Gold is everywhere - in our phones, computers, medical devices, and satellites. But getting it out of the ground or from discarded electronics usually means dealing with cyanide, mercury, and a lot of toxic waste. 



That’s been the trade-off: valuable metal at a steep environmental cost. But now, researchers at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a> in Australia are showing there’s a better way.



The Flinders team, working across green chemistry, engineering, and physics, has developed a safer, more sustainable method to recover gold. 



The method works not only on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-largest-iron-ore-deposits-reveal-a-1-3-billion-year-old-secret/">ore</a>, but also on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electronic-waste-is-growing-five-times-faster-than-recycling/">electronic waste</a> and even scientific byproducts. Instead of relying on mercury or cyanide, the technique uses materials that are widely available and far less toxic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extracting-gold-from-e-waste">Extracting gold from e-waste</h2>



At the heart of the method is trichloroisocyanuric acid - a common disinfectant used in pool and water treatment. When mixed with salt water, it becomes a powerful gold extractor. 



Once the gold is dissolved, it’s captured by a sulfur-rich polymer developed by the Flinders team. The polymer binds selectively to gold, even in complex mixtures full of other metals.



Then comes the clever part: the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/everyday-polymers-that-are-considered-safe-release-harmful-toxins/">polymer</a> can be broken down to release the gold and be recycled for future use. This makes the entire process cleaner, safer, and more circular.



“The study featured many innovations including a new and recyclable leaching reagent derived from a compound used to disinfect water,” said Professor Justin Chalker, who leads the Chalker Lab.



“The team also developed an entirely new way to make the polymer sorbent, or the material that binds the gold after extraction into water, using light to initiate the key reaction.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-safer-option-for-small-scale-miners">A safer option for small-scale miners</h2>



The method has already been tested on a wide range of materials, including e-waste, ore concentrates, and mixed-metal scrap. And it's not just a lab experiment. The researchers are planning to scale it up, working with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gold-mining-causes-long-lasting-damage-in-the-amazon-rainforest/">mining</a> companies and recycling facilities to put it into real-world use.



“The aim is to provide effective gold recovery methods that support the many uses of gold, while lessening the impact on the environment and human health,” said Professor Chalker.



This is especially important in small-scale and artisanal mines around the world, where mercury is still widely used to extract gold. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mercury-pollution-in-the-amazon-is-recorded-in-tree-rings/">Mercury pollution</a> from gold mining is one of the leading sources of contamination globally. The team worked with experts in the United States and Peru to test the new method on gold ore, with the goal of offering safer alternatives to these communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gold-from-a-mound-of-e-waste">Gold from a mound of e-waste </h2>



The researchers aren’t just solving a technical problem. They’re trying to make sure the solution actually fits into real systems -economic, environmental, and social.



“We are especially grateful to our engineering, mining, and philanthropic partners for supporting translation of laboratory discoveries to larger scale demonstrations of the gold recovery techniques,” noted Professor Chalker.



Dr. Max Mann, one of the study's lead authors, highlighted the scale of the problem. “This paper shows that interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to address the world's big problems managing the growing stockpiles of e-waste.”



Dr. Thomas Nicholls noted that the newly developed gold sorbent is made using a sustainable approach in which UV light is used to make the sulfur-rich polymer. He explained that recycling the polymer after the gold has been recovered further increases the green credentials of this method.



“We dived into a mound of e-waste and climbed out with a block of gold! I hope this research inspires impactful solutions to pressing global challenges," said Dr. Harshal Patel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-path-forward-for-gold-recovery">A path forward for gold recovery</h2>



The work out of Flinders University is more than just a chemistry breakthrough. It’s a potential roadmap for how science can rethink an entire process - replacing toxic practices with something smarter, cleaner, and just as effective.



Dr. Lynn Lisboa connected the project to the bigger picture. “With the ever-growing technological and societal demand for gold, it is increasingly important to develop safe and versatile methods to purify gold from varying sources," she said.



If the new extraction method continues to succeed at larger scales, it could help rewrite how the world mines, recycles, and values one of its most sought-after elements.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-025-01586-w">Nature Sustainability</a>.



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Turning trash into treasure: Scientists are safely extracting gold from e-waste

Gold is everywhere - in our phones, computers, medical devices, and satellites. But getting it out of the ground or from discarded electronics usually means dealing with cyanide, mercury, and a lot of toxic waste. That’s been the trade-off: valuable metal at a steep environmental cost. But now, researchers at Flinders University in Australia are showing there’s a better way. The Flinders team, working across green chemistry, engineering, and physics, has developed a safer, more sustainable method to recover gold. The method works not only on ore,...

50 million years ago, the Arctic was very different from the Arctic we know today. Geological records show that during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/co2-emissions-56-million-years/">Eocene</a>, the North Pole was inhabited by crocodiles and resembled a palm tree covered landscape similar to Florida. 

Researchers have long wondered what could have caused such a drastic spike in global warming. But now, a new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://www.caltech.edu/">California Institute of Technology</a> may have solved a piece of the riddle. 

The new modeling study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, emphasizes an overlooked consequence of atmospheric carbon dioxide and shows that if CO2 concentrations reach a certain point, marine stratus clouds could disappear. 

Without marine stratus clouds, the Earth would experience a spike in warming as those clouds help cool the Earth and reflect sunlight. 

The researchers found that if CO2 concentrations rise above 1,200 parts per million, marine stratus clouds will become unstable, disappear, and global temperatures could increase by 14 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Currently, atmospheric CO2 levels measure around 410 parts per million, but CO2 levels could reach the 1,200 parts per million threshold (a rough estimate) in the next century if emissions continue to rise. 

“I think and hope that technological changes will slow carbon emissions so that we do not actually reach such high CO2 concentrations. But our results show that there are dangerous climate change thresholds that we had been unaware of,” Tapio Schneider, the lead author of the study. 

Marine stratus clouds cover 20 percent of the subtropical oceans and help keep coastal areas cool. 

While marine stratus clouds are a key part of regulating surface temperature, the air currents that sustain the clouds are impossible to model on a global scale because of their small size. 

The researchers found a way to bridge this hurdle in climate modeling by developing a small-scale model to mimic the atmosphere above a subtropical ocean. 

The model simulates clouds and turbulent air motion using supercomputers and the researchers found that when CO2 levels reached a certain point (exceeding 1,200 parts per million), the cloud decks covering the ocean became unstable and disappeared. 

Furthermore, the model projected that the stratus clouds would not reappear until CO2 levels were lower than what they had been before the clouds destabilized. 

Disappearing marine stratus clouds could explain what caused the Eocene’s spike in temperature, as previous models showed that CO2 concentrations would have had to more than double to create such a warm climate. 

This study now adds an important element to consider future climate projections and makes modeling stratus cloud instability possible. 

“This research points to a blind spot in climate modeling,” said Schneider. 

Schneider is currently working to build a new climate model that incorporates cloud cover and small-scale features to future climate projections. 

--

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>

High CO2 levels could cause stratus clouds to break up and disappear

50 million years ago, the Arctic was very different from...

Air pollution linked to mental health issues among children. In three separate studies, scientists at <a href="https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/">Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center</a> have identified a link between <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-climate-change/">air pollution</a> and mental health issues among children. 

The most recent study revealed that short-term exposure to air pollution can exacerbate psychiatric disorders in children one to two days later, which was confirmed by increased utilization of the Cincinnati Children's emergency department for psychiatric issues.

The researchers also found that children living in poor neighborhoods are likely to be more susceptible to the effects of air pollution compared to other children, and may have an elevated risk of anxiety or suicide. 

"This study is the first to show an association between daily outdoor air pollution levels and increased symptoms of psychiatric disorders, like anxiety and suicidality, in children," said co-lead author Dr. Cole Brokamp. 

"More research is needed to confirm these findings, but it could lead to new prevention strategies for children experiencing symptoms related to a psychiatric disorder. The fact that children living in high poverty neighborhoods experienced greater health effects of air pollution could mean that pollutant and neighborhood stressors can have synergistic effects on psychiatric symptom severity and frequency."

Cincinnati Children's researchers had previously identified a link between high traffic related air pollution (TRAP) exposure and generalized anxiety. The study was the first of its kind to use neuroimaging to link TRAP exposure to metabolic disturbances in the brain and generalized anxiety symptoms among otherwise healthy children. 

Led by Dr. Kelly Brunst and Dr. Kim Cecil, the team discovered elevated levels of myoinositol in the brain, which represents the body's neuroinflammatory response to TRAP.

In a third study, experts led by Dr. Patrick Ryan and Dr. Kimberly Yolton found that early life exposure to TRAP was significantly associated with self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety among 12-year-olds. 

"Collectively, these studies contribute to the growing body of evidence that exposure to air pollution during early life and childhood may contribute to depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems in adolescence," said Dr. Ryan. "More research is needed to replicate these findings and uncover underlying mechanisms for these associations."

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/">Environmental Health Perspectives</a>.

--

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: Shuttersock/CGN089

Air pollution linked to mental health issues among children

Air pollution linked to mental health issues among children. In...

Adding trees can help keep cities cool during heatwaves. After <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/european-heat-wave-greenland/">record-breaking heatwaves</a> and wetter, warmer summers expected in the coming years, the UK’s <a href="https://www.forestryengland.uk/">Forestry Commission</a> says that planting trees could be the key to keeping cities cool. 

The <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/09/16/britain-will-see-four-heatwaves-year-twice-many-flash-floods/">Met Office</a> recently reported that Britain could experience four heatwaves a year and twice as many flash floods in 50 years.

The Forestry Commission, in collaboration with the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs">Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs</a> and the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a>, conducted a study investigating whether or not trees could mitigate the urban heat island effect. 

Urban forests could serve as an effective, eco-friendly solution to air conditioning. 

According to the study, areas with high forest cover were as much as four degrees Celsius cooler than areas with sparse foliage.

The study suggests that planting trees in areas where people and homes would benefit most from the shade could decrease air conditioning by 13 percent and save the UK £22million in energy costs a year. 

Trees like the London Plane Tree, the Cherry Tree, and the Sessile Oak could go a long way in reducing emissions and shrinking carbon footprints. 

To reap the maximum cooling benefits, city managers should plant drought-resistant trees with dense foliage and high transpiration rates. 

Transpiration is the process by which moisture travels through a plant before it is released as vapor into the atmosphere. 

“In collaboration with Ricardo Energy &amp; Environment and Uppsala University, Sweden, we have identified which tree characteristics are linked to the greatest cooling and have proposed a methodology that can be used by urban planners and tree managers to compare and select tree species according to their cooling ability,” the Forestry Commission said. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Adding trees can help keep cities cool during heatwaves

Adding trees can help keep cities cool during heatwaves. After...

This year, more than 70,000 fires have burned across the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bolsonaro-politics-amazon-fires/">Amazon rainforest</a>, which is an increase of 80 percent compared to the number of fires in the region last year. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has come under intense scrutiny for limiting the resources and authority of the government agencies that were designated to monitor illegal deforestation activities. 

When an aid package of $22 million was offered from some of the world’s wealthiest countries to help combat the fires, Bolsonaro angrily rejected the offer - before later accepting $12 million in aid from Britain. 

Beyond the fire disaster, Bolsonaro's administration has been vocal about plans to open up protected indigenous reserves of the Brazilian Amazon for farming, mining, and logging. Based on these interests, Bolsonaro encouraged loggers to clear more of the Amazon, which many believe is what sparked this year's firestorm.

However, in a new investigation from <a href="https://trase.earth/">TRASE</a>, the biggest beef-consuming countries are playing their own role in deforestation across the Amazon.

"Brazil is the world’s biggest exporter of beef products, exporting around 1.4 million tons per year to retailers and manufacturers around the world. While this trade worth almost US$6 billion is important for the Brazilian economy, it has come at a price for the country’s forests, local and traditional peoples and biodiversity," explains TRASE, a partnership between the Stockholm Environment Institute and Global Canopy.

The organization tracked Brazilian beef exports from where the cattle were raised to 150 importing countries to identify the major companies involved in this trade. The researchers found that cattle ranching led to an average of 65,000 - 75,000 hectares of deforestation practices each year between 2015 and 2017. 

The single largest exporter of Brazilian beef, JBS, was linked to more than a third of the deforestation risk, despite the company's pledge to allow zero deforestation in the Amazon. 

According to <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a>, a spokesperson for JBS said the TRASE analysis is misleading and that the firm has an "unwavering commitment to combat, discourage and eliminate deforestation in the Amazon."

In 2017, exports to Hong Kong were linked to 27 percent of the beef-related deforestation risk, exports to China were linked to 7 percent of this risk, and exports to Russia were associated with the third highest risk.

"By identifying the origins of exported beef and other cattle products, the Trase data also allow us to compare the deforestation linked to exports and to the domestic 

market," states TRASE. "Overall, export markets purchase 19% of Brazil’s beef, shouldering 13-14% of deforestation risk. The domestic market buys 81% of Brazil’s beef and is linked to 85-86% of cattle-related deforestation."

--

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/Rich Carey

Deforestation in the Amazon is largely driven by beef consumption

This year, more than 70,000 fires have burned across the...

In the washer, millions of plastic microfibers are shed from clothing that contain materials such as nylon, polyester, and acrylic. These fibers are so small that they drain out of the washing machine and often make their way into the marine environment, where they are ingested by animals.

Two years ago, <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> scientists demonstrated for the first time that microfibers are now present in the deepest parts of the ocean. In a new study, the team discovered that the amount of water used during the wash cycle is the main factor that influences the release of microfibers from clothing. 

The scientists found that more fibers were released in higher volumes of water, regardless of the speed or spinning force of the washing machine. In addition, the experts determined that 800,000 more fibers were released during a delicate wash compared to a standard cycle.

"Counterintuitively, we discovered that 'delicate' cycles release more plastic microfibers into the water, and then the environment, than standard cycles," explained study lead author and PhD student Max Kelly.

"Previous research has suggested the speed the drum spins at, the number of times it changes spinning direction during a cycle and the length of pauses in the cycle - all known as the machine agitation - is the most important factor in the amount of microfiber released."

"But we have shown here that even at reduced levels of agitation, microfiber release is still greatest with higher water-volume-to-fabric ratios. This is because the high volume of water used in a delicate cycle which is supposed to protect sensitive clothing from damage actually 'plucks' away more fibers from the material."

Laundry has been previously acknowledged as being a major contributor of plastic particles, but obtaining a precise measurement has been challenging. 

The Newcastle team used a tergotometer, a benchtop device made up of eight washing vessels that simulate full-scale domestic washing, which allowed the experts to test under different conditions. A digital color imaging system was then used to calculate the amount of microfibers released.

The results of the study show that previous recommendations to move toward high water volumes and low levels of agitation were only making the microfiber issue worse.

"The appliance industry has started to introduce microfiber filters in some new washing machines and the textile industry is looking to reduce the fiber shedding levels of new clothing," said study co-author Neil Lant, who is a research fellow at Procter &amp; Gamble in Newcastle. "We hope that the issue will ultimately be solved by such actions, and our work on the mechanistic causes will help in the development of these solutions."

Kelly emphasized that reducing the amount of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/worlds-tap-water-contains-plastics/">plastic pollution</a> is everyone's responsibility and that it is often the small changes that make a huge difference.

"By avoiding high water-volume-to-fabric washes such as the delicate cycles and ensuring full wash loads then we can all do our bit to help reduce the amount of these synthetic fibers being released into the environment," said Kelly.

"Hopefully, these findings may also be used by manufacturers to influence the design of future washing machines and reduce our plastic footprint. Over time these changes could also see a global reduction in the amount of energy and water required to wash our clothes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science and Technology</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/Werayuth Tes

Clothes in delicate wash cycle release hundreds of thousands more microfibers

In the washer, millions of plastic microfibers are shed from...

Rising shipping traffic may lead to more widespread invasive species. As global shipping traffic increases over the next 30 years, so will the distribution of invasive species around the world. The findings of a study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> suggest that the rising demand for shipping will promote the spread of non-native pests even more than the effects of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nyc-mayor-plans-climate-change/">climate change</a>. 

Study senior author Brian Leung is an associate professor in McGill's Department of Biology and School of Environment.

“Biological invasions are believed to be a major driver of biodiversity change, and cause billions of dollars in economic damages annually,” said Professor Leung. “Our models show that the emerging global shipping network could yield a three-fold to 20-fold increase in global marine invasion risk between now and 2050.”

Shipping accounts for 80 percent of world trade, as well as 60 to 90 percent of the introduction of exotic species into new territories. Ships often transport living organisms through ballast water, which is taken up to stabilize the boat. Creatures are also frequently transported after they attach themselves to the hulls of ships.

“To understand how biological invasions will change, we need to understand how shipping patterns could change,” said study lead author and graduate student Anthony Sardain. “Our study suggests that, unless appropriate action is taken, we could anticipate an exponential increase in such invasions, with potentially huge economic and ecological consequences.”

The researchers pointed out that the costs of biological invasions are being recognized and have led to major policy initiatives like the international Ballast Water Management Convention, which was introduced in 2017.

“While it's too early to gauge the efficacy of the Convention globally, our work suggests it is in the right direction,” said Professor Leung.

Using socioeconomic-growth scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the researchers created computer models to project the future rates of global shipping traffic. 

It is not entirely clear how wealth and populations will increase, which leads to uncertainty regarding the potential demand for products from abroad. Due to this uncertainty, the experts determined that the rate of biological invasion could increase by anywhere from 3 to 20 times the current rate. 

“Despite this large range, all scenarios point to an increase in both shipping and invasions,” said Sardain. “That should alert us to the gravity of the situation, and the importance of measures to curtail biological invasions.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain">Nature Sustainability</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Rising shipping traffic may lead to more widespread invasive species

Rising shipping traffic may lead to more widespread invasive species....

A new study has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/local-drivers-intensifying-warming-arctic/#.XJ0-zphKhPY">warming in the Arctic</a> may result in less precipitation and increase droughts on a global scale. The research shows that warming in the Arctic 10,000 years ago correlated with lower lake levels in the western United States and created the perfect conditions for drought. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.uwyo.edu/">University of Wyoming </a>led the study, which was published in the journal Nature. 

The researchers focused on the temperature differences between the tropics and the poles and how these pole-to-tropic temperature differences impacted drought conditions over three different periods, 100 years ago, 2,000 years ago, and 10,000 years ago. 

Data from 236 records across 219 sites were included in the study, and when the researchers were unable to access sufficient atmospheric data, records on tree rings, lake deposits, cave deposits, and glacier ice helped fill in the gaps. 

“The Nature paper takes a global approach and relates the history of severe dry periods of temperature changes,” said Bryan Shuman, an author of the study. “Importantly, when temperatures have changed in similar ways to today (warming of the Arctic), the mid-latitudes -- particularly places like Wyoming and other parts of central North America -- dried out. Climate models anticipate similar changes in the future.”

10,000 years ago, lake levels were lower compared to today, and the researchers noticed that drier periods throughout history corresponded with warming in the Arctic. 

This is because the pole-to-tropic differences were smaller resulting in less precipitation, weaker cyclones, and weak wind flow. When temperature differences were greater, precipitation increased as did wind flow.

“Our analysis shows that, when the Arctic is warmer, the jet stream and other wind patterns tend to be weaker,” said Shuman. “The temperature difference in the Arctic and the tropics is less steep. The change brings less precipitation to the mid-latitudes.”

Today, the Arctic is warming at rates double the global average, and the research shows that warming in the Arctic will lead to significantly less precipitation in the middle latitude in the coming years.

--

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>

Arctic warming linked to an increase in droughts

A new study has found that warming in the Arctic...

Damaging air pollution from the agricultural industry has been underestimated. In a new study led by <a href="https://www.cmu.edu/">Carnegie Mellon University</a>, experts used integrated assessment models to estimate damages from fine particulate matter emissions, measuring the economy-wide impacts of premature mortality and other pollution-related health outcomes in America.

The four sectors in the U.S. economy that are collectively responsible for over 75 percent of air pollution damage contribute less than 20 percent to the national gross domestic product (GDP), including agriculture, utilities, manufacturing, and transportation.

"Canonically, we tend to think about air pollution as coming from smokestacks," said said Professor Nicholas Z. Muller. "But what we're finding is a transition from the utilities sector to the agriculture sector in terms of the most significant sources of damages from particulate matter."

While it is most often assumed that the utilities and manufacturing industries are the main culprits, Professor Muller explained that air pollution output from these sectors is actually shrinking due to government regulations and market forces. At the same time, the less-regulated <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/conservation-agriculture-water-california/">agriculture</a> and transportation industries have remained roughly constant in their pollutant contribution.

"The air pollution policies that have been levied on the utilities sector have done a very good job in reducing emissions and damages, so policy can be effective at protecting public health in this regard," said Professor Muller. "It's also evidence that we need a more comprehensive, targeted and thoughtful way to regulate pollution from agricultural systems."

According to Professor Muller, regulations could involve changing the composition of fertilizer, using different means to treat waste from animals, and limiting dust emissions from livestock and tilling. 

"All of these things need to be looked at in terms of their costs because what we're seeing is that emissions in the agricultural sector are very damaging." Damaging air pollution from the agricultural industry has been underestimated

Although new regulations will require costly changes to limit emissions, the new research suggests that the long-term benefits of these actions are quite large.

"When you consider the net value of the agriculture and transportation sectors' contributions to total economic output, it would be a lot more if they were to clean up because they're imposing all these external costs that measurements like GDP just don't capture," said Professor Muller.

Between 2008 and 2014, health damage caused by fine particulate matter exposure fell by 20 percent in the United States. 

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

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Image Credit: Shutterstock/symbiot

Damaging air pollution from the agricultural industry has been underestimated

Damaging air pollution from the agricultural industry has been underestimated....

Unsustainable land use is threatening our global food supply. According to a new report from the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC), the Earth's resources are being used up at "unprecedented" rates, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/population-plant-based-diets/">climate change</a> is making the situation far worse. 

The research, which involved 107 experts in 52 countries, has revealed that soil is vanishing ten times faster than it can be naturally replenished. As a result, 500 million people are living in regions that are essentially transforming into desert. 

The study suggests that added pressure on land and water resources, such as changes in population growth and food consumption patterns, will have dire consequences for the global food supply. 

The experts also pointed out that storms, drought, and other extreme weather events will further strain worldwide food production. In this vicious cycle, food will become less available, more expensive, and less nutritious.

"The cycle is accelerating," said NASA climate scientist and study co-author Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig. "The threat of climate change affecting people's food on their dinner table is increasing."

Dr. Rosenzweig explained that one serious danger is that major food shortages could develop on several continents at once. "The potential risk of multi-breadbasket failure is increasing. All of these things are happening at the same time.”

In Geneva on Thursday, the IPCC researchers emphasized the urgency of the issue. They also proposed some solutions, including the reduction of food waste, shifting diets away from meat, and sustainable land use.

"The way we use land is both part of the problem and also part of the solution," said French climate scientist Valerie Masson-Delmotte. "Sustainable land management can help secure a future that is comfortable."

“One of the important findings of our work is that there are a lot of actions that we can take now. They’re available to us,” said Dr. Rosenzweig. “But what some of these solutions do require is attention, financial support, enabling environments.”

The IPCC report stressed that the longer policymakers wait to make changes, the harder it will be to prevent a global food crisis. 

"Acting now may avert or reduce risks and losses, and generate benefits to society,” wrote the study authors. On the other hand, failure to make land use improvements and cut emissions will result in the “irreversible loss in land ecosystem functions and services required for food, health, habitable settlements and production."

"We don't want a message of despair," said Professor Jim Skea of Imperial College London. "We want to get across the message that every action makes a difference."

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Image Credit: Shutterstock/The Art of Brani

Unsustainable land use is threatening our global food supply

Unsustainable land use is threatening our global food supply. According...

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The Mediterranean is a biodiversity hotspot and home to the largest number of species for an area of its size in the world. 

Unfortunately, the Mediterranean is also inhabited by many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-detection-damage-invasive-species/">alien species</a> and recreational boating is a major factor in the transport of invasive animals. 

In a new study, the first of its kind, researchers from the <a href="http://wcm-3.unipv.it/site/en/home.html">University of Pavia</a> in Italy examined how private boats carry and spread non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean. 

Recreational boating is hugely popular in the Mediterranean, but as boats travel and dock in new areas, there is a high risk of spreading invasive species due to biofouling.

Biofouling is the accumulation of algae or barnacles on the underside of boats, submerged propellers, and other underwater structures. 

“Boats which have visited Eastern Mediterranean marinas had an especially high risk of spreading alien species due to the closer proximity to the Suez Canal, where most alien species enter the Mediterranean,” said Aylin Ulman, lead author of the study.

The researchers surveyed 601 boat owners and sampled boat hulls for invasive species in 25 marinas across the Mediterranean. 

Biofouling is not regulated in the Mediterranean even though the researchers found that it was the biggest predictor of species richness. Some of the boat hulls had small areas of visible growth, but the researchers counted as many as 11 non-indigenous species in one spot. 

What’s more, the researchers found that niche areas can become quickly colonized after being cleaned. 

These areas might be overlooked during intensive cleaning, and the researchers recommend that special attention is paid to ladders and propellers where invasive species are known to accumulate. Recreational boating is spreading invasive species 

“Biofouling is a major vector for the spread of marine alien species in the Mediterranean and needs regulation,” said Ulman. “To inhibit further spreading, marine pontoons should be cleaned regularly, and incoming vessels to marinas should be screened to determine if they require professional cleaning.”

The dataset compiled in this study is being used to create a model of high-risk marinas in the Mediterranean. 

The research was published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.13502">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Aylin Ulman

Recreational boating is spreading invasive species

The Mediterranean is a biodiversity hotspot and home to the...

Poachers and loggers threaten biodiversity hot spot in Madagascar.  is a biodiversity hotspot and one of the last remaining major forests in the country of Madagascar.

Home to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lemurs-threatened-forest-fragmentation/">lemurs</a> and over 100 species of trees, Vohibola is not only a precious and vital resource, but it’s also under nearly constant threat from poachers who are chopping down trees and capturing wild lemurs from their nests.

The lemurs are caught for food or sold as an exotic pet. 

Lemurs are unique to Madagascar and some small neighboring islands. Madagascar’s isolated location off the eastern coast of Southern Africa has allowed for the evolution of some of nature’s most interesting species that can only be found on the island. Poachers and loggers threaten biodiversity hot spot in Madagascar 

Unfortunately, many of these species, including 105 out of 111 recorded lemur species, are endangered and could soon go extinct, according to a new report from the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6945995/Poachers-threaten-precious-Madagascar-forest-lemurs.html">Daily Mail</a>.

Trees are being cleared for charcoal or to remove possible escape routes for lemurs but curbing illegal poaching in Vohibola amounts to a nearly herculean task. 

“In this forest, there are at least 20 indigenous animal species, including six types of lemur, and 150 species of tree,” Michael Tovolahy, a ranger tasked with patrolling Vohibola to track poachers, told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6945995/Poachers-threaten-precious-Madagascar-forest-lemurs.html">Daily Mail</a>. “Because of these logger-poachers, I fear that this forest will one day be no more  it will be just an empty space, where developers will grow walls of concrete.” 

Madagascar is working to promote awareness about poaching, illegal logging, and animal trafficking, but for many poor villages, conservation concerns are outweighed by the dire need for charcoal. 

Poachers also come with a reputation, and many locals fear reporting poaching activity. 

“It's the villagers themselves who tip off the poachers that the police are coming,” said Cecilien Ranaivo, the mayor of the Ambinaninony district in Madagascar. “So obviously they don't succeed in making many arrests.”

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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

Poachers and loggers threaten biodiversity hot spot in Madagascar

Poachers and loggers threaten biodiversity hot spot in Madagascar.  is...

A new study from <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a> has revealed that global warming in the Arctic has the potential to cost just under $70 trillion in long-term economic costs, which is around five percent of the total economic impact expected from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-economic-inequality/">climate change</a> worldwide. If temperatures are limited to an additional 1.5°C of warming, the estimated damages caused by Arctic warming would drop to $25 trillion.

Under both scenarios, the major culprit driving up the costs is melting permafrost. As Arctic permafrost is lost, more and more carbon is released into the atmosphere. Furthermore, retreating sea ice and land snow are less capable of reflecting solar radiation, further warming the Earth and accelerating the changing conditions. 

The researchers used complex, state-of-the-art, physical models to project the strength of the permafrost carbon feedback (PCF), which is driven by the additional carbon released from thawing permafrost. The models also simulated the strength of the surface albedo feedback (SAF), which is driven by the extra solar radiation absorbed by the Earth's surface as snow and ice continue to retreat.

“Arctic sea ice and land snow currently contribute around a third each to the global albedo feedback,” said study lead author Dmitry Yumashev. “These two components are set to peak for global temperatures within the range covered by the Paris Agreement, but if the climate warms further, the summer and spring sea ice and land snow covers will retreat further north and the albedo feedback will actually weaken.”

“The permafrost feedback, however, grows progressively stronger in warmer climates. Both feedbacks are characterized by nonlinear responses to warming, including a varying lag between rising global temperature and permafrost carbon emissions.”

“Compared with zero PCF and constant SAF from present-day climate - legacy values used in climate policy modelling to this point - the combined nonlinear PCF and SAF cause significant extra warming globally under low and medium emissions scenarios.”

Regardless of the amount of warming, the newly established nonlinear Arctic feedbacks lead to an increase in the total cost of climate change compared to previous PCF and SAF values that were thought to be constant. The economic costs will primarily occur through temperature-driven impacts on the economy, ecosystems, and human health, as well as additional impacts from sea level rise.

The total cost of climate change associated with the 1.5°C or 2°C scenarios is around $600 trillion. However, the estimated cost of business as usual is around $2000 trillion. Nonlinear PCF and SAF add $25 or $70 trillion to these figures.

“Our findings support the need for more proactive mitigation measures to keep global temperature rise well below 2C,” said Dr. Yumashev. “We hope our work will lead to further assessments of multiple nonlinear processes in the Earth's climate system, both those associated with the Arctic and beyond.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

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Arctic warming will add trillions to the economic cost of climate change

A new study from Lancaster University has revealed that global...

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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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



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



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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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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