A new study of frontline employees in Arizona reveals that firefighters carry the greatest load of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their blood, while health care personnel also show moderate but notable elevations. The findings point to unseen hazards in everyday work gear and environments.



The investigation, led by scientists at the <a href="https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona Health Sciences</a>, compared blood samples from nearly 2,000 adults in firefighting, health care, and other essential occupations to learn how job duties shape chemical exposure.



PFAS are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-filtration-system-removes-forever-chemicals-from-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human-made compounds</a> prized for stain, water, and flame resistance. They coat cookware, clothing, carpets, packaging, and industrial foams. Because their molecular bonds are hard to break, the chemicals linger in air, soil, and water for decades and build up in living tissues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-firefighters-exposure-to-forever-chemicals">Firefighters' exposure to forever chemicals</h2>



The researchers measured serum PFAS concentrations in 280 firefighters, 787 health care workers, and 734 employees from other trades. Blood was collected between 2018 and 2021. 



For most workers, PFAS totals declined by six to 17 percent each year, yet measurable levels remained in every group by the study’s end. Firefighters topped the charts for several compounds, including PFHxS, Sm-PFOS, n-PFOS, and PFHpS. 



Health care workers ranked second overall and showed higher odds of two PFAS - Sb-PFOA and PFDoA - when compared with peers in other fields. They also had modest rises in PFHpS and PFUnA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-previous-research"><a></a>Clues from previous research</h2>



Study senior author Kate Ellingson is an associate professor at the <a href="https://publichealth.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health</a>.



“Our study reinforces previous research showing elevated PFAS levels among firefighters and suggests that health care workers may have unique sources of PFAS exposure as well,” said Ellingson.



“Our findings underscore the need to understand occupational exposure pathways for PFAS among different types of workers.”



Firefighters have long been flagged for exposure because their protective clothing and the foams used to quench fuel fires contain PFAS. 



Less is known about how nurses, surgeons, or technicians come into contact with the chemicals. Single-use gowns, surgical masks, sterile wraps, and even X-ray film may contribute, but few studies have investigated those items.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-linked-to-forever-chemicals">Health risks linked to forever chemicals </h2>



Study co-author Jeff Burgess is the director of the <a href="https://publichealth.arizona.edu/about/centers-institutes/center-firefighter-health-collaborative-research" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research</a>.



“Almost all adults in the U.S. have detectable levels of certain PFAS, and people in occupations with more frequent exposure to PFAS-containing materials have been shown to exhibit higher serum concentrations of some PFAS,” said Burgess. 



“Research into occupational exposure to PFAS is vital to reduce the health risks associated with PFAS, including but not limited to increases in rates of certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-in-tap-water-increase-cancer-risk-by-up-to-33/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancers</a>, increases in cholesterol levels, lower antibody response to certain immunizations, and increased rates of certain adverse reproductive outcomes.”



Although scientists are still mapping dose-response relationships, mounting evidence ties long-term PFAS exposure to thyroid dysfunction, immune suppression, and reproductive harm, as well as kidney, prostate, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-link-between-elephant-testicle-temperature-and-cancer-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testicular cancers</a>. That makes the new data especially relevant for workers who already confront other job-related dangers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pfas-in-health-care-settings">PFAS in health care settings</h2>



“To date, PFAS exposure in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-space-agencies-can-help-address-healthcare-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health care</a> settings has not been widely studied, and the potential sources of exposure remain unclear,” Ellingson said. He also noted that single-use surgical masks, surgical gowns, and X-ray film could be potential sources of PFAS exposure.



“Therefore, it’s important to further examine specific exposure routes and health consequences for firefighters and health care workers.”



The researchers suggest that manufacturers, hospitals, and fire departments audit supply chains to identify products treated with PFAS. Substituting safer materials where possible - and improving decontamination practices when replacement is not feasible - could lower cumulative dose.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-avoiding-pfas-exposure">Avoiding PFAS exposure</h2>



Many PFAS formulas have been phased out in the United States, yet older stockpiles and imported goods keep the chemicals in circulation. 



The authors call for expanded monitoring of occupational exposures, stronger regulation of PFAS in consumer products and more public funding for exposure-reduction programs.



They also urge longitudinal studies to track how changing equipment or policies alters blood levels over time. Because PFAS can stay in the body for years, measuring declines after interventions will help pinpoint which strategies work best.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-exposure-beyond-firefighters">Chemical exposure beyond firefighters </h2>



The Arizona results echo national surveys showing widespread but uneven PFAS contamination. They also highlight chemical exposure gaps: firefighters remain the most researched group, while other frontline roles - from paramedics to factory workers - receive far less attention.



By bringing health care personnel into the spotlight, the new study widens the search for hidden chemical risks at work. As communities push to remove PFAS from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-droughts-could-quadruple-by-2100-harming-water-supplies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water supplies</a> and household goods, understanding workplace exposures becomes equally urgent.



The current findings provide a starting map - and a reminder that protecting those who protect the rest of us means looking beyond the obvious dangers of heat, smoke, and infection to the quieter threat of “forever chemicals.”



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00753-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Exposure Science &amp; Environmental Epidemiology</a>.



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Firefighters face elevated exposure to forever chemicals

A new study of frontline employees in Arizona reveals that firefighters carry the greatest load of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their blood, while health care personnel also show moderate but notable elevations. The findings point to unseen hazards in everyday work gear and environments. The investigation, led by scientists at the University of Arizona Health Sciences, compared blood samples from nearly 2,000 adults in firefighting, health care, and other essential occupations to learn how job duties shape chemical exposure. PFAS are human-made compounds prized for...

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>.

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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

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...

Selling Amazon destruction: Companies and politicians profit as forest burns. On a day to day basis, most of us are probably more familiar with Amazon.com than the Amazon rainforest. Any sort of jungle may seem exotic and far removed from the US. Yet all of us are very much connected to the world’s rainforests. 

We drink water and breathe air daily that might’ve cycled through the rainforest at some point. When we eat bananas, chocolate or vanilla, we are eating products that are often grown near rainforests. Coffee is sometimes grown in the shade of what remains of a rainforest canopy. Cattle are raised for beef where once there was tropical forest, and more trees are cleared to grow soy to feed even more livestock. 

Hardwoods that you can buy in a store in the US sometimes come from trees cut in the jungle. We watch documentaries and visit zoos to catch a glimpse of what life in the tropical forests must be like. In all these ways and more, we are connected to tropical rainforests throughout the world, including the world’s largest: the Amazon. 

There’s a distinctly dark side to some of the dealings America has involving rainforests. Since the source of many products are not clearly visible, consumers often contribute to destruction and exploitation without being aware. Large parts of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/satellites-monitor-amazon-fires/">Amazon</a> have been burning this year and it’s common knowledge that people and profit are largely to blame. What’s less widely accepted is the role Americans play in the destruction of the Amazon.

The fires in Brazil have mainly been started to clear land for cattle, for crops, for exports and profit. Brazil is the world’s <a href="https://beef2live.com/story-world-beef-exports-ranking-countries-0-106903">top beef exporter</a>, supplying almost 20% of the global supply. Brazil is also a <a href="https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2019/06/ers-report-interdependence-of-china-united-states-and-brazil-in-soybean-trade/">major global supplier</a> of soybeans, and the US-China trade war is only encouraging the country to grow more soy. The United States has close ties to soy and beef in Brazil, the United States government is also becoming increasingly friendly with that of Brazil.

Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil, has sometimes been nicknamed ‘tropical Trump’ due to the similarity between the two leaders. Bolsonaro certainly shares Trump’s tendency to see environmental regulation as merely an obstacle to maximizing profits. Since the rise of Bolsonaro, the government of Brazil has reached out to Washington DC.

<a href="https://theintercept.com/2019/08/23/gop-lobbyists-help-brazil-recruit-u-s-companies-to-exploit-the-amazon/">The Intercept</a> reports that in June, the governor of the state of Amazonas, Wilson Lima, began working with Interamerica Group, a DC based lobbying firm founded by New Jersey native and Brazilian national <a href="https://www.theinteramericagroup.com/jerry-pierce">Jerry Pierce Jr</a>. Lima is part of a Conservative party associated with the <a href="https://rlp.hds.harvard.edu/faq/assembly-god">Assembly of God</a>, a conservative Pentecostal church. Wilson Lima, whose state contains roughly a third of the Amazon rainforest, made Jerry Pierce her government’s representative in meetings with US federal officials. Jerry Pierce has previously worked for George H. W. Bush and has been an <a href="https://www.theinteramericagroup.com/single-post/2016/12/29/the-trump-effect-how-the-new-administration-impacts-brazil">open supporter</a> of both Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro.  

Interamerica Group has already created an <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6319701-6687-Informational-Materials-20190605-1.html">information packet</a> promoting US businesses in Amazonas. The packet promotes Amazonas as a great place for agribusinesses, mining, and chemical companies. Several other US companies are already heavily invested in the region and profiting as the forest burns. Amazon Watch, a non-profit that works with indigenous communities to protect the Amazon, published <a href="https://amazonwatch.org/assets/files/2019-complicity-in-destruction-2.pdf">a report</a> on those who profit from the destruction of the Amazon. 

In their report, Amazon Watch analyzed 56 Brazilian companies charged with environmental crimes and their connections to US companies. In 2018, Brazil’s five main agricultural trade companies: ABC Indústria e Comércio SA, JJ Samar Agronegócios Eireli, Uniggel Proteção de Plantas Ltda, Cargill and Bunge Ltda, were caught purchasing 3,000 tons of soy and grains from farms embargoed by IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources). The culpable companies were fined more than US$27 million by IBAMA. 

Among these, Bunge and Cargill were fined most heavily by IBAMA. Bunge and Cargill are part of the “ABCD group” consisting of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Bunge, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus, which dominate Brazil’s global grain trade. The ABCD group is heavily financed by US and EU companies. 

The Amazon Watch report listed 13 US and EU financial institutions in particular that provide over US $1 Billion in credit to ABCD commodity traders. The companies include well known banks such as JP Morgan Chase, Barclays BLC, Bank of America, Citi Group, Deutsche Bank, HSBC and Wells Fargo.

 Other US companies directly invested into the ABCD group with Vanguard, State Farm, BlackRock, State Street and T. Rowe Price being top US and EU investors. These are all companies financing the destruction of the Amazon and Bolsonaro’s policies through funding soy agribusiness in Brazil. 

Beef is another leading cause of Amazon destruction. The EU imported 41% of it’s beef from Brazil in 2018 and is the second largest trade partner after China with Brazil accounting for 18.3% of its trade. US and EU businesses heavily finance the cattle industry in Brazil and have the power to influence it as well. Some of the same financial institutions that finance soy in Brazil also finance the beef industry. HSBC, JP Morgan, Chase, and Bank of America all supply credit to major Brazilian beef exporters. Capital Group, BlackRock, Fidelity, Vanguard and Dimensional Fund Advisors are the top five US and EU shareholders in Brazilian beef exporters. 

Brazil is dependent on international trade as is any major world economy, especially dependent on China, the EU and the US. Brazil is also dependent on consumers of beef and soy products. Together, beef and soy agriculture in Brazil accounts for 80% of Amazon deforestation. These industries also prop up Bolsonaro who has called himself ‘Captain Chainsaw’ in his lust for the destruction of the Amazon Rainforest. 

As the rainforest burns, it is time for all of us to reflect on the interconnected nature of the world, how each of us is connected ecologically to the Amazon. It’s also time to remember that each of us is probably also connected economically to the Amazon and with that connection comes a certain power.     

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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/Pedarilhosbr

Selling Amazon destruction: Companies and politicians profit as forest burns

Selling Amazon destruction: Companies and politicians profit as forest burns....

The rate of future global warming could rapidly increase as atmospheric greenhouse gasses continue to pile up, according to simulations of past climate events.  

Researchers from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> and the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> were able to simulate warming during the Early Eocene Period over 50 million years ago.  

An increase in CO2 during the early Eocene led to much warmer than average temperatures, and it was a time in our Earth’s history considered analogous to future warming.

The poles were nearly ice-free, and global temperatures were 9 to 14 degrees Celsius higher than average global temperatures today, according to the <a href="https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/global-warming/early-eocene-period">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>. 

For this study, the researchers found that the rate of warming during the Early Eocene skyrocketed correlating with rising atmospheric CO2 levels, and as carbon levels increased, the Earth’s climate became more and more sensitive. 

“We were surprised that the climate sensitivity increased as much as it did with increasing carbon dioxide levels,” said Jiang Zhu, the first author of the study. “It is a scary finding because it indicates that the temperature response to an increase in carbon dioxide in the future might be larger than the response to the same increase in CO2 now.”  

During the Early Eocene, atmospheric CO2 levels peaked at an estimated 1,000 parts per million, and it’s been predicted that we could see <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/co2-emissions-56-million-years/">similarly high levels of CO2 by 2100</a> if carbon emissions are not cut.  

Past climate models have had difficulty simulating surface temperatures during the Early Eocene which started with the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), a short burst of warming that triggered a series of warming events.  

“For decades, the models have underestimated these temperatures, and the community has long assumed that the problem was with the geological data, or that there was a warming mechanism that hadn’t been recognized,” said Christopher Poulsen, a co-author of the work. 

The researchers used a model called the Community Earth System Model version 1.2 (CESM1.2), which provided a more accurate simulation of ancient cloud processes during the Eocene. 

The CESM1.2 was used in the Fifth Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the researchers were able to model PETM warming and the pole to pole gradient of temperatures.  

Cloud distribution and reduced cloud cover played a significant role in climate sensitivity and warming during the Early Eocene the researchers found. 

“Our findings highlight the role of small-scale cloud processes in determining large-scale climate changes and suggest a potential increase in climate sensitivity with future warming,” said Poulsen.

It’s unlikely that warming will reach Eocene levels in our lifetime, but the study emphasizes the role of cloud cover in future climate change and warming. 

The researchers published their findings in the journal Science Advances. 

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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 

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Image Credit: Shutterstock/Netta Arobas

Studying past climate change offers a glimpse into the future

The rate of future global warming could rapidly increase as...

California’s right to set its own vehicle standard emissions could soon be revoked by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA). 

The move is the latest in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-epa/">long line of rollbacks</a> by the Trump administration to undo Obama-era regulations put in place to combat emissions and climate change. 

The EPA was expected to make an official announcement Wednesday, but the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/trump-administration-to-revoke-californias-power-to-set-stricter-auto-emissions-standards/2019/09/17/79af2ee0-d97b-11e9-a688-303693fb4b0b_story.html">Washington Post </a>reports that that change could be delayed by a day. 

At the heart of the matter is a waiver issued in 2013 to the <a href="http://ww2.arb.ca.gov/homepage">California Air Resources Board</a> by the EPA which gave the state the authority to set stricter vehicle emission standards given the high rates of pollution in California. 

Earlier this summer, Ford, Volkswagen, Honda, and BMW, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/25/business/ford-honda-volkswagen-bmw-emissions-deal-california/index.html">struck a deal with California air quality regulators</a> promising to offer cars with 50 miles per gallon by the year 2026 and make these cars available in all 50 states. 

But the Trump Administration has other plans and wants to freeze federal mileage standards, ensuring that cars average 37 miles per gallon from 2020 to 2026. 

There are concerns that having two emissions standards, one set by the Administration and one set by the state of California, could lead to competing auto markets.

Revoking California’s waiver to set emissions standards could jumpstart a lengthy legal battle between the Trump Administration and California over the state’s rights. 

“We embrace federalism and the role of the states, but federalism does not mean that one state can dictate standards for the nation,” EPA head Andrew Wheeler said in a speech on Tuesday addressing the National Automobile Dealers Association. 

For California, though, the move could put residents at risk of breathing in highly polluted air. 

“While the White House has abdicated its responsibility to the rest of the world on cutting emissions and fighting global warming, California has stepped up,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. “It’s a move that could have devastating consequences for our kids’ health and the air we breathe, if California were to roll over. But we will not.”

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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>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/TierneyMJ

Trump admin to eliminate California’s power on car emissions standards

California’s right to set its own vehicle standard emissions could...

Mount Tambora eruption led to the ‘year without summer’ in 1816. For the first time, researchers have estimated how the eruption of Mount Tambora influenced the European "year without a summer" in 1816. The study revealed that the summer's unusually cold conditions would have been nearly impossible without the eruption, which also increased the likelihood of precipitation.

"Mount Tambora played a dominant role in causing the observed cold conditions, and probably also contributed to the anomalously wet conditions. Without volcanic forcing, it is less likely to have been as wet and highly unlikely to have been as cold," explained study lead author Dr. Andrew Schurer from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>.

Across the globe, exceptionally low temperatures were recorded in 1816. This weather pattern was particularly pronounced in central and western Europe, where unseasonable weather led to widespread agricultural failures and famines.

As early as 1913, experts theorized that the extreme climate change was linked to the 1815 eruption of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/indonesian-volcano-defeat-napoleon/">Mount Tambora</a>. Using historical data and advanced modeling techniques, Dr. Schurer's team has estimated the widespread impact of the eruption.

"The eruption of Mount Tambora in April 1815 was among the most explosive of the last millennium. It had an enormous impact locally, devastating the island of Sumbawa. The eruption injected a huge amount of sulphur dioxide (SO2) into the stratosphere, which would have quickly spread across the world, oxidising to form sulphate aerosols," explained Dr. Schurer.

"These volcanic aerosols reduce net shortwave radiation causing widespread, long lasting surface cooling. They also lead to a reduction in global rainfall, while wettening some dry regions, and causing dynamic changes in the large-scale circulation of both ocean and atmosphere."

The research team used early instrumental data and modern climate simulations from two different models to conduct an event attribution analysis. The goal was to determine if, and how much, the volcanic forcing affected the probability of cold and wet conditions in 1816.

The findings show that the circulation state of the ocean and atmosphere could have been responsible for the high levels of precipitation without external forcing, but only explain about a quarter of the cold conditions.

"Including volcanic forcing in climate models can account for the cooling, and we estimate it increases the likelihood of the extremely cold temperatures by up to 100 times," said Dr. Schurer.

"Although the observed sea-level pressure pattern can account for much of the observed anomalously wet conditions, even without volcanic forcing, there is strong evidence in the model simulations that the volcanic eruption increases the chance of such a wet summer over Central Europe, by about 1.5 to three times."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</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

Image Credit: <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a>

Mount Tambora eruption led to the ‘year without summer’ in 1816

Mount Tambora eruption led to the ‘year without summer’ in...

Sustainable agriculture will be critical to preventing global food shortages. The world has a unique opportunity to stem the tides of climate change, ensure future food security, protect biodiversity, and make healthier diets widely accessible, according to a new global report. 

With the global population expected to increase by two billion in the next 26 years, food insecurity is a growing threat. Rising temperatures, droughts, severe floods, and wildfires linked to climate change pose a major risk to crop yields and agriculture land. 

A new report conducted by the <a href="https://www.foodandlandusecoalition.org/">Food and Land Use Coalition</a> calls for the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unsustainable-land-use-food-supply/">transformation</a> of food and land-use systems over the next ten years to help buffer against climate change and protect food security for the world’s population. 

According to the report, the economic, environmental, and health gains would far outweigh the heavy costs associated with changing policies and making food production sustainable. 

Transforming food and land use systems could generate new business opportunities worth $4.5 trillion a year by 2030 and a return worth 15 times more than the cost of the initial investment. 

Diversifying food production, making healthy diets more accessible, eliminating deforestation and making agriculture more sustainable would go a long way in protecting the world’s vulnerable food supply. 

“A small disruption in supply really can do a lot of damage and leads to huge price increases,” Per Pharo of the Food and Land Use Coalition told <a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5N2633EX">Reuters</a>. “That creates suffering and social unrest. And it will highly likely also lead to hunger and instability.” 

The report is the first of its kind to examine how transforming food and land use systems would benefit food security and the environment. 

<a href="https://www.foodandlandusecoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/FOLU-GrowingBetter-GlobalReport.pdf">Growing Better: Ten Critical Transitions to Transform Food and Land Use</a> proposes a new agenda with ten transitions to ensure food security by 2050. 

“What we’re saying is realistic if the reform agenda is implemented,” Pharo told Reuters. “The excuse that we cannot prioritize environment at the same time because we’ve got to focus on development, on human welfare, is simply false. We can deliver both.”

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Creative Freeke

Sustainable agriculture will be critical to preventing global food shortages

Sustainable agriculture will be critical to preventing global food shortages....

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/">British Ecological Society</a>, researchers have analyzed the four most recent environmental series that were narrated by Sir David Attenborough. The experts found that while these nature documentaries often describe the human- induced threats to our planet, they rarely give viewers a candid look at them. 

For the investigation, a team of researchers from Bangor University, the University of Kent, Newcastle University, and the University of Oxford coded the scripts from each of the docuseries. 

The study revealed that the Netflix series <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/our-planet-ominous-warning/">Our Planet</a> dedicates 15 percent of its script to environmental threats and conservation, but this type of content is not nearly as prevalent in the BBC series Planet Earth II and Dynasties.

According to the researchers, Our Planet is also unique in that it incorporates the topic of human environmental impacts into each episode. By contrast, the subject is only addressed in the series Blue Planet II in the final episode.

The team noted that Our Planet shares visual similarities with the other series. Despite making much more mention of human-induced threats, Our Planet contains few visual depictions of these threats and largely shows the natural world as being untouched and separate from humans, which is something nature documentaries have been criticized for in the past.

"One could argue that by using camera angles to avoid showing any sign of people, nature filmmakers are being disingenuous, and even actively misleading audiences. The viewer may be led to believe that things cannot be that bad for biodiversity as what they are seeing on the screen shows nature, for the most part, doing fine," said study lead author Professor Julia Jones.

"The inextricable link between threats to the natural world and the high consumption of western lifestyles would be more difficult to ignore if the presence, or even dominance, of commercial agriculture, mining and transport infrastructure were more visible in the landscapes, reducing the space for the awe-inspiring wild spectacles shown."

While nature documentaries have the potential to spark behavioral changes and raise awareness about important environmental issues, the extent of this effect is not well understood. 

"Previous studies have shown that documentaries can increase willingness amongst viewers to make personal lifestyle changes, increase support for conservation organizations, and generate positivity towards an issue, making policy change more likely," said Laura Thomas-Walters. 

"However, we still don't understand the mechanisms by which these changes take place. Considerable research is needed to investigate how viewing nature, portrayed as threatened or pristine, in a documentary affects people in ways which might, ultimately, contribute to saving it."

According to the study authors, collaboration between filmmakers and researchers could help to pinpoint the impacts of these documentaries. 

"There is limited evidence on the causal relationships between viewing a documentary and subsequent behaviour change," said Dr. Diogo Vesrissimo. "Nature documentary producers should work with researchers to better understand these positive and negative impacts." 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25758314">People and Nature</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

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Image Credit: Shutterstock/FloridaStock

Nature documentaries have the potential to move the needle on climate action

In a new study from the British Ecological Society, researchers...

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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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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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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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



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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



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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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