Forests have always been symbols of resilience and endurance. Towering trees stand tall for centuries, forming ecosystems that nurture countless species. They inspire awe, acting as natural archives of Earth’s long history. Yet, today’s rapidly shifting climate is testing this strength like never before.



Scientists now warn that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traditional-forest-farming-is-an-overlooked-climate-solution/">forests</a> might struggle to keep pace with the speed of current climate change. This concern isn’t new, but recent research puts into perspective just how slow forest responses can be.



Long before industrial activities fueled modern warming, forests adapted gradually to changes. Over thousands of years, tree populations shifted according to cooling and warming periods. 



During glacial advances, they migrated southward, following milder climates. When the Earth warmed again, they moved north. This dance of migration was a slow process, unfolding over centuries.



But today, the world faces climate shifts at an alarming rate. Forests are locked in place, unable to shift swiftly enough.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-struggle-with-climate-change">Forests struggle with climate change</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/creating-forests-cant-realistically-cancel-out-fossil-fuel-emissions/">Trees</a> cannot migrate quickly. They grow slowly, and their seeds disperse over limited distances, despite help from wind and animals. Mature trees may live for hundreds of years, meaning populations shift at a glacial pace.



Current climate change, driven by human activities, is happening faster than many forests can adapt. This creates a worrying gap between the pace of warming and the ability of forests to respond.



A recent study published in the journal Science has brought this issue into sharper focus. Led by David Fastovich, a postdoctoral researcher at <a href="https://www.syracuse.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Syracuse University</a>, the study provides concrete evidence of how slowly forests react to climate changes.



Fastovich works in the Paleoclimate Dynamics Lab under Tripti Bhattacharya, the Thonis Family Professor of Paleoclimate Dynamics. Their team examined pollen records from lake sediments, revealing tree population shifts over hundreds of thousands of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-adjusting-to-climate-shifts">Forests adjusting to climate shifts</h2>



The study focused on mapping the time required for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protecting-forests-helps-birds-and-humans-in-many-ways/">forests</a> to adjust to climate shifts. Some of the sediment cores analyzed date back up to 600,000 years, capturing long-term changes in forest composition.



“We’ve known these time lags have existed, but no one could put a firm number on them,” said Fastovich. 



“We can intuit how long a tree lives. We can count the rings on a tree and estimate from there. But now we know that after one to two centuries, very close to how long a tree lives on average, entire forest ecosystems begin to turnover as trees die and are replaced in response to climate.”



The results emphasize the deep disconnect between the rapid pace of modern climate change and the natural rhythms of forest migration and replacement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revealing-forest-patterns">Revealing forest patterns</h2>



To study these long-term changes, the researchers turned to spectral analysis. This statistical method is common in physics and engineering. It allowed the team to compare the relationship between tree populations and climate shifts across varying time scales, from decades to millennia.



The analysis focused on three key aspects: migration patterns, tree mortality, and disturbances like forest fires. By observing these factors together, the team uncovered how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-carbon-credits-are-failing-so-what-needs-to-change/">forests</a> change over both short and long timescales.



Spectral analysis provided a way to create a unified view of forest dynamics. This approach helped bridge the gap between different disciplines that study forests.



“This gives us a common language for people who observe forest change, ecologists, paleoecologists and paleobiologists, to talk to one another about those changes no matter if we study forests on annual or millennial timescales,” said Fastovich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-shift-but-bigger-changes-emerge">Forests shift but bigger changes emerge</h2>



The research showed that, over the span of a few years or decades, forests change slowly. Small adjustments occur gradually, often unnoticed in the short term. However, significant changes begin to emerge over longer periods.



After about eight centuries, the study found that forest shifts tend to grow more dramatic. These larger changes often align with natural fluctuations in the planet’s climate.



“With this new technique, we can think about ecological processes on any timescale and how they are connected,” said Fastovich. “We can understand how dispersal and population changes interact and cause a forest to change from decades to centuries, and even longer timescales. That hasn’t been done before.”



This insight shows that while forests may appear stable, they are slowly shifting in response to deeper climate rhythms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-need-for-human-help">Urgent need for human help</h2>



One of the study’s most important findings points to the need for human intervention. Forests are unlikely to adjust fast enough on their own to survive the rapid pace of modern warming.



One promising approach is assisted migration. This method involves deliberately planting tree species from warmer climates into cooler regions. The goal is to help forests adapt by jumpstarting their natural migration processes.



Fastovich emphasized that this kind of intervention is far from simple. Forest adaptation is a slow, complicated process that demands careful, long-term planning.



“There’s a mismatch between the timescales at which forests naturally change to what’s happening today with climate change,” said Fastovich. 



“Population-level changes aren’t going to be fast enough to keep the forests that we care about around. Assisted migration is one tool of many to keep cherished forests around for longer.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reminder-of-the-challenges-ahead">Reminder of the challenges ahead</h2>



The research serves as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead. Forests are not static. They are ancient, slow-moving communities shaped by time and climate. While their changes might seem imperceptible over a human lifespan, they remain in constant motion.



Now, humanity must make tough choices. Without careful action, many forests may not survive the speed of climate change. 



The tools we choose, whether assisted migration, conservation efforts, or other interventions, will shape the forests of the future. Their survival depends not only on nature’s resilience but also on human responsibility.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr6700" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Forests are lagging centuries behind in climate adaptation

Forests have always been symbols of resilience and endurance. Towering trees stand tall for centuries, forming ecosystems that nurture countless species. They inspire awe, acting as natural archives of Earth’s long history. Yet, today’s rapidly shifting climate is testing this strength like never before. Scientists now warn that forests might struggle to keep pace with the speed of current climate change. This concern isn’t new, but recent research puts into perspective just how slow forest responses can be. Long before industrial activities fueled modern warming, forests adapted...

Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems. Sharks were among the first animals on our planet to have a spine. They evolved in a world of the sea, at a time when life on land was barely underway. Fossilized shark scales over 420 million years old have been found, nearly 200 million years older than the oldest dinosaurs. 

The <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/sharks/fossil/basics/">Florida Museum</a> compares the 400 million year history of sharks to the 2 million years of human history, calling the later ‘insignificant’ by comparison. Since their early beginnings, sharks have proven to be incredibly resilient, surviving mass extinctions, spreading over the globe and becoming an integral part of marine ecosystems. Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems 

Some sharks can an indicator of reef health. Reefs need sharks to be healthy and sharks prefer healthy reefs for habitat. Sharks are important for a much broader spectrum of the oceans than just reefs, though. There are an estimated 350 species of sharks worldwide. Sharks range from the largest shark – the enormous whale shark, a strange example of a 40 foot long fish evolving to live like a whale, as a filter feeder. The other extreme is the tiny dwarf lantern shark, measuring only about six inches long at adulthood. <a href="https://www.si.edu/">Smithsonian Institute</a> reports that the dwarf lantern shark, true to its name, has a belly that glows in the dark 950 feet deep waters off the coast of Columbia where it lives.  

Of course, sharks have been demonized, feared and actually devastated by human activities, such as fishing. Because of the perceived danger that sharks pose to humans, protections for them are less popular than for many other iconic animals. Because of this, I asked Stefanie Brendl, founder and president of the non-profit <a href="https://www.sharkallies.com">Shark Allies</a>, some questions about sharks. Stefanie explained the importance of sharks to humans. Also Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems.

“Sharks play a critical role in the health of the ocean, they have a deep cultural significance to many coastal and island cultures around the world,” Brendl said. “In short, if you like your planet and would like to continue getting food from the ocean, then sharks are important to you. We don’t get the luxury to focus on single causes in isolation based on what we care about the most. The plight of sharks is actually considered one of the most pressing issues we face, with regards to ocean health, and we can’t afford to ignore this. The damage done from plastic pollution, deforestation, runoff and climate change will be exponentially more damaging if fish populations and coral reefs are decimated, which are both outcomes we will suffer if we do not take care of shark populations.”

Stefanie’s explanation makes perfect sense if you consider the long history of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sharks-threatened-fishing-boats/">sharks</a>. How could they not have evolved as an integral part of a massive and complex global ecology? Ocean ecology is in fact what humans exploit for food as well as what we depend on for clean air and water. Despite the crucial role oceans play in our lives, even far inland, humans have a poor track record of according them respect and protections. Sharks are no different, as Brendl explained to me.

“Sharks are severely threatened, but their plight receives the least amount of attention and funding. They are the underdog of ocean conservation and animal advocacy…There is a drastic decline in shark populations that is caused by industrial overfishing, the high demand for shark products, and the poorly controlled trade of the products. Scientists estimate that more than 100 million sharks are killed every year.” 

[caption id="attachment_1875776" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Stef-Oceanic-Whitetip.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1875776" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Stef-Oceanic-Whitetip.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="400" /></a> Image Credit: Shark Allies[/caption]

One of the most notorious causes of shark declines is sadly a complete luxury. Shark fin soup is a dish reserved as a symbol of wealth and power for many. Sharks often have a fin cut off cruelty only to be tossed back into the ocean for a slow, agonizing but inevitable death. For this reason, Shark Allies was involved in the ban of shark fins in Hawaii in 2010 and is continuing the work by pushing for a similar ban in Florida, the current center of the US shark fin industry. 

One of the ways individuals can help sharks, besides supporting conservation organizations and legislation is being careful to avoid shark products, such as shark meat. As with any wild animal, one of the keys to fighting for it is understanding it. 

Stefanie Brendl told me there’s more information than an individual can absorb on sharks out there – in books, on the internet, in documentary films. All of these sources of information can prepare a person for the most important part of studying sharks – seeing a live shark in the wild. Stefanie Brendl was inspired by her hands on work as a diver and working on documentary films around sharks. 

“When you have the opportunity to visit a location with reputable shark diving operators, take the plunge,” Brendl told me. “It will change your life! Meeting a shark in person is impossible to describe. It changes your DNA and you will never feel the same.”

She’s right. I remember seeing sharks, just small ones on my first SCUBA diving trips in Mexico. Nurse sharks like some I saw are shy and yet there’s something fierce and ancient in the reflection of their eyes. Even shark teeth alone can change your perspective. Ancient teeth sprinkled in dry places show the dynamic nature of Earth’s history and the important role sharks have played, it’s written even in desert rocks. Sharks have always been a part of the human world and often an important part of who we are. Shark Allies points out the often central role sharks have played in the human consciousness,

“Sharks are part of every indigenous culture that lives near the sea. Humans have felt the power and presence of sharks since they have first laid eyes on the ocean” the organization writes. “They have revered them as deities, gods, manifestations of ancestors and guardians for as long as cultures have existed. We have all come from the ocean and sharks have been part of our world for as long as we have been human.”

Consider that the next time you think of sharks.        

--

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>

Main Image Credit: Shark Allies

Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems

Why sharks are so important to global ecosystems. Sharks were...

Dams are typically seen as the enemy by environmentalists, ever since Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite was flooded against the protests of John Muir. Ed Abbey painted dams as the enemy of his band of misfit ecoterrorists in The Monkey Wrench Gang. 

The reasons why dams are unpopular among environmentalists are numerous. Some are horrified by the loss of beautiful places like Hetch Hetchy or Glen Canyon. Flooding behind a dam not only destroys wildlife habitat but sometimes covers important paleontological, geological or archaeological sites. Others worry about the impact of dams on <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/Y2785E/y2785e03.htm">fish populations</a>. 

Silt builds up behind dams, and the water is warmer in a reservoir created by a dam than in the original river. All of this leads to a release of methane created in the new aquatic environment and a loss of biodiversity. In fact, as the original life drowned by flooding die and decay, as much as <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-hydroelectric-power.html">0.5 pounds</a> of carbon dioxide equivalent is released per kilowatt hour, barely better than the 0.6 - 2 pounds produced from natural gas generated electricity. 

Migratory fish are stopped or delayed in their movement by dams. Sometimes dams favor invasive non-native fish populations adapted to different environments. Populations of fish in Europe have declined after the building of dams. In China, fish species declined from 107 to 83 after the Xinanjiang dam was built. The same trend of a decline in biodiversity, not only in the flooded region of a river but also downstream, has been shown in Australia and Latin America as well. Dams also impact native fishes negatively in the US.

Political battles have been fought over dams throughout the western US and mostly environmentalists have lost and dams sprouted everywhere people lived out west. For the most part, we’ve passed the time in US history for major dam building. According to <a href="https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1849-25045-6913/02_hydrosafetydam_ch_2_4.pdf">FEMA</a> numbers, only 92 dams of any stature were built before 1800 in the United States. The number of dams built increased until 27,715 dams were built in the US between 1951 and 1970. Dam building has slowed down considerably since that time, with 19,506 dams built between 1971 and 1990. Only 5,105 dams were constructed between 1991 and 2007. Now, many of these dams are growing old and there’s a discussion of what should be done. 

<a href="https://headwaterseconomics.org/economic-development/local-studies/dam-removal-case-studies/">Headwaters Economics</a> reports that the US has 87,000 dams more than six feet high and 2 million all together. Of the dams, there are 2,603 in the lower 48 states that generate electricity. It’s estimated that by 2020, 70% of dams will be over fifty years old and will require more and more costly maintenance. It’s estimated that repairing the United States non federally owned dams could cost $51.5 billion. 

Some of those dams still serve a useful purpose while others are potentially reaching the end of their service. With realities such as these, dams across the US have been removed as well as constructed. Since 1912, more than 1,300 dams in the US have been removed, and 62 were removed in 2015 alone.. With the removal of dams and the decommissioning of the connected hydropower plants that many of them keep alive, electrical power becomes an issue. 

Hydroelectricity currently provides about 6% of the United States electricity needs and give constant steady electricity to the grid. New research in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-019-0362-7.epdf?referrer_access_token=vagRrqLiiqhKj3WU0-jCW9RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0PKLW205v4XAxuAPHOliRvt4XFPF715VUkj8kRkGH68-VNejQSjD5m6_Udtyt1xI1keiVnrbaMmMkmqaThD3umnEV7hSCArprpbxxdOmawxGtkisDCghyatSqWYHGEiBF6QEACTHIQxLHTYN5G9tVhinfZyBXBHviz6lplG3pu0_MjtgO3Tejb6XEtUcmkM4c_KoMu2PIhCv0rMBLAwf9qB9Ad_Be-De69yHRdiE5Zsc7KxdwhOzY8J8ScjBfqtfIg%3D&amp;tracking_referrer=www.carbonbrief.org">Nature</a> suggests that solar electricity could potentially replace the lost electricity from hydroelectric. The research indicates that theoretically, the same amount of electricity as currently generated by dams could be generated by solar panels using only 13% of the land currently occupied by reservoirs. 

Of course, some of the land used by reservoirs wouldn’t necessarily be appropriate for solar panels, so other land might have to be used to make the same amount of electricity. If all hydroelectric dams were removed and only half of the land area they occupied was replaced with solar, it could generate 3.44 times the amount of electricity currently created by hydroelectric. 

Replacing hydroelectric dams with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/green-solar-panels-appealing/">solar panels</a> is an interesting idea, but it’s more complicated than a straight trade of one thing for another. Without a way to store electricity like batteries, solar power is unlikely to be a good replacement for hydroelectricity, which is generated 24 hours a day. Solar also varies per season and not every location that currently uses hydroelectric has equal opportunity for solar. Washington State, for example, has 107 hydroelectric dams, Arizona has 9. On average, Phoenix, Arizona has 299 <a href="https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/arizona/phoenix">sunny days</a> per year while Seattle, WA has only <a href="https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/washington/seattle">152</a>. Just from this one comparison it’s obvious that some places have a huge advantage than others for solar or hydroelectric. 

All of this leads to a lot of uncertainty about the potential cost of replacing hydroelectric plants with solar panels as well as the local feasibility. Replacing the energy Arizona gets from hydroelectricity seems a lot more doable than doing the same for Washington. There is also the question of environmental impact and what the impact of solar panels is in the long run.

Both solar and hydroelectric systems are forms of renewable energy, with solar having less of a direct impact, mainly coming from the manufacturing of the solar panel itself. Due to the carbon footprint of producing a solar panel, solar actually produces <a href="https://grist.org/living/whats-better-new-solar-panels-or-old-hydropower/">more carbon</a> on average over its lifetime than hydro. There are also some serious problems related to disposing of solar panels. 

Over time, solar panels become <a href="https://earth911.com/eco-tech/recycle-solar-panels/">less and less efficient</a>, with most functioning at a rate of 85% after 25 years or less. The <a href="https://www.irena.org/events/2016/Jun/EU-PVSEC-Conference-sideevent-Photovoltaic-EndofLife-Management-PV-EOL-workshop">International Renewable Energy Agency</a> (IRENA) estimates that by 2050 there will be 60 to 78 million tons of solar panel waste. Solar panels are hard to recycle because they’re made from so many different materials and very few facilities exist that are capable of recycling them at all. So, that leaves us with the question: is it better to replace hydroelectricity with solar?

The best way to reduce carbon emissions is to decrease consumption and increase efficiency. Whether solar makes sense as an alternative to hydroelectricity might change depending on the region, and it might also become less problematic as technology develops. For the moment, it’s something that deserves further consideration.                                   

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Gary Saxe

Does it make sense to replace America’s aging dams with solar panels?

Dams are typically seen as the enemy by environmentalists, ever...

A new poll has found that a growing number of young Republican voters are concerned about human-induced climate change.

The polling agency <a href="https://www.glocalities.com/">Glocalities</a>, which is based in Amsterdam, conducted a survey of 20 countries worldwide, including the US, Germany, China, and Brazil to see how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-questions-worded/">global attitudes about climate change are changing. </a>

The average level of concern about human-driven climate change was 77 percent in all 20 countries surveyed, a six percent increase since 2014. 

In the US specifically, the number of Republicans who said they were worried about how much humans are negatively impacting the environment and climate has increased to 58 percent. 

67 percent of Republican voters aged 18 to 34 are worried about climate change, an 18 percent increase since earlier polls. 

<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-poll-republicans/surge-in-young-republicans-worried-about-the-environment-survey-idUSKCN1VJ17V">Reuters,</a> which reported on the poll results, also said there was a ten percent increase in Republicans who are trying to act more sustainably and environmentally conscious.

Meanwhile, 83 percent of Democrat voters expressed concern about climate change in the environment and a majority of all those surveyed (69 percent) agreed that humans were damaging the planet. 

What may be influencing young Republican voters is the increase in youth-led climate activism. 

“When looking deeper into the data it becomes clear that the highest rise in environmental concern (worldwide) is visible among younger Republicans,” Martijn Lampert, a pollster for Glocalities, told Reuters. “If Donald Trump keeps on denying climate change and refrains from standing up for the environment he won’t be able to increase support among the young and be heavily reliant on older generations of Republican voters for winning again.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Christopher Penler

An increasing number of young Republicans are concerned about climate change

A new poll has found that a growing number of...

South Africa is of course known for its variety of iconic animals from penguins and great white sharks to elephants and lions. The country is also <a href="https://www.awf.org/country/south-africa">ranked</a> as number six in the world’s 17 mega diverse countries.

Additionally, South Africa is home to the largest population of rhinoceros in Africa. South Africa’s animals are often targeted for poaching as well, and rhinos, elephants and other animals are valuable for their body parts sold on the international black market. This is what has long made Africa one of the frontlines of the battle for biological conservation.  

Considering the animal life in South Africa, it’s unsurprising that there is an enormous amount of plant diversity in the country as well. There are approximately 20,000 <a href="https://www.fauna-flora.org/countries/south-africa">plant species</a> found in South Africa, which is home to one of only six floral kingdoms worldwide – the Cape Floral Kingdom. 70% of the Cape Floral Kingdom’s 9,000+ plant species don’t occur outside of the local region. Unfortunately, plant life in South Africa is threatened as well.

Over the period of 300 years, 79 plants were confirmed to have gone extinct in several biodiversity hotspots in South Africa. New research shows that this represents a shockingly large percentage of plant biodiversity for South Africa. According to research published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)30943-1?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982219309431%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">Current Biology</a>, this loss of biodiversity in South Africa represents 45.4% of all known plant extinctions from 10 of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots. 

The plant loss in South Africa goes as far back as the 1700s when the first recorded loss of a plant species occurred. The plant was a species of fountainbush (Psoralea cataracta) that lived near streams. Plant extinctions in South Africa have also occurred as recently as 2012 when a rare species of vygie went extinct due to urbanization and human development. It’s sometimes more challenging to determine the extinction of a plant species than it is with the more charismatic animals. 

As many as 431 plant species have been declared extinct, only to be later rediscovered. Plants, small, nondescript, many of which require a specialist to identify are easier to overlook than many animals. Plants can also hide out as seeds or very small immature specimens that can be missed. Some of the plants now declared extinct could potentially be rediscovered, but the plant extinction rates are still something to take very seriously, not just in South Africa but across the world as well. 

A <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333679673_Global_dataset_shows_geography_and_life_form_predict_modern_plant_extinction_and_rediscovery">new study</a> found that since 1750, 571 plant species have gone extinct worldwide. Although some plant extinction is normal and not all of it can be attributed to humans, the number of plant extinctions rose sharply after the industrial revolution. The rate of plant extinctions now is 500 times greater than before the industrial revolution. What may be most disturbing is that there are likely even more plant extinctions than those recorded and 571 species is likely an underestimate. 

Islands are some of the most likely places to find confirmed plant extinctions. It’s easier to be sure that a plant has been wiped out from a limited area such as an island, and it’s also easier for a plant in such an area to be threatened. 

Hawaii was the one place surveyed in the study that had a higher number of plant extinctions than South Africa. <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/rare-plants/">Hawaii</a> is home to 1,400 vascular plant taxa, 90% of which are found only in Hawaii. More than 100 plant taxa have already gone extinct there.

Hawaii has also lost its share of animal species and more may die off in the near future. The <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/is-hawaii-the-extinction-capital-of-the-world-exhibit-a-the-alala-bird/2016/04/25/3f45c6ac-f210-11e5-89c3-a647fcce95e0_story.html">Washington Post</a> reports that of the 1,225 endangered species listed by the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">US Fish &amp; Wildlife Service</a>, 481 of them are from Hawaii. 

The island state contains <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/rare-plants/">44%</a> of all endangered and threatened plant species in the US. Invasive threats like <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/info/">non-native</a> avian malaria and fire ants have devastated many native species. Unfortunately, often the loss of one species in an area can lead to the loss of more. Even extinctions that don’t lead to a cascade effect are often indicative of an underlying problem that may cause more extinctions. The high rate of plant extinctions in particular doesn’t bode well for animals. 

Plants are of course support almost all life on Earth. By synthesizing their own food from the sun and soil nutrients, plants are the basis of food webs. Plants are also vital in creating oxygen and are used for habitat by numerous species. Birds make nests in trees, caterpillars weave cocoons on particular plants, tigers stalk through grass, even humans build houses from trees or bamboo. Plants are used as tools by primates and birds. Sea grasses are both hiding spots and food sources. Cavities made into saguaro cactus turn into places to hide from the desert sun. Habitats are made cooler and wetter by the presence of plants, which sometimes even partially create the climate of a region. The importance of plants makes it unsurprising that high plant extinctions lead to high animal extinctions. 

The <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/">United Nations reported</a> earlier this year that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/extinction-crisis-solutions/">extinction rates</a> are at an unprecedented high. According to the UN, as many as 1 million species are threatened with extinction. The report called for ‘transformative change’ in human society from local to national and international levels to stop the disintegration of global ecosystems. The average abundance of native species in continental habitats has dropped by 20% the world over, and even the native species not threatened with extinction are less common. 

The loss of diversity driven by humans has the potential to hurt us as well. Not only wild species have gone extinct. More than 9% of mammal breeds used in agriculture had gone extinct by 2016. Combined with a loss of natural environments, this puts humanity’s food supply in a precarious position. The loss of wild plants can lead to the loss of pollinators and indeed the loss of domestic crops. If humanity is to save itself as well as the beautiful forms it shares Earth with, the time is now.         

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Hawaii and South Africa lead the world in global extinctions

South Africa is of course known for its variety of...

Thick slabs of ice are rapidly replacing thinner ice across the interior of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-lakes-greenland-ice-sheet/">Greenland's ice sheet</a> as a result of global warming. Because the thicker ice is not porous, it cannot reabsorb meltwater, which is spilling straight into the ocean. 

In a new study, experts have discovered that this transformation has the potential to increase Greenland's contribution to sea level rise by as much as 2.9 inches this century. 

"Interestingly, decades ago scientists hypothesized what meltwater in a warming climate could do to Greenland's snow layers, based on measurements and theory." said study second author Horst Machguth. "Our results show that their hypotheses were close to what is playing out in Greenland today."

Mike MacFerrin is a researcher at <a href="https://cires.colorado.edu/">CIRES</a> and <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">UC Boulder</a> who led the study. He explained that although runoff from ice slabs has added less than a millimeter to global sea levels so far, this contribution will grow substantially as ice slabs continue to expand in a warming climate.

"Even under moderate climate projections, ice slabs could double the size of the runoff zone by 2100," said MacFerrin. "Under higher emissions scenarios, the runoff zone nearly triples in size."

In 2000, Greenland's runoff zone was roughly the size of New Mexico. By 2013, ice slabs had expanded the runoff zone by about 65,000 km2, which is an average increase of two football fields per minute. 

The team found that under a moderate emissions scenario, the runoff zone would likely expand by the size of Colorado during this century, contributing about one inch to sea level rise. Under a higher emissions scenario, the runoff zone could increase by the size of Texas, contributing as much as 2.9 inches to sea level rise.

In 2012, MacFerrin's team noticed large sections of solid ice in ice core samples, instead of the thin ice lenses they expected. According to MacFerrin, they had never seen anything like it before. 

Since the initial discovery of ice slabs, the researchers have used ground-penetrating radars to map the extent of slabs. The scientists also used NASA Icebridge data and climate models to understand how the slabs have expanded and to predict how they may continue to grow.

"As the climate continues to warm, these ice slabs will continue to grow and enhance other meltwater feedbacks," said study co-author Mahsa Moussavi. "It's a snowball effect: more melting creates more ice slabs, which create more melting, which creates again more ice slabs."

The future contribution of the ice slabs to sea-level rise will be determined by the rate of greenhouse gas emissions. "Humans have a choice about which way this goes," said MacFerrin.

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

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Ulannaq Ingemann

Thick ice slabs are rapidly increasing meltwater runoff in Greenland

Thick slabs of ice are rapidly replacing thinner ice across...

Why combating climate change is a smart business investment. A new study urges that climate change is an economic issue, and the authors are calling on world leaders to invest in and implement policies to reduce the impacts.

You can find <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/swedens-tallest-mountain-peak-melted/">evidence of climate change</a> in every corner of the globe, with some regions showing accelerated warming that exceeds <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-climbing-faster/">previous predictions</a>. 

The projected costs of climate change’s impact on the ecosystem, infrastructure, and people will far outweigh the costs associated with implementing solutions like investing in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/renewable-energy-carbon-capture/">renewable energy </a>or slashing greenhouse gas emissions. 

An international team of respected scientists compiled evidence of the accelerating impacts of climate change. Their study, published in the journal Science, emphasizes the concerning implications for the future of humankind unless more is done to combat global warming.  

Investing in climate change mitigation is not just good business, it is also critical in order to prevent widespread devastation, global food shortages, and mass displacement of people due to sea-level rise and increasing temperatures. 

“Acting on climate change, has a good return on investment when one considers the damages avoided by acting,” said Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg from the<a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/"> University of Queensland</a> in Australia and lead author of the study. 

According to the researchers, the economic toll of climate change has been underestimated. On their own, the calculable costs of storm surges, sea-level rise, and flooding may be manageable, but climate change is exacerbating these issues. 

“The scientific community has quantified these risks in order to inform policymakers about the benefits of avoiding them,” said Professor Rachel Warren from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a>, an author of the study.

Professor Warren investigated the projected impacts that warming of 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius would have on the forest, biodiversity, crops, and food systems.

Research has shown that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limit-global-warming/">limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius </a>above pre-industrial levels would result in fewer catastrophic impacts. 

“If such policy is not implemented, we will continue on the current upward trajectory of burning fossil fuels and continuing deforestation, which will expand the already large-scale degradation of ecosystems,” said Warren. “To be honest, the overall picture is very grim unless we act.” 

Most at risk are developing nations where already unstable economies could collapse due to malnutrition, infrastructure damage, and displacement. 

“Current emission reduction commitments are inadequate and risk throwing many nations into chaos and harm, with a particular vulnerability of poor peoples,” said Hoegh-Guldberg “To avoid this, we must accelerate action and tighten emission reduction targets so that they fall in line with the Paris Agreement. As we show, this is much less costly than suffering the impacts of 2oC or more of climate change.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: AMFPhotography/Shutterstock

Why combating climate change is a smart business investment

Why combating climate change is a smart business investment. A...

Sweden’s tallest mountain peak has melted down to second place. The tallest mountain peak in Sweden has been stripped of its title thanks to rising temperatures due to climate change. 

Kebnekaise Mountain in northern Sweden has two peaks, and for over a century, the mountain’s icy southern peak was the tallest in the country.

After years of melting due to steadily rising temperatures, scientists have confirmed that the southern peak is now around four feet lower than the northern peak, according to <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/sweden-highest-mountain-climate-change-intl-scli-trnd-travel/index.html">CNN</a>.  

Over the past 50 years, the southern peak lost 78 feet of ice, and the rate of melting is increasing. 

“For the first time since 1880 we can say for certainty that it’s lower than the other peak,” Gunhild Ninis Rosqvist, a geography professor at <a href="https://www.su.se/english/">Stockholm University</a>, told CNN. “Last year we suspected it, but it never went below the other peak. Now, we measured it at the end of melt season on September 3 using GPS technology with only a few centimeters margin of error.”

Rosqvist has measured the peak each year and found that in the last ten years, the rate of melting has been around three feet per year. 

The peak could gain some of its height back over the winter, but any progress would be short lived with summer bringing warmer temperatures and faster melting rates. 

“Temperatures in the summer have increased. Actually, they’ve increased all year round. Even the winters are warming here,” Ninis Rosqvist said. “What’s happening a Kebnekaise’s southern peak is representative for all the glaciers in Scandinavia right now. It’s a symbol for glacier melt. They’re all melting very rapidly.”

The unprecedented rate of melting is not surprising considering the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-record-breaking-heatwave/">record-breaking summer heatwaves</a> that Sweden has experienced in recent years. 

Each year, Rosqvist has noticed the glacier at Kebnekaise’s southern peak get thinner and thinner. 

Kebnekaise Mountain is just one more, in an ever-growing list of climate change casualties. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/lecsposure

Sweden’s tallest mountain peak has melted down to second place

Sweden’s tallest mountain peak has melted down to second place....

According to a recent <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/">CBS News</a> survey conducted by YouGov, most Americans agree that immediate action is needed to address <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/communities-preparing-climate-change/">climate change</a>. The majority of respondents feel that climate change is a serious problem, with more than 25 percent classifying it as a full-blown crisis. Only 16 percent do not feel that the climate is anything to be concerned about. 

Most Americans believe that human activities contribute to climate change on some level, and feel a personal and social responsibility to take action. On the other hand, many people feel they cannot afford to address the issue. 

Only one in 10 respondents say human activities do not contribute to climate change at all, and this small minority widely expresses the opinion that the idea is a hoax meant to exaggerate the problem. At the same time, 91 percent of the participants agree that the Earth is experiencing climate change in some way, whether they feel it is driven by a human-induced or natural shift.

The majority of respondents also believe that humans can do something about climate change, with 48 percent saying it can be slowed and 19 percent saying we have the ability to bring it to a complete halt. 

Approximately 75 percent of the participants acknowledge that climate change is contributing to the decline of sea ice in the Arctic, rising sea levels, and hotter summers. Two-thirds agree that weather events such as hurricanes are intensifying as a result of global warming. Hurricane Dorian caused increased concern among nearly 40 percent of Americans, while 56 percent were not influenced.

The survey also revealed that about 80 percent of American adults trust the opinions of climate scientists, while just as many trust their own observations when it comes to the current state of the environment. However, respondents are strongly divided on whether scientists have confidence in saying that humans are driving climate change, with 52 percent feeling that "scientists agree that humans are a main cause" and 48 percent claiming that there is disagreement among experts.

“This remains a vitally important misunderstanding - if you believe global warming is just a natural cycle, you’re unlikely to support policies intended to reduce carbon pollution, like regulations and taxes,” said Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

“These results also again confirm a longstanding problem, which is that many Americans still believe that scientists themselves are uncertain whether human-caused global warming is happening."

“Our own and others’ research has repeatedly found that this is a critical misunderstanding, promoted by the fossil fuel industry for decades, in order to sow doubt, increase public uncertainty and thus keep people stuck in the status quo, in a ‘wait and see’ mode.”

Most Americans are willing to make necessary changes to help the environment, including 87 percent who would like to recycle more, 86 percent who would use energy efficient light bulbs, 86 percent who would give up plastic bags at stores, and 62 percent who are willing to travel less. In addition, around 31 percent are willing to give up meat.

Age seems to play a significant role in the outcome of the survey: 70 percent of 18-to 29-year-olds think climate change is a serious problem or crisis, yet only 58 percent of individuals over the age of 65 agree. Younger people were also found to be much more likely to feel a personal responsibility to address the climate crisis.

“Americans are finally beginning to wake up to the existential threat that the climate emergency poses to our society,” said Margaret Klein Salamon, a clinical psychologist and founder of the Climate Mobilization Project. “This is huge progress for our movement - and it’s young people that have been primarily responsible for that.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/streetphotog66

Poll: Most Americans agree that there is an urgent need to address climate change

According to a recent CBS News survey conducted by YouGov,...

View of Beni river and rainforest of Madidi national park in the upper Amazon river basin in Bolivia, South America

Protected wilderness areas reduce the global risk of species extinction by half. In a new study led by the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>, researchers have discovered that wilderness areas cut the global risk of species extinction in half. The team pinpointed critical wilderness areas, which are largely unaffected by human activities, that must be protected in order to help preserve <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mountains-biodiversity-hotspots/">biodiversity</a>. 

Professor James Watson is the director of the UQ Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science. He explained that since vital wilderness areas cannot be restored, urgent action is needed to ensure that these areas are marked for conservation in order to remain protected.

"Wilderness areas have decreased by more than three million square kilometers - half the size of Australia - since the 1990s," said Professor Watson. "Once these wilderness areas are gone, they are lost forever."

Study co-author Dr. Moreno Di Marco added that wilderness areas act as a buffer against extinction risk, and the risk of species loss was more than twice as high for biological communities found outside of wilderness areas.

"This new research has identified the importance of wilderness areas in hosting highly unique biological communities and representing the only remaining natural habitats for species that have suffered losses elsewhere," said Dr. Di Marco.

The team identified vital wilderness areas that are at risk in parts of Arnhem Land, surrounding the Madidi National Park in the Bolivian Amazon, in Southern British Columbia, and surrounding savannah areas within the Zemongo Reserve in the Central African Republic.Protected wilderness areas reduce the global risk of species extinction by half

The researchers combined new global biodiversity modeling infrastructure developed at CSIRO with the latest wilderness map developed by the University of Queensland, the University of Northern British Columbia, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. This strategy produced fine-scale estimates of the probability of species loss around the globe.

According to Professor Watson, beyond saving biodiversity, Earth's remaining intact ecosystems are critical in abating climate change, regulating essential biogeochemical and water cycles, and ensuring the retention of long-term biocultural connections of indigenous communities.

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: University of Queensland

Protected wilderness areas reduce the global risk of species extinction by half

Protected wilderness areas reduce the global risk of species extinction...

New research on pollutants in public drinking water has found that exposure to these carcinogenic chemicals could cause thousands of new cancer cases. 

In the first study of its kind, researchers from the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/">Environmental Working Group</a> assessed the combined health impacts of 22 carcinogens found in 48,363 community water systems (excluding private well water). 

The study was published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02314">Heliyon</a>. 

The health impacts of water contaminants are usually evaluated on an individual basis. 

For this study, the researchers used a cumulative approach to analyze drinking water and its associated cancer risks, the same kind of method used for measuring the health impacts of air pollution exposure. 

“Drinking water contains complex mixtures of contaminants, yet government agencies currently assess the health hazards of tap water pollutants one by one,” said Sydney Evans, the lead author of the paper. “In the real world, people are exposed to combinations of chemicals, so it is important that we start to assess health impacts by looking at the combined effects of multiple pollutants.”

The analysis revealed that carcinogens in US drinking water could cause more than 100,000 cancer cases and increase cancer risk nationwide. 

Water systems that rely on groundwater and provide water to smaller communities have the highest risks. Contaminants like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arsenic-regulations-water-safer/">arsenic</a> and radioactive elements had the most significant impact on cancer risk. 

The majority of water systems in the US meet legal standards for contaminant levels, the researchers note. 

However, the results show that exposure to even permissible levels of contaminants results in increased cancer risks. 

“We need to prioritize source water protection, to make sure that these contaminants don’t get into the drinking water supplies to begin with,” said Olga Naidenko, a member of the research team.

The researchers recommend that consumers install water filters to limit exposure to pollutants and that filters be tailored for specific contaminants.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Jakub Zak

Contaminants in drinking water could cause more than 100,000 cancer cases

New research on pollutants in public drinking water has found...

Effects of climate change are now evident in the most remote regions of Earth. The <a href="https://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a> just released its "Special Report on Oceans and the Cryosphere," which warns that even the most remote places on Earth have not been spared from the damaging effects of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ocean-based-strategies-climate/">climate change</a>.

For the research, teams of renowned scientists from the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) conducted investigations in some of the world's most extreme regions from the deepest oceans to the highest Alpine mountains. 

IPCC Vice-Chair Ko Barrett explained that as polar ice has melted into the ocean faster, rising temperatures have warmed the surface of the sea and the planet's marine zones have absorbed the heat.

"For decades, the ocean has been acting like a sponge, but it can't keep up," said Barrett. "The consequences for nature and humanity are sweeping and severe." Effects of climate change are now evident in the most remote regions of Earth

According to the report, the world's oceans have already reached or are now approaching critical tipping points. The warmer ocean waters are losing oxygen, with levels dropping by 40 percent in just five decades across some tropical regions.

The oxygen-deprived water, combined with the alarming effects of ocean acidification, has put a strain on corals and other marine ecosystems that may ultimately trigger a cascade of collapses among fish populations and fisheries. 

The IPCC scientists confirmed clear links between climate change and shrinking sea ice, rising sea levels, more intense storms in the Atlantic Ocean, and other dangerous events. 

For example, the east and west coasts of the United States will experience what were once considered to be hundred-year floods every single year. The authors of the paper explained that unless major investments are made to prepare, these floods will continue to devastate the coast even if greenhouse gas emissions are drastically reduced.

On a global scale, the necessary infrastructure modifications needed to adapt to climate change and rising sea levels could cost hundreds of billions of dollars per year. But the IPCC experts also found that, without such flood adaptation measures, extreme coastal flooding will become common by the end of the century.

Furthermore, the researchers emphasized that under a low-emissions scenario, the impacts of climate change will be expensive yet manageable. Under a high-emissions scenario, however, the impacts will no longer be manageable and will become catastrophic. 

"This report should erase any doubts about the peril that climate change poses for the health of the ocean and, as a consequence, for human well-being," said John Tanzer of the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/">World Wildlife Fund</a>. "From coral reefs and mangroves to fish populations and coastal habitats, climate change and human pressures are rapidly destroying the natural capital that supports the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people around the world." 

"<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/home/">The Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate</a>" was prepared by 104 leading scientists from 36 countries, who acted as coordinating lead authors, lead authors, and review editors.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/MomentumStock

Effects of climate change are now evident in the most remote regions of Earth

Effects of climate change are now evident in the most...

Sustainable freshwater fishkeeping: Insights from aquarist Rachel O'Leary

Sustainable freshwater fishkeeping: Insights from aquarist Rachel O'Leary. There are...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



---



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



---



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

News coming your way