Many expect warmer winters to reduce cold snaps, but that isn't how it works. A new study reveals that the polar vortex, happening high in the stratosphere, still controls much of what happens at ground level.



In this study, scientists looked at how changes in that polar vortex - especially in the stratosphere (a layer of the atmosphere way above us) - affect winter weather in the U.S. 



They discovered that the shape and strength of the vortex at two different heights can look totally different, and this matters a lot.



The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.uml.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Massachusetts Lowell</a>, <a href="https://en.huji.ac.il/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hebrew University</a> of Jerusalem,&nbsp;and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.mit.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a>).



“The public often hears about the ‘polar vortex’ when winter turns severe, but we wanted to dig deeper and understand how variations within this vortex affect where and when extreme cold hits,” the research team explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-polar-vortex">Understanding the polar vortex</h2>



Imagine the atmosphere above the North Pole as a swirling dome of icy air - that’s the polar vortex, officially called the stratospheric polar vortex (<a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/understanding-arctic-polar-vortex" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SPV</a>). 



When it’s strong and stable, winter in the U.S. tends to stay fairly calm. But when this vortex gets stretched, twisted, or broken apart, cold air can spill southward, triggering severe winter weather across the country.



This study dug into how different shapes and behaviors of the polar vortex - not just at one level of the atmosphere but at two - affect winter storms in the U.S. 



Over the last decade, the worst <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/">cold snaps</a> have been hitting farther west than before. That shift seems to line up with more frequent La Niña events - times when the Pacific Ocean is cooler than usual. 



La Niña tends to favor the version of the vortex that affects the western U.S., while El Niño, its warmer sibling, leans more toward the version that affects the east.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-types-of-polar-vortexes">Different types of polar vortexes</h2>



The researchers used a technique called <a href="https://stanford.edu/~cpiech/cs221/handouts/kmeans.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">K-means clustering</a> (basically, pattern detection in big datasets) to spot five different types of stratospheric behavior. 



Two of these polar vortex classes stood out because they often came with extreme cold and snow.



One pattern (called P2) leads to severe weather in the Northwest U.S.. The other (P3) hits the Central and Eastern regions of the U.S.



P2 features a strong vortex centered over the pole with a stretched lower vortex. It often brings snow and cold to the Northwestern U.S. 



P3 shows a weaker, displaced vortex toward the North Atlantic, steering cold into the Central and Eastern U.S. These variations do not just depend on vortex position but also on how atmospheric waves behave.



Planetary waves can either be absorbed or reflected in the stratosphere. When reflected, they can send cold air barreling southward. 



P3 events consistently show this reflection during the cold wave itself. P2 events often have wave reflection before the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-equation-predicts-a-rapid-rise-in-extreme-heatwaves/">cold</a> snap hits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-the-cold-hits-and-why">Where the cold hits and why</h2>



The researchers used the <a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024EGUGA..26.2134C/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rAWSSI index</a>, which considers temperature, snow depth, and snowfall.



The analysis revealed that P3 patterns produce the most extreme winter conditions in the Central and Eastern U.S., while P2 patterns primarily affect the Northwestern region with intense cold and snowfall. 



The findings help explain recent cold events, including the severe <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/great-texas-freeze-february-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas freeze of 2021</a>.



The Northwest has seen more P2 days recently. This increase matches a northwestward shift in cold air <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/">outbreaks</a>. The central and eastern parts still get hit, but less often now.



Wave activity flux (WAF) offers clues. Before P2 events, reflection happens over Siberia and Alaska. During P3 events, strong reflection occurs over Asia and the Pacific. In P3, this reflection continues as the cold air descends.



Cold air starts in the east, spreads across the Midwest, and settles in the Northwest. These transitions help forecast where the next cold wave might land.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-cycles-and-the-polar-vortex">Global cycles and the polar vortex</h2>



P2 is more frequent during La Niña conditions. P3 prefers El Niño phases. This suggests tropical ocean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-is-on-pace-to-surpass-1-5c-global-temperature-increase-for-second-year-in-a-row/">temperatures</a> influence how the polar vortex behaves.



Other climate patterns play a role as well. The westerly phase of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/quasi-biennial-oscillation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">QBO</a>) often coincides with P2 days.



On the other hand, the Arctic Oscillation (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_oscillation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AO</a>) tends to be more negative during P3 events, a state that supports increased cold outbreaks in the Central and Eastern United States.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-winter-cold-is-shifting">Winter cold is shifting</h2>



What makes this research unique is that it doesn’t just focus on surface temperatures like most studies. It includes snow cover and snowfall, too, giving a fuller picture of how the stratosphere connects to what we experience on the ground. 



Despite a warming climate, these findings suggest extreme cold will continue to return each year, even though its location may shift. In the past decade, the coldest anomalies moved westward, which is a change from decades of more common Eastern U.S. cold.



This deeper understanding could help forecasters predict harsh winter conditions weeks in advance by watching patterns in the stratosphere and tropical oceans.



In the end, this study shows that what happens high above the Earth - and even far across the ocean - can shape the winter weather we feel in a big way. And by getting better at reading those signals from way up in the sky, we might get better at preparing for the coming storms.



-----



The research was funded by the&nbsp;National Science Foundation (<a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF</a>)&nbsp;, the&nbsp;U.S.–Israel Binational Science Foundation (<a href="https://www.bsf.org.il/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BSF</a>)&nbsp;, the&nbsp;U.S. Department of Energy (<a href="https://www.doe.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DOE</a>)&nbsp;, and the&nbsp;National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (<a href="https://www.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOAA</a>).



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adq9557" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</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.



-----

Why global warming hasn't ended extreme winter cold, and why you shouldn't expect it to

Many expect warmer winters to reduce cold snaps, but that isn't how it works. A new study reveals that the polar vortex, happening high in the stratosphere, still controls much of what happens at ground level. In this study, scientists looked at how changes in that polar vortex - especially in the stratosphere (a layer of the atmosphere way above us) - affect winter weather in the U.S. They discovered that the shape and strength of the vortex at two different heights can look totally different, and this...

Lichens thrived after the dinosaurs, replacing plants in the ecosystem. An <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/after-asteroid-killed-dinosaurs/">asteroid impact</a> 66 million years ago may have led to the mass extinction of 75 percent of all life on Earth, including non-avian dinosaurs. But new research has found that lichens were surprisingly resilient and lived on even while other plant life quickly died off. 

Lichens are fungi and algae living in symbiotic harmony and working together as one organism. They are found all throughout the ecosystem, clinging to the sides of trees, rocks, and even walls. 

The algae take in carbon dioxide and perform photosynthesis while the fungi breaks down decomposing material, allowing the organism to thrive in environments that plants or fungus alone might not be able to survive. 

The asteroid that caused the Cretaceous extinction event kicked up clouds of ash and debris, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-extinction-event-darkness/">blocking out the sun</a>. Because lichen use sunlight for photosynthesis, it was thought that lichen suffered along with other land plants after the collision. 

However, researchers found that lichens were able to adapt to the new conditions quickly, their fungus counterparts thriving off the increase in dead organic matter, and soon lichen took over the role of plants in the ecosystem. 

Fossil records from the period following the asteroid impact show an increase in fungal spores. 

[caption id="attachment_1874533" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Lichens-in-Taiwan.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1874533" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Lichens-in-Taiwan.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="488" /></a> Lichens in Taiwan, Image (c) Jen-Pan Huang[/caption]

A study detailing the findings was published in the journal Scientific Reports. 

“We thought that lichens would be affected negatively, but in the three groups we looked at, they seized the chance and diversified rapidly,” said Jen-Pang Huang, first author of the study. “Some lichens grow sophisticated 3D structures like plant leaves, and these ones filled the niches of plants that died out.”

The researchers studied modern lichen DNA to trace back the family tree of the world’s lichen species. By identifying mutations in modern DNA sequences, the researchers were able to figure out the common ancestors of lichen living today. Lichens thrived after the dinosaurs, replacing plants in the ecosystem

The researchers fed the DNA sequences of three lichen families into a software program and mapped out the lichen family tree. After comparing the data with a few lichen fossils, the researchers found that there was a lichen boom 66 million years ago. 

“Some groups don’t show a change, so they didn’t suffer or benefit from the changes to the environment,” said Thorsten Lumbsch, the senior author of the study. “Some lichens went extinct, and the leafy macrolichens filled those niches. I was really happy when I saw that not all the lichens suffered.” 

Having a better idea of how lichen survived the Cretaceous extinction event could help aid in understanding the impacts of future extinction events. 

“Before we lose the world’s biodiversity, we should document it, because we don’t know when we’ll need it,” said Huang. “Lichens are environmental indicators--by simply doing a biodiversity study, we can infer air quality and pollution levels.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Main Image (c) Jen-Pan Huang

Lichens thrived after the dinosaurs, replacing plants in the ecosystem

Lichens thrived after the dinosaurs, replacing plants in the ecosystem....

Europe hit with historic early summer heatwave. Less than a year after the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-europe-drought/">2018 European drought</a> and heat wave, intense heat has struck the region again with record-breaking temperatures across France and Germany that are expected to rise even higher by the weekend.  

"Many parts of Europe are experiencing the first heatwave of the year as a result of warm air masses from Africa, setting new daytime and overnight temperature records for June. The heat poses a risk to people's health and the environment," stated the <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en">World Meteorological Organization</a> (WMO).

In northeastern Spain, 10,000 acres of forest and vegetation are on fire after a pile of manure spontaneously combusted as a result of the extreme weather. Officials are reporting that the blaze is the worst the Catalonia region has seen in 20 years and will be difficult to contain as temperatures are expected to hit 109 degrees Fahrenheit in the next couple of days. Europe hit with historic early summer heatwave

Four southern regions of France have been placed under a red heatwave alert, the highest-level danger alert. A representative of France’s national weather agency, Météo-France, told the <a href="https://www.afp.com/en">AFP</a> that this is the first time since the warning system was established in 2004 that red alerts have been issued. 

In August of 2003, France set a record for its hottest-ever temperature of 111°F during a heatwave that killed 15,000 people.

French officials warned on Thursday that "all members of the public should be concerned, even if they are in good health." Météo-France predicts a peak of 113°F in the southern towns of Nîmes and Carpentras on Friday.

While the hottest temperatures have not yet arrived, 51 German weather stations have already recorded temperatures never seen before in June, according to the WMO.

“We’re talking about an exceptional, even unprecedented heatwave,” said <a href="https://www.lci.fr/">LCI</a> meteorologist Guillaume Woznica. "Temperatures are going to be near 104°F for most of the country and because it’s arriving at a particularly humid time of the year, it feels particularly unpleasant."

Woznica said the timing of the heatwave makes it historic. "We’re only one week into summer officially. To have such a widespread, long-lasting, intense heatwave before July is simply unheard of."

--

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: <a href="http://www.esa.int">ESA</a>, Copernicus Sentinel data

Europe hit with historic early summer heatwave

Europe hit with historic early summer heatwave. Less than a...

Due to climate change and global trade, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/disease-resistant-crops/">crop diseases</a>, which annually kill off 20% of the five global staple crops that provide half the world’s communities with caloric intake, are able to thrive and spread. 

In a new report published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>, scientists argue that a Global Surveillance System (GSS) must be put in place to strengthen and connect biosecurity measures to prevent the spread and reemergence of crop diseases and therefore improve global food security.

"As part of efforts to satisfy global demand for food — which could mean increasing agricultural production by as much as 70 percent by 2050 — we need a GSS to reduce food lost to pests," said lead author Mónica Carvajal, a researcher at the <a href="https://ciat.cgiar.org/">International Center for Tropical Agriculture</a> (CIAT). "A lot of collaboration and discussion is needed to rapidly take action and avoid outbreaks that could negatively impact food security and trade."

This GSS system would prioritize the six major food crops (maize, potato, cassava, rice, beans, and wheat) as well as other food and cash crops that are traded across borders.

Carvajal and her team used the Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD) as an example of why a GSS must be instated. CMD was discovered in Cambodia in 2015, yet wasn’t properly reported until 2016. That gave CMD enough time to spread to Thailand and Vietnam by 2018, and is now estimated to be present in 10% of the land cultivated in this area, thus threatening millions of cassava smallholders, which generate $4 billion in export revenue.

"The question I asked was why does it take so long to respond to crop diseases in some cases?" said Carvajal. "What is the limitation to responding faster from the outset?"

If the proposed GSS was put into action, the network of "active surveillance" and "passive surveillance" personnel would be tightened. Labs at agricultural inspection stations, and customs and phytosanitary inspectors at borders and ports, make up the active surveillance personnel. And farmers, scientists and agronomists at universities and research centers, national agriculture organization extension workers, and agriculture industry specialists make up the passive surveillance group.

"For this infrastructure to be effective, connections between first detectors and downstream responders must be enhanced and actions coordinated," the authors explain. "But diagnostic capacity, information sharing, and communications protocols are lacking or weakly established in some regions, especially in low-income countries.”

“Our reflection on many disease outbreaks is that whether in high-income countries or low-income countries, the passive surveillance infrastructure has the most in-field monitoring eyes but the least coordination from local to global,” they continue.

Furthermore, the GSS, which would consist of five separate formal global networks (a diagnostic laboratory network, a risk assessment network, a data management network, an operational management network, and a communications network), would use cutting-edge technology to better diagnose diseases, and it would also use social media to share information about specific findings.

"We encourage the annual G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting, the World Bank Group, and FAO, among others, to join efforts toward enhancing cooperation for a multi-year action plan for the proposed GSS to more effectively reduce the impact of crop diseases and increase global food security," the study authors conclude.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Georgina Smith / International Center for Tropical Agriculture

Why a global surveillance system for crop diseases is urgently needed

Due to climate change and global trade, crop diseases, which...

A trail of condensed water from an <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/airplanes-dont-carry-more-germs-as-our-homes-and-offices/">aircraft</a>, or a contrail, often lingers in the atmosphere as a heat-trapping cloud called a contrail cirrus. Even though contrail cirrus clouds have contributed more to warming than all CO2 emitted by aircraft since the start of aviation, their impact on the climate has been largely overlooked. 

A new study from the <a href="https://www.egu.eu/">European Geosciences Union</a> (EGU) has revealed that, as air traffic activity intensifies, the climate impact of contrail cirrus will triple by 2050 compared to 2006.

Contrail cirrus clouds creates an imbalance in the Earth's radiation budget. This "radiative forcing" causes more energy to be radiated down onto the planet compared to the amount that is directed back into space, which causes temperatures to rise. In 2005, air traffic made up about 5 percent of all human-caused radiative forcing, with contrail cirrus being the largest contributor to the climate impact of aviation.

Study lead author Lisa Bock is a researcher at <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/dlr/">DLR</a>, the German Aerospace Center.

"It is important to recognize the significant impact of non-CO2 emissions, such as contrail cirrus, on climate and to take those effects into consideration when setting up emission trading systems or schemes like the Corsia agreement," said Bock.

Corsia, the UN's plan to offset air traffic carbon emissions after 2020, ignores the non-CO2 climate impacts of aviation. The results of the research, however, suggest that these impacts cannot be neglected.

The tripled impact of contrail cirrus radiative forcing will be due to air traffic growth, which is expected to be 4 times larger in 2050 compared to 2006. The climate effects will be stronger over the busiest air traffic areas including North America, Europe, and Asia.

"Contrail cirrus' main impact is that of warming the higher atmosphere at air traffic levels and changing natural cloudiness. How large their impact is on surface temperature and possibly on precipitation due to the cloud modifications is unclear," said study co-author Ulrike Burkhardt. 

"There are still some uncertainties regarding the overall climate impact of contrail cirrus and in particular their impact on surface temperatures because contrail cirrus themselves and their effects on the surface are ongoing topics of research. But it's clear they warm the atmosphere," added Bock.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/">Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics</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="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Astudio

Climate impact of airplane contrail clouds could triple in the next 30 years

A trail of condensed water from an aircraft, or a...

A study led by <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo</a> graduate student Yuuki Wada has recently uncovered a connection between lightning strikes and two kinds of gamma-ray activity. The researchers found that weak gamma-ray glows from thunderclouds often precede <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/lightning-strike-twice/">lightning bolts</a> and their coinciding intense gamma-ray flashes.

For decades, scientists have known that lightning generates electromagnetic radiation in the form of gamma rays. In the city of Kanazawa in central Japan, Wada and her colleagues installed radiation monitors onto buildings as a network to detect radiation coming from the sky. 

"Forever, people have seen lightning and heard thunder. These were the ways we could experience this power of nature," said Wada. "With the discovery of electromagnetism, scientists learned to see lightning with radio receivers. But now we can observe lightning in gamma rays - ionizing radiation. It's like having four eyes to study the phenomena."

During thunderstorms, weak emissions called gamma-ray glows last about a minute, while much more intense terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) occur as lightning strikes. Both types of gamma-ray activity occur in regions of thunderclouds that are positioned between layers of varying charge. 

"During a winter thunderstorm in Kanazawa, our monitors detected a simultaneous TGF and lightning strike. This is fairly common, but interestingly we also saw a gamma-ray glow in the same area at the same time," explained Wada. "Furthermore, the glow abruptly disappeared when the lightning struck. We can say conclusively the events are intimately connected and this is the first time this connection has been observed."

The researchers plan to further investigate and to explore the possibility that gamma-ray glows do not just precede lightning strikes, but may actually cause them. 

"Our finding marks a milestone in lightning research and we will soon double our number of radiation sensors from 23 to about 40 or 50. With more sensors, we could greatly improve predictive models," said Wada. "It's hard to say right now, but with sufficient sensor data, we may be able to predict lightning strikes within about 10 minutes of them happening and within around 2 kilometers of where they happen. I'm excited to be part of this ongoing research."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsphys/">Communications Physics</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earrh.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: 2019 Yuuki Wada

Weak gamma-ray glows often occur just before lightning bolts

A study led by University of Tokyo graduate student Yuuki...

A new study from <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a> has revealed that lakes beneath the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/greenland-glaciers-melting-faster/">Greenland Ice Sheet</a> are much more common than what was previously realized. The researchers discovered 56 new subglacial lakes under the ice sheet, which is the second largest body of ice in the world. 

The Greenland Ice Sheet covers an area that is about seven times the size of the UK. The ice, which plays a critical role in rising global sea levels, is more than three kilometers thick in some areas.

The new lakes will help scientists gain a better understanding of where water occurs and how it drains under the ice sheet. This activity influences how the ice sheet will likely respond to global warming. 

"Researchers have a good understanding of Antarctic subglacial lakes, which can fill and drain and cause overlying ice to flow quicker. However, until now little was known about subglacial lake distribution and behavior beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet," explained study lead author Jade Bowling.

"This study has for the first time allowed us to start to build up a picture of where lakes form under the Greenland Ice Sheet. This is important for determining their influence on the wider subglacial hydrological system and ice-flow dynamics, and improving our understanding of the ice sheet's basal thermal state."

The majority of the new lakes were found beneath relatively slow moving ice away from the largely frozen interior bed of the ice sheet. While the lakes seem to be stable, rising temperatures may cause them to become active. 

"The lakes we have identified tend to cluster in eastern Greenland where the bed is rough and can therefore readily trap and store meltwater and in northern Greenland, where we suggest the lakes indicate a patchwork of frozen and thawed bed conditions," said Dr. Stephen J. Livingstone of the University of Sheffield.

"These lakes could provide important targets for direct exploration to look for evidence of extreme life and to sample the sediments deposited in the lake that preserve a record of environmental change."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earrh.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Winnie Chu, Stanford University

More than 50 new lakes discovered underneath the Greenland Ice Sheet

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

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/water-removal-colorado-river/">Colorado River</a> is in some ways is a product of its arid environment and the thirsty human communities that surround it. 

I always thought of the Colorado River as a large and iconic river, as it was always a presence nearby growing up in Grand Junction, a small city named for the junction of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers. The Colorado carved the Grand Canyon and supplies thousands of farmers and communities with water, making it one of the pillars of the arid west. It wasn’t until I saw the Hudson River, a water way so much more massive than the Colorado, that I understood the river’s importance lies partially in where it’s situated. 

But I’ve also never seen the untamed Colorado River. For many the Colorado is the river, the source of drinking water, irrigation water, the source of water. Unfortunately, this means that wildlife species that evolved with the river as home or primary water source often have to compete with humans for the life-giving resource. 

The Colorado itself has been dammed 15 times for humans trying to chain a river that moves with seasonal snows to the steady necessity of a tap. <a href="http://savethecolorado.org/threats/dams-and-diversions/">Save the Colorado</a> reports that there are over 100 dams on the Colorado and its tributaries. The river also has had its share of invasive species introduced by anglers with a hankering for familiar quarry. These two threats have pushed some of the native species in the Colorado River to the point of being endangered. 

Because of damming, the natural flow of the Colorado River has obviously changed. The result of often lower than normal amounts of flow in the Colorado is a different stream bed. Gravel and sediment build up in ways that don’t provide the native fish of the Colorado River very good spawning substrates. Because of this problem for endangered fish, federal and state agencies in Colorado have partnered with NGOs and hydropower interests to create the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program in 1988. 

Michelle Garrison, Senior Water Resource Specialist of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, explained it to me the partnership to me in an email:

“Its goal is to recover four species of endangered fish (Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, razorback sucker, bonytail) while allowing water use and development to continue in a manner consistent with Federal and State law.  One of the benefits to water users is streamlined Section 7 consultation. The Recovery Program focuses on several key categories of action to help recover the endangered fish: instream flows, habitat restoration, nonnative fish management, propagation and stocking of some endangered species, research and monitoring, information and education, and program management.”

Out of this partnership came a recent surge in water flow in the Colorado River, focused just above its juncture with the Gunnison in western Colorado. Hydrologist and Instream Flow Coordinator Don Anderson of the Upper Colorado Recovery Program told me he prefers the phrase, “high-flow augmentation” to “surge.” But either way, it means more water from dams released into the Colorado in a coordinated effort to benefit endangered fish species. 

The peak of this water was scheduled for June 14th, the result of five reservoirs releasing more water than usual. This water flow augmentation is made possible partially by the extra snow the Colorado high country received last winter, which is now melting into river water. This is a process that happens not every year but depends on how much water is available, coordinated so that reservoirs retain enough water but the river itself can ‘surge’ as well. 

Michelle Garrison explained this year’s flow augmentation to me:

“Depending on the amount of surplus water available and the timing and magnitude of high spring flows, the reservoir operators coordinate their bypasses for a period of 3-10 days to either put water on top of lower peaks, or extend the duration of higher peaks at levels that do not increase the risk of flooding in the region.  This year predicted peaks were near bankfull, so the operators chose to add water to the descending limb of the peaks so that they did not increase the peak itself, but slowed the decline of the high flows to allow for a longer duration of high flows that remained below bankfull. Extending the duration of flows above 12,000 cfs increases the amount of habitat improvement that occurs in the channel.”

“This was a very unusual year for weather and precipitation, and the snowpack lingered much longer than usual before melting,” Don Anderson added. “The peak flows more typically occur in late May or early June, but this year flows and reservoir inflows were both too low during that time period…Therefore reservoir operators delayed operations until the peak flows arrived, and timed their releases to add water to the river after the peak had started to recede to avoid flooding concerns.”

These high flow augmentations are carefully planned and coordinated between multiple agencies and organizations to not cause flooding or damage down stream but the important thing is that they also provide a benefit for endangered fish. 

“Spring runoff provides several important benefits to the native fish, including spawning cues for some native species, cleaning of cobble bars used as spawning habitat, and other in-channel habitat improvements,” Anderson explained. “Coordinating the bypasses from the reservoirs provides more in-channel habitat improvements than could be achieved if each reservoir operator made all their operational decisions separately.”

Interestingly, the efforts seem to be effective because fish native to the Colorado River have evolved for fast flowing, turbid river conditions, while most non-native fish haven’t. The flows do also typically benefit cold-water sport fish like trout, but these fish are upstream of the habitat of the native warm water species, like those found near Grand Junction. Don Anderson was quick to remind me that although these flow augmentation efforts benefit native fish, they’re not enough on their own.

Stocking native fish, controlling non-natives, and habitat restoration/creation are also essential to save Colorado Pikeminnow, Razorback Sucker, Humpback Chub and Boneytail, to say nothing of keeping other native fish species populations healthy.   

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/J Gillispie

Extra water released into the Colorado River to help benefit endangered fish

The Colorado River is in some ways is a product...

According to the Ovarian Reserve and Exposure to Environmental Pollutants (ORExPo) study, high levels of air <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-walkable-areas/">pollution</a> affect the ovarian reserve, a marker for female fertility based on the number of resting follicles in the ovary.

Researchers working on the ORExPo study took hormone measurements from over 1,300 Italian women between 2007 and 2017. They found that environmental chemicals and natural and artificial factors of everyday diet can disturb the biosynthesis, signalling, or metabolism of hormones. The researchers specifically looked at the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), which is secreted by cells in the ovary and is recognized as a reliable marker of ovarian reserve.

These findings were presented at the <a href="https://www.eshre.eu/">Annual Meeting of ESHRE</a> in Italy.

“The influence of age and smoking on AMH serum levels is now largely accepted,” said first author Professor Antonio La Marca from the <a href="http://www.international.unimore.it/">University of Modena and Reggio Emilia</a>, “but a clear effect of environmental factors has not been demonstrated so far.”

Upon taking the measurements of AMH from the approximate 1,300 participants, the data was logged and linked to patients’ age and residence, which could therefore allow researchers to investigate environmental impacts and consider a daily particulate matter (PM) as well as values of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a polluting gas that is the result of burning fuel.

1,463 AMH measurements collected from 1,318 women showed that serum AMH levels after the age of 25 were inversely related to age, as well as environmental pollutant defined as PM10, PM2,5m and NO2 — an association that was age-independent.

The lowest concentration of AMH, which, as Professor La Marca said, reflects “severe ovarian reserve reduction,” was found in subjects who were exposed to levels of PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 above 29.5, 22, and 26 mcg/m3 respectively — well below the upper limits recommended by the European Union and local authorities.

“By our calculations,” said Professor La Marca, “exposure to high levels of PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 increases the risk of having a severely reduced ovarian reserve by a factor between 2 and 3.”

Although this study confirms that age is a large determinant of AMH concentration, “Living in an area associated with high levels of air pollutants in our study increased the risk of severely reduced ovarian reserve by a factor of 2 or 3,” Professor La Marca confirmed.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Fotos593

Air pollution negatively impacts marker of female fertility

According to the Ovarian Reserve and Exposure to Environmental Pollutants...

Composting is a simple way to harness natural processes for the use of agriculture. Fungi, bacteria, even insects all work to break down organic materials such as dung, food scraps, or grass clippings to create nutrient rich soil for growing plants. 

Composting has been practiced for a very long time and it’s specific origins are lost somewhere in the distant past. According to the <a href="https://web.extension.illinois.edu/homecompost/history.cfm">University of Illinois Extension office</a>, clay tablets from the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia, dating back a thousand years before the biblical prophet Moses, refer to compost. The ancient Romans and Greeks knew about composting. <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/people-and-culture/food/the-plate/2016/09/compost--a-history-in-green-and-brown/">National Geographic</a> reports that there’s archaeological evidence that Scots were using compost as long as 12,000 years ago, planting directly in the compost itself instead of spreading it on a field. 

According to <a href="http://www.carryoncomposting.com/142941469">Carry on Composting</a>, Cleopatra was reported to have made worms sacred in Egypt after noting their importance in composting, and the famous queen even made it a crime punishable by death to remove worms from Egypt. George Washington instructed his slaves to use compost on his farm.

Beyond the colorful human history of composting, it’s really a natural process utilized by humans with just a bit of tweaking and serves two basic but extremely important purposes – disposing of waste and providing nutrients to important plants (usually in agriculture). Composting is a way to sequester carbon and recycle scraps or other organic ‘trash’ as well. Organic agriculture, especially on small scales, often still relies on composting in one form or another to deliver nutrients to plants. In ancient China, even human waste was used in compost, a practice mostly dismissed by westerners as a health hazard but helped allow the continuous farming of the same soil for as long as <a href="https://capecodecotoiletcenter.com/nutrient-recycling/a-history-of-eco-toilets/">40 centuries</a>. Unfortunately for sustainable agriculture, this practice was largely ended in China, phasing out in the 1980s in favor of more <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237332785_THE_UTILIZATION_OF_HUMAN_EXCRETA_IN_CHINESE_AGRICULTURE_AND_THE_CHALLENGE_FACED">chemical agriculture</a>. Fish and other dead animals or animal parts (in food scraps) have long been a part of careful composting efforts, and so it was only a matter of time before composting of human bodies was considered. 

For many, the idea of becoming part of the food chain, or returning to earth after death is an attractive option. In Tibet the practice of ‘<a href="https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/sky-burial1.htm">sky burial’</a> where one is fed to vultures has been practiced for a long time by certain Tibetan Buddhists. I previously <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natural-burial/">reported</a> on more natural or ‘eco friendly’ burial options. The option of being composted is a relatively new one with obvious potential health risks that must be dealt with responsibly. 

A process similar to composting, called ‘Promession’, is being promoted by <a href="http://www.promessa.se">Promessa</a>, a company that pioneered the process. Promession is basically freeze-drying human remains and then pulverizing them, finally removing any toxins, such as tooth fillings. The end result is a fine powder which can be added to water to create something akin to compost. Now, there is an even more direct route to enter your final rest as rich, life-giving soil.

Washington is the first state in the United States to legalize composting human bodies, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/22/us/washington-human-composting-legal-trnd/index.html">CNN</a> reports. Recently, Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill into a law that will go into effect in May 2020. Until the law takes effect, only burial and cremation are legal means of disposing of human remains in Washington.

<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47031816">BBC</a> reports that lying in the open, the decomposition of a body can take months of blistering, bloating and smelling. Under ideal conditions though, a body can decompose in as little as a month. This relatively quick decomposition time allows human remains to be composted and quickly returned as soil instead of slowing the decomposition as much as possible as a traditional burial tends to do. A new method involves using heat-loving bacteria and heating the human remains to a high enough temperature the make the resulting soil safe to handle. The process of composting humans is already set to be a commercial enterprise as soon as the change in law in Washington comes into effect.          

<a href="https://www.recompose.life">Recompose</a> is a new company offering people the option of being composted after death. The method used by recompose is just a modification of a method already used on livestock that are composted. Livestock and humans decompose in a very similar manner, the largest problem is the greater risk of disease transmission from the remains of humans compared to other animals. The method is said to use 1/8 of the energy used for traditional cremation and save 1 metric ton of carbon compared with other methods of burial, making the method more desirable than cremation which merely saves land space used in burials. Financial cost is also a factor for most when it comes to funerary rites. 

<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47031816">BBC</a> reports that the median cost for burial and funeral services in the US is over $7,000, with cremation being much more reasonable with an average cost of around $1,100. With Recompose being a small company as of yet, it’s unclear how affordable the cost of being composted will be for the average consumer. One thing to consider though is the value to the loved ones of the deceased. The end result of composting, a process that also adds other organic material, such as wood chips is about two wheel barrow loads of soil. 

Soil from a composted loved one is valuable, not just for gardening. The soil is also a way for the deceased to nourish not only plants but by proxy, their living family members. This idea may be disturbing, akin to cannibalism to some, but considering the true nature of cycles of energy and nutrition, it’s something we probably already participate in. Like it or not, the dead feed everything we eat and sometimes, there may even be remnants of a dead person. For me, embracing this cycle and finding nourishment from a dead loved one is empowering, a way to reflect on our own mortality and the value of life.         

--

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

New company offers option to compost human bodies after death

Composting is a simple way to harness natural processes for...

More countries agree to fight climate change with net-zero emissions goal. Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom have each joined the growing list of countries, including Ireland, New Zealand, Chili, and Fiji, who have agreed to work toward a net-zero emissions goal by the mid-century. 

This means they will aim to drastically limit <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-100-companies/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> by switching from coal and gas to wind and solar energy, as well as tax carbon, restore forests, and pull carbon dioxide from the air. The European Union has also jumped on board, though EU leaders want a stricter environmental deadline.

In the United States, New York passed a bill that requires the state hit net zero by 2050, and Washington state has proposed a similar bill. The net zero goal is a hot topic for current presidential candidates, which is promising seeing as the US, alongside China and India, is presently one of the worst polluters and President Trump previously backed down from the net-zero agreement.

“We are in a very dangerous position now where action could go forward or backward,” Climate Analytics CEO Bill Hare told <a href="https://time.com/5609309/net-zero-emissions-new-york-european-union/">Time</a>. “The next 12 months or so will really tell.” 

This goal to quell emissions by the mid-century goal is absolutely vital to keep sea levels from rising and completely wiping out cities and towns across the world. 

Time reports that according to the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a>, humans are running out of time to save our coral reefs, endangered species, and even our own impoverished people. A 2015 <a href="https://climateanalytics.org/publications/2015/timetables-for-zero-emissions-and-2015-emissions-reductions/?">research from Climate Analytics</a> suggested that global greenhouse emissions would need to hit zero by 2100 at the latest to keep temperatures from rising more than 2°C by the end of the century. However, the sooner the net zero goal is met, the better.

To achieve the net-zero-emissions goal, countries will have to roll out rules and regulations and strictly follow them. Ambitions are not nearly good enough to save the world from the grasp of climate change. And jumping off the bandwagon entirely, as President Trump has done, cripples everyone else in the race.

But global climate policy change experts expect to see more countries joining the fight come September’s U.N. Secretary General’s climate summit.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: MagicBones/Shutterstock

More countries agree to fight climate change with net-zero emissions goal

More countries agree to fight climate change with net-zero emissions...

Researchers at <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a> have investigated the role that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cloud-cover-greenlands-ice-sheet/">cloud cover</a> and relative humidity play when surfaces such as solar panels are exposed to shortwave and longwave radiation. 

To identify the exact role water plays, the team needed to determine how much heat can be rejected to outer space and how much is radiated back by the atmosphere. The researchers found that water in the atmosphere, whether in gas, liquid, or solid form, is the main factor that influences how radiation is diverted. 

As a result of the research, the experts developed radiative cooling resource maps to help pinpoint the best climates for the large-scale deployment of passive cooling technologies, which rely on daily changes in temperature and humidity.

Study co-author Carlos F.M. Coimbra is the chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UC San Diego.

"We used recently calibrated correlations, experimental data and models for ground values of water vapor and temperature with sky emissivities to map out the places in the U.S. where we can most effectively reject heat from the ground to outer space," said Coimbra. "Because of the physical processes involved, locations with drier atmospheres and the most frequent clear skies are the most appropriate for deploying passive cooling technologies."

While the American Southwest was found to have great potential for the cooling technology, "other areas where the effect of relative humidity alone depletes the ability to use this cold reservoir resource show much less potential."

"In the areas with great cooling potential, the total energy consumption and the associated carbon footprint of conventional cooling technologies - often the highest component of electricity demand - can be substantially reduced," explained Coimbra.

The area of thermophotonic design of surfaces for passive cooling has recently  received much more attention for its potential to reject heat to the sky.

[caption id="attachment_1874396" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/passive-cooling.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1874396" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/passive-cooling.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="271" /></a> Yearly averaged passive cooling potential in watts per square meter in the US. Image Credit: Carlos Coimbra[/caption]

"Since antiquity, many societies have used the cold sky to their advantage," said Coimbra. "In desert areas, a clever combination of transpiration cooling (an evaporative method) with passive radiative cooling to 'cold' (dry, clear) skies was often used to produce ice and keep it from melting."

"The design of dry cooling condensers for concentrated solar power plants or air conditioning systems will benefit from the ability to reflect selectivity in the solar while emitting strongly within the infrared parts of the spectrum." 

"But these strategies are most effective during particular seasons and for particular regions of the planet. We live in an era of DNA-targeted medicines, but we still use generic energy technologies that aren't necessarily tailored to different regional needs. It is time to rethink the way we deploy these impactful technologies."

The study is published in the <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/rse/info/about">Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy</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>

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/Jessica Kirsh

Certain climates are better suited for passive cooling technologies

Researchers at UC San Diego have investigated the role that...

Water plants inside an aquarium with fishes

Damage to the ozone layer is impacting climate feedback loops. New research has revealed another key player influencing climate change and driving feedback loops -- the ozone layer. 

The ozone layer protects our planet from harmful solar ultraviolet radiation, but ozone depletion is driving climate change in ways that are just starting to become evident. 

After it was discovered that harmful human-made substances were causing holes in the Earth’s ozone layer, the <a href="https://www.state.gov/key-topics-office-of-environmental-quality-and-transboundary-issues/the-montreal-protocol-on-substances-that-deplete-the-ozone-layer/">1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer</a> was put in place to phase out harmful ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons. 

It’s estimated that the<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ozone-layer-full-recovery-2060/"> ozone layer will recover</a> to pre-1980 levels by the middle of the 21st century, but researchers have overlooked how ozone depletion impacts current climate change. 

Now, the <a href="https://ozone.unep.org/science/assessment/eeap">United Nations Environmental Effects Assessment Panel</a> has discovered that increased solar radiation due to ozone damage is causing ripple effects and interacting with climate change. 

The research, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, shows that the ozone layer is impacting everything from weather and wind patterns to sea life. 

How are the ozone layer and climate change linked? It all starts in the Southern Hemisphere, the researchers say.

A hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica has shifted wind patterns further south which in turn has led to shifts in rainfall patterns, ocean currents, and surface temperatures. 

Changes in aquatic ecosystems in Australia, New Zealand, and even Africa can be traced to these shifts. 

“What we’re seeing is that ozone changes have shifted temperature and precipitation patterns in the southern hemisphere, and that’s altering where the algae in the ocean are, which is altering where the fish are, and where the walruses and seals are, so we’re seeing many changes in the food web,” said co-author Kevin Rose.

In some areas, cooling ocean temperatures have resulted in more productive ecosystems which benefit penguins and seals. However, warming temperatures have led to kelp bed declines near Tasmania and coral reef declines off the coast of Brazil. 

The researchers highlight how the ozone layer is linked to climate change feedback loops. For example, increases in ocean acidity make shellfish more vulnerable to UV radiation. 

For humans, warmer temperatures also make us more susceptible to UV radiation penetrating through holes in the ozone layer because people wear lighter layers when it’s hot out. 

Greenhouse gas emissions may also be slowing ozone recovery, the researchers found. 

“Greenhouse gas emissions trap more heat in the lower atmosphere which leads to a cooling of the upper atmosphere,” said Rose. “Those colder temperatures in the upper atmosphere are slowing the recovery of the ozone layer.” 

--

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: Rensselaer

Damage to the ozone layer is impacting climate feedback loops

Damage to the ozone layer is impacting climate feedback loops....

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

<figure class="wp-block-embed 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/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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...

News coming your way