Just a few months ago, Ritacuba Blanco stood majestically in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/springtime-in-the-central-andes-mountains/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colombian Andes</a>, cloaked in a pristine layer of ice and snow. Today, massive cracks scar its surface, revealing bare rock beneath, and signaling an alarming change. 



The glacier, located in <a href="https://old.parquesnacionales.gov.co/portal/en/ecotourism/andean-region/el-cocuy-national-natural-park/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sierra Nevada del Cocuy National Park</a>, faces a rapid demise, melting at an unprecedented pace due to the compounded effects of climate change and the El Niño phenomenon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disappearing-glaciers-of-colombia">Disappearing glaciers of Colombia</h2>



Colombia was once a land of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/doomsday-glacier-seems-to-have-lost-its-ability-to-recover/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glaciers</a>. In the early 20th century, 14 of its peaks boasted these icy giants, covering the mountains with a perpetual layer of ice and snow. 



Over time, however, relentless warming took its toll on these glaciers. Today, after decades of climate change and rising temperatures, only six remain. Even these survivors are rapidly retreating, and Ritacuba Blanco is the most vulnerable of them all.



The Ritacuba Blanco Glacier, located in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy National Park about 250 kilometers northeast of Bogotá, is melting at an unprecedented rate. 



In 2022, it had only 12.8 square kilometers of ice and snow remaining -- the lowest coverage ever recorded by the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies (<a href="https://www.un-spider.org/colombia-institute-hydrology-meteorology-and-environmental-studies-ideam" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ideam</a>). 



This year, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-unleash-invasive-species-into-unexpected-areas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glacier</a>’s condition has worsened due to the compounded effects of climate change and El Niño. Massive cracks now scar its surface, revealing the bare rock beneath.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-this-matter">Why does this matter?</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/image/corbassiere-glacier-earths-natural-climate-archives-are-melting-away/">Gla</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/image/corbassiere-glacier-earths-natural-climate-archives-are-melting-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">c</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/image/corbassiere-glacier-earths-natural-climate-archives-are-melting-away/">iers</a> are more than just picturesque landscapes. They act as natural reservoirs, storing water in frozen form during colder months and releasing it slowly when they melt during warmer periods. 



This gradual melting provides essential water to the surrounding ecosystems and communities, particularly during the dry season. With glaciers shrinking, less ice is available to melt, disrupting the delicate balance and throwing local water supplies into chaos.



The loss of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-arctic-glaciers-are-releasing-a-new-source-of-potent-methane-emissions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glaciers</a> like Ritacuba Blanco has significant consequences for both people and nature. Communities that rely on glacial meltwater for drinking, irrigation, and hydropower are at risk of water shortages.



In Bogotá, unprecedented water rationing has already been implemented due to record low reservoir levels. Ecosystems dependent on consistent water flow from glaciers also face severe stress, threatening biodiversity in the region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-causing-the-ritacuba-blanco-s-rapid-melt">What's causing the Ritacuba Blanco's rapid melt?</h2>



The culprits behind Ritacuba Blanco’s rapid melting are a double whammy: a natural weather pattern called El Niño, combined with the long-term warming caused by human activities.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">El Niño</h3>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-mountains-impact-el-nino-winters-and-snowfall-amounts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">El Niño</a> is a warming of ocean waters in the eastern Pacific that occurs every two to seven years, lasting about nine to twelve months. It's a natural climate cycle, but its effects have been amplified by rising global temperatures. 



As the world's baseline temperature continues to rise due to climate change, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-nino-event-may-push-earth-towards-its-hottest-year-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">El Niño events</a> are becoming more intense and damaging.



During an El Niño event, warm ocean waters disrupt normal weather patterns across the globe. In South America, including Colombia, El Niño brings extreme heat and dry conditions. This results in decreased precipitation and more intense solar radiation on glacier surfaces, accelerating their melting.



In Colombia, El Niño has caused major fires, with more than 17,000 hectares of forest going up in flames. Lakes have dried up, and the capital, Bogotá, has implemented unprecedented water rationing due to record low reservoir levels. For glaciers like Ritacuba Blanco, El Niño spells disaster.



"The El Niño phenomenon is perhaps the worst thing that can happen to our snowy peaks or glaciers," said Jorge Luis Ceballos, a glaciologist at the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam).



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Greenhouse gases</h3>



The UN's World Meteorological Organization (<a href="https://wmo.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WMO</a>) is unequivocal in its assessment of the main culprit behind global warming: Heat-trapping greenhouse gases are unequivocally the main culprit. 



These gases, primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, come mainly from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas.



When released into the atmosphere, these gases act like a giant blanket around the Earth, trapping heat that would otherwise escape into space. This greenhouse effect raises global temperatures, leading to widespread climate changes, including glacier melting.



Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have significantly increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This has resulted in a steady rise in global temperatures, with 2023 being one of the hottest years on record.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ritacuba-blanco-is-melting-before-our-eyes">Ritacuba Blanco is melting before our eyes</h2>



"At the end of last year, the walls here were about six meters (20 feet) high... today, they are one meter," <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-glacier-melt-found-in-himalaya-has-critical-implications/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glacier</a> guide Edwin Prada told AFP on a recent ascent of the peak.



The speed of the change is what's shocking. Just a few months ago, Ritacuba Blanco's glacier looked eternal. Now, cracks run deep in the ice, revealing bare rock, and the meltwater flows in rivers instead of being locked away safely for future use.



"Never has the thaw been as noticeable as it is now... Every time you go up it is worse," expressed Humberto Estepa, a local resident.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-consequences-of-ritacuba-blanco-melting">Global consequences of Ritacuba Blanco melting</h2>



Ritacuba Blanco isn't an isolated case. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/petermann-glacier-melting-has-tripled-due-to-warm-ocean-waters/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Glaciers</a> worldwide are vanishing. The Himalayas, the "water towers of Asia," are losing their ice, threatening crucial water sources for millions of people. This melting ice has a more direct impact too - rising sea levels.



"Ocean warming and rapidly melting glaciers and ice sheets drove the sea level last year to its highest point since satellite records began in 1993," reports the World Meteorological Organization (<a href="https://wmo.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WMO</a>). Think of glaciers like giant, slow-moving rivers of ice. When they melt into the ocean, the water level goes up.



The devastation of the glaciers isn't just about water and sea levels. It's a wake-up call from the planet that the climate crisis is real, and it's accelerating. El Niño made things worse this time around, but the real problem is the relentless warming we're causing.



El Niño has also contributed to devastating wildfires in Colombia and water shortages so extreme that they've led to rationing in the capital city.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-we-do-to-save-glaciers-like-ritacuba-blanco">What can we do to save glaciers like Ritacuba Blanco?</h2>



The story of Ritacuba Blanco is a somber one, but it's not hopeless. There's still time to act and help preserve this and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cadman-glacier-is-losing-2-1-billion-tons-of-ice-melting-into-the-ocean-each-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">other glaciers</a>:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Reduce greenhouse gas emissions</h3>



One of the most effective ways to tackle climate change is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower can significantly reduce emissions.



Simple measures like using energy-efficient appliances, LED bulbs, and proper insulation can lower our carbon footprint. Walking, cycling, and using public transport instead of driving can reduce emissions. For longer distances, consider carpooling or driving electric vehicles.



By reducing, reusing, and recycling, we can minimize waste and lower emissions associated with the production of goods.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Support climate policies</h3>



Individual actions are essential, but systemic change requires collective political will. Let your elected officials know you care about climate issues. Call, write, or email them, urging them to support strong environmental policies.



Advocate for laws and regulations that promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable agriculture while reducing emissions from fossil fuels.



Support candidates and political leaders who prioritize climate action and have concrete plans to tackle the crisis. Partner with local and global organizations that are working towards environmental sustainability.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Spread the word</h3>



Raising awareness about the climate crisis can inspire others to act. Have conversations about climate change, its impacts, and the actions we can take with friends and family.



Organize workshops, film screenings, or discussion groups on climate topics. Share informative articles, videos, and personal stories about climate action on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 



Glaciers like Ritacuba Blanco are the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to climate change. Their plight is a warning we can't afford to ignore. It's time to listen and act before we lose more of these icy treasures.



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Ritacuba Blanco glacier is vanishing rapidly due to climate change

Just a few months ago, Ritacuba Blanco stood majestically in the Colombian Andes, cloaked in a pristine layer of ice and snow. Today, massive cracks scar its surface, revealing bare rock beneath, and signaling an alarming change. The glacier, located in Sierra Nevada del Cocuy National Park, faces a rapid demise, melting at an unprecedented pace due to the compounded effects of climate change and the El Niño phenomenon. Disappearing glaciers of Colombia Colombia was once a land of glaciers. In the early 20th century, 14 of...

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> have analyzed the chemistry of ocean sediments to investigate whether rapid climate change was linked to Atlantic Ocean circulation in the past. The study is providing new insight into the interactions between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-displacement-climate-change/">climate change</a>, melting ice, and ocean circulation.

“Large, rapid changes in climate, carbon dioxide, and ice sheet volume occurred as the planet emerged from the most recent ice age some 20,000 years ago,” said study lead author Dr. Hong Chin Ng.

“Changes in the circulation of the Atlantic Ocean are believed to have played an important role in driving these climate events - but direct evidence has been hard to find.”

“In this study, we analyzed radioactive elements in ocean sediments to provide a much better-constrained picture of the strength of ocean circulation in the past, and therefore its relationship with the timing of ice sheet and climate changes during the last major deglaciation.”


The investigation was focused on sediment cores from across the Atlantic Ocean. The study revealed that shifts in ocean circulation patterns had corresponded with rapid climate change events when the ice sheets were retreating.

“This is the first time that spatially coherent, widespread observations (from the tropics to high latitudes) have been brought to together on a common age scale,” said Dr. Ng.

“We found that the ocean slowed down its circulation in two steps, linked to two episodes of ice melting - one from Eurasia and one from North America.”

The study findings highlight the influence of melting ice on the slowdown of ocean circulation. According to the researchers,  this is important because ice in the northern latitudes is currently melting at an accelerated rate due to climate change.

The data obtained from this research could be used to investigate whether climate models accurately respond to the dynamics of melting ice and ocean circulation during periods of rapid climate change.

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

Image Credit: Dr Hong Chin Ng, University of Bristol

Atlantic Ocean circulation linked to rapid past climate change

Researchers at the University of Bristol have analyzed the chemistry...

Malaria killed nearly half a million people in 2016, most of them under the age of 5, and infected another 200 million more. The easiest solution might be wiping out malaria-carrying mosquitoes – but would that trigger some sort of twisted “butterfly effect” that causes destruction of ecosystems on a massive scale?

Not likely.

New research by an international team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> have found that a species of malaria-carrying mosquitoes isn't all that necessary in its native habitats.

Most cases of malaria today are found in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. However, not every species of mosquito carries the tropical disease, which leads to fever, chills, vomiting, seizures and other painful symptoms. 

As part of their <a href="https://targetmalaria.org/">Target Malaria</a> project, the team of researchers hopes to genetically engineer Anopheles gambiae, one of the carrier species of mosquito, to suppress the illness. Before they did, however, they wanted to research how the species’ disappearance might affect the ecosystems in which An. gambiae lives.

That’s when they discovered that the malaria-carrying mosquitoes don’t really fill much of an ecological niche. No animals depend on them for food, and their presence isn’t needed to keep other insects’ or animals’ populations from exploding.

“As adults, An. gambiae mosquitoes are small, hard to catch, most mobile at night and not very juicy, so they are not a rewarding prey for both insect and vertebrate predators,” lead researcher Dr. Tilly Collins told the <a href="http://dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>.

Blood-heavy female mosquitoes do make an important meal for a species of spider that lives in some of the An. gambiae habitats, but it’s not picky about the species of mosquito it feeds on.

And in the habitats studied so far, researchers found that the disappearance of the malaria-carrying mosquitoes wouldn’t cause any population explosions of its competitor species. Other mosquitoes that don’t spread the disease would simply fill the vacuum.

To verify its findings, Target Malaria is launching a new, four-year study of An. gambiae in Ghana, supported by the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> and the <a href="https://www.ug.edu.gh/">University of Ghana</a>.

The current research has been published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652915">Medical and Veterinary Entomology</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Scientists: ecosystem doesn't need malaria-carrying mosquitoes

Malaria killed nearly half a million people in 2016, most...

Northern Europe has been in the fierce grip of a record-breaking heatwave that looks to linger for weeks. Sweden is seeing its hottest summer in a century. Scotland recorded its highest temperature ever in Motherwell, and records were shattered in Belfast in Northern Ireland as well.

Now, weather data indicates that climate change may have played a role in creating it.

“The summer of 2018 has been remarkable in northern Europe. A very persistent high-pressure anomaly over Scandinavia caused high temperature anomalies and drought there from May to (at least) July,” researchers from the <a href="http://wwa.climatecentral.org/">World Weather Attribution</a> consortium wrote on their website. “These reached  as far southwest as Ireland. Southern Europe was unusually wet, with damaging thunderstorms in France in the first half of June.”

The team of scientists looked at climate data collected from seven sites in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands. The sites were chosen because they record weather information in real-time, and have digitized records going back several decades.

The researchers then analyzed the current and historic data to look at trends.

“We firstly analyze observed temperatures and estimate how rare the current heatwave is, measured as three-day maximum temperatures, and whether or not there is a trend toward increasing temperature,” they wrote.

They found that man-made climate change has raised the chances of northern Europe seeing a record-breaking heatwave, and this summer’s heat seems to be an example.

“We estimate that the probability to have such a heat or higher is generally more than two times higher today than if human activities had not altered climate,” <a href="https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/analyses/attribution-of-the-2018-heat-in-northern-europe/">the researchers wrote</a>.

The team did note that this was only a preliminary study. Additional research to verify their conclusions and more climate modeling would be needed before they can extend their findings to other extreme heat events, such as a record-breaking heatwave in Japan that has killed dozens or record high temperatures in the Arctic.

But the findings do add to a growing body of work suggesting that climate change is real, and that human activity may play a role in it.

“The logic that climate change will do this is inescapable – the world is becoming warmer and so heatwaves like this are becoming more common,” Dr. Friederike Otto of the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a>, a co-author of the study, told the <a href="http://dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>. “What was once regarded as unusually warm weather will become commonplace – in some cases, it already has.”

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Climate change may be behind record-breaking heatwave

Northern Europe has been in the fierce grip of a...

Tiny snails could jeopardize one of the few hardy species of coral left capable of adapting and recovering more efficiently than other more delicate coral reef systems. 

Researchers from the<a href="http://www.gatech.edu/"> Georgia Institute of Technology</a> discovered that a species of snail acts like a tick and drains liquid from the Porites cylindrica coral. This can damage coral growth and decimate already compromised and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-protection/">degraded reefs</a>. 

Coral reefs are declining at an unprecedented rate, and face a wide range of stressors and threats including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-protection/">overfishing</a>, bleaching, rising sea-temperatures, and pollution. The snail may be a formidable opponent to add to that list. 

“Once the reefs are down and nearly out, these snails are piling on,” said Mark Hay, a co-author of the study. “The Porites coral is kind of the last man standing, the last hope for some of these reefs coming back, and they are the ones these snails selectively prey on. As you get fewer and fewer corals, the snails focus on the fewer and fewer of these colonies that remain. This is part of the downward spiral of the reefs.”

Because the snail can camouflage itself on the reef and doesn’t leave behind any obvious markings, the seriousness of the threat the snails posed was previously overlooked. 

To better understand the snail’s impact on coral, researchers conducted several experiments on Fiji Island reefs. 

The results were published in the journal Ecological Application and show that the snails can reduce coral growth by 43 percent in less than a month.  

The researchers noticed that the snails were much more abundant on degraded reefs where fishing was permitted. There were 35 times more nails on degraded corals than on corals in protected reefs. 

For the study, the researchers isolated coral branches, attached snails to them and came back after 24 days to assess the damage and growth rates. 

Coral growth on the infested branches was reduced by 18 to 43 percent compared to the branches that were snail free. 

“A single snail can do a considerable amount of damage,” said Cody Clements, a leader of the study. “They are sucking the juice out of the coral. If you have a lot of snails feeding on a single coral colony, it can be very hard for the colony to thrive.”

The researchers suspected that the increase in snail populations in some reefs versus others had to do with fishing restrictions. Fish can help manage predators and seaweed in coral ecosystems but if fishing is permitted, there are less fish to do this crucial job. 

Snails were attached with both protected and unprotected reefs to find out if fishing played a role in decreasing snail infestations.  

Not surprisingly, the snails in protected reefs were eaten and the snails’ shells overtaken by hermit crabs. 

“From the predation evidence, it looked like the fish were eating the snails,” said Clements. “It seemed like the main element driving the difference was the protection status of the area where the snails were tethered.”

The coral species that the snails prefer most are also considered a key coral for reef recovery because of its hardy nature, and the researchers say that tackling overfishing and keeping corals protected is necessary for maintaining biodiversity. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandett@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Cody Clements, Georgia Tech

Tiny snails leech off corals like ticks and weaken reefs

Tiny snails could jeopardize one of the few hardy species...

This week, the new head of Trump’s <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA), Andrew Wheeler, told <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/07/26/trump-epa-freeze-obama-era-fuel-standards-cars-light-trucks/840816002/">USA Today</a> that the agency intends to roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards.

During Obama’s two-term presidency, his EPA implemented fuel standards to increase fuel efficiency, identified climate change as a national security issue, and developed several plans to reduce emissions and fossil fuel use. 

President Donald Trump has made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that climate change is far from a priority and has already begun to undo <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/28/the-obama-environmental-regulations-trump-wants-scrap/99729650/">several key environmental protection policies</a> and orders of the Obama Administration. 

Now, Andrew Wheeler told USA Today that the agency is working with the Trump Administration to undo Obama era fuel-economy standards and will announce more formal plans next week.

In 2012, car manufacturers were given till 2016 to increase vehicle mileage to 34.5 miles per gallon with standards expected to rise by 2025 to 54.5 miles per gallon. 

Wheeler aims to revisit those later restriction rises, but the new plans will not affect current increases in fuel efficiency in new car models. 

“They jumped the gun,” Wheeler told USA Today. “It was a political attempt to try to move up the process and what we're doing is taking the deliberative process of looking at the midyear review the way it was originally intended to be done.”

Potential fuel efficiency freezes would be good news for car manufacturers, as it's been argued by automakers that Americans don’t want high-mileage cars and being forced to produce them would be <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/business/energy-environment/automakers-pruitt-mileage-rules.html">costly, limit consumer options, decrease profits</a>, and impact the entire industry. 

However, not all car companies stand by those statements. 

A spokesperson for Ford told USA Today that the company supports “increasing clean car standards through 2025 and are not asking for a rollback.” 

The state of California, a leader in state-run environmental regulations, is also committed to keeping with the former president's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-electric-cars/">goals for fuel efficiency</a>. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trump’s EPA to freeze Obama-era fuel efficiency standards

This week, the new head of Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency...

Twifo Oil Palm Plantation, Ghana (Ben Phalan)

Carbon sinks refer to areas that can absorb excess carbon dioxide that would otherwise accumulate in the atmosphere and further drive climate change. Forests and oceans are key examples of carbon sinks and are capable of storing vast amounts of CO2.

However, forests are being converted to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/big-agriculture-tropical-forest-loss/">farmland in many areas of the world</a>, contributing to rising greenhouse gas levels. 

Better agricultural management is key to preventing forest declines but until now, researchers were not sure which strategy would best minimize carbon loss into the atmosphere due to converted forests. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California-Santa Barbara</a> and the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> examined three land-use strategies for farmers to see which was the most effective at reducing carbon loss while still maintaining crop yields. 

The results were published in the journal Current Biology. 

One strategy the researchers considered was called land sparing, which involves farmers maximizing crop yields on existing farmland and leaving forests alone. 

The researchers reviewed different land uses across a wide range of environments including palm oil plantations in Ghana, cattle ranches in Mexico, and arable cropping in Poland.

Field surveys of over 11,00 trees were also included in the research as well as in-depth interviews with farmers. 

“At one extreme, farmers can try to produce all their food from as small an area of farmland as possible, by having very high yields,” said David Williams, the lead author of the study. “At the other extreme, farmers can try to use lower yield farming practices to increase the carbon stored on farmland, which will reduce the area of natural habitats available for conservation. And then there are all the in-between strategies that use a mix of high and low yield farmland.”

The results showed that land sparing was the best option for conserving forests, protecting natural habitats, limiting the decline of carbon sinks, and still keeping up with food demand. 

“We found that the first strategy--what we call 'land sparing' resulted in a greater amount of carbon being stored than any other,” said Williams. “So, slightly counter-intuitively, trying to conserve carbon on farmland resulted in less carbon being stored across the landscape as a whole. This was because it resulted in lower yields and so required larger areas to produce the same amount of food, and therefore meant less land could be spared for natural habitats.”

The results were consistent across the different environments the researchers studied and land sparing has the most potential for reducing carbon loss no matter how much or little food is produced on cropland according to the researchers. 

Although the results provide alternative land use strategies to reduce carbon loss, the researchers note that due to increasing food demand, large amounts of carbon will be sequestered to the atmosphere regardless of what actions are taken in the future. 

Conserving natural habitats is just one part of the puzzle, and other climate change mitigation efforts will have to include decreasing food waste, limiting meat consumption due to the large carbon footprint of livestock and meat processing, and finding innovative ways to keep up food demand. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Ben Phalan

Stopping farmland expansion will help limit greenhouse emissions

Carbon sinks refer to areas that can absorb excess carbon...

Scotland is the birthplace of golf… and also the birthplace of Donald Trump’s mother.  Trump has been on record saying that golf is his main form of exercise, and so it’s no surprise at all that he owns a swanky golf resort in Scotland.  What may surprise many, is that Trump’s golf resort, the Turnberry resort seems to be losing money. 

“Although Mr. Trump has claimed to have spent at least 200 million pounds, about $264 million, on Turnberry to buy and renovate it since 2014 — a figure that has not been verified independently — the course has yet to turn a profit," the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/14/world/europe/uk-trump-scotland-golf.html">New York Times</a> reported.      

The New York Times goes on to question the ethics of Trump’s promotion of his failing resort in Scotland, noting that he brought up Turnberry during a NATO summit meeting.  The piece argues that what Trump is doing in his visiting and promotion of Trump properties amounts to so much advertisement paid for by US taxes.  

On the matter of Brexit, The New York Times quoted Trump in 2016, “When the pound goes down, more people are coming to Turnberry, frankly.”

The main purpose of Trump’s visit to the UK was to discuss trade policy and shore up the special relationship between the UK and the US.  Surrounding the official agenda and golfing was an atmosphere of activism and resistance among the Scottish population. In London, of course there was the now famous baby Trump float.  No Scottish government officials met with Trump during his visit. Rallies were planned all over the country. 

One of the most spectacular acts of defiance in my eyes, was a paraglider who broke the law by entering restricted airspace.  The motorized paraglider circled Trump’s Turnberry resort with a banner, making the president break into a trot, apparently to escape.  The paraglider chute was bright yellow and emblazoned with “Greenpeace” in green letters. The banner flying below the paraglider read, ‘Trump: Well Below Par #resist’ The golf pun took me a second to notice but the cheekiness of the act is apparent.  

Scotland now reports they have a man has been charged in the paragliding incident. The only information Scotland has released is the man’s age: 55 years old.  I reached out to <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/">Greenpeace</a> for comment; they initially responded quickly but didn’t get back to answer my questions.    

This isn’t the first time <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/">Greenpeace</a> has been involved in similar demonstrations.  Fresh from his election, the first time Trump visited New York City as president, Greenpeace was there.  In the Hudson, a river so polluted that fish from it are not suggested for eating, is anchored USS Intrepid.  The USS Intrepid is an aircraft carrier built during World War II, now permanently in the Hudson River. It was on the Intrepid that Trump made his entrance into New York by helicopter.  Protestors stood on the banks of the river, chanting. Greenpeace activists took banners and boarded small boats, getting as close to the USS Intrepid as possible. The banners read, ‘Resist’ and ‘Resiste’.  

<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/greenpeace-activists-arrested-trump-tower-donald-trump-climate-change-policies-banner-a7831486.html">Independent</a> reported in July 2017 that a group of Greenpeace protestors at Trump Tower in Chicago, lowered a banner with a picture of the planet and the words, ‘Resist, Defend and Greenpeace’.  The activists were charged with reckless conduct, property damage and trespassing. <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/greenpeace-activists-charged-trump-tower-chicago-protest-433457343.html">NBC Chicago</a> quoted Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi as saying:

"Given that the banner was picked up by the wind and caused some property damage, it could have been a large public safety hazard."

Greenpeace protestors also attempted but failed to take a banner to the 25th floor of the Trump building on 5th avenue in New York City.  

The coordinated protests, the one in Chicago and the failed attempt in NYC were set to protest Trump’s withdrawal of the US from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris Climate Agreement</a>.  Greenpeace activists also lowered a banner on a bridge in Hamburg Germany when Trump attended the G20 summit.

<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/25/politics/greenpeace-resist-crane-white-house/index.html">CNN</a> in Washington reported that in January 2017, just days after the Women’s March on Washington, activists climbed a construction crane near the White House.  The Activists from Greenpeace lowered a 70 foot by 30 foot banner with the word, ‘Resist’ emblazoned on it. Greenpeace activist Cassady Craighill told CNN:

"The purpose for this action today was to really send a message to everybody in this country, similar to the millions that showed up to the women's march, that are feeling discouraged this week after we've seen Donald Trump take steps to advance the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines, issuing gag orders on the press and the EPA and the department of agriculture." 

<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-poland-protests-idUSKBN19R15J">Reuters</a> reported in July 2017 that Greenpeace protestors projected the words, ‘No Trump Yes Paris’ on a building in Warsaw Poland in green light when the US president visited there.  This message coming shortly after Trump pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Agreement. 

Nothing seemed to come of the protest near the Intrepid.  The Greenpeace protestor at Turnberry has been arrested. Many others have been arrested or simply ignored.  Some media attention is garnered by stunts like these but the media quickly moves on. What does it mean to protest and be ignored?

Are these merely publicity stunts or are they protests that are also part of a thoughtful discussion that can move the world toward a better path?  I for one admire the courage and subversive quality of these protests. 

At least there are others out there who feel a little less alone because of actions from activists like those with Greenpeace.  <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/greenpeace-white-house-protest-shia-labeouf-trump/">Globalcitizen.org</a> also highlighted parallels between the Greenpeace protests, and others, including actor Shia LaBeouf who has lead a livestream of protest online for the remainder of Trump’s presidency.  The point Global Citizen is trying to make is that it’s easy to forget that despite Trump’s ascendency, there are plenty who are protesting, resisting and in disapproval of his policies on behalf of planet Earth.       

--

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>

Greenpeace versus Donald Trump: A brief history

Scotland is the birthplace of golf… and also the birthplace...

While dry conditions and overgrown forests are known as the main triggers that drive major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-rage-yosemite-park/">wildfires</a>, NASA scientists have found that highly localized winds often play an even larger role in accelerating fires. The team used data that was obtained before and after a megafire, and concluded that local winds can help to strengthen destructive fires even when regional winds are not a factor.


The study, which was led by the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NCAR), was focused on the 2014 King Fire, which burned more than 97,000 acres in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The team used data collected with airborne instruments from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory along with advanced computer simulations from NCAR.


The study revealed that highly localized winds as well as winds produced by the heat of the flames had caused the King Fire to abruptly climb 15 miles up a steep canyon. These types of winds are often not detected by weather stations and, in this particular case, only weak winds had been measured.


NCAR scientist Janice Coen is the lead author of the study.


“This brings into question several widely held and largely unquestioned assumptions, such as very large fires being caused by the accumulation of vegetation, persistent dry conditions, or requiring extreme conditions," said Coen. 

She said that, in the King Fire, “small-scale winds and winds generated by the fire had a much greater impact on this fire, and potentially others like it, than any of the other factors.”


Study co-author Natasha Stavros added: “The NASA airborne measurements were unique in that we observed the forest's vertical structure before and after a fire. These observations let us better identify the type of fuel -- grass, shrubs, or trees.”

“That improved the model simulations, particularly of how the fire spread in areas where previous fires had burned or timber had been as harvested, and in areas where the burn severity was greatest.”

When the team simulated the King Fire under more extreme drought conditions and with a different amount of vegetation, the extent of the fire and its expansion were not significantly changed.

The scientists concluded that drought conditions and increased vegetation did help to generate the strong updraft that sent flames up the canyon slope, but these factors did not have much influence on the fire when it was on flat ground.

“This is just one case, but it illustrates how the causes of a megafire have sometimes been misunderstood,” said Coen.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19395582">Ecological Applications</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Local winds found to accelerate spread of massive wildfires

While dry conditions and overgrown forests are known as the...

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A study led by the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a> has found that ocean acidification is causing major harm to life in the ocean. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-water-coral-reefs-protection/">Coral reefs</a> and kelp forests, in particular, are dying off as marine ecosystems are damaged by heat waves and carbon dioxide emissions. 

According to the researchers, the destruction in the ocean is the result of three centuries of industrial development. If carbon dioxide levels continue to rise at the anticipated rate, ocean acidification could have a catastrophic impact on marine life.

These predictions are based on the recent discovery of volcanic CO2 that is flowing into the ocean off Shikine Island, Japan, which is on the border of temperate and tropical climates.


In this region, the flow of ocean currents produces naturally low levels of carbon dioxide in the surface water, which represent conditions that would have existed prior to the Industrial Revolution. However, the introduction of volcanic CO2 demonstrates how rising CO2 levels will affect future marine ecosystems across the planet.

“These CO2 seeps provide a vital window into the future,” explain to study lead author Dr. Sylvain Agostini. “There was mass mortality of corals in the south of Japan last year, but many people cling to the hope that corals will be able to spread north.”

“Therefore it is extremely worrying to find that tropical corals are so vulnerable to ocean acidification, as this will stop them from being able to spread further north and escape the damage caused by water that is too hot for them.”

According to the researchers, the few plants that benefited from the changing CO2 conditions tended to be smaller weeds and algae across the seabed that choke corals and lower overall marine diversity. Along with some smaller marine animals, these harmful species are thriving because they can tolerate the stress of rising carbon dioxide levels.

“Our research site is like a time machine. In areas with pre-Industrial levels of CO2 the coast has an impressive amount of calcified organisms such as corals and oysters,” said study co-author Jason Hall-Spencer. “But in areas with present-day average levels of surface seawater CO2 we found far fewer corals and other calcified life, and so there was less biodiversity.” 

“It shows the extensive damage caused by humans due to CO2 emissions over the past 300 years and unless we can get a grip on reducing CO2 emissions we will undoubtedly see major degradation of coastal systems worldwide.”

Professor Kazuo Inaba added: “Local fishermen are keen to know how ocean acidification will affect their livelihoods. Currents flowing past Japan bring waters that have naturally low levels of CO2 and fish benefit from the array of calcified habitats around our islands.”

“If we are able to meet the Paris Agreement targets to limit emissions we should be able to limit further damage to kelp forests, coral reefs and all marine ecosystems.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/scientificreports">Scientific Reports</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: Marco Milazzo

Ocean acidification is transforming marine ecosystems

A study led by the University of Plymouth has found...

This Friday night, the full moon will turn blood red in the longest total lunar eclipse of the century. Mars will be visible directly below the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-moon/">moon</a>, and will appear the biggest and brightest that we have seen it in 15 years. 

During a lunar eclipse, the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon. As the moon enters into Earth's shadow, it's appearance will shift to a rusty orange or blood red color from the sunlight that is filtered through our atmosphere.

According to the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/">BBC</a>, the volcanic dust from eruptions in Hawaii and Guatemala could make this particular blood moon appear a deeper shade of red than usual. Mars will become visible directly below the moon, and Jupiter will be visible to some viewers in the southwestern part of the sky.

The total phase of the eclipse will last for one hour and 43 minutes, while the entire eclipse will last for over six hours. 

Unfortunately, the eclipse will not be visible from North America, with the exception of a small portion of eastern Canada and parts of the eastern Caribbean, because it will occur during the day. The next full lunar eclipse that can be seen from North America will take place on January 21, 2019.


The Delta Aquariids meteor shower, which peaks on July 30, may be more vivid to skywatchers Friday night because of a drop in natural light pollution during the total lunar eclipse.


Later in the event, the International Space Station will appear as it moves quickly across the sky from west to east. It will look like the brightest star in the sky, and can be distinguished because it does not twinkle.

Robin Scagell is the vice-president of the <a href="https://popastro.com/">Society for Popular Astronomy</a>.

“A total lunar eclipse, Mars, Jupiter and the International Space Station. What more could you want?” said Scagell.

“You may see this very eerie-looking deep-red moon rising. We've all caught on to this lovely word ‘blood-moon.’ It certainly will look very strange.”

“In early days experiencing a total lunar eclipse would have felt like the end of the world. It's not surprising people were terrified by it.”

Unlike a solar eclipse, no special glasses or equipment are needed for safe observation, and the event can be viewed the most clearly in an area with low light pollution. The next time there will be a total lunar eclipse that lasts this long will be June 9, 2123.

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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

Blood moon eclipse will light up the sky on Friday night

This Friday night, the full moon will turn blood red...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.ibs.re.kr/">Institute for Basic Science</a> has identified the key mechanisms that cause El Niño events to be inconsistent. The international team of climate scientists found that the complexity and unpredictability of El Niño and La Niña events can be traced back to two atmosphere-ocean oscillations with different characteristics and frequencies.

Study lead author Axel Timmermann is the director of the IBS Center for Climate Physics (ICCP) at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusan_National_University">Pusan National University</a>.

“Our study reveals that there is a hidden structure in the seemingly chaotic and unpredictable occurrence of El Niño events,” said Timmermann.

El Niño events are characterized by an unusual period of warming in the central to eastern Equatorial Pacific that can last up to a year. Many of these events transition to a La Niña, or a cold state, which usually has a duration of one to two years. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-ninos-benefit-seabirds/">El Niño events</a> often result in a dry spell across Southeast Asia and the western tropical Pacific, while boosting rainfall near the coastline of the eastern Pacific in countries such as Ecuador and Peru. 

El Niño's remote “ripple effects” do not only have an impact on the atmosphere, but also influence ocean currents, ecosystems, extreme weather events, global markets, and national economies.


El Niño events are not predictable - some are relatively weak, while others are strong. In addition, they may occur in the central Pacific or emerge farther east. These differences determine which areas will be hit the hardest by climate extremes and which ones will be spared. The accurate prediction of an El Niño event requires an understanding of the diversity behind this  system.

Last year, a team of 40 climate scientists from 11 countries analyzed massive amounts of climate observations and computer model simulations to investigate what underlies El Niño diversity.

The research team found that El Niño events in the eastern Pacific are characterized by a return time of 3-7 years, while events in the central Pacific tend to return every 2-3 years. 

The different characteristics that emerge with these events are determined by how strongly the atmosphere and the ocean interact with each other. These interactions are an important source for El Niño irregularity, and limit how far in advance some of these events can be predicted.

Study co-author Fei-Fei Jin is a professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the <a href="https://www.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawaii</a>.

“Finally we can attribute the observed complexity of the most powerful natural climate engine to the co-existence of two oscillatory states of the underlying mathematical equations,” said Professor Jin.


Co-lead author Professor Jeongseong Kug added: “More comprehensive climate modeling studies have to be conducted now to test our new ideas in a more realistic setting and to determine whether we can expect shifts in El Nino characteristics in our warming world.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a>

Makes makes El Niño so unpredictable?

A new study from the Institute for Basic Science has...

The U.S. is battling with another intense string of fires in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-western-united-states/">southwest</a>, now with more than 75 large fires extending from Oklahoma to Alaska. 

On Wednesday, July 25th, the Ferguson Fire in California intensified, prompting park closures around Yosemite Valley.

Although the fire has not reached the park yet, park officials, rangers, and firefighters ordered park evacuations and closed campsites and hotels so that fire crews could perform protective measures, according to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/07/25/yosemite-fire-thousands-evacuate-park-blaze-approaches/832">USA Today</a>. 

July and August are peak months for tourists in Yosemite and the closures have put a damper on many vacationers and hotel and campsite owners who depend on summer tourist revenue, but safety is a number one priority for park officials. 

At its closest point, the Ferguson Fire was two miles away from the park, according to <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-yosemite-closed-fire-20180725-story.html">Scott Gediman, a spokesperson for Yosemite</a>. 

An extremely dry and hot summer has made for perfect fire conditions around the Southwest and already the summer temperatures are on track to be the hottest on record in that region.

According to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/us/yosemite-national-park-fire.html">New York Times,</a> this year four million acres have been burned in fires across the country, eleven percent more than the yearly average. 

In Oregon, 15 active fires have burned up 110,000 acres, and in much of the western United States, drought has been a major contributing factor to the fires. Colorado, for example, had a very dry winter and little snow resulting in eight fires this summer so far. 

Little precipitation and hot sunny days cause vegetation to dry out, increasing the risk of fires and making it easier for fires to spread. 

For many of the fires this summer, lightning is to blame for starting the blazes.

The hot temperatures are not only increasing the risk of fires, it’s making conditions extremely hostile for firefighters who are working to contain the fires. 

In the Southwest, record-breaking heat has already caused six related heat deaths, according to the New York Times. 

“The conditions are incredibly strenuous, and we’re seeing triple-digit temperatures in places and some sections are extremely remote,” Dan McKeague, a spokesman for the <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/">United States Forest Service</a> told the New York Times. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wildfires rage dangerously close to Yosemite Park, prompting closures

The U.S. is battling with another intense string of fires...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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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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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center</a> describes how scientists are using autonomous sound sensors to monitor deforestation in the Amazon. By recording soundscapes, the experts can determine which animals are present through their distinct sounds.&nbsp;



Using this method, sounds can be used as scientific measurements to analyze the effects of deforestation. The researchers will gain a better understanding of how the acoustics of a forest can be used to measure its health.&nbsp;



"From space, parts of the Amazon rainforest that have previously been logged or burned may look lush and green, like a place buzzing with activity and full of sounds. But inside the rainforest, the animal life may tell a different story, of a harsh environment and a quieter soundscape," says NASA.



Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center&nbsp;



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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 deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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