Climate change solutions might be closer than we think - not in labs or remote forests, but in the microbes living in our homes. James Henriksen, a microbiologist at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a>, believes the secret to fighting climate change could be hiding in dishwashers, air conditioners, and water heaters.



Henriksen wants everyone to join the hunt for extremophiles - organisms that thrive in extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-wins-in-2025-came-from-unexpected-places/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conditions</a>. They’re tiny, they’re tough, and some might be surprisingly useful.



These microbes have adapted to harsh environments, evolving traits that could potentially absorb carbon dioxide or clean up pollutants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-home-microbes-fighting-climate-change">Home microbes fighting climate change</h2>



<a href="https://citsci.org/projects/the-extremophile-campaign-in-the-wild/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Extremophile Campaign: In Your Home</a> is a new initiative from CitSci, the Two Frontiers Project, and SeedLabs. It kicked off in October, rallying citizen scientists to search for hidden organisms.



“We believe that we have found new organisms, and we know that they have unique characteristics purely from the fact that they're growing and thriving in some of these unusual environments,” Henriksen said. Already, the campaign has led to some intriguing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/south-africas-land-is-continuously-rising-as-water-disappears-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discoveries</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-microbe-with-a-big-appetite">A microbe with a big appetite</h2>



Deep in the volcanic ocean vents off the island of Vulcano, Henriksen and his team stumbled upon Chonkus. This cyanobacterium isn’t just any microbe. It devours carbon dioxide and then sinks, locking away CO2 in the ocean depths.



Unlike plants, Chonkus can absorb far more CO2, using photosynthesis to turn the gas into biomass. It’s a microscopic powerhouse that might one day help mitigate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/todays-children-will-face-more-climate-extremes-than-ever-before/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> change.



Henriksen isn’t surprised. “Half the air you're breathing comes from microbes,” he said. “They play essential roles in carbon and nitrogen cycles.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-microbes">Mapping the microbes</h2>



Henriksen co-founded the Two Frontiers Project to hunt for microbes in extreme environments – from the depths of the ocean to outer space. But what about the extreme environments right under our noses?



“There’s not just unknown species,” he said. “It’s like there’s a rainforest everywhere you look, and we know almost nothing about the organisms there and what they can do.”



Our homes, it turns out, are teeming with unseen life - and Henriksen wants us to pay attention.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbes-hidden-in-the-home">Microbes hidden in the home</h2>



If you’re feeling brave, take a closer look at your appliances. What’s lurking inside your dishwasher or around the base of your water heater? If it’s slimy, crusty, or gooey, Henriksen wants to hear about it.



Instead of scrubbing away the weird spots and unpleasant odors, you can help scientists by documenting them. That slimy film? It could be home to a whole community of extremophiles - microbes that might hold the key to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-impacting-earths-rotation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate solutions</a>.



Participating is easy. Snap a photo of your odd discovery. Fill out an online survey at <a href="https://citsci.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CitSci.org</a>. If researchers need more information, they’ll send a collection kit.



Henriksen’s team will then analyze the samples using metagenomic sequencing. Each microbe’s DNA will be studied, cataloged, and possibly saved for future research. Some samples might even lead to new scientific breakthroughs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-in-the-slime">What's in the slime?</h2>



Metagenomic sequencing sounds complex, but the goal is simple: figure out what’s living in that slimy mess. Henriksen and his team are looking for microbes that can absorb CO₂, degrade <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollutants-from-fossil-fuels-are-embedded-in-coral-skeletons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollutants</a>, or perform other useful tasks.



The DNA data will be stored for future study. Some organisms might be cultivated and tested further. Every sample holds the potential for new discoveries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-s-hidden-survivors">Nature's hidden survivors </h2>



Beyond homes, the Extremophile Campaign: In the Wild asks people to keep an eye out for microbial hotspots in nature. Springs in places like Colorado and California often contain unusual chemistry - acidic water, carbonation, and, yes, slime.



"Life is surviving and thriving in this hot water, in water that is as carbonated as soda pop and as acidic as lemon juice,” Henriksen said. “Microbes are pulling high concentrations of CO₂ out of the water, out of the air, and they're building that slime or the green algae that you see.”&nbsp;



If you spot something slimy, crusty, or just plain weird, the researchers want to know.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-platform-to-fight-climate-change-nbsp">A platform to fight climate change&nbsp;</h2>



Both extremophile campaigns run through CitSci.org, a platform that connects researchers with citizen scientists. The site was developed at Colorado State University’s Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory two decades ago and now hosts nearly 1,500 projects.



“CitSci has been an amazing partner in helping get this up and running,” Henriksen said. 



Through CitSci, Henriksen hopes to gather data from as many people and places as possible. With more eyes on the ground, the chances of finding new microbial allies in the climate fight increase.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-gunk-might-save-the-planet">Your gunk might save the planet</h2>



Henriksen sees potential in every home. That gross gunk in your appliance? It might contain the next Chonkus – a microbe that could capture <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountains-both-carbon-sinks-and-carbon-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> or break down pollutants. All it takes is a photo, a survey, and a bit of curiosity.



“We believe that everybody can contribute and participate in science," Henriksen said. &nbsp;



From volcanic vents to kitchen sinks, the next big climate solution might be hiding in plain sight - and researchers want you to help find it.



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Slime found in home appliances could help fight climate change

Climate change solutions might be closer than we think - not in labs or remote forests, but in the microbes living in our homes. James Henriksen, a microbiologist at Colorado State University, believes the secret to fighting climate change could be hiding in dishwashers, air conditioners, and water heaters. Henriksen wants everyone to join the hunt for extremophiles - organisms that thrive in extreme conditions. They’re tiny, they’re tough, and some might be surprisingly useful. These microbes have adapted to harsh environments, evolving traits that could potentially...

Earlier this month, more than 4,000 climate scientists, educators, and experts attended the 98th annual meeting of the <a href="https://www.ametsoc.org/index.cfm/ams/">American Meteorological Society</a>. Now, in a new piece in <a href="https://www.politico.com/magazine/">Politico Magazine</a>, Bryan Bender describes why this group of professionals is embracing a new approach to address <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a>, which begins with avoiding the phrase itself.

The strategy will focus less on who or what is causing the issues associated with emerging climate patterns, while focusing on obvious everyday changes that people are witnessing firsthand such as earlier springs and hotter, drier summers.

By shifting away from a language that blames human activities for changing weather patterns, the hope is that more people will take notice of how climate change may affect them personally and will gain a sense of urgency to help prevent its dangerous effects.

According to Bender, many of the conference attendees expressed the need to take politics out of the conversation altogether. The new strategy aims to get the attention of appointed officials, as well as the people who vote for them, by making them aware that their own health and livelihoods are seriously threatened. 

Bernadette Woods Placky is an Emmy award-winning meteorologist who directs the <a href="http://medialibrary.climatecentral.org/about-us">Climate Matters</a> program at Climate Central. 

Placky told Bender: “Is it humans or is it not? We really need to get beyond that. We are still not getting enough people to talk about it in the ways that matter to human beings in their homes, in their communities, for their family.”

“So it is making those connections in ways that really matter to people. It’s a jobs story. It’s an agriculture story. Connect it to the farm bill; boom!”

In his report, Bender pointed out that local TV meteorologists were among the last scientists to accept that human activities are driving climate change.


Keith Seitter, the executive director of the American Meteorological Society, told Bender: “I think a lot of the broadcasters were concerned that there was such a political divide within the population and if they were very vocal of any aspect of climate change some subset of their audience would not view them with a level of trust.”

But now, hundreds of broadcast meteorologists are working with Climate Matters to develop new ways of informing their viewers about climate change, and this approach is encouraged by the American Meteorological Society.

“There has also been some very specific programs that have worked with target audiences - even in some deeply red states - about how do we message some of the science in ways that depoliticize it,” said Seitter. 

“If you start talking about, ‘We are getting more rainfall than we used to; our climate is different than it used to be,’ that is different than saying humans are causing it. They’re not saying a whole lot of why on why it is changing but they are at least getting people to understand those changes are there.”
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Discussing climate change in new ways can inspire a sense of urgency

Earlier this month, more than 4,000 climate scientists, educators, and...

Researchers have identified 226 food production shocks across 134 nations in the last five decades, with an increasing frequency of shocks occurring in all sectors. Study lead author Richard Cottrell noted that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-weather-worse/">extreme weather</a> was a major cause of shocks to both crops and livestock, which highlights the vulnerability of food production to weather volatility.

“In recent decades we have become increasingly familiar with images in the media of disasters such as drought and famine around the world,” said Cottrell. “Our study confirms that food production shocks have become more frequent, posing a growing danger to global food production.”

"We looked at the full range of global food production systems, covering crops, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture. We found that crops and livestock are slightly more shock-prone than fisheries and aquaculture, and some regions, such as South Asia, are more frequently affected than others.”

"While the number of food shocks fluctuates from year to year, the long-term trend shows they are happening more often."

According to Cottrell, the increasing frequency of food shocks allows for less recovery time between events and negatively affects the resilience of communities. “Reduced recovery time hinders coping strategies such as accumulating food or assets for use during times of hardship,” he explained.

Since 2010, conflict-related shocks to food production across sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East have combined with poor weather conditions to cause a rise in global hunger. 

“Land-based crop and livestock production are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events such as drought, which are expected to become more frequent and intense with climate change,” said Cottrell. “However, marine-based food production is not immune from shocks.”

“Overfishing was responsible for 45 percent of shocks detected in landing data, while disruptions to aquaculture production have risen faster and to a higher level than any other sector since the 1980s.”

"Globalized trade and the dependence of many countries on food imports mean that food shocks are a global problem, and the international community faces a significant challenge to build resilience.”

Cottrell said resilience can be achieved by investing in climate-smart food systems and and by establishing food reserves in import-dependent nations.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://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>

Climate change, conflict are major causes of increasing food shocks

Researchers have identified 226 food production shocks across 134 nations...

You’d never know it simply by judging from accounts of dramatic winter weather, but the western United States actually had a record low snowpack last year, according to <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dry-warm-winter-leaves-western-u-s-snowpack-at-record-low-levels/">Scientific American</a>.  Even more unfortunate, this doesn’t seem to be a fluke but part of an overall downward trend in winter snow for the western US.  

Of course, there are nuances and despite the trend the short term weather remains unpredictable.  A ski resort near my hometown in western Colorado was recently sold and the new owners experienced an unexpected large amount of snow this winter, bucking the trend.  Nevertheless, reduced snow appears to be the new norm for western states despite such brief reprieves. 

<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180302124830.htm">Science Daily</a> reported last March on a study from Oregon State University that found 90% of sites sampled in the western US showed declines in snowpack, a third of those were determined to have significant declines.  Since 1915, overall the snowpack in western states has declined by 15 to 30% on average. The most obvious impact on the loss of snow is to the tourism industry. 

It’s obvious that places like Colorado, Wyoming and Utah draw tourists to their ski resorts along with other western states like California and Oregon.  In an article from 2012, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/02/no-business-like-snow-business-the-economics-of-big-ski-resorts/252180/">The Atlantic</a> reported that the ski resorts in the US have an accumulated 60 million ski and snowboard days.  All of that skiing spread across the United States equated to $3 billion in business. At the time of the report in The Atlantic, the winter was the driest so far on record with snowfall down 80% at Vail Ski Resorts.  Despite less visits to the resort properties, profits didn’t drop. The same is true of last year, another record low snowfall year, according to <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/business/2018/03/08/vail-ski-resorts-keep-making-money-even-with-pitiful-snowfall-in-utah-and-across-the-west/">The Salt Lake Tribune</a>.  

Part of the secret is offering ski passes at a relatively low price, making the sport accessible to more and creating more demand.  The bottom line is a profit increase of 6.6% through January 2018. Other sources of income such as lodging, food and retail at the resorts did decline despite profits in lift tickets and ski lessons.  Overall, the ski industry seems to be hanging on and making a profit for now, but it serves to highlight the delusional attitude towards water (whether it’s snow or a river) prominent in the western US.  How long can a ski resort be a viable business as snowfall continues to decline? Reality seems to be catching up to ski resorts. An article in <a href="https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2018/01/26/weather-and-climate-we-fearhow-climate-change-alter-skiing-colorado/1038318001/">The Coloradan</a> reports that many resorts expect profit declines this year.                                     

The drop in western snowpack is the equivalent water loss of <a href="https://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/educate/edpack3.html">Lake Mead</a>, the west’s largest reservoir holding approximately 29 million acre feet of water.  Besides ski resorts, mountain snowpack ends up feeding western rivers and agriculture as it melts in the spring.  Snow is melting earlier in the spring, making the runoff feeding habitats, farms and cities less predictable. 

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/water-shortages-reservoir-levels/">Lake Mead</a> is fed by snowmelt that runs into the Colorado River; 90% of the water used in Las Vegas comes from the famed reservoir.  An article from 2014 in <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/03/las_vegas_water_conservation_it_s_a_mirage.html">The Slate</a> reports on water conservation efforts in Las Vegas, pointing out that water usage goals in Nevada are unimpressive.  

The Slate reported that at that time, Las Vegas was still using more water per capita than almost any US city.  Front lawns are illegal in Las Vegas but golf courses still remain, as they do in other desert cities such as Tucson, Arizona. The Water Authority of Las Vegas has a goal of reducing water consumption to 199 gallons per person per day by 2035 which is twice the water usage of California in 2014.  Ironically, newer houses in Las Vegas consume less water than older houses, promoting more building to reach a goal of less consumption per household in Sin City. 

Of course, more houses may mean overall more water consumption, no matter how much the water usage is reduced on average per person.  The water that Las Vegas doesn’t use is pumped back into the Colorado River, meaning that how much water the city consumes has real consequences for people and wildlife downstream.  One of the unfortunate realities of the situation is farmers and fish miss out on water for what amounts to a desert mirage.

The mantra, ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’ creates the idea of a place where actions have no long term consequences.  You can get married by an Elvis impersonator and divorced the same day and it doesn’t matter. Fortunes are thrown away and won with the roll of a dice or the spin of a wheel.  Water is tossed into the Nevada desert with the same disregard of wealth and morality. <a href="https://www.bellagio.com/en/entertainment/fountains-of-bellagio.html">The Bellagio</a> hotel and casino advertises their fountains saying:

“There is nothing like seeing them in person. The Fountains of Bellagio were destined to romance your senses. Take in a spectacular show of thoughtfully interwoven water, music and light designed to mesmerize its admirers. It is the most ambitious, choreographically complex water feature ever conceived and it’s absolutely free for any visitor to enjoy… Fall in love with this unprecedented aquatic accomplishment”            

The Bellagio isn’t alone in creating this fantasy either.  There are hotels in Las Vegas fashioned after castles with moats of water evaporating slowly into the desert air.  There are pirate ships on the famed Las Vegas strip which battle several times a day and sink into illusory oceans made of real water.  So much water is used for pure entertainment and luxury and it doesn’t matter so much if it’s recycled grey water or not because that water could be passed down stream to those who need it.  As the west continues to dry out and we use up aquifers and water levels at reservoirs drop to record low levels, it’s time we stop thinking of places like Las Vegas or the Colorado Mountains as places to party.  Instead, we need to look at these places as homes, for us and for wildlife. What happens to the snow will affect an entire interconnected region, even the hot desert cities. 

--

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>

The consequences of declining snowpack in the western United States

You’d never know it simply by judging from accounts of...

Scientists are beginning to explore the presence of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-sea-turtle-species/">microplastic</a> contamination in groundwater systems. A new study from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign</a> is the first to reveal the discovery of microplastics in fractured limestone aquifers, an underground freshwater source that supplies 25 percent of drinking water worldwide. 

In two aquifer systems in Illinois, the team found microplastic fibers and a variety of medicines and household contaminants.

“Plastic in the environment breaks down into microscopic particles that can end up in the guts and gills of marine life, exposing the animals to chemicals in the plastic,” said study co-author John Scott, a researcher at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. “As the plastics break down, they act like sponges that soak up contaminants and microbes and can ultimately work their way into our food supply.”

According to Scott, groundwater flows through the cracks in the limestone, potentially transporting sewage and runoff from roads, landfills, and agricultural areas into the aquifers below.

The research team collected 17 groundwater samples from wells and springs, including 11 samples from a highly-fractured limestone aquifer near St. Louis and six from an aquifer that had much smaller fractures in northwestern Illinois.

Overall, 16 out of 17 samples contained microplastic particles. The highest concentration, which was 15.2 particles per liter, was collected from a spring in the St. Louis area. Scott said that it is hard to understand what this concentration implies because there are no published risk assessment studies or safety standards. 

Study lead author Samuel V. Panno, a researcher at the Illinois State Geological Survey, said that the concentrations from the field area were comparable to surface water concentrations found in the rivers and streams of Chicago,

“The research on this topic is at a very early stage, so I am not convinced we have a frame of reference to state expectations or bounds on what is considered low or high levels,” said study co-author Professor Tim Hoellein of Loyola University. “Our questions are still basic - how much is there and where is it coming from?”

Scott explained that there is still a lot of work to be done, and he expects microplastic contamination will remain an issue for many years.

“Even if we quit plastics cold turkey today, we will still deal with this issue for years because plastic never really goes away,” said Scott. “It is estimated that 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste have been produced since the 1940s, and 79 percent of that is now in landfills or the natural environment. To me, it is such a weird concept that these materials are intended for single use, yet they are designed to last forever.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17456584">Groundwater</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Microplastic contamination found in common groundwater sources

Scientists are beginning to explore the presence of microplastic contamination...

When sponges bore holes into <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pacific-island-bans-toxic-sunscreens/">coral reefs</a> to keep safe from predators, the reefs begin to erode from within. A new study by scientists at the <a href="https://www.nioz.nl/en">Royal NIOZ Netherlands Institute for Sea Research</a> describes how sponges contribute to the collapse of coral reefs and why this activity will speed up as atmospheric CO2 levels rise.

“An affected coral reef may seem intact on the outside, while on the inside looking like a complex of mining shafts with galleries and cavities that are completely filled with sponge tissue,” said study first author Alice Webb.

She explained that the sponges bore into coral skeletons to protect their own tissue from predators by hiding in the hard coral structure. 

“To make the tunnels, they use a combination of chemical and mechanical demolition techniques. First the sponge pumps acidified fluid onto the coral to dissolve and chip off calcium carbonate pieces; then it removes the chips from the boring pit by contracting its tissue, resembling smooth muscle tissue,” said Webb.

“Sponges filter huge amounts of water constantly for feeding and breathing. They suck in water, take all the food particles and then spit the filtered water out. Chips of coral reef are expelled by the same route through these filtering canals, and out of the sponge through the so-called osculum.”

According to Webb, previous research showed that ocean acidification intensifies the bio-erosion of the corals, but the reason for this was unclear. 

The bio-eroding sponges alter the chemical composition of the water by pumping protons from the surrounding seawater into the etching interface, which makes the surface of the skeleton more acidic and easier to dissolve.

“If more CO2 is dissolved in the seawater, the proton concentration rises and the sponge will simply have to spend less energy on lowering the pH at the sponge/coral interface.” 

Webb said that these sponges are abundant on reefs in the Caribbean and also on the Great Barrier Reef. “Taking ocean acidification into account, our sponge findings make it possible to make better predictions of future coral reef conditions.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/scientificreports">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Alice Webb

Sponges are contributing to the collapse of coral reefs

When sponges bore holes into coral reefs to keep safe...

Working together, a team of 11 scientists and engineers have managed to drill a hole measuring 1.3 miles deep in the Antarctic ice.

The <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a> team used a hot water drilling technique to drill down through a sheet of ice in West Antarctica to the sediment it covered.

“I have waited for this moment for a long time and am delighted that we've finally achieved our goal,” Dr. Andy Smith told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a> from the Rutford Ice Stream.

The hot water drilling technique has been in use for about three decades to provide scientists with access to areas below the Antarctic ice.

Using gas generators and aviation fuel-powered water heaters, the team heated the drill water to more than 190 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot water was used to blast a hole nearly a foot in diameter into the ice.

However, this is the deepest borehole that researchers have been able to drill in the Antarctic ice. The project in West Antarctica was first attempted 15 years ago, in 2004, but failed at the time. 

The first hole was completed on January 8, after 63 hours of drilling. The team finished a second hole on January 22. Instruments lowered through the holes in the Antarctic ice will record pressure, water temperature, and other data. 

“There are gaps in our knowledge of what's happening in West Antarctica, and by studying the area where the ice sits on soft sediment, we can understand better how this region may change in the future and contribute to global sea-level rise,” Smith told the Mail.

The study could help researchers better understand the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-increase-ice-mass-loss/">loss of mass in Antarctic ice</a>, particularly in the western part of the continent. The team plans to work at the site until mid-February, and work has already begun on a second site. 

“We know that warmer ocean waters are eroding many of West Antarctica's glaciers,” Dr. Keith Makinson told the Mail. “What we're trying to understand is how slippery the sediment underneath these glaciers is, and therefore how quickly they might flow off the continent into the sea. This will help us determine future sea level rise from West Antarctica with more certainty.”

The BAS team is working with researchers at the <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk/">University of Swansea</a>, the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>, <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>, <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">Leeds University</a>, <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a> and the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">U.S. National Science Foundation</a> on the project.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

&nbsp;

Team drills record 1.3-mile deep hole in Antarctic ice

Working together, a team of 11 scientists and engineers have...

Changing weather in the Pacific has one team of scientists concerned that carbon dioxide levels could spike in 2019.

Weather patterns in the Pacific Ocean swings regularly, and this year, the region is expected to be warmer than usual, scientists with the UK’s <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/">Met Office</a> predict. And the problem with that is how warmer weather affects plant growth and the carbon sinks provided by forests, jungles and grasslands.

“Since 1958, monitoring at the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii has registered around a 30 percent increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, Dr. Richard Betts said in a news release. “This is caused by emissions from fossil fuels, deforestation and cement production, and the increase would have been even larger if it were not for natural carbon sinks which soak up some of the excess CO2. This year we expect these carbon sinks to be relatively weak, so the impact of record high human-caused emissions will be larger than last year.”

In the past, carbon dioxide levels have risen sharply during El Niño years, with record spikes in 1997-98 and 2015-16. With a likely El Niño event this year, the Met Office is expecting high levels again. Some Pacific regions could see drier weather than normal this year, meaning fewer plants to help store atmospheric carbon. 

The Met Office predicts that, combined with <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/global-patterns-of-carbon-dioxide/">carbon emissions from human activity</a> trending upward, 2019 could see the highest spike in global carbon dioxide levels in more than 60 years of records. Levels will likely peak in May, then drop until fall before rising again.

“Looking at the monthly figures, it’s as if you can see the planet ‘breathing’ as the levels of carbon dioxide fall and rise with seasonal cycle of plant growth and decay in the northern hemisphere,” Betts said. “But each year’s CO2 is higher than the last, and this will keep happening until humans stop adding CO2 to the atmosphere.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Carbon dioxide levels could spike in 2019, scientists say

Changing weather in the Pacific has one team of scientists...

A wildlife survey that has been conducted by citizen scientists since 1979 has uncovered an alarming trend: common garden birds like sparrows, starlings and song thrushes have seen drastic declines in their numbers.

For four decades now, the <a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/">Royal Society for the Protection of Birds</a> has sponsored the <a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/">Big Garden Birdwatch</a> at the end of each January. Volunteers from throughout the United Kingdom spend an hour watching the birds that come and go in their yards, then report their count, giving the RSPB a point-in-time count of the region’s avian life.

“Big Garden Birdwatch participants have made a significant contribution to monitoring garden bird numbers over the past four decades,” RSPB executive Mike Clarke told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ushome/index.html">Daily Mail</a>. “Those taking part work together as part of a community with thousands of other Big Garden Birdwatchers to help the RSPB’s work to protect birds, other wildlife and the places they live.”

Like the <a href="https://www.audubon.org/">Audubon Society</a>’s annual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/audubon-society-christmas-bird-count/">Christmas Bird Count</a>, the RSPB event produces data for use by wildlife managers, biologists and other scientists.

But this year’s count and an analysis of four decades of data offers a grim outlook for some species.

Starlings, though an invasive species in North America, are one species of garden birds on the decline in England. Since 1979, their numbers have declined about 80 percent. Their huge flocks, known for creating massive, swirling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-starlings-aerial-ballet/">aerial shows known as murmurations</a> above cities, are now more common in rural areas. 

Song thrushes have plummeted by 75 percent, greenfinches and house sparrows both 57 percent, and chaffinches by 55 percent. 

Scientists suspect the declines could range from loss of habitat, in the case of the starlings, to trichomonosis, a parasite-linked disease common in finches.

And while house sparrow numbers are down, populations are growing in Scotland, North Ireland and Wales.

Other species of garden birds have done quite well in the series of surveys, with woodpigeon populations growing 950 percent, coal tits 263 percent, magpies 173 percent, and wrens 88 percent.

Collared doves have also seen their numbers spike, 307 percent, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. The doves are not native to the UK; they arrived in the 1950s from the Middle East.

The annual look at the numbers of common garden birds helps to underline how the contributions of citizen scientists can help professionals spot trends – negative and positive – in local wildlife populations.

“Everyone has a role to play in saving nature and protecting our wildlife,” Clarke said.

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By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Some UK garden birds see populations plummet

A wildlife survey that has been conducted by citizen scientists...

Last year, the planet actually cooled off a bit, but scientists say the global warming trend isn’t even close to being over. The year 2018 was still the fourth hottest on record, behind only 2015, 2016 and 2017. 

While both <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> and the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> have monitored temperatures for decades, their annual reports have been delayed by the partial federal government shutdown. But two other organizations have analyzed recent trends and found that 2018 was nearly as hot as the three years before it, bucking the warming trend possibly thanks to the La Niña phenomenon. 

One of these is <a href="http://berkeleyearth.org/">Berkeley Earth</a>, a nonprofit research center in California that has analyzed global temperatures since 2013. 

“Global mean temperature in 2018 was colder than 2015, 2016, and 2017, but warmer than every previously observed year prior to 2015,” Berkeley Earth researchers told the Associated Press. “Consequently, 2016 remains the warmest year in the period of historical observations. The slight decline in 2018 is likely to reflect short-term natural variability, but the overall pattern remains consistent with a long-term trend towards global warming.”

The organization based its conclusion both on its own records and the previous reports from NASA and NOAA, which found that the <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/91604/2017-was-the-second-hottest-year-on-record">five hottest years on record</a> have all occurred since 2010.

A second organization, the <a href="https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html">Japanese Meteorological Agency</a>, also declared 2018 the fourth hottest year on record, the AP reported.

The new reports follow on several from November that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fourth-hottest-year-history/">predicted the year’s ranking</a>.

The 2018 dip doesn’t mean an end to the warming trend that has been heating Earth for years. 

“Though 2018 only ranks fourth overall, 2015 through 2018 still stand out as a period of significant warmth well above all previous years since 1850,” Berkeley Earth told the AP. “This reflects the long-term trend towards global warming.”

While it didn’t break global records, 29 counties and Antarctica had record hot years in 2018, Berkeley Earth climate scientist Zeke Hausfather told the AP.

“The long term is stunningly clear,” he said.

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By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

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Earth bucked the warming trend in 2018 – but only a little

Last year, the planet actually cooled off a bit, but...

Fish farms can provide millions of tons of fish to countries around the world, and as the future of food security is largely uncertain due to climate change, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/farming-fish-food-security/">aquaculture could become an important food source</a> in the coming years. 

Several countries have expressed interest in octopus farms, and the short life spans and numerous hatchlings of a female octopus make the eight-legged cephalopod seem like an ideal fit for domestication. 

But a new analysis of octopus farms published in the journal Issues in Science and Technology warns that octopus farms could have a dangerous environmental impact.

Researchers from the <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a>, <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> and the <a href="https://www.sussex.ac.uk/">University of Sussex </a>investigated the impacts of future commercial octopus farming. 

“We are all living during the rapid domestication of aquatic species, and research is almost entirely around the question of which aquatic animals we can farm, rather than which animals we should farm,” said Jennifer Jacquet, the lead author of the study. 

After examining the pros and cons of octopus aquaculture, the researchers found that octopus farming would threaten the wellbeing of octopuses in those conditions and would result in a negative ripple effect.

The analysis comes at a crucial time since many countries like Japan, Spain and Mexico are already working to develop commercial octopus farming operations. One seafood company based in Japan has announced plans to distribute fully farmed market-ready octopus as early as 2020. 

“Universities and companies are investing time and money into farming octopus, which we believe is a big mistake,” said Jacquet. “Mass producing octopus would repeat many of the same mistakes we made on land in terms of high environmental and animal welfare impacts, and be in some ways worse because we have to feed octopus other animals.”

Around 550 aquatic species are farmed around the world, and the researchers say that because the majority of the fish are carnivorous (octopus included) farming these species puts added pressure on the food web. Additionally, 30 percent of the world’s fish harvest is used for feed. 

Octopuses are also incredibly intelligent, and many aquariums have reported entertaining accounts of their <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/04/13/octopus-slips-out-of-aquarium-tank-crawls-across-floor-escapes-down-pipe-to-ocean/?utm_term=.54cc133df62b">resident octopus escaping its tanks</a> or trying to <a href="https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96476905">manipulate its environments</a>. 

Placing an octopus in an enclosed fish farm would results in more octopus deaths, increased aggression (as octopus are generally solitary creatures), and pave the way for widespread infection and disease. 

The researchers also say that octopus farms would produce high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. 

Besides the impracticality of farming octopus, the researchers say that octopuses are not necessary for ensuring food security. 

“If society decides we cannot farm octopus, it will mean relatively few people can continue to eat them,” the researchers explain. “However, in the case of octopus, this does not pose problems for food security. The main markets for octopus--Japan, South Korea, northern Mediterranean countries, the U.S., China, and Australia--are food secure.”
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Octopus farms could have a dangerous environmental ripple effect

Fish farms can provide millions of tons of fish to...

Preparations are underway for a new expedition to explore uncharted depths of the Indian Ocean.

Many areas of the Indian Ocean and the Seychelles, an island nation off the coast of east Africa, have yet to be explored. The goal of the <a href="https://nektonmission.org/">Nekton Mission </a>is to take a first look at the deep Indian Ocean and see how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indian-ocean-climate-change/">climate change is impacting the area’s underwater ecosystem</a>. 

The <a href="https://www.apnews.com/2d6bbd4d97ec48e3b75fcdcc44ff2dfc">Associated Press</a> reported this week that the Nekton Mission’s expedition vessel, the Ocean Zephyr, was getting ready to leave Bremerhaven, Germany. 

For the first part of the mission, researchers will work on mapping the seafloor and exploring the area with both human-crewed and un-crewed submarines and remotely operated submersibles. 

Sensors will also be dropped around the seafloor at depths of 6,560 feet around the Seychelles, according to the Associated Press. 

What’s exciting about this mission is that people from all over the globe will be able to monitor the progress and tune in and watch live broadcasts from underwater cameras. 

Oliver Steeds, a member of the research team undertaking the explorations, told the Associated Press that broadcasting the camera feeds is pioneering and will allow people to journey along with the expedition. The AP will also be accompanying the mission and recording the progress of the expedition. 

Understanding how climate change is impacting the Indian Ocean ecosystem is critical because so many people live near the ocean’s coasts. People in the Seychelles are already feeling the impacts of climate change with coral bleaching and changes in ocean temperatures. 

Changes in the Indian Ocean could potentially impact over two billion people in the region. The Seychelles are particularly of interest to the expedition because the country wants to start mining oil and gas from the ocean floor. 

However, in order to understand how a deep-sea mining operation would impact the Indian Ocean ecosystem, researchers must first find out what species live in the area. 

“Our ocean is undergoing rapid ecological transformation by human activities,” Callum Roberts, a trustee of the expedition, told the Associated Press. “Seychelles are a critical beacon and bellwether for marine conservation in the Indian Ocean and globally.” 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

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New expedition will explore uncharted depths of the Indian Ocean

Preparations are underway for a new expedition to explore uncharted...

Research from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/home">University of Edinburgh</a> has found that carbon dioxide emissions can be stored securely in underground rocks, even when geological faults are present. According to the study, there is little chance of the gas escaping from fault lines back into the atmosphere.

The findings confirm the reliability of an emerging technology known as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), a process in which <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/co2-emissions-cost-us-economy/">CO2 emissions</a> from industrial activities are trapped and transported for underground storage.

The target of limiting global warming to below two degrees Celsius, as proposed by the 2015 UN Paris Agreement, may still be attainable if CCS and other climate mitigation strategies are widely adopted.

The latest findings, which are based on tests in a naturally occurring CO2 reservoir, may help to ease public concerns and promote the long-term storage of carbon dioxide in depleted gas and oil fields. 

The research team chemically analyzed a natural CO2 repository in Arizona to calculate the amount of gas that had escaped the underground reserve over nearly 500,000 years. The study showed that a very small amount of CO2 had escaped the site each year, an amount that was well within the levels needed for safe and effective storage.

Dr. Stuart Gilfillan said, “This shows that even sites with geological faults are robust, effective stores for CO2. This find significantly increases the number of sites around the world that may be suited to storage of this harmful greenhouse gas.”

Dr. Johannes Miocic added, “The safety of carbon dioxide storage is crucial for successful widespread implementation of much-needed carbon capture and storage technology. Our research shows that even imperfect sites can be secure stores for hundreds of thousands of years.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/scientificreports">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

CO2 can be stored securely underground without leaking through faults

Research from the University of Edinburgh has found that carbon...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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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



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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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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