Coral reefs in the Florida Keys, Hawaii, and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef are showing alarming signs of stress. Where bright, living structures once stretched across the seafloor, many now appear ghostly and drained of color. 



The vivid greens, yellows, and blues of the corals have faded. What remains looks more like underwater ruins than living ecosystems. This phenomenon, known as coral bleaching, happens when climate-driven <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-are-rising-faster-than-expected-and-likely-to-accelerate/">ocean warming</a> disrupts the delicate relationship between coral and the algae that live inside them.



Though the organisms remain alive, bleaching makes them vulnerable - to disease, starvation, and eventually, death.



But recent research out of <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a>, in collaboration with Duke University and the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, has uncovered something hopeful: certain corals can pass their heat tolerance to their offspring. This finding could help protect reefs around the world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-corals-under-climate-stress">Corals under climate stress</h2>



Coral reefs support nearly a quarter of all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/body-size-of-85000-marine-species-mapped-in-new-database/">marine species</a>. They also protect coastlines and help sustain millions of people globally. 



Recently, researchers discovered that resistance to heat isn’t just a fluke of one generation - It can be inherited.



“The Coral Resilience Lab in Hawaii has developed amazing methods to breed and rear corals during natural summer spawning,” said study co-author Rob Quinn.



“This is a true scientific collaboration that can support coral breeding and reproduction to cultivate more resilient corals for the warming oceans of the future.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-color-behind-the-corals">The color behind the corals</h2>



In exchange for shelter and nutrients, the algae use <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-finally-decoded-the-process-of-photosynthesis/">photosynthesis</a> to produce sugars that feed their host - providing up to 95 percent of the energy it needs. It’s a tight-knit relationship. But when water gets too warm, that partnership breaks down.



Bleached coral has kicked out its algae. It becomes pale. It loses its source of energy. And it starts to struggle.



“Corals are like the trees in an old-growth forest; they build the ecosystems we know as reefs on the energetic foundation between the animal and algae,” said study co-author Crawford Drury.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-lab-to-ocean-collaboration">A lab-to-ocean collaboration</h2>



Michigan State University, far from any tropical reef, brings a unique set of tools to the table. Samples collected from spawning events in Hawaii are sent to MSU, where researchers use a method called metabolomics to study them.



This technique lets scientists see what’s happening inside a coral’s cells at a specific moment. The goal is to find the biochemical fingerprints linked to thermal tolerance.



The experts analyzed sperm, eggs, embryos, larvae, and algae. The results showed that heat resistance comes from both the coral and its algae - and that this resistance successfully passes from parent to offspring.



“HIMB and MSU have developed a really amazing partnership. I’m just happy they’ve let me be a part of it. I can’t wait to see what comes out of it next,” said Ty Roach, a visiting faculty at Duke University and lead author of the new study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-eggs-carry-algae">Coral eggs carry algae</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natural-sunscreen-helps-blue-rice-corals-adapt-to-warming-climate/">Rice coral</a> comes in many forms - some branch out like tiny fingers, others spread flat like layered shelves. But they all share a remarkable feature: little grain-like bumps that inspired the name, and a surprising ability to pass thermal tolerance to the next generation.



Unlike many coral species that acquire algae from surrounding seawater, rice coral packages its eggs with algae from the start. 



This means that both the coral and its symbiotic algae begin their journey together from the very first moments of life. That early partnership offers a head start in facing warming oceans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-heat-in-coral-babies">Studying heat in coral babies</h2>



Quinn and his team used MSU’s advanced instruments to examine the chemistry of each sample. They set out to investigate whether the molecules linked to heat resistance - such as specific lipids - appeared consistently across generations.



The researchers discovered that even embryos and larvae, the earliest life stages, showed chemical signatures tied to their parents’ heat resilience.



“Corals usually spawn based on the lunar cycle; for our experiment, this means late nights around the summer new moons and months of work rearing coral larvae and juveniles,” Drury said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-traits-passed-during-spawning">Heat traits passed during spawning</h2>



One of those long nights left a big impression on MSU graduate student Sarah VanDiepenbos.



“It was such a serene, beautiful experience. The timing is impeccable, as the process only lasts 20 to 30 minutes total,” she said. 



The coral bundles slowly float upward, trying to find another gamete to combine with once they get to the surface. This release is gradual, so they can have a maximum chance of finding spawn from a different coral.



“To have this algae’s thermal tolerance remain through an entire generation and all the stages of coral development - that’s surprising, and promising for the future of coral reefs,” Quinn said. 



“Coral lipid biochemistry is maintained through all stages of development during reproduction. These lipids come from both the host coral and its algal symbiont, indicating there is crosstalk between them to prepare the next generation to resist bleaching.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-resilience-in-a-changing-climate">Coral resilience in a changing climate</h2>



The results don’t just offer insight. They offer an opportunity for action. Understanding how thermal resistance is passed down gives scientists better tools for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/restored-coral-reefs-can-bounce-back-in-just-four-years/">restoring reefs</a>. It also gives them a clearer sense of which corals are worth breeding in a changing climate.



“Our metabolomics research at MSU could support reef restoration efforts at places like the Kāneʻohe Bay by identifying corals that are resistant to bleaching,” Quinn said.



The oceans are changing. But thanks to research like this, we might be ready for what comes next.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61102-8">Nature Communications</a>.



-----



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Baby corals inherit a powerful climate change defense from their parents

Coral reefs in the Florida Keys, Hawaii, and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef are showing alarming signs of stress. Where bright, living structures once stretched across the seafloor, many now appear ghostly and drained of color. The vivid greens, yellows, and blues of the corals have faded. What remains looks more like underwater ruins than living ecosystems. This phenomenon, known as coral bleaching, happens when climate-driven ocean warming disrupts the delicate relationship between coral and the algae that live inside them. Though the organisms remain alive, bleaching makes...

A team of psychologists in Sweden has developed a theory that may explain why we harm the environment, even when our intentions are good. The experts suggest that we treat our relationship with the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fast-fashion-toll-environment/">environment</a> like a social exchange, believing that environmentally friendly behavior can compensate for harmful behavior.

The problem is that we cannot smooth things over later with the environment like we can in our social lives. According to the researchers, it would be impossible to mentally account for the environmental impact of all of our actions, so we use mental “rules of thumb” to track our green footprint and seek out eco-friendly products to make up for any damage we may have done. 

Study lead author Patrik Sörqvist is a professor of Environmental Psychology at the <a href="https://www.hig.se/Ext/En/University-of-Gavle.html">University of Gävle</a>.

“Reciprocity and balance in social relations have been fundamental to social cooperation, and thus to survival, so the human brain has become specialized through natural selection to compute and seek this balance,” said Professor Sörqvist. “But when applied to climate change, this social give-and-take thinking leads to the misconception that 'green' choices can compensate for unsustainable ones.”

In reality, all consumption causes permanent environmental harm. Green options are not fully restorative, but are simply less harmful.

“You can't kiss and make up with the environment. Jetting to the Caribbean will make you a huge environmental burden, no matter how many meat free Mondays you have,” said Professor Sörqvist.

When eco-friendly items are incorporated with conventional items, people often believe that the overall product is environmentally friendly. 

“For instance, some groups have found that people intuitively think the environmental burden of a hamburger and an organic apple in combination is lower than the environmental burden of the hamburger alone - or that the total emissions of a car pool remain the same when hybrid cars are added to the pool.” 

The new theory suggests that this leads us to pursue misguided quick fixes to address our guilt for harming the environment. The researchers explained that stricter legislation of marketing devices and a carbon footprint label for products would be a way to better guide consumer behavior.

“Terms like 'eco-friendly' or 'green' encourage the view that objects, behaviors and decisions with these labels are 'good' rather than 'less bad' for the environment,” said study co-author Dr. Linda Langeborg. “Calling a hamburger restaurant '100 % climate compensated', for example, may deceive people into believing that eating dinner at that restaurant has no environmental burden.”

“Instead, we should give consumers immediate feedback on how much 'eco-labeled' and other products add to the environmental impact of what they are buying. For example, self-scanning systems in supermarkets could provide customers with an accumulated carbon footprint estimate of their shopping basket.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology">Frontiers in Psychology</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>

Eco-friendly choices don’t compensate for environmental harm

A team of psychologists in Sweden has developed a theory...

New research has revealed that toxic byproducts of the herbicide Agent Orange used by the US military continue to contaminate soils in Vietnam today. 

Over the course of the war, the US dumped 20 million gallons of herbicides over Vietnam to kill trees, plants, and crops that were potentially concealing Viet Cong fighters. 

While the herbicides were effective at defoliating the thick jungle vegetation, a contaminant known as dioxin that formed in Agent Orange was <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/agent-orange-exposure-hypertension/">extremely toxic</a> and caused devastation among the Vietnamese and US military personnel. 

Even now, 50 years later, dioxin is still being consumed by fish and making its way up the food chain. 

To better understand Agent Orange's toll on the environment and public health, researchers from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> and <a href="https://www.iastate.edu/">Iowa State</a> conducted a study published in the journal Open Journal of Soil Science investigating dioxin's long and deadly legacy. 

“In this paper, we examine the short and long-term environmental effects on the Vietnamese natural resource base and how persistence of dioxin continues to affect soils, water, sediment, fish, aquatic species, the food supply, and Vietnamese health,” said Ken Olson, a co-author of the article. 

The research team reviewed reports on Vietnam's airbase sites and an 870-page <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/">USAID </a>report to track the contamination of dioxin as it spread through through the environment. 

Agent Orange is made up of two chemical herbicides, 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T, and during the production of Agent Orange, dioxin TCDD is formed. 

Unlike the other chemical components of Agent Orange, dioxin can remain in soils and stuck to sediments for decades to centuries. 

Once the US military started spraying the trees, contaminated leaves and shrubs decayed in the soil and from the soil TCDD made its way to wetlands, rivers, and lakes. 

The researchers point out ten airbase sites where dioxin concentrations are still at dangerous levels, and millions of people are potentially exposed to the pollutant. 

Incineration was ruled by the researchers as the most effective way to rid the soils of TCDD.

“While incineration is the most expensive technology currently available, it would eliminate dioxin rather than temporarily store it in a landfill, and incineration would not require future maintenance or treatment,” the researchers said. “Incineration is one of the most commonly used technologies, having been used to treat soils at more than 150 superfund sites, and is a mature and tested technology.” 

--

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: US Army Flight Operations Specialist 4 John Crivello in 1969

50 years later, Agent Orange toxic byproducts found in Vietnam soil

New research has revealed that toxic byproducts of the herbicide...

With global extinctions on the rise, a new study has shed light on a major cause: non-native species moving into an area and taking over the resources native dwellers depend upon.

The research team from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> found that since the year 1500 C.E., a full 126 extinctions can be credited entirely to non-native species crowding out their native counterparts. 

Also known as alien species, they can be linked at least in part to at least 300 of the past 953 global extinctions. Of those 300 plant and animal extinctions, more than 40 percent listed non-native species alone as the cause.

"Some people have suggested that aliens are no more likely than native species to cause species to disappear in the current global extinction crisis, but our analysis shows that aliens are much more of a problem in this regard," lead researcher Dr. Tim Blackburn said in a press release.

Blackburn and his colleagues analyzed data from the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/">2017 International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List</a> on species considered to have gone extinct since 1500. 

The IUCN Red List monitors species around the world, assessing whether they are threatened, endangered or extinct and the causes. Last month, the organization announced that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/600-species-threat-extinction/">another 600 species are at risk of extinction</a> due to habitat degradation, human development or agricultural practices, invasions of their habitats by non-native species and other causes.

The biggest offenders are various species of rat, feral house cats and foxes, especially on island species. These non-native species arrive on shipping vessels or are occasionally deliberately imported by humans. Plants were also often deliberately introduced, but quickly outgrew gardens or farming operations.

"Our study provides a new line of evidence showing that the biogeographical origin of a species matters for its impacts,” Blackburn said. “The invasion of an alien species is often enough to cause native species to go extinct, whereas we found no evidence for native species being the sole driver of extinction of other natives in any case."

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fee.2020">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Non-native species to blame for many modern extinctions

With global extinctions on the rise, a new study has...

Gardeners know that tomatoes and marigolds are good friends, with the bright flowers protecting against a variety of hungry bugs. Now, scientists have discovered how marigolds stave off one common tomato pest – whiteflies.

"We spoke to many gardeners who knew marigolds were effective in protecting tomatoes against whiteflies, but it has never been tested scientifically,” doctoral student Niall Conboy, who co-led the study, said in a press release.

Conboy and fellow scientists from <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> narrowed it down to the chemical limonene, which is released by marigolds. The smell repels the common tomato pest.

They performed two trials. The first, which used French marigolds, determined that the marigold trick really did repel whiteflies and wasn’t just an old wives’ tale. The second analyzed the chemicals and gases released by marigolds, allowing them to pinpoint limonene as the key repellent. 

In the course of the study, they also found that other limonene-containing plants can repel the common tomato pest, not just marigolds.

“This is exciting because limonene is inexpensive, it's not harmful and it's a lot less risky to use than pesticides, particularly when you don't apply it to the crop and it is only a weak scent in the air,” Conboy said.

The discovery could lead to new innovations in pest control. The common tomato pest isn’t killed by limonene; it just doesn’t like the smell. Using the chemical is unlikely to lead to resistance in the bugs, the researchers said. It could also be much safer for the tomatoes – and the workers who pick them and families who eat them – as well as beneficial or neutral species that live around them.

"Most pesticides are sprayed onto the crops,” Conboy said. “This doesn't only kill the pest that is targeted, it kills absolutely everything, including the natural enemies of the pest."

Limonene isn’t just found in marigolds. It makes up around 90 percent of the oil in citrus peels and can be found in common household products like mosquito repellent.

Repelling the common tomato pest and other limonene-hating insects with marigolds is also bee-friendly. It doesn’t harm them as pesticides can, plus it offers a food source for the pollinators.

"Any alternative methods of whitefly control that can reduce pesticide use and introduce greater plant and animal diversity into agricultural and horticultural systems should be welcomed,” said Dr. Colin Tosh, who co-led the study with Conboy.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213071">PLOS ONE</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

How marigolds protect against common tomato pest

Gardeners know that tomatoes and marigolds are good friends, with...

Planet Earth is noticeably greener than it was two decades ago, thanks to massive tree planting programs in China and India.

While the two countries often find themselves listed among the world’s worst polluters, they’re also taking major steps to counteract those labels. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> has discovered that tree planting programs around the world – led by India and China – are helping to add about 5 percent more greenery year over year since the 2000s. That’s totaled out to about 2 million square miles, more than the Amazon rainforest.

India and China “account for one-third of the greening, but contain only 9 percent of the planet's land area covered in vegetation,” lead researcher Dr. Chi Chen of <a href="https://www.bu.edu/">Boston University</a> told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>. 

In China, about 42 percent of the new green space comes from forests, and another 32 percent from farmland, researchers found.

The re-greening was first spotted by NASA’s MODIS tool in the 1990s. MODIS orbits the Earth on two satellites, taking high-resolution photographs of the planet’s surface.

The downside: All that extra greenery in Asia isn’t nearly enough to offset deforestation. At least, not alone.

[caption id="attachment_1869014" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/green.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1869014" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/green.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="527" /></a> Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory[/caption]

But the new findings are encouraging scientists to take another look at tree planting programs and other ways humans can re-green the environment.

“When the greening of the Earth was first observed, we thought it was due to a warmer, wetter climate and fertilisation from the added carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, leading to more leaf growth in northern forests, for instance,” NASA research scientist and study co-author Rama Nemani told the Mail. “Now, with the MODIS data that lets us understand the phenomenon at really small scales, we see that humans are also contributing.”

Programs all over the world are encouraging people to plant more trees, but in China and India, tree planting programs have ranged from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indian-state-hopes-to-plant-50-million-trees-in-a-day/">government-backed initiatives</a> to projects <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disabilities-pair-planting-trees/">launched by citizens</a>. Another recent study found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-trillion-trees-cancel-emissions/">planting a trillion trees</a> around the world could massively offset carbon emissions.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-019-0220-7">Nature Sustainability</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Chinese, Indian tree planting programs greening the Earth

Planet Earth is noticeably greener than it was two decades...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.utas.edu.au/">University of Tasmania</a> has revealed that balloons pose the biggest threat to seabirds of any type of plastic debris. Although hard <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/microplastic-contamination-groundwater-sources/">plastics</a> are more commonly ingested by marine animals, the researchers found that soft plastics are much more lethal. 


The study, which was led by PhD student Lauren Roman, revealed that once a seabird had ingested a single piece of plastic, it had a 20 percent chance of death. The risk of mortality rose to 50 percent for nine pieces of plastic and to 100 percent for 93 items.

“Marine debris ingestion is now a globally recognized threat,” said Roman. “However, the relationship between the amount or type of debris that a seabird ingests and mortality remains poorly understood.”

“Among the birds we studied the leading cause of death was blockage of the gastrointestinal tract, followed by infections or other complications caused by gastrointestinal obstructions.”

Roman explained that while soft plastics accounted for just five percent of the plastic pieces ingested, they were responsible for more than 40 percent of the fatalities.

“Balloons or balloon fragments were the marine debris most likely to cause mortality, and they killed almost one in five of the seabirds that ingested them,” said Roman. “As similar research into plastic ingestion by sea turtles has found, it appears that while hard plastic fragments may pass quickly through the gut, soft plastics are more likely to become compacted and cause fatal obstructions.”

Study co-author Dr. Chris Wilcox said the approach taken in the study was originally developed for turtles before it was applied to seabirds.

“These two applications are the first time there has been a robust estimate of the impact of plastic ingestion on free living marine species,” said Dr. Wilcox. “This is a critical step in triggering action to address plastic pollution.”

Roman pointed out that even though soft items like balloons are more deadly, all plastics are serious threats to seabirds.

“If seabirds eat plastic their risk of mortality increases, and even a single piece can be fatal,” said Roman. “While hard plastics are less likely to kill than soft plastics they were still responsible for more than half of the seabird deaths identified in our study.”

“The evidence is clear that if we want to stop seabirds from dying from plastic ingestion we need to reduce or remove marine debris from their environment, particularly balloons.”

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: Lauren Roman

Balloons pose the biggest threat to seabirds of any marine debris

A new study from the University of Tasmania has revealed...

The Arctic is losing more and more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-high-temperatures-arctic/">sea ice each year</a>. According to the <a href="http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/">National Snow and Ice Data Center</a>, January 2019 was the sixth lowest January for Arctic sea ice extent since 1979. 

Sea-ice minimums are reaching a point where climate models project an ice-free Arctic between 2030 and 2050. But until now, scientists have been unable to narrow down exactly when the Arctic Ocean will have its first ice-free summer.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> modeled future sea-ice extent in the Arctic and factored in a natural temperature cycle in the Pacific to help close the 20-year gap established by other climate models. 

“The trajectory is towards becoming ice-free in the summer, but there is uncertainty as to when that's going to occur,” said James Screen, an associate professor in climate science at the University of Exeter in the U.K. and the lead author of the new study.

Different climate models have been used by researchers to help predict sea-ice extent, and projections say there will be less than one million square kilometers of sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean between 2030 and 2050. 

The results of this recent study, published the <a href="https://sites.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union</a> journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2018GL081393">Geophysical Research Letters</a>, shows that a long-term natural warming phase aggravated by human greenhouse gas emissions could lead to an ice-free Arctic September closer to 2030. 

The Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) is a temperature cycle that results in shifts in temperate that last anywhere from ten to 30 years. The IPO can cause ocean surface temperatures to increase or dip by .09 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Currently, the IPO is in its warm phase and the researchers modeled sea-ice coverages factoring in both a warm phase IPO and a cold phase IPO. 

The models that used the real-world IPO warm phase showed that the Arctic could ice-free seven years earlier than if the IPO were shifting to a cold phase. 

“You can hedge your bets,” said Screen. “The shift in the IPO means there's more chance of it being on the earlier end of that window than on the later end.”

However, while the IPO is warming things up, human greenhouse emissions are at the root of climate change, and the researchers say that exactly when an ice-free Arctic occurs will depend on whether or not carbon emissions continue to increase. 

--

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>

The Arctic could have ice-free summers surprisingly soon

The Arctic is losing more and more sea ice each...

A three-week expedition to Belize has produced the first 360 degree map of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plastic-belizes-great-blue-hole/">Great Blue Hole</a>, a massive marine sinkhole that is 984 feet across and more than 400 feet deep. Equipped with two submarines and high-resolution sonar, the researchers explored the fascinating features of the sinkhole. 

The sonar enabled the team to view features that were 20 or 30 feet away in perfect detail. The researchers found a conch “graveyard” created by thousands of shellfish that likely fell to their death and observed mineral formations called stalactites near the bottom of the hole that had never been seen before.

[caption id="attachment_1868929" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-02-28-at-9.04.15-PM.png"><img class="wp-image-1868929" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-02-28-at-9.04.15-PM.png" alt="" width="700" height="384" /></a> Image Credit: Aquatica Submarines[/caption]

According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>, the team also discovered some intriguing tracks at the bottom of the sinkhole that could not be identified. Erika Bergman was the chief pilot, oceanographer, and operations manager on the expedition.

'The aptly named Great Blue Hole is a collapsed cave, filled with stalactite caverns, and built up from layers of fine limestone and rougher calcium carbonate walls,” Bergman wrote on the website <a href="http://www.southernfriedscience.com/">Southern Fried Science</a>.

“With a variety of sonar heads, used sequentially over the course of the Expedition, we've been able to create a high resolution, three dimensional sonar image of the interior of the Great Blue Hole.”

[caption id="attachment_1868930" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-02-28-at-9.05.48-PM.png"><img class="wp-image-1868930" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-02-28-at-9.05.48-PM.png" alt="" width="700" height="489" /></a> Image Credit: Aquatica Submarines[/caption]

The Great Blue Hole also has a hydrogen sulfide layer around 300 feet down that blocks out any light, transitioning divers into total darkness. “You lose all of that Caribbean sunlight and it just turns completely black, and it’s totally anoxic down there with absolutely no life,” Bergman told CNN.

[caption id="attachment_1868931" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-02-28-at-9.04.39-PM.png"><img class="wp-image-1868931" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-02-28-at-9.04.39-PM.png" alt="" width="700" height="352" /></a> Image Credit: Aquatica Submarines[/caption]

The research team included Fabien Cousteau, the grandson of French oceanographer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau, who made this region famous in the early 1970s. The project was funded in part by Virgin founder and billionaire Richard Branson, who also joined the expedition.

The <a href="https://aquaticasubmarines.com/blue-hole-belize/">Blue Hole Belize 2018 Expedition</a> was live streamed on the Discovery Channel on December 2, 2019.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Researchers reveal first ever 3D map of Belize’s Great Blue Hole

A three-week expedition to Belize has produced the first 360...

Andrew Wheeler has been voted in as the head of the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) after the Senate approved his nomination by a vote of 52 to 47 on Thursday. <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wheeler-environmental-injustice-epa/">Wheeler</a> took over as acting administrator after Scott Pruitt resigned from the position last July in response to scrutiny surrounding his ethical behavior. 

In January, Wheeler made it clear that he supported President Trump's aggressive agenda to weaken environmental regulations. At his confirmation hearing, he told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee: “Through our deregulatory actions, the Trump administration has proven that burdensome federal regulations are not necessary to drive environmental progress. Certainty, and the innovation that thrives in a climate of certainty, are key to progress.”

Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, is praised by Republicans for supporting the President's plans to reverse Obama-era regulations and criticized by Democrats for his failure to address climate change and important human health issues.

Senator Susan Collins of Maine is the only Republican who voted against Wheeler's confirmation. 

“I believe that Mr. Wheeler, unlike Scott Pruitt, understands the mission of the EPA and acts in accordance with ethical standards; however, the policies he has supported as Acting Administrator are not in the best interest of our environment and public health, particularly given the threat of climate change to our nation,” Collins said in a statement.

Elizabeth Gore is the senior vice president for political affairs at the advocacy group Environmental Defense Fund. She told the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a>: “Unlike with some nominees, we do not have to speculate about what Mr. Wheeler will do in office.”

“From his actions as acting administrator for the past eight months, we have clear evidence of his agenda: undermine rules to limit toxic mercury, allow more smog and water pollution, and roll back protections against the threat of climate change. The senators who voted to entrust Mr. Wheeler with our environment know exactly what he will do with that power.”
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Andrew Wheeler has been officially confirmed as EPA administrator

Andrew Wheeler has been voted in as the head of...

A recent <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>, has found that climate change and overfishing has shrunk many of the world’s fisheries. Researchers have found that ocean warming has caused an average 4.1% decline in sustainable catches for both fish and shellfish between 1930 and 2010. In five specific locations, including the East China Sea and North Sea, the average drop was between 15% and 35%.

These drop percentages are concerning as seafood has become a huge source of nourishment for the growing global population. And more than 56 million people work in the fisheries industry or subsist on fisheries, the researchers note.

"We recommend that fisheries managers eliminate overfishing, rebuild fisheries and account for climate change in fisheries management decisions," said study leader <a href="https://marine.rutgers.edu/~cfree/">Chris Free</a>, a postdoctoral scientist at the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara</a>. "Policymakers can prepare for regional disparities in fish catches by establishing trade agreements and partnerships to share seafood between winning and losing regions."

"We were stunned to find that fisheries around the world have already responded to ocean warming," said co-author <a href="https://marine.rutgers.edu/main/malin-pinsky">Malin Pinsky</a>, an associate professor in <a href="http://deenr.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers' Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources</a>. "These aren't hypothetical changes sometime in the future."

Although some ocean species have benefitted from warming ocean temperatures, these species can only take so much warming before they start to decline in numbers due to too high of temperatures, senior author <a href="https://marine.rutgers.edu/~ojensen/index.html">Olaf Jensen</a>, an associate professor in <a href="https://marine.rutgers.edu/main/">Rutgers' Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences</a>, said.

Scientists from <a href="https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers-New Brunswick</a> and the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> studied the impact of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-summer-weather-severe/">climate change</a> and ocean warming on 235 populations of 124 species in 38 global ecological regions. They then used ocean temperature maps to combine fishery data and estimate temperature-caused changes in the sustainable catch between 1930 and 2010. Losses were seen in areas like the Sea of Japan, North Sea, Iberian Coastal, Kuroshio Current, and Celtic-Biscay Shelf. Gains were recorded in the Labrador-Newfoundland, Baltic Sea, Indian Ocean, and Northeast U.S. Shelf.

Furthermore, the researchers note that overfishing makes species in fisheries more vulnerable to ocean warming, and continued warming will negatively impact efforts to rebuilt overfished areas.

The next step is for researchers to better understand the impact of tropical ocean warming as well as explore other factors related to the drop of sustainable catches in fisheries like ocean temperatures, ocean oxygen content, acidity, and productivity.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Orion Weldon

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Climate change has already shrunk many global fisheries

A recent Rutgers University study, published in the journal Science, has...

Coral Bleaching Survey Orpheus Island 2017 - Greg Torda

Scientists have found that dramatic changes in ocean salinity trigger the same stress response in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pacific-island-bans-toxic-sunscreens/">corals</a> as extreme heat. For example, when severe freshwater flooding greatly reduces the salinity of the seawater, corals can experience potentially fatal “freshwater bleaching.”

The researchers used the sequenced genome of the common reef-building coral Acropora millepora to detect changes in the coral's biology when exposed to a sudden drop in seawater salinity. The experts observed a biochemical response which was similar to that from marine heatwaves, but potentially more damaging.

“Using the sophisticated labs at the National Sea Simulator, we put both young and adult corals under a salinity stress test to see how they respond to differing salinity concentrations,” said study co-author Dr Jean-Baptiste Raina of the <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/">University of Technology Sydney</a>. “We found that there was a common response between both coral life-stages - with the younger corals being more sensitive to low salinity conditions, but faring slightly better with exposure over time.”

Study senior author David Miller is a professor at the <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/">ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies</a> at James Cook University.

“In general, we found that the coral's cells launch a similar chemical response to reduced salinity as they do for heat stress,” said Professor Miller. “However, unlike the heat stress response, corals exposed to reduced salinity experience a complete collapse of their internal cellular protein balance, suggesting that their cells are in deep trouble.”

Severe freshwater flooding recently occurred off the coast of northeast Queensland as a result of unusually intense rainfall during the monsoon season. The frequency and severity of extreme rainfall events is expected to increase over the next three decades, which means that interventions to increase the resilience of coral reefs are urgently needed.

“Corals are sensitive organisms, known to only tolerate slight changes in their environment. Thriving in clear, sunlit waters - the majority of reef-building corals are found in tropical and subtropical waters with a salinity between 32 to 42 parts per thousand,” explained Professor Miller. 

“During the recent flooding, there are reports that nearshore reefs were exposed to roughly half the normal ocean salinity. Our research shows that this kind of environmental change causes a shock response in corals that prevents normal cell function.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Genomics</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: ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies/Greg Torda

Coral reefs are also threatened by freshwater flooding

Scientists have found that dramatic changes in ocean salinity trigger...

Britain’s iconic oak trees under threat from climate change and pests. Scientists from six universities are reporting that native British oak trees, the English oak and the Cornish oak, are becoming increasingly vulnerable to pests and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-2080-new-york-arkansas/">climate change</a>. The experts believe that the iconic oak trees should be replaced with more resilient species.

There are 121 million oak trees in Britain. Many are losing their bark from weather stress, while pests like the processionary moth are stripping them of their leaves. The findings of a study from universities including Oxford and York suggest that it would be better to plant tougher oak trees such as the American red oak or the Austrian Oak. Britain’s iconic oak trees under threat from climate change and pests

Study co-author Professor Rob Jackson is a biological scientist at the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a>.

“Britain’s oak trees are part of its cultural landscape, but they could look very different in future. The oak is a key component of woodland ecosystems in the UK and so its decline would have a much wider impact on other species, like fungi, insects and even humans,” said Professor Jackson. 

“Humans have long been influential in the management of oak trees, as it was historically used for many activities including use for buildings, and charcoal production for metal smelting, thus it was planted widely.”

“Now humans must take action to protect our oaks for future generations. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so forest managers need support to face the specific challenges facing different forests and put in place long-term strategies.”

According to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a>, Britain’s native oak trees are also threatened by acute oak decline, chronic oak decline, and powdery mildews. The major problem with eliminating British oaks, however, is that they support thousands of species of fungi and bacteria, most of which are not supported by foreign oak trees.

“I welcome today’s Protecting Oak Ecosystems event to highlight the important work undertaken to address the serious threats to our iconic oak trees. It is inspirational to see so many people gathered together to discuss this critical issue,” said Defra Biosecurity Minister Lord Gardiner.

“The learnings from this project will feed directly into our Action Oak initiative, a collaboration of charities, government, landowners and research institutions whose aim is to protect the UK’s 121 million oak trees from plant pests and diseases.”

The findings were presented at the <a href="https://www.rgs.org/">Royal Geographical Society</a> in London.

--

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>

Britain’s iconic oak trees under threat from climate change and pests

Britain’s iconic oak trees under threat from climate change and...

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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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

[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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://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

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

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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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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