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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

A new study from the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a> reports that scientists have discovered 11 new emperor penguin colonies in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/first-ever-fossil-egg-in-antarctica-was-laid-by-massive-reptile/">Antarctica</a> using satellite mapping technology. The research has revealed the existence of nearly 20 percent more colonies than what was previously realized.

The findings provide an important benchmark for monitoring the impacts of environmental change on emperor penguins.

The birds were located through the analysis of images from the European Commission's Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite mission. 

There are now 61 known emperor penguin colonies on the continent of Antarctica. Of the 11 new colonies described, three were previously identified but never confirmed.

Emperor penguins are located in remote regions that are often inaccessible and difficult to study. For the last decade, scientists at the British Antarctic Survey have been looking for new colonies by searching for their guano stains on the ice.

"This is an exciting discovery. The new satellite images of Antarctica's coastline have enabled us to find these new colonies," said study lead author Dr. Peter Fretwell. "And whilst this is good news, the colonies are small and so only take the overall population count up by 5-10% to just over half a million penguins or around 265,500 - 278,500 breeding pairs."

Emperor penguins are vulnerable to the loss of sea ice, their preferred breeding habitat, which will continue to disappear as a result of global warming. Most of the newly discovered colonies are located at the margins of the emperors' breeding range, and could be lost as temperatures rise.

Study co-author Dr. Phil Trathan has been studying penguins for the last three decades.

"Whilst it's good news that we've found these new colonies, the breeding sites are all in locations where recent model projections suggest emperors will decline," said Dr. Trathan. "Birds in these sites are therefore probably the 'canaries in the coalmine' - we need to watch these sites carefully as climate change will affect this region."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/20563485">Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Satellite images reveal 11 new emperor penguin colonies

A new study from the British Antarctic Survey reports that...

The remarkable diversity of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-can-control-plants-using-nothing-but-light/">plants</a> and trees surrounding the Tibetan Plateau can be traced back 30 million years to the formation of new mountain ranges followed by intense monsoons, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a>. The research highlights the major role that climate change plays in shaping life on Earth.

Study co-author Rick Ree is a curator at Chicago's Field Museum.

"This paper addresses the fundamental question of why there are so many species in some parts of the world and not others," said Ree. "The formation of this very species-rich community was fueled by ancient mountain-building and then subsequent effects of the monsoon. The biodiversity that we see today has been profoundly shaped by geology and climate."

The study was on plants growing in the higher elevations of the Hengduan Mountains in southwestern China. 

"It's an incredibly interesting part of the world, it's a relatively small area that harbors one-third of all the plant species in China," said Ree. "In the Hengduan Mountains, you can see coniferous forests, rushing glacial streams, craggy valleys, and meadows just teeming with wildflowers." 

Ree noted that some of the flowers in this region may be familiar to Western gardeners, including rhododendrons and delphiniums.

The team set out to investigate the distribution and evolution of plants in the alpine regions of the Hengduan Mountains, the Himalayan Mountains, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The experts used DNA samples and fossil evidence to assemble the family trees of the plants, going back tens of millions of years.

The researchers compared the DNA of different plant species to  determine how closely related they were to each other and when they evolved. The experts found that many of the plants first appeared in the Hengduan Mountains. 

As the Indian tectonic plate collided with Asia and gradually created mountains, new habitats developed on the slopes and in the valleys below. Mountain formation also led to more intense monsoons.

"The combined effect of mountain-building and monsoons was like pouring jet fuel onto this flame of species origination," said Ree. "The monsoon wasn't simply giving more water for plants to grow, it had this huge role in creating a more rugged topography. It caused erosion, resulting in deeper valleys and more incised mountain ranges."

"The theory is, if you increase the ruggedness of a landscape, you're more likely to have populations restricted in their movement because it's harder to cross a deeper valley than a shallow valley. So any time you start increasing the patchiness and barriers between populations, you expect evolution to accelerate."

This is exactly what the team found in the genetic family tree: as the landscape grew more rugged over time, isolated populations of plants veered off into their own separate species, resulting in the biodiversity we see today.

According to Ree, the research has implications for a better understanding of the climate change that Earth is currently experiencing.

"This study sheds light on the conditions under which we get rich versus poor biodiversity," said Ree. "Mountain ecosystems tend to be very sensitive to things like global warming, because the organisms that live there are dependent on a tight range of elevation and temperature."

"Understanding how historical environmental change affected alpine plants twenty million years ago can help us predict how today's climate change will affect their descendants."

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

&nbsp;

Mountain formation led to an explosion in plant diversity 

The remarkable diversity of plants and trees surrounding the Tibetan...

Flowers play a bigger role in spreading parasitic diseases to bees and other <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/farmers-can-help-save-bees-and-other-wild-pollinators/">pollinators</a> than what was previously realized, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>. The researchers discovered that one in 11 flowers contains parasites associated with bee declines.

Furthermore, one in eight bees examined for the study was found to have at least one parasite.

Study senior author Scott McArt is an assistant professor of Entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell.

"We know very little about transmission of these diseases," said Professor McArt. "Our study shows that transmission can likely occur on a lot of different flowers, and the amount of disease in a community is shaped by both the floral community and the bee community."

The research was focused on 2,624 flowers from 89 species and 2,672 bees from 110 species through an entire growing season across field sites in upstate New York. Using molecular data for testing, the team identified five common parasites.

The study pinpointed three main factors that contribute to disease transmission: flower abundance, the numbers of social bees, and overall bee species diversity.

The number of total flowers increases as the season progresses, and the proportion of flowers with parasites decreases. This lowers the risk that a bee will encounter a flower that hosts a parasite.

"That has really important conservation implications, because if you want to limit disease spread, just plant a lot of flowers," said Professor McArt. "It's a win-win: If we plant flowers and create a lot of forage, we can also dilute disease."

The study showed that social bees, such as honeybees and bumblebees, were more likely to be infected with parasites than solitary bees. The researchers observed that later in the season, overall bee diversity drops but the number of social bees grows. Typically, higher species diversity slows the spread of disease.

"Both bee diversity and fewer of the social bees make it less likely for bees (overall) to be infected. That's another win for conservation: if we promote bee diversity, there will be less disease," explained Professor McArt. He noted that high numbers of infections in the social species may also spill over to infect other species.

Going forward, the team will investigate the potential for increased flower abundance to offset the negative effects of more social bees combined with less species diversity in late summer.

Further research may also explain why social bees are more susceptible to parasites.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Flowers spread parasitic bee diseases 

Flowers play a bigger role in spreading parasitic diseases to...

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/great-barrier-reef-changes/">Great Barrier Reef</a> (GBR) is undergoing its third mass bleaching event in just five years, and this time the impacts are much more widespread. An aerial survey has revealed that the expanse of the bleaching is unprecedented, with damage across all three regions of the massive reef system. 

Professor Terry Hughes is the director of the <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/">ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies</a> at James Cook University.

"We surveyed 1,036 reefs from the air during the last two weeks in March, to measure the extent and severity of coral bleaching throughout the Barrier Reef region," said Professor Hughes. 

"For the first time, severe bleaching has struck all three regions of the Great Barrier Reef - the northern, central and now large parts of the southern sectors."

Coral bleaching is caused by abrupt changes to seawater, such as pollution and too much sunlight. The leading cause of bleaching is thermal stress that results from unusually hot ocean temperatures.

The first mass bleaching event along the Great Barrier Reef took place in 1998, which was the hottest year on record. In 2016 and 2017, record heat struck the GBR again, resulting in back-to-back bleaching events. 

This year brought the highest temperatures ever recorded on the GBR in the month of February.

"Bleaching isn't necessarily fatal, and it affects some species more than others," said Professor Morgan Pratchett, who led underwater surveys to evaluate the latest bleaching event. "A pale or lightly bleached coral typically regains its color within a few weeks or months and survives."

On the other hand, severe bleaching can be fatal. In the northern region of the Great Barrier Reef, more than half of the shallow-water corals died in 2016.

"We will go back underwater later this year to assess the losses of corals from this most recent event," said Professor Pratchett. "The north was the worst affected region in 2016, followed by the central region in 2017. In 2020, the cumulative footprint of bleaching has expanded further to include the south."

The time frame between bleaching events is shrinking, which makes it much more difficult for the corals to fully recover. 

David Wachenfeld, the chief scientist at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, said that ocean temperatures over the next month will determine how well the reef manages to bounce back.

“The forecasts indicate that we can expect ongoing levels of thermal stress for at least the next two weeks and maybe three or four weeks,” wrote Wachenfeld. “So this still is a critical time for the reef and it is the weather conditions over the next two to four weeks that will determine the final outcome."

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Brutal coral bleaching event strikes the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is undergoing its third mass...

Climate change is set to trigger catastrophic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-vanishing-biodiversity-hotspots/">biodiversity</a> losses in the coming decades, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>. Global warming is pushing many species to a tipping point, and these plants and animals will disappear abruptly if temperatures continue to rise. 

The researchers predict that a large number of species will vanish simultaneously under the strain of climate change, and some regions will suffer extraordinary losses sooner than others. Unprecedented disasters, such as the mass coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef, indicate that the first wave of destruction has already arrived.

"We found that climate change risks to biodiversity don't increase gradually. Instead, as the climate warms, within a certain area most species will be able to cope for a while, before crossing a temperature threshold, when a large proportion of the species will suddenly face conditions they've never experienced before," explained study lead author Dr. Alex Pigot. "It's not a slippery slope, but a series of cliff edges, hitting different areas at different times."

The research team, including experts in South Africa and the United States, set out to analyze threats to biodiversity through the end of the century. The investigation was focused on climate model data from 1850 to 2005 and the geographic ranges of 30,652 species of plants and animals. 

The experts used climate model projections for each year through 2100 to estimate when specific regions will begin experiencing unusually high temperatures that persist for at least five years.

"The historic temperature models, combined with species ranges, showed us the range of conditions that each organism can survive under, as far as we know," said study first author Dr Christopher Trisos. "Once temperatures in a given area rise to levels that the species have never experienced, we would expect there to be extinctions, but not necessarily - we simply have no evidence of the ability of these species to persist after this point."

The study showed that in most ecological communities, a large share of the species will be pushed outside of their comfort zone within the same decade. Across the globe, 73 percent of the species exposed to abnormally hot temperatures will cross this threshold simultaneously. 

According to the research, if global temperatures rise by 4°C this century, at least 15 percent of communities across the globe will be facing severe ecological disruption. If warming is limited to 2°C or less, the number of communities impacted would drop to less than two percent. 

"Our findings highlight the urgent need for climate change mitigation, by immediately and drastically reducing emissions, which could help save thousands of species from extinction. Keeping global warming below 2°C effectively 'flattens the curve' of how this risk to biodiversity will accumulate over the century, providing more time for species and ecosystems to adapt to the changing climate - whether that's by finding new habitats, changing their behavior, or with the help of human-led conservation efforts," said Dr. Pigot.

The researchers warn that some of the most biodiverse ecological communities on the planet, such as coral reefs, will feel the first impacts. Across tropical oceans, harmful exposure to excessive heat is expected to begin by 2030.

"We hope that our findings could serve as an early warning system, predicting which areas will be most at risk and when, that could help target conservation efforts and improve future model projections," said study co-author Dr. Cory Merow. "It may be valuable to develop a ten-year monitoring program - similar to what climate scientists do, but for biodiversity - which could be updated regularly based on what actually occurs."

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

&nbsp;

Rising temperatures will cause devastating biodiversity losses 

Climate change is set to trigger catastrophic biodiversity losses in...

A team of researchers from the <a href="http://www.szn.it/index.php/en/">Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn</a> have found that the Hippolyte inermis shrimp, when raised on marine algae grown in acidic water, do not undergo the necessary sex change that is pertinent to their reproductive cycle.

As published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218238">PLOS ONE</a>, H. inermis shrimp have two breeding seasons each year. Some males born in the spring rapidly develop into females with eggs in order to breed come fall. This sex change happens when male endocrine cells die as a result of the shrimp eating a bioactive compound produced by micro algae (Cocconeis scutellum parva) in the springtime.

To come to their conclusion, researchers fed shrimp algae grown in waters with a pH 8.2, which represents current ocean conditions, as well as algae grown in waters with a pH 7.7, which represents predicted <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-consequences/">ocean acidity</a> by 2100.

The growth of algae correlated with the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved within the water. The team saw that four times more algal cells were grown in acidic water than the current ocean acidity, which appears to be good news — algae thrives in acidic oceans.

However, the H. inermis shrimp raised on algae grown at the normal pH were 63% female, whereas those that ate algae from more acidic waters were only 36% female, thus indicating that the algal compound necessary to trigger the sex change was either not produced or not effective. 

If the oceans continue to acidify as a result of climate change, this species of shrimp, among other marine species, could see their breeding cycle damaged.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Valerio Zupo, Friedrich Jüttner, Chingoileima Maibam, Emanuela Butera, Judith F. Blom

Ocean acidification impairs shrimp’s ability to change sex

A team of researchers from the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn...

Researchers from the <a href="https://publichealth.gwu.edu/">George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health</a> (Milken SPH) have found about 4 million children worldwide develop asthma each year as a result of inhaling traffic-caused nitrogen dioxide <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/more-deaths-air-pollution/">air pollution</a>. The data collected between 2010 and 2015 shows that 64% of these new asthma cases plague urban areas.

This study, published April 10th in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(17)30013-X/fulltext">The Lancet Planetary Health</a>, is the first to find a number for the amount of pediatric cases of asthma linked to traffic-related nitrogen dioxide. Asthma is a chronic disease that causes inflammation in the lungs. It affects quality of breathing and can be life threatening.  

"Our findings suggest that millions of new cases of pediatric asthma could be prevented in cities around the world by reducing air pollution," said senior author Susan C. Anenberg, PhD, an associate professor of environmental and occupational health at Milken Institute SPH. "Improving access to cleaner forms of transportation, like electrified public transport and active commuting by cycling and walking, would not only bring down NO2 levels, but would also reduce asthma, enhance physical fitness, and cut greenhouse gas emissions."

To find their data, researchers gathered and linked international data pertaining to NO2 concentrations, pediatric population distributions, and asthma diagnoses rates, to evidence showing traffic-related NO2 pollution with asthma development in children.

Not only did the team find the grand total of 4 million NO2-linked asthma cases in kids, but they also saw than an annual 13% of asthma diagnoses worldwide are linked to NO2 pollution. And in 125 cities studied, NO2 was responsible for 6-48% of pediatric asthma development.

China, Moscow, Russia, and Seoul, South Korea were estimated to have the largest NO2 contributions in the world. And U.S. cities of Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee, had the highest NO2 contributions in the country.

The World Health Organization has established Air Quality Guidelines for NO2 and other air pollutants that pose a “major environmental risk to health.” However, the research team estimates that most of the children in their study live in areas currently below the current WHO guideline of 21 parts per billion for annual NO2 average. Furthermore, they saw that 92% of the new NO2-caused asthma cases that were diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 were in locations that already meet the WHO guideline.

"That finding suggests that the WHO guideline for NO2 may need to be re-evaluated to make sure it is sufficiently protective of children's health," said lead author Pattanun Achakulwisut, PhD, a postdoctoral scientist at Milken Institute SPH.

Anenberg concluded that, although more research needs to be done in this sector, using methods to clean up pollution would not only benefit the Earth, but also most likely reduce future asthma cases from being diagnosed worldwide.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Millions of children develop asthma from air pollution

Researchers from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of...

Methanotrophic bacteria are known for their incredible ability to remove <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/melting-ice-sheets-release-methane/">methane</a> from the environment and convert it into fuel, but exactly how the bacteria initiate this transformation has been unclear. 

In a groundbreaking new study, experts at <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a> have discovered that the catalyst for the methane-methanol conversion induces this complex reaction at a site that contains just one copper ion. 

“The identity and structure of the metal ions responsible for catalysis have remained elusive for decades,” said study co-senior author Amy C. Rosenzweig. “Our study provides a major leap forward in understanding how bacteria methane-to-methanol conversion.”

The results of the research may ultimately lead to the development of man-made catalysts that can easily convert methane to usable fuel.

“By identifying the type of copper center involved, we have laid the foundation for determining how nature carries out one of its most challenging reactions,” explained co-senior author Brian M. Hoffman.

[caption id="attachment_1872470" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/methane.png"><img class="wp-image-1872470" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/methane.png" alt="" width="650" height="393" /></a> The metabolic enzyme in methanotrophic bacteria catalyzes the conversion with one copper ion. Image Credit: Northwestern University[/caption]

Methanotrophic bacteria, also known as “methanotrophs,” are not only removing a harmful greenhouse gas from the atmosphere by converting methane to methanol, but are also producing fuel for electricity and vehicles that is sustainable and ready to use. 

The process that is currently used to generate a methane-to-methanol reaction is very demanding and requires tremendous pressure and extreme temperatures higher than 1,300 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, methanotrophs can deliver this service at room temperature without any additional requirements. 

“While copper sites are known to catalyze methane-to-methanol conversion in human-made materials, methane-to-methanol catalysis at a monocopper site under ambient conditions is unprecedented,” said study first author and graduate student Matthew O. Ross. “If we can develop a complete understanding of how they perform this conversion at such mild conditions, we can optimize our own catalysts.”

The research 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

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

How bacteria can convert methane into a sustainable fuel

Methanotrophic bacteria are known for their incredible ability to remove...

Two studies from the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/joint-research-centre_en">European Commission Joint Research Centre</a> (JRC) have projected the future costs of major flooding events along the coast of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-scale-deforestation-europe/">Europe</a>. The researchers found that, without increased investment in resilient infrastructure along the coast, the annual damage caused by floods could increase from 1.25 billion Euros today to between 93 and 961 billion Euros by the end of the century.


According to the experts, these coastal floods could impact up to 3.65 million people every year in Europe by 2100, primarily due to an increase in extreme sea levels driven by global warming.

The scientists estimated how extreme sea levels will change during the present century. They also investigated how this sea level rise will affect future losses from coastal flooding when combined with socioeconomic change. 

The team accounted for two scenarios - one where moderate policy efforts are made to mitigate climate change and another “business as usual” scenario where climate change continues at its current rate.


The study revealed that - unless adaptation measures are adopted very quickly - there is an unprecedented flood risk. More specifically, defense structures need to be modified to withstand an increase in sea levels ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 meters in order for Europe to keep future coastal flood losses constant relative to the size of the economy.


Across the globe, the projected rise in costs from coastal flooding is now mainly attributed to climate change, whereas before it was primarily driven by socioeconomic development.

The rising sea levels are mainly triggered by thermal expansion, but retreating ice cover across regions such as Greenland and Antarctica are now also making large contributions to sea level rise.

The results of the JRC studies have been published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a> and <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

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Europe needs major coastal overhaul to avoid disastrous flooding

Two studies from the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC)...

According to a study released by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">United States Environmental Protection Agency</a>, greening lakes — those being lakes plagued with algae — can and will cause an increase of methane in the atmosphere from 30% to 90% within the next 100 years. 

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/melting-ice-sheets-release-methane/">Methane</a> is produced by green-slicked lakes when algae, already filled with toxins that taint drinking water, dies and begins to decompose in the water. The bacteria involved with decomposing the algae depletes the oxygen in the water, suffocating the creatures within and creating methane, a greenhouse gas 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

"We estimate that the greening of the world's lakes will increase the emission of methane into the atmosphere by 30 to 90 percent during the next 100 years," said lead author Jake Beaulieu of the EPA. The study, published March 26, 2019, appears in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

Three factors will contribute to the increased greening of lakes — called eutrophication — within the next century, according to the researchers. First, the human population is expected to increase by 50% by 2100, which will therefore lead to an increase in sewage and fertilizers. Second, an increase in storms will cause nutrient loss from land and inland waters. And third, as the climate warms, so will lake waters, and warmer waters produce more algae.

"It is really surprising how much eutrophication could increase in the next 50 to 100 years," said co-author John A. Downing of the <a href="http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota Sea Grant program</a>. "People do four important things that affect eutrophication: they eat, they excrete, they make more people who eat and excrete, and they alter landscapes and climate.”

The researchers used a four-pronged eutrophication simulation to predict the effects of population growth and climate change on lakes using phosphorus.

"We used phosphorus because the relationship between phosphorus and plant or algae growth is well established," explained co-author Tonya DelSontro of the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/university/presentation/">University of Geneva</a>. "Currently, the single largest source of atmospheric methane is wetlands. If the phosphorus in lakes triples, then methane emissions from lakes could be twice that of wetlands."

Researchers say that this detrimental outcome can be swayed by improving nutrient management to reverse or thwart eutrophication, therefore reducing methane emissions. And if locals get involved with eliminating the green from their lakes, their actions could have positive global consequences. 

"In keeping and improving the quality of our fresh water we win twice," said Downing. "Once in the atmosphere and once back down here on Earth."

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: John A. Downing/Minnesota Sea Grant

When lakes ‘go green’ it’s bad news for the environment

According to a study released by the United States Environmental...

Based on the carbon footprint of what more than 16,000 Americans eat in a day, researchers have found that diets which are environmentally friendly are also healthier. The study is the first to compare the climate impact of foods to their nutritional value using real-world data about what Americans are eating.

“The good news here is that there are win-win solutions with diets that are healthier for people and planet,” said study co-author Martin Heller of the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> Center for Sustainable Systems.

“Big reductions in food-related emissions don't require eliminating foods entirely: moderate shifts away from red meat and toward beans, eggs or chicken can lead to significant improvements in both health and our diet's carbon footprint.”


Study lead author Diego Rose is a professor of Nutrition and Food Security at <a href="https://tulane.edu/">Tulane University</a>'s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

“People whose diets had a lower carbon footprint were eating less red meat and dairy - which contribute to a larger share of greenhouse gas emissions and are high in saturated fat - and consuming more healthful foods like poultry, whole grains and plant-based proteins,” said Professor Rose. 

The researchers developed an extensive database linking <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-cattle-feed-methane-emissions/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> to the production of specific foods, and incorporated the results of a large national survey which revealed what the respondents were eating in a typical 24-hour period. Next, the team ranked diets by the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per 1,000 calories consumed and then divided them into five equal groups.

After assessing the nutritional value of foods using the U.S. Healthy Eating Index, the experts determined that Americans in the lowest-carbon footprint group ate a healthier diet. However, these diets also contained some low-emission items that are not healthy, such as added sugars and refined grains. Furthermore, the diets among this group had lower amounts of iron, calcium, and vitamin D.

The highest-impact diets had greater quantities of meat, dairy, and solid fats per 1,000 calories. Diets in this category were found to contribute to five times the amount of emissions compared to those in the lowest-impact group.

Heller concluded, “We hope these findings will help the public and policymakers recognize that improving diet quality can also help the environment.”


The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Diets that are better for the environment are also healthier

Based on the carbon footprint of what more than 16,000...

Air pollution increases the risk of miscarriage as much as smoking. Air pollution increases the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/london-air-pollution-deadly-asthma-attack/">cardiovascular and respiratory disease</a> and is responsible for millions of deaths every year.

Children are especially vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution, and now a new study has found that air pollution can also negatively impact fetal development during pregnancy. 

Researchers led by the <a href="https://healthcare.utah.edu/huntsmancancerinstitute/">Huntsman Cancer Institute</a> in Salt Lake City and the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> discovered that air pollution increases the risk of miscarriage as much as smoking does. 

The study, which was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001502821832154X#!">Fertility and Sterility</a>, is the first of its kind to examine how short-term exposure to air pollution impacts pregnancy.

“It’s pretty profound,” Matthew Fuller, a co-author of the study, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/11/air-pollution-as-bad-as-smoking-in-increasing-risk-of-miscarriage">The Guardian</a>. “If you compare that increase in risk to other studies on environmental effects on the foetus, it’s akin to tobacco smoke in first trimester pregnancy loss.” 

The researchers reviewed 1,398 cases of women who had experienced a miscarriage in and around Salt Lake City between 2007 and 2015 in the hopes of establishing a link between air pollution and spontaneous pregnancy loss. 

After analyzing the different cases, the researchers found that exposure to increases levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in particular over a period of one week correlated with a 16 percent increase in miscarriage. 

Nitrogen dioxide is emitted from diesel vehicles. NO2 levels in Salt Lake City are comparable to other large cities like London and Paris, and the study shows how dangerous exposure to diesel fumes and air pollution is to pregnancy. 

“Many of us think there is an effect [of air pollution] on our health, but to find out there are actual effects on unborn children is very upsetting,” Fuller told The Guardian.

Global CO2 and NO2 emissions will need to be mitigated in order to reduce the negative health impacts of air pollution including disease and early death. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Air pollution increases the risk of miscarriage as much as smoking

Air pollution increases the risk of miscarriage as much as...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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