Floating photovoltaics (FPV), or “floatovoltaics,” are spreading across water bodies worldwide. From California’s vineyards to China’s massive energy projects, these solar systems glide atop irrigation ponds, reservoirs, and wastewater treatment plants. 



They produce clean energy without consuming precious land, a seemingly perfect solution in a space-constrained world.



But the water beneath these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floating-solar-panels-could-power-entire-countries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">panels</a> isn’t empty. It teems with life. Birds drift, dive, nest, and hunt in these waters. As FPV systems expand, they introduce a new dynamic to these habitats - and nobody knows yet what the consequences might be.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-floating-solar-and-bird-habitats">Floating solar and bird habitats</h2>



A recent study from the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Davis</a>, published in the journal Nature Water, raises a vital question: Can renewable energy and wildlife coexist without collateral damage? The researchers, part of the UC Davis Wild Energy Center, are among the first to examine how waterbirds respond to FPV systems.



“That’s why it’s so important to understand how waterbirds are going to respond to floating solar and if there is the possibility for conservation concessions at new floating solar facilities,” said Elliott Steele, a postdoctoral scholar with the UC Davis Wild Energy Center within the Energy and Efficiency Institute.



Steele’s words are urgent. Bird populations are plummeting. Habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and avian influenza have combined into a perfect storm of threats. If floating solar disrupts waterbird behavior, it could exacerbate an already dire situation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bird-responses-to-floating-solar-systems">Bird responses to floating solar systems</h2>



Imagine a black-crowned night heron standing motionless on a solar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floating-solar-panels-could-power-every-home-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">panel</a> before dawn. Below, cormorants dart through the water, jostling for a place to perch. A black phoebe builds a nest beneath the panels, sheltered but close to human-made structures.



These are not imagined scenes. During their fieldwork, the UC Davis researchers observed all these behaviors. Birds are not just interacting with FPV systems — they are adapting to them, sometimes in unexpected ways.



“Our team has been documenting such a diversity of bird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floridas-waterbirds-expert-divers-with-bold-hunting-techniques/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behavior</a> with floating PV, so we immediately knew this was a very important interaction, especially given the precipitous decline in waterbird numbers globally,” said senior author and UC Davis Professor Rebecca R. Hernandez.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-and-risks-of-floating-solar">Benefits and risks of floating solar</h2>



Renewable energy projects have not always considered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-americas-birds-scientists-declare-a-full-on-emergency-in-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife</a>. Now, as FPV systems expand, researchers are determined not to repeat past mistakes. The UC Davis team identified five areas demanding urgent study.



First, the researchers are exploring how waterbirds interact with FPV structures, questioning whether these birds use the solar panels as nesting sites, hunting perches, or safe resting places.



In addition, they are investigating the direct and indirect effects of FPV systems on waterbirds. While a panel may provide shelter to one species, it may simultaneously deter another.



The team is considering how conservation strategies can be tailored to specific sites, regions, and seasons, recognizing that bird populations vary significantly in their behaviors and needs.



Furthermore, they are examining how best to design monitoring systems at FPV sites. Should they rely on cameras, sensors, or traditional bird counts to collect data effectively?



The researchers are also assessing the potential for pollutants to be released from FPV systems. If such contamination occurs, they aim to determine what can be done to mitigate the risks to aquatic and avian life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-renewable-energy-design">Rethinking renewable energy design</h2>



Study co-author Emma Forester is a Ph.D. candidate with the UC Davis Land, Air and Water Resources department and the Wild Energy Center.



“There are some things we wished we’d known before other kinds of renewable energy were developed,” said Forester.



“While we’re at this critical threshold of renewable energy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-panels-are-1000-times-more-powerful-with-new-tech-breakthrough/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">development</a>, we want to put more thought into the design that can benefit birds and other wildlife as we go forward.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-balancing-act-energy-vs-ecology">The balancing act: Energy vs. ecology</h2>



Floating solar systems present a compelling case for water conservation. They can reduce evaporation by shading the water surface, an added benefit in drought-prone areas. But there’s a catch.



While some birds, like the black-crowned night heron, seem to thrive on the panels, others might not. Researchers observed birds using FPV systems in various ways - nesting, perching, feeding - but the long-term impacts remain unclear.



And then there’s pollution. Solar panels are not inert objects. As they age, they can degrade, releasing chemicals into the water. What happens to the fish, algae or the birds? These questions linger, unanswered.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-designing-for-wildlife">Designing for wildlife</h2>



To ensure that FPV systems are truly green, wildlife considerations must be integrated from the start. 



Hernandez and her team emphasize that waterbirds are ideal subjects for these studies. They occupy both the water and the air, making them sensitive indicators of environmental change.



But there’s a deeper challenge. Conservation strategies that work in California may fail in Florida. Solutions for herons may not suit cormorants. Customization is key.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-at-stake">What’s at stake</h2>



Floating solar may be new, but the questions it raises are not. When energy projects collide with nature, unintended consequences often follow. As renewable energy scales up, researchers must consider not just the panels but the ecosystems they disrupt.



Floating solar has enormous potential. But without rigorous, long-term studies, that potential could come at a steep ecological cost. For now, the researchers at UC Davis are watching the waterbirds - and hoping the world will pay attention.



The study, funded by the <a href="https://uckeepresearching.org/california-climate-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California Climate Action Seed Grant</a>, <a href="https://www.enelgreenpower.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Enel Green Power</a>, and several U.S. government agencies, is a starting point. 



The research team includes scientists from UC Davis, the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Geological Survey</a>, the <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Central Florida</a>, <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lancaster University</a>, and <a href="https://www.enelgreenpower.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Enel Green Power</a> in Italy.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-025-00429-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Water.</a>



Image Credit: Rebecca R. Hernandez, UC Davis.



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Floating solar panels affect bird habitats in unexpected ways

Floating photovoltaics (FPV), or “floatovoltaics,” are spreading across water bodies worldwide. From California’s vineyards to China’s massive energy projects, these solar systems glide atop irrigation ponds, reservoirs, and wastewater treatment plants. They produce clean energy without consuming precious land, a seemingly perfect solution in a space-constrained world. But the water beneath these panels isn’t empty. It teems with life. Birds drift, dive, nest, and hunt in these waters. As FPV systems expand, they introduce a new dynamic to these habitats - and nobody knows yet what the...

Greenland’s ice is looking a little less nice these days – and a lot thinner. Summer arrived early in the Arctic, and the heatwave has sped up melting of the Earth’s second largest ice sheet.

But Greenland was already steadily losing ice over the past couple of decades.

Researchers from the Danish Meteorological Institute, the Technical University of Denmark and the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland have been combing over 30 years of satellite data on the height, mass and movement of Greenland’s ice. They found that from 2003 to 2016, an average of 255 gigatonnes of ice have been lost each year. One gigatonne is equal to 1,000 metric tons, or 1,102 U.S. tons.

“The Greenland losses have raised sea level by around half a millimeter each year over the observed period,” said Dr. Ruth Mottram, lead author of the study, which has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/12/1407">Remote Sensing</a>.

The team also found that Greenland’s ice is not melting at a steady rate. In fact, the rate of ice loss has increased steadily each year – consistent with ice loss at the North and South Poles.

Unlike melting sea ice, land ice contributes directly to sea level rise as it returns to the ocean.

In some places, the ice sheet thinned by as much as 2 ½ meters. The researchers pointed to rising global surface temperatures and less snowfall as causes for the decreasing ice.

“If an icesheet is to maintain its mass balance, or volume, we would expect to see the height increase at its centre due to snow accumulation. It is striking how this pattern has changed when comparing the early 1990s to the last few years,” Mottram said.

Datasets used in the study came from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a>’s Copernicus satellites. The researchers used models to analyze the disappearance of Greenland’s ice. 

The team says that continued monitoring of ice loss in Greenland is vital. They plan to continue studying the data collected by the ESA.

“With Copernicus Sentinel-1 and -3, we are moving from only being able to take a short snapshot of icesheet flow speeds or calving front changes beginning to be able to monitor the Greenland icesheet remotely, in almost real time,” Mottram said. “We now get consistent, weekly repeat, and with such a richness of data we can more accurately understand how Greenland is responding to a changing environment.”

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Paid for by Earth.com.

Greenland's ice is raising sea levels as it melts

Greenland’s ice is looking a little less nice these days...

A study from the <a href="http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/">Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment</a> (GRI) has revealed that lawsuits involving climate change are appearing in countries all over the world. The most legal action on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a> is pursued in the United States, but the researchers found that this type of litigation has become a rising global trend.

The team investigated cases since 1990, and identified 28 countries with climate-related lawsuits. Since 2015, the first legal action on climate change was recorded in Colombia, Indonesia, Norway, Pakistan, and South Africa.

"Most defendants are governments but lawsuits are increasingly targeting the highest greenhouse-gas-emitting companies," states the <a href="https://www.globalreporting.org/information/policy/Pages/default.aspx">GRI policy report</a>. 

The study authors found that climate change lawsuits are being pursued by activist shareholders, investors, cities, and states. They said that climate change litigation is increasingly being viewed as a tool to influence policy.

"Human rights and science are both playing an increasing role in climate change litigation," the report states. "A human rights basis for litigation on climate change has had increasing resonance with judges in some strategic cases, despite challenges with regards to establishing causality. New lawsuits are also drawing on advancements in attribution science to establish a causal link between a particular source of emissions and climate-related harms."

During the study period, there were more than 1,000 climate change cases in the United States, 94 cases in Australia, and 53 in the UK.

Study co-author Joana Setzer, a GRI research fellow, told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a> that there could be many more climate-related cases that have been filed but not documented. She believes that these cases will continue to become more frequent. "We expect not only more cases but in different jurisdictions and using different strategies," said Setzer.

Previous research from <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a> found that 84 percent of the climate change lawsuits filed since President Trump took office have been aimed at supporting climate protection. Setzer told CNN that litigation is "forcing judges to examine this issue" and "bringing science to court."

Michael Burger is the executive director of the <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/">Sabin Center for Climate Change Law</a>. He said that litigation has been “absolutely essential” to advancing climate change solutions in the United States.

 “Judicial decisions around the world show that many courts have the authority, and the willingness, to hold governments to account for climate change,” said Burger. "Similar litigation all over the world will continue to push governments and corporations to address the most pressing environmental challenge of our times."

--

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

Legal action on climate change is a rising global trend

A study from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificially-cooling-atmosphere-geoengineering/">Solar geoengineering</a> is the idea that spraying aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect the sun’s rays can help cool the Earth.

There have been numerous studies into the potential of solar geoengineering and the benefits and risks of using aerosols, but in the grand scheme of climate change research, very little has been dedicated to this particular “hack” for the planet. 

If geoengineering is to be a viable and safe solution for lowering global temperatures and slowing the impacts of climate change, more research and funding are needed.

David Keith from <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> and Kerry Emanual from the<a href="http://www.mit.edu/"> Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> are two climate scientists working to realistically assess the risks of blocking solar radiation with aerosols and look for solutions that would ensure geoengineering is successful. 

Some of the more pressing political concerns of geoengineering are that it may negatively impact regional climates and increase the risk of droughts and severe hurricanes. However, the two researchers say that these risks may be overstated. 

Instead, Keith and Emmanual suggest an easy solution: If aerosol amounts were halved and used uniformly worldwide, it would lower the risk of regional climate catastrophes. 

Providing insurance to smaller developed countries worried about the risks of geoengineering would also be an important safeguard. 

“It takes concerns of developing countries seriously," Joshua Horton, a research assistant who worked with Keith, told <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/risks-of-controversial-geoengineering-approach-may-be-overstated/">Scientific American</a>. "It's reasonable for them to be concerned. They want some measure of assurance that if things go wrong, they wouldn't be screwed.”

Keith and Emmanual are part of a growing effort to fuel international interest in solar geoengineering and develop a regulatory framework that researchers can work under. 

Plans for a global geoengineering assessment proposed by Switzerland in March were rescinded after ten days due to opposition from several countries, including the US and Brazil. 

Time is running out to reach a consensus on solar geoengineering, and it may be a valuable tool to have in the arsenal against climate change as the world struggles to lower emissions and prevent further warming. 

--

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/Aphelleon

Reassessing the potential of solar geoengineering to combat climate change

Solar geoengineering is the idea that spraying aerosols into the...

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-earthquakes-southern-california/">Southern California</a> Thursday morning that was the most powerful quake to occur in the region since a 7.1 was recorded in 1999. 

Thursday’s earthquake was the first 6 magnitude or higher to hit the state in the last five years. 

A 2014 earthquake in Napa caused injuries and damage and two reported fatalities. Geologists and earthquake experts say it’s impossible to tell if the quake was a one-off event or a sign that seismic activity is on the rise based off of one day of data. 

The epicenter of the quake was located in the Searles Valley around 125 miles northeast of Los Angeles but was felt as far as Las Vegas and Mexico. 

Two small foreshocks preceded the major quake which lasted around five seconds, but there were reports in LA of shaking and rocking that lasted ten seconds or more. 

This Friday morning, a 5.4 aftershock followed the quake. 

[caption id="attachment_1874830" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/map.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1874830" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/map.jpeg" alt="" width="650" height="389" /></a> Image Credit: USGS[/caption]

While little damage and no serious injuries were reported in the city of Ridgecrest, an area close to the quake, authorities are still inspecting and monitoring the area for potential problems. 

A hospital in Ridgecrest was evacuated as a precautionary measure. 

California is known for its seismic activity, and so even an earthquake of this magnitude is not unexpected. 

“Having a 6.4 in this part of Southern California is totally typical,” Rob Graves, a US Geological Survey research geophysicist, told the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/">LA Times</a>. 

Earthquakes are unpredictable, but this quake was luckily not close to the San Andreas Fault, one of the regions most dangerous and longest faults. 

However, Lucy Jones, a seismologist and California’s foremost earthquake expert, told the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/">LA Times</a> that Thursday’s quake could be a foreshock and another even bigger quake may be on the way. 

The <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">US Geological Survey</a> will continue to monitor the area and collect data. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Main Image Credit: Chones/Shutterstock

Southern California hit with most powerful earthquake in 20 years

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Southern California Thursday morning that...

Environmental racism describes the disproportionate exposure to pollution, waste, and emissions faced by people of color. 

Historically, in many parts of the United States, air pollution and emissions levels have been higher in communities of color, which means that minority population suffers a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hispanic-americans-air-pollution/">higher burden of disease and death</a> caused by pollution. 

A new analysis from the <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/electric-vehicles/northeast-air-quality-equity">Union of Concerned Scientists</a> found that in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States, communities of color are exposed to higher levels of particulate matter compared predominantly white communities. 

“We can’t talk about the impacts of air pollution without pointing out who bears the biggest burden,” said Maria Cecilia Pinto de Moura, a co-author of the new analysis. “This is a pervasive form of discrimination—and as we work on improving transportation, we need to make sure we’re paying attention to the communities who are hardest hit.”

For the analysis, the researchers focused on particulate matter pollution smaller than 2.5 micrometers called PM 2.5. These particles can enter the bloodstream and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Data from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> and the <a href="https://www.census.gov/">United States Census Bureau</a> were compared to investigate the impacts of traffic pollution in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.

African American residents in these states are exposed to 61 percent more particulate matter pollution than white residents. For Asian Americans, the researchers found particulate matter pollution exposure was 73 percent higher, and Latinos face 75 percent higher levels of pollution compared to white communities.

Of the 72 million people included in the study, one-fifth live in areas where PM 2.5 levels are 50 percent higher than the state average. 

“What this study shows is what communities of color across the region have long understood—that they are unfairly exposed to higher levels of pollution,” said Pinto de Moura.  “People of color in the Northeastern states are more likely to suffer the consequences of bad air—lost days of work, emergency room visits, asthma attacks or chronic health problems. That’s a real danger, and it’s true whether or not these families have a personal vehicle of their own.”

The Union of Concerned Scientists is calling for cleaner transportation especially in areas impacted by pollution inequality. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Frank Wagner

In many parts of the US, communities of color face higher levels of pollution

Environmental racism describes the disproportionate exposure to pollution, waste, and...

Conflicts on and over public lands date back to the early days of the US. In the early days of conservation in America, defending public lands was a dangerous and thankless business. National Parks were initially managed by the US military, including in some cases buffalo soldiers. In the <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/">US Forest Service</a> and other agencies though, rangers didn't have such backing. In his book, The Big Burn, Teddy Roosevelt &amp; The Fire That Saved America, Timothy Egan writes:

"Around mining camps and logging towns, the places where agents for timber trusts set up shop to foil the new national forests, rangers were sometimes threatened at gunpoint or chased from the woods."

Laws and congressional funding tended to be lacking for most if not all federal conservation efforts and foresters, law enforcement agents, and others on the ground suffered for it. 

Due to lack of federal funding, Guy Bradley, a Game Warden appointed by the Florida governor and also deputized by the county in 1902, was paid by the Audubon Society, not the government. Bradley worked alone in a large area in what was a quite wilder and less populous Florida at the time. After only three years of duty as an official Game Warden, Bradley was shot and killed at the age of 35 by poachers intent on making a profit on bird feathers for the hat trade. 

The <a href="https://www.odmp.org/officer/2150-game-warden-guy-m-bradley">Officer Down Memorial Page</a> reports that at their trial, the suspected poachers claimed Bradley fired on them first, despite evidence that he never fired his weapon. The two men were tried for Bradley's murder were found not guilty. 

The case of Guy Bradley shows the tenuous position of government conservation agents in the early years. Agents were assigned jobs but often lacked the resources and full backing of the federal government to carry out their duties to their full extent. 

Conservation was being fought over in Congress. For those like Teddy Roosevelt, the war was one between those who wished to pillage the land, it's archaeology and wildlife, and those who wished to save it as a heritage for all Americans. For those on the ground, it was a fight based on principal that could cost them their lives for low pay and uncomfortable work on the rough edges of what remained of the American frontier.

In the early years of federal conservation, the role of enforcement and use of force is the beginning of a history with a more complex nature than most realize. Before the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/index.htm">National Park Service</a>, the US Army managed Yellowstone, largely as a sort of "fortress of conservation" with the full weight of military power behind it that is implied. 

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/resilient-yellowstone-forests-fire/">Yellowstone</a>, the first National Park, was established by Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. The park was created before the end of hostilities between Native Americans and the US government in the west, as such it can be seen as a US outpost in hostile territory. Early managers of Yellowstone largely saw Native American groups that had lived in the park traditionally or sought to settle in it seasonally as enemies of the goals of conservation, according to a paper by Isaac Kantor in <a href="https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1267&amp;context=plrlr">Public Land and Resources Law Review</a>. 

<a href="https://timeline.com/national-parks-native-americans-56b0dad62c9d">Timeline</a> reports that when Yellowstone was created, 26 Native American tribes are thought to have lived on Yellowstone, which many considered sacred. Native Americans were forcibly removed and kept out of the park. These same ideas and model of conservation has been carried into parks in other parts of the world.

<a href="https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1267&amp;context=plrlr">Survival International</a> reports that 'Pygmy' peoples of central Africa are violently excluded from hunting and gathering lands now protected by conservation laws and law enforcement agents. Such exclusion and militarization of conservation efforts are common in Africa, sometimes directed at well organized criminal elements, sometimes towards native groups with minimal impact on their own traditional lands. A 2017<a href="http://www.conservationandsociety.org/article.asp?issn=0972-4923;year=2017;volume=15;issue=3;spage=243;epage=254;aulast=Kelly"> paper</a> in Conservation &amp; Society notes that at that time, exclusionary parks covered more than 15% of the earth at that time.  

In 1916, Woodrow Wilson created the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/index.htm">National Park Service</a>, officially ending or limiting military involvement in the National Parks. Initially, handing parks over to the new service demilitarized their enforcement but the slow creep of militarization in law enforcement has found its way into the National Park Service as well. In the early years of the park service, rangers were largely unarmed but from the beginning there were conflicting duties of welcoming and educating visitors and upholding the law. 

Yosemite became the site of a turning point in the National Park Service. By 1970, Yosemite National Park was already facing enormous congestion. Instead of being a bastion of solitude in which to escape modern city life, crowds and modernity often followed visitors to Yosemite. "Undesirable" elements such as hippies and "dirtbag" rock climbers were often a thorn in the side of the park service. Complaints about loud music, marijuana smoke and public nudity were handled by park rangers. 

In frustration over a rise in panhandling, theft and other minor crimes in the park, a concessionaire who owned Yosemite Park &amp; Curry Company, a company offering lodging and food in the park, hired a private security firm. <a href="https://foresthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Childers_Stoneman.pdf">ForestHistory</a> reports how the conflict came to a head in 1970 when rangers confronted a large party of young people in Stoneman Meadow after quiet hours. The party was broken up by rangers with clubs, some of the young people being handcuffed and taken to jail. 

After a series of increasingly violent confrontations and riots, the nature of the park service was forever changed. The National Park Service founded a federal law enforcement training center in 1971, the first of its kind. Instead of oral warnings, Yosemite took a zero tolerance approach to enforcement handing out citations. In short, since 1976, rangers have included well armed, well trained law enforcement agents in their ranks. Since that time, law enforcement in Yosemite and other National Parks has become more fraught with tension. Climbers are arrested for staying past the seven day camping limit or for BASE jumping. Sometimes confrontations become nasty. Unfortunately, National Parks and other public lands aren't magical portholes into an unspoiled past void of the problems of modernity.

In 2012, an event all too familiar in modern America happened in Rainier National Park. With unknown motivations, a man shot a female park ranger after she tried to pull his car over. The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/us/ranger-shot-and-killed-at-mount-rainier-park.html">New York Times</a> reports that the alleged shooter, Benjamin Barnes was later found in a stream, dead from exposure after a manhunt.

Conflicts such as these in what many see as the hallowed grounds of public lands show that these aren’t refuges from modernity any more than they were unpeopled wilds before Native Americans were evicted. When the authority of the federal government is challenged anywhere, it’s not surprising that it reacts with the same heavy handed tactics in the forest as it does in the street.    

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Andrew Opila

Conflicts on and over public lands date back to the early days of the US

Conflicts on and over public lands date back to the...

Before the beginning of the last <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hyenas-arctic-last-ice-age/">ice age</a>, temperatures had already been declining for more than ten million years. It is widely believed that this cooling was driven by rock weathering which coincided with the formation of mountain ranges such as the Andes and the Himalayas. 

Some scientists have questioned, however, whether rock weathering could have removed enough CO2 from the air to cool the atmosphere and trigger an ice age.

A team of researchers including Friedhelm von Blanckenburg of the <a href="https://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/home/">GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences</a> set out to investigate. Their findings suggest that it was not weathering but increased "reactivity" of the land surface that decreased atmospheric CO2 and cooled the Earth. 

Experts have long speculated that, as large mountains ranges developed in the last 15 million years, erosion processes greatly increased along with the CO2-binding process of rock weathering. 

"The hypothesis, however, has a big catch," explained Professor von Blanckenburg. "If the atmosphere had actually lost as much CO2 as the weathering created by erosion would have caused, it would hardly have had any CO2 left after less than a million years. All water would have had frozen to ice and life would have had a hard time to survive. But that was not the case."

Professor von Blanckenburg and his colleague Jane Willenbring previously demonstrated in 2010 that the rock weathering theory had its flaws. "We used measurements of the rare isotope beryllium-10 produced by cosmic radiation in the Earth's atmosphere and its ratio to the stable isotope beryllium-9 in ocean sediment to show that the weathering of the land surface had not increased at all."

For the current study, the team expanded on the 2010 research to include data on stable isotopes of the element lithium in ocean sediments as an indicator for the weathering processes. 

Once applied to a computer model of the global carbon cycle, the data revealed that the potential of the land surface to weather had increased, but the speed at which it weathered had not increased. The researchers call this potential of weathering the "reactivity" of the land surface. 

"Reactivity describes how easily chemical compounds or elements take part in a reaction," explained Professor von Blanckenburg. 

If there are more non-weathered and reactive rocks at the surface, these can collectively react as much chemically with just a little CO2 as heavily weathered rocks can react with a lot of CO2. This means that the decrease in CO2 in the atmosphere and the subsequent cooling can be explained without an increased speed of weathering.

"However, a geological process is needed to rejuvenate the land surface and make it more 'reactive'," said Professor von Blanckenburg."This does not necessarily have to be the formation of large mountains. Similarly, tectonic fractures, a small increase in erosion or the exposure of other types of rock may have caused more material with weathering potential to show at the surface. In any case, our new hypothesis must trigger geological rethinking regarding the cooling before the last ice age."

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: Image Credit: F. von Blanckenburg

Land surfaces became ‘reactive’ and cooled the Earth before the last ice age

Before the beginning of the last ice age, temperatures had...

Record-breaking macroalgae blooms are appearing in the Atlantic Ocean. A team of experts led by the <a href="https://www.marine.usf.edu/">USF College of Marine Science</a> has discovered the world's largest bloom of macroalgae, the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB), which stretched from the west coast of Africa to the Gulf of Mexico last year. Based on NASA satellite data, the team found that 200 million tons of brown macroalgae called Sargassum was floating in the surface waters. 

The team also found evidence to suggest that the belt forms seasonally in response to the culmination of two key nutrients. One of these nutrients is flushed into the ocean through the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/amazon-river-flooding-worse/">Amazon River</a> as a result of human activities, and the other is the result of natural upwelling off the West African coast.

"The evidence for nutrient enrichment is preliminary and based on limited field data and other environmental data, and we need more research to confirm this hypothesis," explained study lead author Dr. Chuanmin Hu. "On the other hand, based on the last 20 years of data, I can say that the belt is very likely to be a new normal."Record-breaking macroalgae blooms are appearing in the Atlantic Ocean

Smaller patches of Sargassum contribute to ocean health by producing oxygen and providing habitat for turtles, crabs, fish, and birds. "In the open ocean, Sargassum provides great ecological values, serving as a habitat and refuge for various marine animals. I often saw fish and dolphins around these floating mats," said study first author Dr. Mengqiu Wang.

On the other hand, too much of this seaweed makes it difficult for some marine species to move and breathe, especially when it is concentrated along the coast. Furthermore, when Sargassum dies and sinks to the seabed in large quantities, it can smother corals and seagrasses. 

Before 2011, most of the Sargassum in the ocean was primarily found floating in patches around the Gulf of Mexico and Sargasso Sea. However, in 2011, Sargassum populations began emerging in massive quantities in the central Atlantic Ocean and other places it had not been seen before. 

"The ocean's chemistry must have changed in order for the blooms to get so out of hand," said Dr. Hu. 

According to Dr. Wang, the 2011 bloom was likely caused by Amazon River discharge in previous years, but was intensified by upwelling in the eastern Atlantic and river discharge in the western Atlantic. The researchers observed in the satellite imagery that major blooms had occurred every year between 2011 and 2018 except in 2013, when the cocktail of nutrients needed for the macroalgae to flourish were not present.

Despite significant Amazon discharge in 2009, the blooms did not begin to intensify in 2010 because heavy rainfall in 2009 had reduced the water's salinity and the sea surface temperature was higher than normal. Neither of these two conditions are conducive to Sargassum growth.

"This is all ultimately related to climate change because it affects precipitation and ocean circulation and even human activities, but what we've shown is that these blooms do not occur because of increased water temperature," said Dr. Hu. "They are probably here to stay."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Brian Lapointe, Ph.D., Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Record-breaking macroalgae blooms are appearing in the Atlantic Ocean

Record-breaking macroalgae blooms are appearing in the Atlantic Ocean. A...

A new study is unraveling a 40-year-old mystery about how salt crystals are plummeting into the deepest and coldest parts of the Dead Sea and accumulating on the lakebed. The research may ultimately help scientists understand how large salt deposits formed in Earth's geologic past.

The Dead Sea has become saltier in recent decades, and much of that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/moderate-salt-intake-health/">salt</a> is concentrated near the surface. Added heat in the summertime warms the lake and divides the water into two distinct layers, with the upper warm layer becoming saltier than the cooler bottom layer. 

In 1979, scientists first noted that salt crystals were "snowing" down out of the top layer and piling up on the lakebed. This phenomenon seemed to defy the laws of physics because the top layer of water should not be able to mix with the cooler water below because it is much warmer and less dense.

In the current study, the researchers propose that small disturbances within the lake, caused by waves or motion, create "salt fingers" that slowly funnel salt down to the lakebed. 

Study lead author Raphael Ouillon is a mechanical engineer at the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California Santa Barbara</a>. "Initially you form these tiny fingers that are too small to observe... but quickly they interact with each other as they move down, and form larger and larger structures," said Ouillon. 

"The initial fingers might only be a few millimeters or a couple of centimeters thick, but they're everywhere across the entire surface of the lake," said study co-author Eckart Meiburg. "Together these small fingers generate a tremendous amount of salt flux."

The new findings may help to explain the formation of massive salt deposits found within Earth's crust. According to the researchers, the Dead Sea is only hypersaline water body on Earth today where this salt fingering process is happening, so it represents a unique laboratory for researchers to study the mechanisms by which these thick salt deposits have formed.

"Altogether this makes the Dead Sea a unique system," said study co-author Nadav Lensky. "Basically, we have here a new finding that we think is very relevant to the understanding of the arrangement of these basins that were so common in Earth's history."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19447973">Water Resources Research</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/vvvita

How large salt deposits are forming at the depths of the Dead Sea

A new study is unraveling a 40-year-old mystery about how...

Terra is a French documentary directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Michael Pitiot that aims to connect humans to the natural side of Earth and examine our role in its destruction. 

From close-ups of industrial harvesters raking up row after row of cotton and grains, to slow pans of a landscape engulfed in smoke emitted from the smokestacks of a nickel mine in Norilsk, Russia’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/sep/15/norilsk-red-river-russias-most-polluted-city-clean">most polluted city</a>, Arthus-Bertrand does not shy away from showing how humanity is changing the world.

Terra is less of a nature documentary that entices the viewer with stunning nature shots and little-known facts about the creatures that inhabit the Earth. Instead, the film carefully examines how humans have tipped the scales toward the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-hunted-6th-extinction/">mass extinction of countless species</a>, removing themselves further and further from the animal kingdom. 

The opening scenes execute this theme perfectly. The narrator, French actor Vanessa Paradis, takes us through the very early stages of life on Earth, starting with microbes and fungus, which helped give rise to plant life. 

Soon tiny plants became vast forests with an abundance of animals until humans came along and destroyed the trees, forcing many species to adapt to different landscapes. 

That’s where we, the viewers of the modern age, come in. In one scene, we see a bustling city metro with flashing billboards. One by one, each billboard changes to reveal a nature scene until all the skyscrapers are projecting nature footage much to the delight and bewilderment of the passersby below. 

This is the juxtaposition that fuels the entire film: humans and their relationship to and removal from nature. Like the dichotomy that is human vs. nature itself, Arthus-Bertrand seems to fight with his own vision throughout the documentary. 

Is Terra a lesson, a warning, a call to action, a rolling montage of stunning nature imagery? At times the murky contrasts of the film slow the pace and leave little for the viewer to piece together themselves. But the odd pacing is never enough to detract from the beauty and heartbreaking reality that is the state of the natural world today. 

It’s important to note that because the film is narrated entirely in French, there may be some details left out of the translation. One major way that Terra stands out is the way the narrator consistently uses “I” in place of “we.” 

Because we’re accustomed to hearing ‘we’ in many documentaries like Terra, where the stakes are the future wellbeing of our planet and its many species, hearing ‘I’ in place of ‘we’ represents a jarring tonal shift. 

Take, for example, the phrase, “We have to conserve and protect our world’s natural resources.”

It’s a phrase that you’ve likely heard before, and one all too easily glossed over. But what if you replace ‘we’ with ‘I’? The phrase then becomes, “I must protect the world’s resources.” 

For Arthus-Bertrand, I has a stronger meaning. It’s a bold pronoun that sticks out like a sore thumb, instilling a sense of urgency and responsibility into the audience. Here are just a few phrases where ‘I’ works as a powerhouse in the film. 

“I save with one hand, with the other I slaughter,” the narrator says while the camera zooms in on a recently deceased elephant, likely<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ivory-game-cruelty-ivory-trade/"> killed for its tusks</a>.

“In Denver (Colorado), a federal warehouse keeps the animals captured on US territory. Thousands of ornaments, clothes, accessories, and drugs snatched from a living world. A sad inventory, bearing witness to possession, cruelty, and domination…..its walls tell the story of my madness,” the narrator says while we the audience see rows and rows of stuffed trophies, trinkets, and clothes made from bears, snakes, and crocodiles. 

Some of the hardest to stomach scenes in the film follow the meat industry. We see helicopters herding thousands of cattle in Australia and watch silently as a slaughterhouse conveyor belt makes efficient work of row after row of dead pigs. 

People are eating more meat than ever before worldwide, although research has shown that red meat consumption is slowly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/americans-cutting-back-meat/">decreasing in the United States</a>. 

These mega cattle ranches and slaughterhouses produce a living and provide meat for us to eat, but the appalling conditions suffered by the animals and the exhaustive amount of resources it takes to produce just one pound of beef are too easily overlooked. 

“But basically they are force-fed to produce more meat, more quickly, more cheaply, for profit,” the narrator says while the camera flies over thousands of cattle. “So I shut my eyes to it.” 

There is always a risk when documentaries try to make bold, sweeping thesis statements about conservation. 

It can veer toward pandering or preaching, but Terra serves as a meditation on the human experience, the diversity of life, and a plea for people to get more in touch with the natural world. 

The world’s many species have become refugees in their own ecosystems. Time may be running out, and it may be too late to turn back the tide of mass extinction, but I can work to protect and conserve the resources left, ensuring that the planet’s rich diversity survives for future generations to enjoy. 

---

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: <a href="http://www.terra.omega/en/terra">Terra</a>

‘Terra’ is a visual feast urging humanity to connect with nature

Terra is a French documentary directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and...

Dairy cows contain the same group of microbes, and these microorganisms control methane emissions produced by digestion, new research shows. 

Understanding how cow microbiomes are linked could help researchers manipulate microbes and digestion in the rumen of the cow to help reduce emissions and pave the way for more sustainable and eco-friendly agriculture.

In humans, the importance of the gut microbiome cannot be understated. Our unique flora of microbes and bacteria aids in digestion and helps strengthen the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/link-gut-microbiome-fight-cancer/">immune response.</a> 

Some of our gut microbiome is inherited through genetics, and researchers have wondered about the links between the cow microbiome and genetics. 

Robert John Wallace, a professor at the <a href="https://www.abdn.ac.uk/">University of Aberdeen</a>, along with a team of colleagues, studied the genotypes of 1,000 Holstein and Nordic Red dairy cows from the UK, Italy, Sweden, and Finland looking for genetic variations. 

The researchers discovered that at least 50 percent of the cows studied contained the same core group of microbes. 

Next, the researchers used machine learning to try and predict milk output, metabolism, and methane emissions based on the microbes present in this core microbiome. 

The results, published in the journal Science Advances, showed that inherited genes produce microbes that control methane emissions.

If breeders can selectively breed cows to produce less methane, it could help lessen the burden of emissions produced by the meat and dairy industry. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/J R Patterson

Dairy cow microbiome could yield the key to eco-friendly agriculture

Dairy cows contain the same group of microbes, and these...

EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water of 90 million Americans. The <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">EPA</a> has just released its review of cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane, which is found in personal care products and other consumer goods – along with the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nitrate-drinking-water-cancer/">drinking water</a> of millions of Americans. What were their findings? That this chemical is “not an unreasonable risk” to the environment or the American public.

In November of 2016, the EPA selected 1,4-dioxane as one of the first 10 chemicals it would review under the Toxic Substances Control Act, which is the revamped chemical safety law passed earlier that year. In 2017, an analysis of water utility tests done by the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/">Environmental Working Group</a> (EWG) found 1,4-dioxane in the drinking water serving roughly 90 million Americans in 45 states. EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water of 90 million Americans

Contrary to claims by the EPA, this chemical is not regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act and there is no legal limit fo 1,4-dioxane contamination in tap water. Also the chemicals found in the water causes huge health risks which leads to many issues or worse death.

“By ignoring the risks 1,4-dioxane presents to Americans, the Trump EPA is again undermining both the spirit and letter of the federal chemical safety law,” says EWG Legislative Attorney Melanie Benesh. “With nearly a third of the country drinking tap water polluted with this chemical and its potential widespread contamination of personal care products, including soaps and shampoos used by children, there is an urgent need for action. But in the Trump administration, safeguarding people from toxic chemicals is not a priority.” Therefore there is a lot of safe drinking water to have in the area and tap water is coming back to being less contaminated. The percentage of americans who are risk is extremely high. EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water of 90 million Americans and happens to a lot more than people think.

Even though the EPA has decided that 1,4-dioxane poses “no unreasonable risk to the environment,” it has still classified the chemical as a likely human carcinogen.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</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: Dmitry Naumov

EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water

EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water of...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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