<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grapevines-could-offer-a-breakthrough-alternative-to-plastic-packaging/">Plastic</a> bags are everywhere, and too many slip into rivers and onto beaches. A new analysis finds that policies that either charge a small fee per bag or prohibit them outright cut the share of bags found during shoreline cleanups by 25 to 47 percent.



The study combed through hundreds of city, county, and state rules passed between 2017 and 2023. It matched those policies to more than 45,000 volunteer cleanups across the United States to see what actually changed on the ground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-ran-the-study">Who ran the study</h2>



The research was coauthored by <a href="https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/ceoe/departments/smsp/faculty/kimberly-oremus/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kimberly L. Oremus</a> of the University of Delaware’s School of Marine Science and Policy (<a href="https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/ceoe/departments/smsp/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UDEL</a>). 



Oremus and her collaborator set out to measure litter, not just shopping behavior, so the results speak to what ends up in nature.



The team relied on citizen science, meaning trained volunteers recorded what they collected during beach, river, and lake cleanups. 



They drew on <a href="https://www.coastalcleanupdata.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TIDES</a>, a public database that stores those counts in one place so researchers can analyze patterns across time and place.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-plastic-bag-policies">Studying plastic bag policies</h2>



To isolate the effect of bag policies, the authors used a Difference-in-Differences (<a href="https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/research/population-health-methods/difference-difference-estimation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DiD</a>) approach that compares places with and without new laws over the same period. 



That design helps rule out unrelated trends that affect everyone, such as national shifts in shopping or packaging.



The headline result is simple. In communities with full bans or fees, the share of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-from-plastic-bottles-linked-to-high-blood-pressure-and-heart-problems/">plastic</a> bags in the litter mix fell relative to similar places without policies, and the decline grew in the years after a law took effect.



State level rules tended to be more reliable in the data than city or county policies. Effects looked similar along coasts and rivers, with hints of larger gains along lakes where winds and currents spread litter differently.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-policy-fees-vs-bans">Plastic policy: Fees vs. bans</h2>



Fees change the default at every checkout and discourage taking a bag when you do not need one, which reduces both thin and thicker bag use.



Other <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/carrier-bag-charge-summary-of-data-in-england/single-use-plastic-carrier-bags-charge-data-for-england-2024-to-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> points in the same direction outside the United States. England reports an almost 98 percent drop in single use carrier bags at major retailers since its charge began.



Policies that only restrict thin bags often allow thicker <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/agricultural-soil-is-now-the-worlds-biggest-plastic-dumping-ground/">plastic</a> labeled as reusable. 



Those partial bans showed the smallest and least precise effects in the analysis, which is consistent with shoppers substituting one kind of plastic for another.



Some states also pass preemption <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/environment-and-natural-resources/state-plastic-bag-legislation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">laws</a> that block cities and counties from regulating bags at all. When local governments cannot act, the study’s data suggest statewide policies become especially important.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-and-entanglement">Wildlife and entanglement</h2>



The cleanup records include notes on animals found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-found-in-99-percent-sea-turtles-organ-tissue-reproductive-system/">entangled in debris</a>. 



In areas with bag policies, the presence of entangled animals dropped by roughly 30 to 37 percent, although the authors caution that the estimates are imprecise and more data are needed.



That finding aligns with what we know about <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/single-use-plastics-101" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">single-use-plastics</a>. Thin bags linger in water and along shorelines, where they can snag, smother, or be eaten by turtles, birds, and fish.



Many studies track what happens at store checkouts, but fewer track what ends up outdoors. Shoreline cleanups offer a window into that last step in the chain from purchase to pollution.



Across the study period, the share of bags among collected items rose overall, but it rose less where bag laws existed. That pattern is exactly what you want to see if policies are slowing the flow of litter into the environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-plastic-policy-steps">Global plastic policy steps</h2>



A small, universal fee is a simple tool that nudges behavior without banning choices. Full bans can work too, and the analysis shows both approaches reduce the share of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glass-bottles-contain-more-microplastics-than-plastic-containers/">plastic</a> bags found during cleanups.



The mix of policies should match local conditions. In places with more bag litter to begin with, impacts were largest, so targeting high problem areas with fast action can deliver quick gains.



Plastic bag rules are only one part of the picture. Negotiators from 175 countries are working toward a plastics treaty under <a href="https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNEP</a> that could standardize action on a wider set of products and chemicals.



The study notes that bottles, caps, and other items did not decline when bag policies passed. That is a signal that targeted rules for other single use products would be needed to curb overall litter.



Adopt a modest fee or a full ban that applies across retail and restaurant settings, and keep the text simple so it is easy to enforce. Pair the policy with clear signs at checkout and with retailer reporting that tracks compliance.



Measure results in the same way the researchers did. Recruit volunteers, log items in TIDES, and watch how the litter mix changes year over year so the policy can be adjusted as needed.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp9274" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Studies confirm that a small tax definitely helps curb plastic pollution

Plastic bags are everywhere, and too many slip into rivers and onto beaches. A new analysis finds that policies that either charge a small fee per bag or prohibit them outright cut the share of bags found during shoreline cleanups by 25 to 47 percent. The study combed through hundreds of city, county, and state rules passed between 2017 and 2023. It matched those policies to more than 45,000 volunteer cleanups across the United States to see what actually changed on the ground. Who ran the study...

Poisonous frogs can adapt to warmer temperatures… but there’s a limit. Many species worldwide are being forced to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-animals-adapt/">adapt to new environments</a> due to climate change and human activities. 

In Costa Rica, poisonous frogs called strawberry frogs that once thrived in shady forest habitats now live sunny fields and pastures due to clearing for farmland.  

Two undergraduate students recently led a study to determine how strawberry frogs are fairing in these hotter and drier areas and if habitat changes have led to new thresholds for heat tolerance.  

The project was no small feat and required some innovative, out-of-the-box thinking on the part of the researchers Juana Rivera-Ordonez and Adrian Manansala. 

“We’re trying to understand what happens to species when we transform forests for human land uses,” said Justin Nowakowski, who served as a mentor for the project. “For this study, we were trying to understand how strawberry poison frogs that live in these converted pastures handle warmer temperatures in these land uses compared to individuals that live in the forest.”

The researchers recorded the temperatures of 111 frogs in the wild and caught 32 strawberry frogs. The frogs were then placed in a temperature-controlled enclosure. 

On one side of the enclosure, the temperatures were cooler to mimic the shadier forest habitat of some of the frogs. The other side was warmer, similar to temperatures found in the sunny and warm fields where the other frogs were collected. 

The researches placed frogs on either side of the enclosure for two and a half hours and monitored how long the frog stayed on one side of the habitat and if it moved to seek out warmer or cooler temperatures. 

The frogs that were collected from the sunny pastures preferred the warmer side of the enclosure but the frogs that were taken from shady areas sought out the cooler temperatures. 

After making a note of the frog’s preferred habitat temperature, the researchers next tested heat tolerance. 

“We found that if there’s an increase in temperature, there may be some ability to acclimate or adapt, but in situations where temperatures change drastically, it may be bad news for them,” said Michelle Thompson, a fellow mentor on the project.  

The team placed the frogs in water baths and raised the temperatures until the frogs were under stress.  

It didn’t matter where the frogs were collected from, as their maximum tolerance for heat stayed the same. Even though certain frogs can adapt and live in sunny areas, these adaptations may not help with long-term climate change. 

“It appears that for the time being, this species can eke out a living in these converted habitats using different behaviors to avoid extreme temperatures. But this is all subject to change,” said Nowakowski. “On top of habitat change, temperatures are rising due to climate change.” 

Because strawberry frogs thrive in the shade and make do in shady patches in cleared pastures, the researchers say that the study could help inform conservation policies to ensure that species have a better chance of adapting to climate change. 

“In the current biodiversity crisis that we’re a part of, we have to think of ways to make changes for positive impact,” said Thompson. “This is something we can act on. Where habitat conversion cannot be avoided, leaving small pockets of vegetation will let small populations of frogs persist. It shows that people can make a change.”

The study was published in the journal Biotropica.

--

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: Michelle Thompson, Field Museum

Poisonous frogs can adapt to warmer temperatures… but there’s a limit

Poisonous frogs can adapt to warmer temperatures… but there’s a...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.zsl.org/">Zoological Society of London</a> (ZSL) has investigated how socio-economic trends in lower income countries may have affected bird and mammal populations over the last two decades. 

The study revealed that the combination of economic growth and more gender-balanced governments lead to better outcomes for wildlife populations. This dynamic was also found to link the UN's human development and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/conservation-projects-participate-home/">conservation</a> targets.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was formally adopted by all United Nations member states to provide "a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future." 

The agenda is focused on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to coordinate a global effort for reducing inequality, improving human health, promoting economic growth, addressing climate change, and conserving biodiversity.

Overall, these goals are complex and can lead to conflicting priorities. The ZSL team set out to determine whether the pursuit of socio-economic targets may limit the odds of meeting conservation targets.

The researchers compared data from the Living Planet Index on 298 bird and mammal populations with indicators of social, economic, and political progress towards the SDGs in 33 low- and lower-middle income countries.

The team identified consistently positive relationships between economic growth and wildlife abundance. In other words, biodiversity is increasingly protected as people have more money. There was also a correlation between safer biodiversity and longer life expectancy, more gender-equal societies, and less corruption within the government. 

"Our study suggests that at a national level, it is possible to work towards conservation and economic development at the same time and underlines the need for further integration of sustainable development strategies," said study lead author Judith Ament. 

"We think this might be because as standards of living rise, people become less dependent on local natural resources for income and food, and environmental regulation becomes tighter. We are concerned that this could lead to more importing however, the impact of which would fall on wildlife elsewhere. This certainly merits further research."

Wildlife numbers were found to be reduced in regions where human populations were growing the fastest.

"This is consistent with other studies that have shown how humans compete with animals for space and resources and if more people are concentrated in one place, more areas are open to wildlife," said study co-author Dr. Chris Carbone.

"It wasn't all good news though and we did find that aspects of human development had a negative impact on some species. Numbers of water-birds, for example, fell as wider water sanitation and treatment processes were implemented. It's only by understanding these relationships that we can mitigate them and put forward policies that are good for people and for the natural world."

"This paper provides the first empirical evidence that simultaneous progress for both international development and conservation is possible and, should further research uphold our findings, could revolutionise UN target setting in the future."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/publications/journals/people-and-nature/">People and Nature</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Matej Kastelic

Economic growth can help wildlife numbers, but human population growth does not

New research led by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL)...

From mass <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protect-coral-reefs-climate-change/">coral bleaching events</a>, overfishing tuna and sharks to near extinction, and using the Gulf of Mexico as America’s dumping ground for fertilizer runoff, there is nothing pretty about the state of the oceans today. 

Climate change and the oceans are tightly linked, and as temperatures increase, the ocean gets warmer. As water temperatures increase, it worsens melting in the poles and releases carbon stores, which continues to drive warming and feeds into a dangerous climate feedback loop. 

Mission Blue, the 2014 Netflix documentary directed by Fisher Stevens and Robert Nixon, tells the story of our endangered oceans through the eyes of world-renowned oceanography and explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle. 

The documentary takes us through Dr. Earle’s life as she grew up in Florida and fell in love with the ocean, particularly the mysteries that waited beneath the waves. 

For Dr. Earle, there was no “aha” moment. She always knew that whatever she did with her life, it would involve exploring and studying the oceans. After graduating from <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/">Florida State University </a>where she majored in botany and learned to scuba dive for the first time, she went on to get her masters at <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University.</a> 

Dr. Earle’s specialty during her studies was seaweed, and for her Ph.D. dissertation, she collected thousands of algae samples. In Mission Blue, Sylvia shows the audience a quick glimpse through her massive seaweed collection housed at the <a href="https://www.si.edu/museums">Smithsonian Museum</a>. 

The way Dr. Earle’s face lights up just looking at her sketched and preserved samples of seaweed it’s clear to the audience that oceanography and ocean conservation is more than simply a career, it’s a passion, a drive, and a mission. 

She was one of the first and foremost oceanographers of her time, chosen as the only woman for a 1964 expedition to explore the Indian Ocean.

Dr. Earle also traveled over 1,000 feet below the surface off the coast of Hawaii in a suit meant to withstand high-pressures and make it possible to conduct deep dives without needing to spend time in a decompression chamber. 

Dr. Earle went on to design her own submersibles and helped work on the Deep Sea Challenger, the submersible that James Cameron used to dive to the deepest point in the Marianas Trench. 

James Cameron makes an appearance in the documentary and highlights Dr. Earle’s tenacity and determination. 

The oceans that Dr. Earle explored during the 60s and 70s were very different from the oceans of today. 

During the documentary, Dr. Earle does not shy away from humanity’s role in the ocean’s sorry state. On more than one occasion, Sylvia discusses how 30 to 50 years ago, it was thought that the oceans were impervious to anything and everything you could dump in them or take out. 

While we know now this is not true, overfishing, pollution, oil drilling, and fertilizer runoff are still rampant. 

The documentary covers the Gulf of Mexico dead zone, a growing area of nutrient-rich waters where oxygen is so low, most marine life cannot survive. 

In 1971, the Gulf Dead Zone was one of only a few, but in 2014 at the time the documentary was released, there were over 500 worldwide. 

Statistics comparing the 60s and 70s to today are scattered throughout the documentary. 

One fact states that in 2014, there were more than 33,000 drill sites in the Gulf of Mexico. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, one of the worst in history, occurred in 2010. 

Other statistics look at the dangers of overfishing with fisheries that are bringing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-payment-tuna-ocean-fish/">bluefin tuna</a>, sharks, and cod to the brink of extinction. Shark populations have been reduced to ten percent of their numbers through fishing and habitat degradation. For tuna, that number is even less with the once abundant species now reduced to five percent of its former population. 

Mission Blue shows that we have neglected our oceans through rampant overfishing, poorly regulated fishing and shipping vessels, and pollution. 

Coral reefs are dying off, with mass coral bleaching events becoming more and more common. 

Dr. Earle’s conservation project, Mission Blue, asks that we protect our oceans the same way we protect our national parks. 

During a 2018 United Nations Conference, it was revealed that only <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/marine-protected-areas-assessment-environment-conservation-spd/">5.7 percent of the ocean is protected</a>. A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17307686">study</a> conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/">National Geographic Society</a> and the <a href="https://www.uoregon.edu/">University of Oregon</a> claimed that number was overstated. 

In fact, the study states that 3.6 percent of the ocean is designated as a Marine Protected Area, and two percent are located in fully protected or strongly protected areas.  

Mission Blue’s goal, along with the <a href="https://www.iucn.org/">International Union for Conservation</a>, has called for <a href="https://mission-blue.org/2016/10/ocean-protection-goal-increases-to-30/">30 percent of the ocean to be protected by 2030</a>. 

Considering we have yet to see 10 percent of the ocean protected, 30 percent by 2030 will require conservation and regulations to be made a top priority among all the world’s nations. 

It is hard not to be drawn in by the beautiful imagery and pure delight and passion of Dr. Earle. 

As much as Mission Blue is a documentary about our polluted and dying oceans, it is also about never losing hope that it can be saved and never forgetting the wonder and awe it can inspire. 

--

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: Mission Blue/Netflix

Mission Blue urges us to protect our oceans like we protect our national parks

From mass coral bleaching events, overfishing tuna and sharks to...

Human impact on nature has been immense and in some cases, irreversible. We’re driving species to extinction, shrinking habitats, and emitting greenhouse gases that are steadily warming up the planet. As a result, many species are being forced to adapt quickly to new stressors and challenges.

In a new study, researchers have discovered the underlying mechanisms that drive rapid evolutionary changes in species. 

Squid fisheries are a perfect example of how humans are impacting marine wildlife. A <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jumbo-squid-declines/">recent study</a> found that jumbo squid have gotten smaller and have shorter lifespans due to overfishing rapidly depleting squid populations over the years. 

For this research, frozen fish helped provide insights into the genetic pathways that make rapid evolution over a few generations possible. 

There are two popular theories on what causes evolutionary change. One says that DNA in a species is the result of thousands of years of careful evolutionary intervention. The other school of thought says that a few hundred genes influence evolutionary traits. 

The researchers reviewed a two-decade-old study and sequenced the genomes of frozen fish to see how intensive fishing through the years correlated with genomic changes that led to changes in body size. 

A rapid decrease in body size of the fish occurred through different genome mechanisms in the fish, showing that there wasn’t one specific pathway that led to evolutionary adaptations. 

In some of the fish, there were small genetic changes across unrelated genes, but in other fish, there were huge shifts in sections of tightly linked genes. 

Two researchers at the <a href="https://www.uib.no/en">University of Bergen</a> published a companion perspective to the study explaining how the study results fit within the two popular schools of thought that explain evolutionary adaptations. 

“Interestingly, the genes that strongly increased in one population did not change in parallel populations subject to the same treatment, supporting the view that genetically speaking there are multiple ways to Rome,” Christian Jørgensen and Katja Enberg wrote in the Perspective. 

Both the study and Perspective were published in the journal Science.  

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Yampics photography

Frozen fish shed light on rapid evolutionary adaptations

Human impact on nature has been immense and in some...

Seaweed infestation is clustering on beaches and costing millions in clean-up. For most people, the ideal beach is one that is clean with sparkling blue water and the smell of salty air. But if you’ve been to the beaches in Mexico, Florida, and some of the Caribbean islands recently, there’s a good chance that you didn’t find them to be clean or smell of fresh ocean air.

In the past month, enormous quantities of Sargassum seaweed have washed up on the shores in these areas, creating a nasty smell and attracting flies as it rots in the sun. 

The <a href="http://www.esa.int/ESA">European Space Agency</a> has been tracking this seaweed infestation, and the details of a paper recently published in <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a> explain how scientists have tracked the growth and movements of this infestation using 19 years of satellite data.

Satellite data from the last year showed that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/seaweed-south-florida-beaches/">Sargassum</a> growth hit a high, as a brown belt of this macroalgae stretch 8,850 km from west Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists used computer simulations to confirm that this seaweed forms its shape in response to ocean currents, and this new paper suggests that deforestation and runoff from fertilizer into the Amazon river – which empties into the Atlantic Ocean – have stimulated this growth. 

“This year’s bloom is particularly bad, causing a risk to public health and affecting the tourism industry,” says Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes. “And, in response to a request from the Mexican Space Agency, we are helping to provide satellite images of this current disaster.”

The Mexican government has already spent millions of dollars to remove over half a million tons of seaweed from its beaches, as this has been an issue since 2011. 

“Tracking Sargassum is important because once it accumulates on beaches it causes significant problems including issues for public health, and for the economy such as lass of income from tourism, the cost of clean-up operations,” explains Craig Donlon, Principal Scientist for oceans and ice at ESA. “Earth observation data are important inputs to services and organizations tasked to monitor Sargassum masses at sea, helping to forecast when it will arrive on shore allowing local communities to act and plan accordingly.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Pixabay

Seaweed infestation is clustering on beaches and costing millions in clean-up

Seaweed infestation is clustering on beaches and costing millions in...

Scientists at <a href="https://uci.edu/">UC Irvine</a> (UCI) and the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> have constructed the most detailed map of glacier flows in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-west-antarctica-pacific/">Antarctica</a> to date. The tool will provide insights into the behavior of the continent's ice, as well as its contribution to future sea level rise. 

The new map of Antarctic ice velocity is based on data obtained by six different satellite missions from 1994 to 2019. The reconstruction, which accounts for more than 80 percent of the continent, is 10 times more accurate than previous depictions. 

“By utilizing the full potential of interferometric phase signals from satellite synthetic-aperture radars, we have achieved a quantum leap in the description of ice flow in Antarctica,” said study lead author Jeremie Mouginot. “This more detailed representation will help improve our understanding of ice behavior under climate stress over a larger part of the continent, farther south, and will enable improved projections of sea level rise through numerical models.”

[caption id="attachment_1875917" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ice-flow.png"><img class="wp-image-1875917" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ice-flow.png" alt="" width="650" height="450" /></a> Image Credit: UCI/Jeremie Mouginot[/caption]

The scientists charted the movement of ice sheets across the surface of Antarctica over 25 years. The data became much more available in the last decade, as more satellites had been positioned in space. 

The UCI team used a new approach to measure slower ice sheet movement in the vast interior regions of the continent.

"The interferometric phase of SAR data measures the ice deformation signal with a precision of up to two orders of magnitude better than speckle tracking,” said Mougino. “A drawback is that it requires a lot more data, namely multiple passes at different angles over the same point on the ground – a problem that was solved by a consortium of international space agencies pointing Earth-monitoring spacecrafts to this part of the world.”

The study revealed that, across more than 70 percent of Antarctica, ice is flowing at a rate of about 20 centimeters and is changing direction by five degrees each year.

“This product will help climate scientists achieve a number of goals, such as a better determination of the boundaries between glaciers and a thorough evaluation of regional atmospheric climate models over the entire continent,” said study co-author Eric Rignot. “It will also help in locating the most promising sites for ice core drilling to extract climate records and in examining the mass balance of Antarctica beyond its periphery.”

The map is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Denis Burdin

New map of Antarctic ice flow is the most accurate to date

Scientists at UC Irvine (UCI) and the NASA Jet Propulsion...

Wild gibbons are some of the most endangered primates on Earth, which is primarily due to habitat loss. A new study suggests that gibbons in southern Borneo are even more vulnerable to habitat loss than what was previously realized. 

The research, led by Dr. Susan Cheyne at the <a href="http://www.borneonaturefoundation.org/en/">Borneo Nature Foundation</a>, has revealed that wild gibbons living in the peat swamps of Borneo require between 20 and 50 hectares of forest territory for each group.

While it is known that the natural habitats of gibbons are threatened by <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dramatic-increase-brazilian-deforestation/">deforestation</a> and wildfires, relatively little has been studied about the size of their territories or how they use certain spaces for feeding and social activities. 

The researchers monitored four groups of wild Bornean southern gibbons in the Sebangau National Park between 2010 and 2018. The team tracked the GPS location of each group, and recorded observations of the creatures at five-minute intervals from dawn till dusk.

The experts determined that the Gibbons' territory spanned somewhere between 21 and 52 hectares, including where they sleep, socialize, and sing "duets" together with their mates. The apes were also found to forage over a larger home range of up to 148 hectares that they share with neighboring groups.

For three of the groups, the territories remained approximately the same throughout the nine-year study period. The other group, however, was forced to shift their range west when part of their habitat was damaged by forest fires in 2015.

The gibbons are highly territorial, and this behavior combined with the vast size of their ranges will make these animals extremely vulnerable to future habitat loss. They could ultimately be confined to areas of forest that are too small to accommodate multiple competing groups.

"Gibbons show high site fidelity for specific areas of forest and maintain these territories over many years. Understanding how Gibbons use the forest is critical to their conservation," said Dr. Cheyne. "These data can feed into creating protected areas of suitable size and habitat quality to maintain viable populations of the singing, swinging small apes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Borneo Nature Foundation

Wild gibbons are severely threatened by habitat loss

Wild gibbons are some of the most endangered primates on...

One of the hardest pollution problems to solve also happens to a result of one of the smallest man-made pollutants. <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/microplastic-pollution-remote-glaciers/">Microplastics</a> are often so small they can’t be seen with the naked eye, but they can be found in almost every environment – especially in the ocean. 

The plastic waste that inhabits our oceans and rivers has numerous health consequences for animals and ecosystems, as well as ourselves. But a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/matter/home">Matter</a> may have found a potential solution.

Researchers in Australia have developed a new strategy for ridding water sources of the microplastics that pollute them without causing harm to any microorganisms. Their work involves tiny coil-shaped carbon-based magnets in the form of carbon nanotubes laced with nitrogen. 

“Microplastics adsorb organic and metal contaminants as they travel through water and release these hazardous substances into aquatic organisms when eaten, causing them to accumulate all the way up the food chain,” explains senior author Shaobin Wang, a professor of chemical engineering at the <a href="https://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a>. “Carbon nanosprings are strong and stable enough to break these microplastics down into compounds that do not pose such a threat to the marine ecosystem.”

In the process of decomposing microplastics, the researchers needed to generate short-lived chemicals known as reactive oxygen species. These chemicals cause chain reactions that cut up microplastic molecules into smaller, harmless segments that dissolve in water. Unfortunately, reactive oxygen species are usually produced using heavy metals that become harmful pollutants, and as a result are generally not suitable for environmental clean-up.

The research team’s solution to this problem was these carbon nanotubules, which removed a significant amount of microplastics in just eight hours while staying stable in the harsh oxidative conditions needed for microplastic breakdown. The coiled shape of these nanosprings increase stability and maximize reactive surface area, and were able to be made magnetic with a small amount of manganese within the springs. 

“Having magnetic nanotubes is particularly exciting because this makes it easy to collect them from real wastewater streams for repeated use in environmental remediation,” says Xiaoguang Duan, a chemical engineering research fellow at Adelaide who also co-led the project. 

Moving forward, the researchers plan on testing whether the nanosprings work on microplastics of different compositions, shapes, and origins, as well as confirm the non-toxicity of any chemical compounds occurring as intermediates or by-products during microplastics decomposition. Additionally, the researchers believe these intermediates and byproducts have the potential to be used as an energy source for the same microorganisms that microplastics are currently affecting. 

“If plastic contaminants can be repurposed as food for algae growth, it will be a triumph for using biotechnology to solve environmental problems in ways that are both green and cost efficient,” says Wang.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/MikeDotta

Researchers develop potential microplastic pollution combatant

One of the hardest pollution problems to solve also happens...

Deep sea mining in international waters is taking a possible step forward despite criticism from <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/">GreenPeace</a> over decision making by the <a href="https://www.isa.org.jm/">International Seabed Authority</a>. 

For a long time, regulation over mining the sea bed was purely theoretical as most doubted it could be done economically, but that may now be changing. New technology and the diminishing returns from many terrestrial mines is pushing the industry closer to diving into deep sea mining. This potential new frontier is a cause for concern from many environmentalists and scientists as well as a cause for guarded hope in the mining industry itself. The potential of opening deep sea mining partially comes from greater demands for metals used in batteries, such as those found in electric cars. 

<a href="https://e360.yale.edu/features/drive_to_mine_the_deep_sea_raises_concerns_over_impacts">YaleEnvironment360</a> reports that more than 24 permits have already been issued to prospect for potential deep sea mining. Much of the mining is likely to be focused around deep sea hydrothermal vents, where minerals well out of the deeper earth interior. 

These <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hydrothermal-vents-play-enormous-role-in-global-climate/">hydrothermal vents</a> also nurture unique life in an otherwise largely lifeless deep ocean world. Life huddled around these vents is like nothing else on earth, completely independent of the sun, not even something most cave life can claim. Organisms in the deep ocean harvest minerals for food instead of photosynthetic plant life or animals. The ‘chimney like’ vent formations are reminiscent of cave stalagmites that spew warm to super heated (41 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit) mineral soups into the ocean. 

Microbes convert chemicals that are spewed from these spindly vents into energy, forming the basis of the deep sea ecosystems. Some of the waste products from this process – called chemosynthesis – are also nutritious for other life forms. Some microbes live inside strange hollow organisms called tube worms in a mutualistic relationship, supplied shelter inside the worms in exchange for nutrients produced by the microbes. Other microbes are preyed upon by crabs, mussels and limpets, which seem to reside near the top of this small food web. 

The whole strange ecosystem, entirely enclosed in darkness only pierced by the lights of human powered craft, is still much of a mystery and was completely unexpected. These alien islands of life huddled around weird chimneys of rock spewing chemicals have only been known of since the 1970s and research on such habitats is expensive and rare. Unfortunately, human avarice could decimate these unique places and their odd animals in a search for more mineral wealth. 

<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02276-2">Nature</a> reports that the scaly-foot snail (Chrysomallon squamiferum) is the first animal to be officially declared endangered by the threat of deep sea mining. The snail lives in only three known deep sea thermal vents in the Indian Ocean. Some of the known habitats for the scaly-foot snail are also potential mine sites. Surveys of some mine sites have found more than 1,000 animal species living in those areas. The threat is also much broader than the destruction of a unique ecosystem most will never see. There is also a threat of the release of carbon trapped in sediments, speeding up global climate change. Despite these dangers, efforts to mine the deep sea are going forward. 

The International Seabed Authority (ISA)  is expected to finalize regulations on deep sea mining by 2020. Besides criticism from Greenpeace, a group of 28 marine scientists sent an open letter asking for the international authority to consult with independent scientists when issuing specific mining permits. There is already a conflict of interest baked into the ISA, as it has a mandate both to protect international seabeds as well as to exploit them. Scientists and environmentalists are concerned that the ISA is focusing unduly on their mandate to facilitate exploitation over protection.

The truth of the matter when it comes to deep sea mining is that no one really knows how much is at stake or how much mining could threaten it. Scientists are planning to test a prototype that would simulate deep sea mining activity, a large tractor like machine that will stir up sediment. The idea is to see how much sea mining could smother deep sea ecosystems with sediment and how that might be limited. 

On the other hand, <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/23397/four-reasons-why-the-international-seabed-authority-probably-wont-protect-our-oceans/">Greenpeace</a> supports a moratorium on mining until more can be known about the ocean, a reasonable request considering our deep ignorance. The organization as well as some scientists also calls for a stronger international sea treaty, one that could establish internationally protected areas, putting them off the table to mining and other exploitation. 

The environmental organization has already stated deep skepticism that the ISA will do anything meaningful to protect the oceans. Greenpeace generally rejects the authority of the 168 member ISA to create the international rules governing deep sea mining. Others are concerned about deep sea mining outside of international waters as well. 

<a href="https://e360.yale.edu/features/drive_to_mine_the_deep_sea_raises_concerns_over_impacts">YaleEnvironment360</a> reports that much of the potential future of deep sea mining centers around poorer parts of Asia, where governments don’t necessarily have substantial regulations in place to protect their own waters. Nautilus, a Canadian mining company, has already signed an agreement with the government of Papua New Guinea to mine for copper and gold in their waters. Nautilus plans on cutting into deep sea sediment and suctioning precious minerals out with a remote control operated vehicle. The minerals will then be pumped more than a mile to the surface. 

For those who are aware of the lasting contamination from many mining projects on the surface, including long term water pollution, this project seems all but certain to create long term problems. A court in New Zealand rejected a proposed mining plan, citing environmental concerns. Unfortunately, as mining waste all over the world shows, it only takes one mine mistake to create a tragedy. Mining companies will push against the law until they get their way and eventually, even in the best case scenario, something will go wrong. It’s just a matter of how long it will take for us to even notice.      

--

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/christianthiel.net

Sea mining regulations to be set by 2020 despite criticism

Deep sea mining in international waters is taking a possible...

An international team of researchers has found that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/china-generated-banned-cfc-emissions/">China</a> could reach its emissions targets many years ahead of schedule. The study revealed that carbon dioxide emissions across the country will likely peak in plenty of time for China to uphold its 2016 climate commitment. 

China is the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, accounting for 25 percent of the total emissions across the planet. This means that emissions reductions here will produce enormous benefits. 

Under the Paris Agreement, China joined the worldwide effort to limit global warming to 2 °C or less this century by pledging to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 or sooner. 

Led by Haikun Wang of <a href="https://www.nju.edu.cn/en/">Nanjing University</a>, the researchers examined CO2 emissions produced by 50 Chinese cities from 2000 to 2016. The fact that cities are responsible for 35 percent of China's overall emissions provided the experts with a nationwide view, which was projected forward to predict a peak. 

The scientists identified a strong link between per capita emissions and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) for individual cities. In particular, they found that emissions usually peak at about 10.2 tons of CO2 per person when GDP hits around $21,000 per person.

Ultimately, the team concluded that China's CO2 emissions will most likely peak at 13 to 16 gigatons between 2021 and 2025. The researchers referred to this as a “a great contribution” to meeting the goals of the Paris Treaty. 

"It reflects China’s great efforts in mitigating climate change and the ‘new normal’ of the economy, from high speed to high quality, which might cause CO2 emissions to peak earlier,” Wang told <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a>.

The early peak has been largely driven by the shifting dynamics of China’s economy. "As China moves towards a higher tech and service economy, it is likely to show how the passage to a low-carbon economy and robust and sustainable growth in an emerging market economy can be mutually supportive,” Nicholas Stern explained to New Scientist. 

According to the <a href="https://www.wri.org/">World Resources Institute</a>, even though 57 countries are due to reach peak emissions by 2030, it will not be enough for global emissions to peak anytime in the next few years. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain/">Nature Sustainability</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/bonandbon

China will likely reach CO2 emissions targets years ahead of schedule

An international team of researchers has found that China could...

In the southwestern United States, it may not get hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk in the summer, but that doesn’t mean the pavement won’t cause severe burns. 

A new study found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/urban-heat-island/">pavement can get hot enough</a> to cause second degree burns on the skin almost instantly when temperatures surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.unlv.edu/">University of Nevada, Las Vegas </a>reviewed hospital records of pavement burn admissions to a desert burn center from 2013 through 2017 and determined the outdoor temperature at the time each patient was admitted.  

Overall, the researchers identified 173 cases of pavement burns, and 149 of those burns were isolated incidents. The other 24 burns were related to other injuries like a car accident. 

Pavement burns can be a significant problem, especially in areas with notoriously hot and dry summers like the Southwestern US.  If temperatures are hot enough, any skin that comes in contact with a hot sidewalk, road, or driveway can be seriously damaged. 

“Pavement burns account for a significant number of burn-related injuries, particularly in the Southwestern United States,” the study authors wrote. “The pavement can be significantly hotter than the ambient temperature in direct sunlight and can cause second-degree burns within two seconds.”

153 of the burns, 88 percent occurred when temperatures were at 95 degrees or higher. As temperatures rose above 105 degrees, the risk of a patient being admitted into the burn center for pavement burns drastically increased. 

Pavement absorbs sunlight, and as sidewalks and roads bake in the hot afternoon sun, surface temperatures can far surpass the surrounding ambient temperatures. Pavement on a 111-degree day can get as hot as 147 degrees, for example. 

While it is sound advice to stay off the pavement when temperatures reach a certain point, for many, it’s unavoidable. 

Some people also may not know that the pavement is dangerous when it’s hot outside, like young children riding their bikes. If they fall, they risk getting burned. 

“This information is useful for burn centers in hotter climates, to plan and prepare for the coordination of care and treatment,” said Dr. Jorge Vega, the lead author of the study. “It can also be used for burn injury prevention and public health awareness, including increased awareness and additional training to emergency medical service and police personnel when attending to pavement burn victims in the field.”

The findings of the study were published in the Journal of Burn Care &amp; Research. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/welcomia

Hot sidewalks in the summer can cause second-degree burns

In the southwestern United States, it may not get hot...

Innovative flood mapping in Kansas holds potential to help the nation. A new study from Jude Kastens, an associate research professor with the Kansas Applied Remote Sensing Program at the <a href="https://biosurvey.ku.edu/kars">Kansas University Biological Survey</a>, finally addresses the lack of real-time, wide-area predictions for floodwater extent and depths, an information gap that has plagued officials during previous <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/historic-flooding-nebraska-iowa/">major flood events</a>.

"I worked with the Kansas Water Office in May," Kastens said. May 2019 was the wettest month ever recorded in Kansas. "The ground was saturated, and the reservoirs were getting full, and with a lot more rain in the forecast, major flooding across central and eastern Kansas was looking imminent.” 

“Some years ago we'd developed this inundation library largely in collaboration with the Water Office and the Kansas GIS Policy Board but had never had the chance to put it through its paces in real time,” he continued. “It was based on the approach that I developed for my dissertation, and we had flood libraries for the greater eastern half of Kansas, based on the gauged stream network.” 

“For instance,” he said, “if you drive south of Lawrence on Highway 59, you'll see a USGS stream gauge box by the bridge over the Wakarusa River. There are about 200 gauges in Kansas that collect real-time stream stage information, and in times of flood, the National Weather Service provides stage forecasts several days out for a lot of these. We can take these data and map estimated current or future flooding, between gauges or around one."

Kasten developed a model, dubbed FLDPLN, or "Floodplain,” which maps potential inundation as a function of stage height by using basic hydrologic principles and gridded elevation data. The model doesn’t include many inputs or much supervision, therefore has an advantage over existing mapping methods like the more complicated (though, more precise) FEMA hydrodynamic models, which map 100-year floodplains.

By working with Kansas officials, Kastens was able to narrow down three critical locations where his mapping model was most needed — a 100-mile stretch of the Neosho River south of the John Redmond Reservoir, the Neosho and Cottonwood rivers above John Redmond, and Salina, home to the Saline River and Mulberry Creek.

Kastens’ model helped the Army Corps of Engineers when they were planning a release of large volumes of water from the John Redmond Reservoir, which had almost reached capacity. He was able to inform local leaders and the public of the potential flooding extent.

He hopes to automate the mapping process in order to lessen the amount of work officials must do when rivers and streams threaten to flood. Innovative flood mapping in Kansas holds potential to help the nation

"Time is of the essence during major flood events,” Kastens said. “We need to develop software tools to help automate the mapping process and hand it off to these other agencies so they have the freedom to map whichever scenarios they want. So, when that next flood hits, emergency response personnel can just run the models as they see fit.”

Furthermore, Kastens has already worked with a private firm to commercialize his technology and provide services to emergency management officials and those with flood-prone properties outside beyond Kansas.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Civil Air Patrol - Kansas Wing

Innovative flood mapping in Kansas holds potential to help the nation

Innovative flood mapping in Kansas holds potential to help the...

<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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invisible-threat-in-urban-air">Invisible threat in urban air</h2>



City dwellers face an unseen danger with every breath. New findings from Emory University researchers suggest that fine particulate matter from <a href="http://earth.com/news/traffic-related-air-pollution-might-increase-alzheimers-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vehicle emissions may significantly elevate the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease</a>. The study examined brain tissue samples from 224 individuals who had confirmed diagnoses and volunteered their brains for scientific research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disturbing-connections-emerge">Disturbing connections emerge</h2>



Scientists analyzed neuritic plaques — protein clusters that characterize Alzheimer's — while mapping each participant's exposure to PM2.5 particles based on residential location and surrounding traffic density. The correlation proved more alarming than anticipated. Individuals experiencing higher pollution exposure showed nearly double the likelihood of elevated plaque accumulation in brain tissue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-matters">Timing matters</h2>



The research team discovered that pollution exposure during the final year before death demonstrated the strongest association with brain changes. This timeline suggests relatively rapid impacts from environmental toxins on neural health. The connection remained robust even after accounting for various demographic and health factors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-vulnerability-patterns">Genetic vulnerability patterns</h2>



Perhaps most concerning, people lacking the APOE gene—which naturally predisposes individuals to Alzheimer's — exhibited more than twice the susceptibility to pollution-related brain damage. Study author Dr. Anke Huels noted this indicates environmental elements like air contamination could trigger the disease in cases where hereditary factors don't explain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health-implications">Public health implications</h2>



These findings, published in <a href="https://www.neurology.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neurology</a>, underscore the critical importance of air quality regulations in urban planning. The research suggests that implementing stricter emission controls and promoting alternative transportation could serve as powerful tools in Alzheimer's prevention.



As cities worldwide grapple with growing traffic congestion and aging populations, this study highlights an urgent need for comprehensive approaches to environmental health that protect both our lungs and our minds.



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Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic...

<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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-astrobiology">Implications for astrobiology</h2>



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-earth-became-a-frozen-wasteland">When Earth became a frozen wasteland</h2>



Imagine Earth as a giant snowball, frozen solid from the North Pole to the equator. This wasn't the plot of a science fiction movie – it was our planet's reality 700 million years ago during an extreme ice age that has puzzled scientists for decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-discovery">The discovery</h2>



Australian researchers from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> have finally cracked one of geology's greatest mysteries: what caused the Sturtian glaciation and why it persisted for an unprecedented 57 million years. This period occurred long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, when no complex plants or multicellular animals existed.



Dr. Adriana Dutkiewicz, the study's lead author, describes a world completely unlike today's climate. "Imagine the Earth almost completely frozen over," she explained. "The planet was blanketed in ice from poles to equator, and temperatures plunged."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-combination-of-climate-factors">The combination of climate factors</h2>



The research team discovered that this massive freeze resulted from a "double whammy" of geological events. First, plate tectonic activity reduced volcanic carbon dioxide emissions to historically low levels. Volcanic activity typically releases CO2 into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect that keeps Earth warm.



Simultaneously, weathering of volcanic rocks in what is now Canada actively absorbed atmospheric CO2, further reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. When atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dropped below 200 parts per million – less than half of today's levels – glaciation engulfed the entire planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-climate-implications">Modern climate implications</h2>



Published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a>, this research provides crucial insights into Earth's climate system. While geological climate changes occur over millions of years, the study emphasizes that human-induced climate change is happening at a pace ten times faster than previously observed natural changes, highlighting the urgent need to understand our planet's delicate climate balance.



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What caused the planet's longest ice age

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY 57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists....

<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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-monitoring-networks">Scientific monitoring networks</h2>



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.



The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.



The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.



The full study was recently published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.



Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.



Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents". In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively. MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.



MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization. The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.



Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.



A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.



This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.



PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.



In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.



As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.



The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.



For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.



The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.



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MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a>



Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.



The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-global-food-security">Implications for global food security</h2>



The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

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

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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>.



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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.



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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...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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