbial community was not able to work quickly or efficiently to decompose the manure without water."

The experts found that the pastures which had received fertilizer responded better to the manure. This is likely because the nitrogen in the fertilizer helped the microbes decompose the manure better.

"Microbes help directly with releasing nutrients from organic material in a form that plants can use, as well as decomposing those residues to build soil organic matter," said Slaughter. "A lot of work has been done on how this can help improve cropping systems. However, we wanted to also test this on forage pastures."

According to Slaughter, the next steps in the research are to determine whether more manure or multiple applications would get faster results. They also plan to investigate if irrigation or fertilizer would help incorporate the manure faster.

"We need more research along these lines to help us design strategies that quickly and effectively increase soil health and productivity in these grasslands," said Slaughter. 

"This helps farmers save money on nutrients and amendments while building soil organic matter and nutrient cycling capacity. This also saves them water and protects against soil degradation."

The study is published in the <a href="https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14350661">Soil Science Society of America Journal</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cow manure greatly improves soil health

In a new study from the American Society of Agronomy,...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invisible-threat-in-urban-air">Invisible threat in urban air</h2>



City dwellers face an unseen danger with every breath. New findings from Emory University researchers suggest that fine particulate matter from <a href="http://earth.com/news/traffic-related-air-pollution-might-increase-alzheimers-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vehicle emissions may significantly elevate the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease</a>. The study examined brain tissue samples from 224 individuals who had confirmed diagnoses and volunteered their brains for scientific research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disturbing-connections-emerge">Disturbing connections emerge</h2>



Scientists analyzed neuritic plaques — protein clusters that characterize Alzheimer's — while mapping each participant's exposure to PM2.5 particles based on residential location and surrounding traffic density. The correlation proved more alarming than anticipated. Individuals experiencing higher pollution exposure showed nearly double the likelihood of elevated plaque accumulation in brain tissue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-matters">Timing matters</h2>



The research team discovered that pollution exposure during the final year before death demonstrated the strongest association with brain changes. This timeline suggests relatively rapid impacts from environmental toxins on neural health. The connection remained robust even after accounting for various demographic and health factors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-vulnerability-patterns">Genetic vulnerability patterns</h2>



Perhaps most concerning, people lacking the APOE gene—which naturally predisposes individuals to Alzheimer's — exhibited more than twice the susceptibility to pollution-related brain damage. Study author Dr. Anke Huels noted this indicates environmental elements like air contamination could trigger the disease in cases where hereditary factors don't explain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health-implications">Public health implications</h2>



These findings, published in <a href="https://www.neurology.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neurology</a>, underscore the critical importance of air quality regulations in urban planning. The research suggests that implementing stricter emission controls and promoting alternative transportation could serve as powerful tools in Alzheimer's prevention.



As cities worldwide grapple with growing traffic congestion and aging populations, this study highlights an urgent need for comprehensive approaches to environmental health that protect both our lungs and our minds.



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Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-astrobiology">Implications for astrobiology</h2>



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-earth-became-a-frozen-wasteland">When Earth became a frozen wasteland</h2>



Imagine Earth as a giant snowball, frozen solid from the North Pole to the equator. This wasn't the plot of a science fiction movie – it was our planet's reality 700 million years ago during an extreme ice age that has puzzled scientists for decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-discovery">The discovery</h2>



Australian researchers from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> have finally cracked one of geology's greatest mysteries: what caused the Sturtian glaciation and why it persisted for an unprecedented 57 million years. This period occurred long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, when no complex plants or multicellular animals existed.



Dr. Adriana Dutkiewicz, the study's lead author, describes a world completely unlike today's climate. "Imagine the Earth almost completely frozen over," she explained. "The planet was blanketed in ice from poles to equator, and temperatures plunged."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-combination-of-climate-factors">The combination of climate factors</h2>



The research team discovered that this massive freeze resulted from a "double whammy" of geological events. First, plate tectonic activity reduced volcanic carbon dioxide emissions to historically low levels. Volcanic activity typically releases CO2 into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect that keeps Earth warm.



Simultaneously, weathering of volcanic rocks in what is now Canada actively absorbed atmospheric CO2, further reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. When atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dropped below 200 parts per million – less than half of today's levels – glaciation engulfed the entire planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-climate-implications">Modern climate implications</h2>



Published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a>, this research provides crucial insights into Earth's climate system. While geological climate changes occur over millions of years, the study emphasizes that human-induced climate change is happening at a pace ten times faster than previously observed natural changes, highlighting the urgent need to understand our planet's delicate climate balance.



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What caused the planet's longest ice age

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY 57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-monitoring-networks">Scientific monitoring networks</h2>



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.



The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.



The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.



The full study was recently published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.



Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.



Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents". In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively. MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.



MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization. The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.



Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.



A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.



This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.



PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.



In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.



As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.



The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.



For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.



The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.



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MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a>



Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.



The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-global-food-security">Implications for global food security</h2>



The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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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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...

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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



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...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[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 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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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

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

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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



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

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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



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

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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



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...

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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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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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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