The thin line of gold behind every tap, swipe, and click on our electronic devices rarely enters daily conversation, yet the metal keeps digital life running, then eventually turn into landfills full of toxic e-waste. 



From the contacts in a phone jack to the chips inside a smartwatch, gold moves electrons smoothly and shrugs off corrosion. 



Mining more, however, blasts mountains, drains rivers, and spews carbon. With the global appetite for electronics still climbing, attention has turned to the growing junkyard of cast‑off gadgets.



E‑waste is now the quickest‑rising waste stream on the planet - roughly 63 million short tons in 2024 according to <a href="https://www.unep.org/ietc/what-we-do/e-waste-management" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations estimates</a> - and only a small share gets recycled in certified facilities. 



Most of our old electronics end up in landfills or backyard workshops, which then leak metals into the groundwater, creating toxic brews. A cleaner strategy is to reclaim precious metals safely before our devices make their way into the garbage heaps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cheese-e-waste-and-gold">Cheese, e-waste, and gold</h2>



A research team is now working to change that script. Professor Raffaele Mezzenga at <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a> and senior scientist Mohammad Peydayesh assembled colleagues in search of a simpler tool than acid vats or cyanide baths. Their unlikely inspiration bubbles up in cheese factories.



Cheese makers separate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cottage-cheese-is-making-a-comeback-due-to-its-nutritional-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">curds from whey</a>, leaving behind nearly nine pounds of watery by‑product for every pound of cheddar. Whey is rich in proteins that twist into hair‑thin amyloid fibrils when warmed in acid. 



The Zurich group realized those fibrils could be coaxed into a feather‑light sponge that prefers gold over the other metals lurking in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electronic-waste-is-growing-five-times-faster-than-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shredded phones and laptops</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adding-a-cheesy-twist-to-golden-e-waste">Adding a cheesy twist to golden e-waste</h2>



The researchers stirred the fibrils into a gel, then dried it into an aerogel - think Styrofoam’s airiness on a nanoscale. Microscopic pores criss‑cross the material, offering miles of surface area inside a crumb‑sized cube. 



When a slice of this sponge meets a beaker filled with dissolved circuit boards, gold ions rush toward the proteins and cling tightly.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_schematic_credit-ETH-Zurich_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_schematic_credit-ETH-Zurich_1s.webp" alt="Schematic route followed to generate neat value via pure gold, extracted from food waste (whey) and e-waste as starting source materials. Credit: Advanced Materials" class="wp-image-1968796"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Schematic route followed to generate neat value via pure gold, extracted from food waste (whey) and e-waste as starting source materials. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Advanced Materials</figcaption></figure>



Early trials showed the aerogel collecting a far higher share of gold than plastic resins that recyclers often use. Better yet, the process skips noxious solvents. 



Water, moderate heat, and the natural chemistry of protein do the heavy lifting, which slashes both hazard and cost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aerogel-and-a-protein-sponge">Aerogel and a protein sponge</h2>



For a head‑to‑head laboratory test, the team stripped metal parts from twenty <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-zero-waste-a-global-commitment-to-a-sustainable-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discarded computer motherboards</a>, dissolved them in acid, and dropped in a fingernail‑sized piece of aerogel. 



Copper, nickel, and cobalt swirled in the brew, yet gold ions settled on the sponge far more efficiently. After a short soak, the solution cleared, signaling that most of the precious metal had left the liquid.



Numbers tell the story. The sponge drew out gold that was about 90.8 percent pure - close to 22‑karat jewelry - on its first pass. Competing adsorbents usually require extra purification steps to reach similar purity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-e-waste-ions-to-gold-nuggets">From e-waste ions to gold nuggets</h2>



Pulling ions from solution is useful; turning them back into solid metal is crucial. The Zurich group warmed the loaded sponge until the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fools-gold-may-be-a-valuable-source-of-lithium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gold ions</a> shed their charge and merged into shimmering flakes. 



Heating continued until the flakes fused into a nugget weighing roughly 450 milligrams. Chemical analysis showed the lump was 91 percent gold and 9 percent copper, again hitting the mark for 22 carats.



This step also freed the protein skeleton. Burned away under controlled heat, the whey‑derived matrix leaves no synthetic residue, easing cleanup. Conventional resin beds cannot claim the same neat exit.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_gold-nuggets-recovered_Credit-ETH-Zurich_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_gold-nuggets-recovered_Credit-ETH-Zurich_1s.webp" alt="The gold nugget obtained from computer motherboards in three parts. The largest of these parts is around five millimeters wide. Credit: ETH Zurich/Alan Kovacevic" class="wp-image-1968794"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The gold nugget obtained from computer motherboards in three parts. The largest of these parts is around five millimeters wide. Click image to enlarge. Credit: ETH Zurich/Alan Kovacevic</figcaption></figure>



Recycling lives or dies on the balance sheet. Here the math looks encouraging. 



Procurement and energy costs for the entire operation are about fifty times lower than the market value of the gold retrieved. Even after accounting for labor and overhead, that margin hints at solid profit for commercial recyclers.



Lower operating costs open doors for smaller regional plants. Instead of shipping obsolete electronics overseas, communities could process them nearby, cutting transportation emissions and keeping revenue local.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-e-waste-has-more-than-just-gold">e-Waste has more than just gold</h2>



Gold steals headlines, yet the technique need not stop there. By tweaking pH or tailoring the protein structure, the same sort of sponge could sort copper, cobalt, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-captured-on-video-forming-out-of-thin-air-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">palladium</a> - metals vital for batteries and sensors. 



The team is already experimenting with pea‑protein waste from plant‑based milk production and collagen from fish scales. Success would guard against supply bottlenecks tied to a single dairy stream.



E‑waste is not the only target. Industrial rinse water from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-computer-defeats-a-supercomputer-in-crucial-annealing-optimization-task/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microchip fabrication</a> and gold‑plating shops also carries trace metals worth reclaiming. A modular protein sponge could slip into those lines, trimming costs and curbing runoff.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taking-the-next-steps">Taking the next steps</h2>



“The fact I love the most is that we’re using a food industry byproduct to obtain gold from electronic waste,” Mezzenga says. In a very real sense, the method transforms two waste products into gold. “You can’t get much more sustainable than that!”



If pilot projects scale as hoped, tomorrow’s recycling centers may sit beside creameries and food processors, quietly turning yesterday’s whey and last decade’s gadgets into tomorrow’s circuit traces. 



The approach will not halt mining overnight, but every recovered ounce delays a blast, a slurry pond, or a diesel haul truck. 



That shift, multiplied across millions of phones and laptops, offers a straightforward path toward lighter footprints and longer‑lived resources - no new mountains required.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202310642" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advanced Materials</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Invention turns our electronic waste into 22-carat gold nuggets instead of toxic trash

The thin line of gold behind every tap, swipe, and click on our electronic devices rarely enters daily conversation, yet the metal keeps digital life running, then eventually turn into landfills full of toxic e-waste. From the contacts in a phone jack to the chips inside a smartwatch, gold moves electrons smoothly and shrugs off corrosion. Mining more, however, blasts mountains, drains rivers, and spews carbon. With the global appetite for electronics still climbing, attention has turned to the growing junkyard of cast‑off gadgets. E‑waste is now...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.si.edu/">Smithsonian</a> have found that marsh plants have a surprising response to higher levels of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/trees-carbon-dioxide/">carbon dioxide</a>. While it seems that plant stems would grow larger as more carbon dioxide is taken in, marsh plants actually produce more stems that are noticeably smaller.

"I don't think anybody expected this," said study lead author Professor Meng Lu. For years, scientists have observed that carbon dioxide bulks up the total biomass of marsh plants, so they naturally assumed that individual plants were also growing in size. "Everyone thought, okay, plants increased, biomass increased, so the height, width, all should increase. But that's not the case in a marsh," said Professor Lu.

At the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Maryland, Professor Lu worked on a tidal marsh called the "Global Change Research Wetland," which is home to one of the world's  longest-running field experiments on climate change. The scientists have been tracking how marsh plants will grow in a world with carbon dioxide levels that are nearly twice as high as they are today.

For 30 years, experts at the Smithsonian have harvested the plants in experimental chambers, taking annual measurements of their total biomass, stems, roots, and other key traits. Based on this data, Professor Lu realized that in the high-carbon dioxide chambers, the biomass of all the marsh sedges increased by 20 percent. More stems were growing in thicker clusters, but the individual stems had unexpectedly shrunk in size by 16 percent.

The researchers determined that this unusual growth pattern was the result of increasing CO2 without increasing the availability of  nitrogen. "If we get more carbon, we need more nitrogen to feed the plants," said Professor Lu. 

Without additional nitrogen, the extra carbon dioxide causes the plants to spread their roots farther below ground in an attempt to draw more nitrogen from the soil. Because most marsh plants are "clonal," which means they can reproduce by making copies of themselves, they naturally send up more stems above ground as their roots spread. 

In chambers where the experts raised both carbon dioxide and nitrogen, the "shrinking stems" effect vanished. The extra nitrogen enabled the plants to grow more stems and to make those stems larger.

"We knew that giving plants more nitrogen favors shoot growth over root growth, and vice-versa for carbon dioxide, but we never considered what this means for the numbers and sizes of plants," said study co-author Pat Megonigal. "We think that shrinking stems may be occurring in many other ecosystems with clonal plants."

Marsh plants exposed to higher CO2 levels also grow dense roots, which enables the marsh to build soil. As a marsh accumulates more soil and its elevation goes up, it becomes more resilient to sea level rise.

"Accelerating sea level rise is a threat to marshes worldwide," said Megonigal. "The possibility that marshes will be able to trap more sediment at the same time is reason for a bit of optimism."

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

Image Credit: Gary Peresta/Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Marsh plant stems shrink when exposed to high levels of CO2

Scientists at the Smithsonian have found that marsh plants have...

Climate change has become a top-level priority among Democratic candidates, who have recently come together to promote their visions for addressing the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-climate-change/">climate crisis</a>. This is the first time that climate issues have been treated with such importance at this stage in a presidential election. 

Several candidates have focused much of their attention on Iowa, where climate change is severely threatening the future of agriculture. Some ideas include new climate-insurance programs for farmers and the development of agencies for agricultural research.

California Senator Kamala Harris is a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who is currently fourth in the polls. Harris’s communications director Lily Adams said on a press call that the campaign is now aimed at putting Iowa first, and the candidate is expected to spend roughly half the month of October in Iowa.

"On the issue of climate change: There’s no question that we have got to confront and deal with it. We need national policy that prioritizes it and understands the fact of it, which, frankly, the sad part of it is that there’s actually denial of it, much less what we need to do around the immediacy," Harris told the <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/">Des Moines Register</a>. 

"There is the point about what we need to do in a way that is about investment in infrastructure and growing the economy as a way to help combat the effects of climate change."

In 2008, the issue of climate change was only ranked by one percent of Americans as the nation’s most important problem, according to a Pew Research poll. In 2016, three different debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump ended without a single mention of climate change. 

Over the last few years, however, the country has faced more intense weather events like devastating spring flooding across Iowa. In downtown Davenport alone, the economic impact of the flooding was estimated at $30 million. Meanwhile, the extreme rainfall submerged 100,000 acres of farmland, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in crop losses.

National attention has turned to this and other climate-related catastrophes, such as wildfires in California, and the country's leaders are finally forced to acknowledge that we are in the midst of an environmental crisis.

A report in <a href="https://time.com/">Time Magazine</a> states that the question now is whether the politics can change radically enough before the climate does. According to the National Climate Assessment, climate change threatens to wipe out all of the gains made in agricultural productivity over the last four decades across the Midwest by the year 2050.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Larry Lindell

Climate-related agricultural threats in Iowa are demanding political attention

Climate change has become a top-level priority among Democratic candidates,...

A new report from the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a> warns that the world has fallen badly behind in the race to avert climate disaster. The five-year period ending in 2019 is set to be the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/july-2019-hottest-month/">hottest</a> on record, and carbon emissions have risen by 20 percent within this time frame, reaching a record high of 37 billion tons.

The research, which was conducted by the <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en">World Meteorological Organization</a> (WMO), reveals that climate change is accelerating, with sea levels rising and ice sheets melting faster than ever before.

The authors of the report say that it "highlights the urgent need for the development of concrete actions that halt global warming and the worst effects of climate change."

The past four years were already established as being the hottest in recorded history. The five-year period ending in 2019 is estimated to be 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times and 0.2 degrees Celsius warmer than 2011-2015, according to the researchers.

During the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries set national targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an international effort to limit warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius. 

However, the WMO team found that even if all countries were to meet the goals they set, the planet would still warm by 2.9 to 3.4 degrees Celsius. To achieve the target of 2 degrees Celsius, the current goals would have to be tripled, while five times the current efforts would be needed to achieve the target of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

As carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, there is still no sign of reaching "peak emissions," which is when atmospheric CO2 levels will begin to fall. In 2018, global carbon dioxide reached 407.8 parts per million and will likely exceed 410 ppm by the end of this year.

"The last time Earth's atmosphere contained 400 parts per million CO 2 was about 3-5 million years ago," the UN report states. At that time, ice sheets had vanished from the poles and the oceans were 10 to 20 meters higher than they are today. 

The researchers also found that heat waves were the deadliest weather hazard in the last five years. July of 2019 was the hottest month ever recorded. 

As the report was released on Sunday, 250 people dressed in black climbed the Pizol mountain in northeastern Switzerland to hold a wake to mark the disappearance of an Alpine glacier. Eric Petrini, the chaplain of the Mels municipality where Pizol is located, called on "God's help to tackle the enormous challenge of climate change."

Earlier this year, researchers at <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html">ETH Zurich</a> announced that, at the current rate of emissions, more than 90 percent of Alpine glaciers will disappear by the end of this century. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Tom Wang

The past 5 years have been the hottest on record, UN report finds

A new report from the United Nations warns that the...

Study calls into question key theory on Earth’s past climate change. For years, scientists have largely agreed that a long period of cooling was directly attributable to weathering of the Himalayas over the past 15 million years.  

A new study led by researchers from <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> is calling this key theory on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/studying-past-climate-change/">Earth’s climate</a> into question. 

The Himalayan uplift hypothesis suggests that when the Indian and Asian continents collided, it forced up rock formations that would become the massive mountain range we know today as the Himalayas. 

With all these new rocks on the surface, they were vulnerable to weathering, which helped capture carbon dioxide. Erosion and weathering carried away carried carbon stores down through rivers to the ocean where algae used the carbon to build calcium carbonate shells. 

Once the algae died, their shells fell to the seafloor and became buried in seafloor sediment, locking in the carbon. 

Thus, seafloor sediment core samples should contain a record of the Earth’s climate over millions of years with increases in weathering linked to accumulating rates of calcium carbonate in the sediment.

For this study, the researchers analyzed dozens of deep-sea sediment cores and found that rates of calcium carbonate in shells over 15 million years decreased drastically despite the increases in rock weathering. 

This suggests that weathering of the Himalayas is not responsible for global cooling as previously thought, but the answer to what did drive down temperatures remains a mystery. 

“The findings of our study, if substantiated, raise more questions than they answered,” said Yair Rosenthal, a senior author of the study. “If the cooling is not due to enhanced Himalayan rock weathering, then what processes have been overlooked?”

The researchers also found that as carbon dioxide levels decreased over time, algae called coccolithophores adapted by making less calcium carbonate.

Rosenthal will continue to study past long-term climate change to help shed light on these processes to create more accurate future climate predictions. 

The researchers published their findings in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-019-0450-3">Nature Geoscience</a>. 

--

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>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Daniel Prudek

Study calls into question key theory on Earth’s past climate change

Study calls into question key theory on Earth’s past climate...

Smartphone app uses AI to help African farmers prepare for climate change. Researchers at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> have modified a smartphone application so that it can predict near-term crop productivity for farmers in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/smoke-fires-africa-fertilize-amazon/">Africa</a>, which may help to protect major crops from the consequences of climate change. The experts will introduce their new tool today as the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/">United Nations Climate Action Summit</a> takes place in New York City.

PlantVillage Nuru is already being used in Africa to diagnose crop diseases. The Penn State team previously demonstrated that this application is twice as accurate as humans, and has improved the ability of farmers to identify problems on their own farms. Smartphone app uses AI to help African farmers prepare for climate change

Through the use of artificial intelligence, PlantVillage Nuru can now predict crop productivity based on water availability. The AI tool draws relevant information from the UN's WaPOR portal, which combines 10 years of NASA satellite observations. The smartphone application also has access to weather and soil data, as well as the United Nations Crop Calendar.

"Hundreds of millions of African farmers are already suffering from the effects of climate change," said Professor David Hughes. "For example, earlier this year, which has been the hottest year on record, Mozambique was hit with two cyclones, both among the strongest ever recorded in East Africa. They caused almost $1 billion in damages and destroyed nearly 80 percent of staple crops throughout the region. They also changed rainfall patterns across East Africa, which further affected the crops."

Hughes added that the majority of these farmers remain unprepared for the climate change impacts that are yet to come. For example, the majority of African farmers rely solely on rain to irrigate their crops, and many will not be able to handle the increasing drought conditions. 

The new PlantVillage AI tool integrates tens of thousands of data points across Africa, with hundreds more being collected every day. The AI assistant has the capacity to keep farmers informed in various ways, such as offering advice on flood mitigation, soil conservation, or on which crops are the most suitable for which regions. 

"Our goal is to nudge behavioral changes that will help farmers prepare their farms to be climate ready," said Hughes. "There are proactive behaviors, such as planting for increased crop diversity, promoting soil moisture conservation and engaging in water harvesting, that are known to increase resiliency."

"Our AI tool is in the early stages, but it will get better over time and with more training. We are releasing it now so we can kick-start the necessary collaboration we need to help African farmers adapt to climate change. As the African proverb says: 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.' Climate change means we must act together to help those most in need."

The PlantVillage AI tool will be unveiled on September 23, 2019, to coincide with the United Nations Climate Action Summit.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Jan Ziegler

Smartphone app uses AI to help African farmers prepare

Smartphone app uses AI to help African farmers prepare for...

The federal government is the largest landowner in Alaska, with <a href="http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/factsht/land_fs/land_own.pdf">federal lands covering 60%</a> of the state and adding up to a whopping 222 million acres of national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and military land. 80% of Alaska’s public lands are set aside for public use. 

For the outdoor enthusiast, all that relatively wild land is mouth watering. Alaska is the land of Kodiak bears, moose, mountains, glaciers, rugged coasts and remote islands. Fishing, hunting, hiking, ice climbing, mountaineering and sailing are all part of the allure of the northern state. 

But many living in Alaska don’t find federal lands as appealing. Years ago, when I hitchhiked from Fairbanks to Anchorage and earlier from the tip of the Kenai to Anchorage, I mostly got rides from people sympathetic to federal lands. A military contractor and a ranger from Denali National Park both gave me rides. Despite these people’s friendliness towards the federal government, they told me that many Alaskans do not feel the same. Many harken back to the days when someone could make a living off of fishing, fur trapping, logging and mining without much interference from the federal government, which is often characterized as being out of touch.  

Like them or hate them, Alaska’s public federal lands are some of the most iconic and impressive in the United States. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm">Denali National Park &amp; Preserve</a> contains the continent’s highest peak, Mt. Denali, which rises to an impressive 20,310 snowy, glaciated feet above sea level. <a href="https://www.fws.gov/refuge/kodiak/">Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge</a> is home to the largest brown bear in the world and some of the highest population densities of bears as well. Caribou, wolves, musk ox, moose, seals, puffins and impressive numbers of bald eagles all have habitat protected as federal lands in Alaska. You can see glaciers, wild rivers, tundras in mountains on federal land there.

Despite the beauty and appeal of Alaska’s federal lands, the federal government that protects them may soon give up on them, instead caving to the short sighted desire to cash in on ‘natural resources’ rather than protections for nature. <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/analysis-alaska-public-lands-trump_n_5d76bffde4b07521023154ce">HuffPost</a> reported earlier this month that the Trump administration is planning to transfer ownership, sell or open up to extraction 28.3 million acres of public land in Alaska. This the overall impact of nine separate actions under Trump, including his widely publicized push to open the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. As Earth.com <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/logging-tongass-national-forest/">reported last month</a>, the Trump administration is also pushing to allow new logging in the Tongass National Forest.

A directive from Donald Trump instructed the Secretary of Agriculture to exempt the 16.7 million acre national forest from nearly 20 year old logging restrictions. This move alone could damage more than half of the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest. This is moving against the trend in Alaska and the US as a whole. 

In 2016, the <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/">US Forest Service</a> finalized a plan to phase out old growth logging in Tongass within ten years. Additionally, 5.7 million acres have been set aside by Congress as wilderness in Tongass and would remain protected. Timber provides Alaska with less than 1% of their jobs yet Governor Dunleavy and Senate Republican Lisa Murkowski have pushed the Trump administration to exempt Alaska from the roadless rule that forbids new roads (except where the Forest Service has a specific project) and bans commercial logging. 

The changes could have wide reaching consequences beyond just the forest itself. Approximately 40% of the wild salmon that migrate further down the west coast spawns in Tongass. Other changes in Alaska public land policy attempted by the Trump administration are less high profile than the Tongass or Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. 

<a href="https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2019/06/28/blm-lifts-alaska-land-withdrawals-opening-13-million-acres/">In June</a>, Assistant Secretary of the Interior Joe Balash signed directives revoking public land orders, potentially leading the way to opening up 1.3 million acres of <a href="https://www.blm.gov/">Bureau of Land Management</a> (BLM) land in Alaska to development. Currently, the BLM manages 70 million acres of land in Alaska, about 19% of the total state of Alaska. In keeping with the common goals between the president and governor Dunleavy of Alaska, there are more actions being taken to allow public lands to be turned over to private or state interests.

In July, a land exchange <a href="https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2019/07/24/deal-reached-for-land-swap-for-road-through-izembek-wildlife-refuge/">agreement</a> was signed allowing a road to be built through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. King Cove Corp, an Alaska Native Corporation, agreed to give land of equal value in exchange for a road through the wildlife refuge, which they say would allow land access to Cold Bay and an all weather airport. Environmentalists opposed the exchange, citing the potential damage to brown bears, seabirds, caribou and salmon at the tip of the Alaska Peninsula where the refuge is located, mainly to protect waterfowl habitat. The road would be placed on an isthmus as narrow as three miles in some places with Izembek Lagoon on one side holding one of the largest eelgrass beds in the world. The lagoon is an important food source for endangered ducks, geese and other waterbirds in the area. 

The land swap agreement was originally Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke but was later ruled illegal in a US District court. A final decision on whether the road will be built or not will likely come after a long legal battle. The fight over public lands and their place in America, especially in places like Alaska, will continue to be contentious unless how we live changes significantly.

The <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2019/09/10/474256/vast-liquidation-public-lands-underway-alaska/">Center for American Progress</a> that analyzed the large scale land liquidation ongoing in Alaska points out that the state is more dependent than any other on oil and gas revenues. Fossil fuels have made Alaska a lot of money, and it’s the only state that not only doesn’t have income tax but also pays residents a dividend from oil and gas just for living in the state. 

The other side of the issue of course is that oil and gas and other extractive industries have enormous influence on Alaskan policy. In the past, the ownership of lands by the federal government safe guarded against the wholesale development of Alaska, saving some of the best and most beautiful lands and species for all of us. That might be changing fast.       

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Danita Delmont

Alaska federal public lands put at risk by the Trump administration

The federal government is the largest landowner in Alaska, with...

Global climate strike draws millions demanding action on climate change. On Friday, millions of people all over the globe took part in the international climate strike to call on leaders to take urgent action against climate change. 

The demonstrations were inspired by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and took place in an estimated 185 countries and included over 4 million people, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/21/across-the-globe-millions-join-biggest-climate-protest-ever">The Guardian</a>.  

Anti-fossil fuel group <a href="https://350.org/">350.org</a> reported that over 300,000 turned out in New York City alone, although precise figures have not yet been released.

Thunberg spoke to tens of thousands of people at the New York demonstrations, where the crowd could be heard chanting “Save our planet!”

“Right now we are the ones who are making a difference. If no one else will take action, then we will,” Thunberg said. 

“If you belong to that small group of people who feel threatened by us, then we have some very bad news for you," she concluded. "Because this is only the beginning. Change is coming whether they like it or not.” 

Meanwhile, across the globe, protesters took to the streets in the Pacific islands, which are under extreme threat from rising sea levels. Demonstrations were also held across Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

The protests come just before the UN’s climate crisis summit scheduled for Monday, which will include the UK’s prime minister Boris Johnson, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi, and France’s president Emmanuel Macron. 

US President Donald Trump is set to snub the climate talks for a meeting on religious freedom. Trump has long denied the existence of climate change, even though <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/americans-agree-climate-change/">recent polls</a> have shown that most Americans would like to see immediate action taken.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Editor

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Noah Labinaz

Global climate strike draws millions demanding action on climate change

Global climate strike draws millions demanding action on climate change....

On Thursday, Amazon announced plans to be carbon neutral by 2040, ten years ahead of the goals set in place by the Paris Climate Accord. 

Jeff Bezos, the company’s chief executive, said the promise was part of the Climate Pledge, a larger effort to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazon-single-use-plastic-waste/">combat climate change</a>. Amazon is the first to sign the pledge.

According to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-amazon-climate-change-pledge-2019-9#10000-electric-delivery-vehicles-on-the-road-as-early-as-2022-and-100000-operating-by-2030-3">Business Insider,</a> the Climate Pledge was created by Amazon in collaboration with <a href="http://globaloptimism.com/">Global Optimism,</a> a company founded by the former executive secretary of the <a href="https://unfccc.int/">United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change</a>.

Amazon will monitor and report its greenhouse gas emissions and implement strategies to become carbon neutral by investing in renewables. 

The company has vowed to use 80 percent renewable energy for its operations by 2024 and be dependent on 100 percent renewable energy by 2030.  

“We’re done being in the middle of the herd on this issue—we’ve decided to use our size and scale to make a difference,” Bezos said in a <a href="https://press.aboutamazon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/amazon-co-founds-climate-pledge-setting-goal-meet-paris?tag=bisafetynet2-20">statement</a>. “If a company with as much physical infrastructure as Amazon—which delivers more than 10 billion items a year—can meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early, then any company can.” 

Climate change is accelerating faster than past predictions, and it will take a concentrated global effort to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. 

Amazon has ordered 100,000 electric delivery trucks from the company <a href="https://rivian.com/">Rivian</a> to help meet its lofty carbon-neutral goals. 

The full fleet of 100,000 vehicles won’t be out making deliveries until 2030, but 10,000 of the electric vans are expected to be in operation by 2022 according to Amazon’s pledge. 

Amazon has also committed $100 million to help restore forests and wetlands in partnership with the <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/">Nature Conservancy</a>. 

Bezos made the announcement one day before the <a href="https://globalclimatestrike.net/">global climate strike.</a> 

More than 1,500 Amazon employees said they would walk out as part of a worldwide day of planned strikes demanding that more be done to reduce fossil fuel consumption and mitigate climate change.  

--

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>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Sundry Photography

Amazon announces plans to be carbon neutral by 2040

On Thursday, Amazon announced plans to be carbon neutral by...

At present, there are a record-breaking six named tropical storms whirling in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Basins. 

Humberto and Kiko were first spinning in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, and <a href="https://twitter.com/wxjerdman/status/1174330111019106304">four new tropical cyclones formed Tuesday</a>, September 17th: Imelda and Jerry in the Atlantic Basin, and Mario and Lorena in the Eastern Pacific Basin, according to <a href="https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2019-09-18-six-named-storms-ties-record-atlantic-eastern-pacific">The Weather Channel</a>. 

The last time six storms swirled at once in the Atlantic and Pacific was in 1992, according to Eric Blake from the <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/">National Hurricane Center</a>.

The National Hurricane Center also reports that there have been as many as five active Atlantic tropical cyclones at once, which happened between September 10th-12th, 1971. However, no more than two of those cyclones were hurricane strength at any one time. 

Four simultaneous Atlantic hurricanes were also recorded on August 22nd, 1893 and September 26th-27th, 1998. And five simultaneous named storms of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/death-toll-tropical-storm-florence/">tropical storm</a> strength in the Eastern Pacific Basin were recorded on August 26th, 1974.

[caption id="attachment_1878082" align="aligncenter" width="540"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/tropical-storms.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1878082" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/tropical-storms.jpg" alt="" width="540" height="303" /></a> Image Credit: Weather.com[/caption]

September is peak hurricane month for both the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Basins. It’s during this time of year that oceans are the warmest and ocean winds that can push tropical storms apart are at their weakest.

Furthermore, a large-scale wave in the atmosphere, known as a “convectively coupled Kelvin wave (CCKW), is also contributing to the active storm period. The CCKW has already made the Atlantic Basin into “a favorable state for tropical development,” according to Michael Ventrice, from <a href="https://business.weather.com/">The Weather Company</a>, who spoke with Weather.com.

"This is the very same Kelvin wave that passed the Atlantic Basin back in the third week of August, aiding in the genesis of Hurricane Dorian," Ventrice said. These Kelvin waves can circle the globe several times, he added, stating that it’s stronger passing the Pacific than it was back in early August.

Plus, a phenomenon called the <a href="https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2018-07-13-madden-julian-oscillation-mjo-hurricane-season-forecasting">Madden-Julian Oscillation</a> (MJO) is helping tropical development along in the Atlantic Basin, and will remain in the area until early October. Hurricanes in the Carribbean and the Gulf of Mexico are four times more likely to occur when MJO is in a favorable phase, as it is now.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/aapsky

There are now six tropical storms spinning at once

At present, there are a record-breaking six named tropical storms...

Thousands of hospitalizations or deaths attributed to climate events in 2012. A new study from experts at <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a>, the <a href="http://www.ucla.edu/">University of California, Los Angeles,</a> and the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/">Natural Resources Defense Council</a> (NRDC) has found that climate change caused about 900 deaths, 21,000 hospitalizations, and $10 billion in additional health care costs in 2012 alone. 

According to those experts, these findings show that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-investment/">climate change</a> “represents a major public health emergency” in the United States.

To come to their conclusion, experts analyzed the effects of 10 climate-sensitive events that took place in the U.S. within the year 2012: wildfires in Colorado and Washington, ozone air pollution in Nevada, extreme heat in Wisconsin, the Lyme disease outbreak in Michigan, the West Nile virus outbreak in Texas, extreme weather in Ohio, the impact of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and New York, allergenic oak pollen in North Carolina, and algal blooms off the Florida coastline. Thousands of hospitalizations or deaths attributed to climate events in 2012

“Applying a consistent economic valuation approach to published studies and state estimates, we estimate total health-related costs from 917 deaths, 20,568 hospitalizations, and 17,857 emergency department visits of $10.0 billion in 2018 dollars, with a sensitivity range of $2.7-24.6 billion,” the experts report in their study, published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019GH000202">GeoHealth</a>. 

The research shows that Hurricane Sandy had the most devastating impact, having resulted in 300 deaths and $3.1 billion in extra medical care bills. 

And the wildfires in Colorado caused 32,000 residents of Colorado Springs to evacuate. Over 4,100 wildland fires were reported in Colorado during the 2012 wildfire season, which lead to the destruction of 648 structures, 384,803 acres of land, and to the deaths of six people.

“Climate change represents a major public health emergency. But its destructive and expensive toll on Americans' health has largely been absent from the climate policy debate,” said lead author Dr. Vijay Limaye, a scientist in NRDC's Science Center. “Our research shows that health-related costs added at least another 26 percent to the national price tag for 2012 severe weather-related damages.”

“This continuing untold human suffering and staggering cost is another reason we must take assertive action to curb climate change now,” he continued. “Cutting greenhouse gas pollution and expanding clean energy, while also investing in preparedness and climate adaptation, is the prescription for a safer, healthier future.”

In the seven years following 2012, annual temperatures have continued to rise. The five hottest years on record have all been in the last five years, and these extreme temperatures have caused weather disasters resulting in damages that have exceeded the $11 billion spent in 2012, according to the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA).

And NOAA’s extreme weather cost estimates do not include additional health care costs.

“Our research signals that all told, there could be tens to hundreds of billions of dollars in health costs already from recent climate-related exposures nationwide,” added coauthor Dr. Kim Knowlton, senior scientist at NRDC. “It's clear that failing to address climate change, and soon, will cost us a fortune, including irreversible damage to our health.”

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock

Thousands of hospitalizations or deaths attributed to climate events in 2012

Thousands of hospitalizations or deaths attributed to climate events in...

In a new study from the Centre for Environmental Sciences at <a href="https://www.uhasselt.be/en">Hasselt University</a>, scientists have found evidence of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-early-death/">air pollution</a> in the placentas of 28 pregnant women. The research suggests that traffic and industrial fumes can move through the mother's body toward the fetus, which may cause birth complications or defects.

The experts based their work on the “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” (DOHaD) concept that the early-life environment is critical for fetal programming. 

"Life in utero is considered a particularly sensitive period during which maternal exposure to unfavorable conditions may not only influence fetal development and induce adverse pregnancy outcomes but also have long-term effects influencing offspring susceptibility to diseases later in adulthood, as postulated by the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis," wrote the researchers.

The study was focused on the potential for pollution-induced molecular alterations in the placenta, which is the source of oxygen and nutrients for an unborn baby.

Tissue samples collected from the pregnant women all contained traces of black carbon, a component of fine particulate matter that is associated with burning fossil fuels such as exhaust fumes from diesel engines. According to the experts, the black carbon was found in the fetal portion of the placenta, the villous chorion.

Among the women, the ten who lived in the most polluted areas were found to have the most black carbon in their placentas, with an average of 2.42 micrograms per cubic meter. By contrast, the women who lived in the least polluted areas had an average of 0.63 micrograms per cubic meter.

"Substantial evidence associates exposure to air pollution during pregnancy with a range of adverse health outcomes at birth, including increased risk of low birth weight and prematurity, and also in adult life, such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, and neurodevelopmental alterations, and even cancers," wrote the study authors. 

"However, the biological chain of events through which exposure to air pollution in utero influences an individual’s later-life health is still poorly known. As the placenta is a crucial organ for fetal development, alterations in the placenta on the molecular level, induced by air pollution, may be important as to the early origins of health and disease."

While the research does not prove that pollution can make it all the way into the body of a fetus, the study is the first to demonstrate that black carbon can cross into the placenta. 

"Investigating the placenta is an opportunity for future research as it may help to understand the fundamental biology underpinning the DOHaD concept through the interactions between the underlying modes of action, prenatal environment, and disease risk in later life," wrote the study authors.  

"To prevent lasting consequences from early-life exposures of air pollution, policy makers should get a basic understanding of biomolecular consequences and transgenerational risks."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://clinicalepigeneticsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13148-019-0688-z">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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Nicole Rerk

Black carbon can cross into a pregnant woman’s placenta, scientists find

In a new study from the Centre for Environmental Sciences...

More than 1,600 scientists have called on Congress to fully fund conservation programs and help solve the growing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decreases-biodiversity-habitat-loss/">biodiversity crisis</a>. 

Currently, up to one million species are at risk of extinction, according to the latest <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/">Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Global Assessment</a>. 

Even though the US Endangered Species Act is considered the gold standard of conservation law, decades of underfunding have undercut its full potential. 

In a <a href="https://defenders-cci.org/sign-on/conservation-funding/">letter</a> published in the journal Science, researchers from the <a href="https://defenders.org/">Defenders of Wildlife </a>and universities across the US are asking Congress to fully fund conservation programs in order to prevent catastrophic biodiversity loss. 

“We are simply running out of time: Congress must act decisively to save endangered and threatened species now,” said Jamie Rappaport Clark, the president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife in a statement. 

Less than 25 percent of the funding needed for species recovery has been provided in the past few decades. For example, of the $468 million that the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">US Fish and Wildlife Service</a> needs to implement conservation effectively, the agency receives less than half that amount each year. 

Scientists have warned that we are nearing a sixth mass extinction due to the rapid rate of wildlife declines. 

The current global biodiversity crisis demands action, and adequate funding could go a long way in protecting wildlife populations. 

“The science is clear: biodiversity faces unprecedented threats and decline, with about 1 million species at risk of extinction,” said Dr. Jacom Malcom, the lead author of the letter and Director of the Center for Conservation Innovation, Defenders of Wildlife. “Scientists stand united in the need for Congress to fully fund proven conservation programs to stem the tide of extinction. We must act now before it’s too late.

--

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>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Ethan Daniels

Why conservation funding is vital to solving the biodiversity crisis

More than 1,600 scientists have called on Congress to fully...

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



---



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



---



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

News coming your way