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...

The paper mulberry tree can nourish itself and the surrounding soil. A genome study of the paper mulberry has revealed the tree evolved its fibrous inner bark around 31 million years ago, which was long before it was first used for bookmaking during China's Tang dynasty. This adaptation makes the plant easy to pass through foraging animals and may have been its way of feeding nearby <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/soil-microbes-communicate-battle/">soil microbes</a>, according to a team of botanists in China. 

The research team used a technique known as comparative genetics and discovered that the paper mulberry tree also develops a complex set of flavonoids. The compounds help a plant's roots attract nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Rhizobia, which boost growth in the leaves and stems. This enables the paper mulberry to adapt to a wide range of environments.The paper mulberry tree can nourish itself and the surrounding soil

[caption id="attachment_1868821" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/paper-mulberry.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1868821" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/paper-mulberry.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="852" /></a> Image Credit: Peng and Liu et al.[/caption]

“The unique traits of paper mulberry are consistent with the ancient Chinese philosophy of mutual promotion and restraint, suggesting that paper mulberry is a very complex and remarkable tree species,” wrote the researchers, who were led by Shihua Shen from the <a href="http://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>. “Both humans and livestock can benefit from the symbiosis of paper mulberry and microbes.”

The paper mulberry tree was found to have over 30,000 genes. Native to Asia, the unique tree has a long history of applications. For example, the bark of paper mulberry is the main raw material of Cai Lun papermaking, one of the four great inventions in ancient China. In addition, the tree's leaves are the raw materials for high-quality protein feed.

“The paper mulberry is a very important multi-purpose resource plant,” said Shen. “However, the lack of systematic research and artificial domestication hinder the development and utilization of plant, which is far behind other economic crops. We hope that this study will promote the breeding of new paper mulberry strains with higher yield and high quality.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/molecular-plant/home">Molecular Plant</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The paper mulberry tree can nourish itself and the surrounding soil

The paper mulberry tree can nourish itself and the surrounding...

When scientists and residents discuss the likelihood of the “big one” happening in California, they’re usually referring to fear of a massive <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/california-bridge-sensors-earthquakes/">earthquake</a> occurring along the San Andreas fault. But a new report by the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">United States Geological Survey (USGS)</a> has revealed a hidden threat facing the state: volcanic eruptions.

The <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2018/5159/sir20185159.pdf">USGS National Volcanic Threat Assessment</a> states that major eruptions are just as common as large earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault, but volcanoes in the state have become a “nearly forgotten hazard.”

The USGS report assessed the risk of volcanic eruption along the state’s volcanoes and eight volcanic areas were categorized as a “high,” or “moderate” threat. 

Out of these eight, magma lies beneath at least seven of the volcanic areas, which means they could easily produce volcanic earthquakes, toxic gas emissions, hot springs, geothermal systems, or ground movement. 

The experts say that a future volcanic eruption is extremely likely due to the state’s history of past eruptions.

[caption id="attachment_1868827" align="aligncenter" width="578"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/california-volcanoes.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1868827" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/california-volcanoes.jpg" alt="" width="578" height="697" /></a> Image Credit: USGS[/caption]

In the past 1,000 years, there have been at least ten volcanic eruptions in California, which is why a future eruption is inevitable. 

Hundreds of thousands of people live and work near risky volcanic hazard zones in the state, and a future eruption could cause widespread devastation and displace thousands of people. 

“Based on the record of volcanic activity over the last five millennia, the probability of another small- to moderate-sized eruption in California in the next 30 years is estimated to be about 16 percent,” the report states. “This is similar to the forecast for a magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake specific to the San Andreas Fault in the San Francisco Bay region, which is estimated to be about a 22 percent probability in 30 years, starting from 2014.”

<a href="https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/calvo/">California’s Volcano Observatory</a> keeps careful watch over the state’s volcanoes, and a spike in activity could mean an eruption is soon on the way. 

The report emphasizes the importance of preparedness and that volcanoes need to be taken as seriously as earthquakes by policymakers. 

It’s impossible to stop a volcano or earthquake, but being well informed of the potential risks and having emergency evacuation plans in place can go a long way in minimizing the threats posed by future natural disasters. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

California’s “big one” may end up being a volcanic eruption

When scientists and residents discuss the likelihood of the “big...

A new report has found that Americans use more toilet paper than any other population in the world with a tissue market that generates $31 billion each year.

The <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/issue-tissue-how-americans-are-flushing-forests-down-toilet-report.pdf">report</a>, conducted by the<a href="https://www.nrdc.org/"> Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)</a> and the environmental group <a href="https://www.stand.earth/">Stand.earth</a>, shows that our propensity for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/manure-paper-sustainably/">tree-pulp paper products</a> is degrading Canadian forest habitats and threatens indigenous communities. 

Even though the United States accounts for just four percent of the world’s population, the country is responsible for 20 percent of total global toilet paper use. 

On average, Americans go through about three rolls of toilet paper a week. 

The super-soft, two-ply toilet paper that’s a staple in your bathroom, the facial tissue you always have on hand if you get a cold, and the quilted paper towels you use to mop up the kitchen counter are all typically made of tree-pulp. 

While tree-pulp paper products are easy on your wallet, the new “Issue with Tissue” report emphasizes the high environmental costs of single-use paper products. 

The NRDC describes the manufacturing and consumption of paper products as a “tree-to-toilet-pipeline,” where trees are cut down to make pulp which is turned into paper that is soon flushed away. 

Most wood-pulp comes from boreal forests in Canada which stretches from the Yukon to Newfoundland.

It’s a vast habitat, home to caribou and over a hundred species of birds. 70 percent of Canada’s<a href="https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/forests/boreal/17394"> indigenous communities</a> live in the country’s forested regions, but logging destroys a million acres of boreal forests each year to help meet the demand for tree-pulp paper products. 

The impacts of logging on the forest ecosystem are devastating both the indigenous communities and native wildlife. 

“Some communities have only a fraction of their forest left intact,” the report states. “Although Canadian governments have made efforts toward reconciliation...often communities
do not have the power to say no to development on their lands.” 

Logging also contributes to climate change, and less tree cover means more carbon emissions are released into the atmosphere. 

The report called out tissue manufacturers Procter &amp; Gamble Co., the makers of Charmin, and Kimberly-Clark Corp. and Georgia-Pacific which manufacture Angel Soft and Quilted Northern, as some of the least environmentally friendly tissue paper companies. 

“The average American consumer doesn’t think about how their toilet paper is made,” said Shelley Vinyard, a co-author of the report and campaign manager of the NRDC’s boreal corporate campaign. “We can’t afford this old-fashioned and outdated approach to making toilet paper and other tissue products, given the climate crisis and the urgent need to keep our forests intact.”

The report includes a “buyer’s guide to the sustainability of at-home tissue products,” where different popular tissue brands are graded on their sustainability and eco-friendly materials so consumers can make more informed decisions when stocking up on toilet paper. 

--

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>

America’s high demand for toilet paper is destroying Canadian forests

A new report has found that Americans use more toilet...

Up-cycling plastics

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a lightweight and waterproof plastic commonly used to make containers and packaging. From the food you eat to the water you drink, chances are good that it was packaged in PET.

PET is also fully recyclable, and yet millions of tons of PET <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/billions-tons-plastic-thrown/">end up in landfills or the oceans</a> every year where it takes hundreds of years to break down. When PET is recycled, it can only be used again once or twice after the recycling process and is much less valuable the second time around.  

But now, researchers from the <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/">U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory</a> (NREL) have developed a new recycling process that effectively upcycles PET into a more valuable material with a longer lifespan.

A study detailing the new recycling process was published in the journal JOULE and reveals how the new recycled material could be used in a wide range of products. 

“The process we came up with is a way to ‘upcycle’ PET into long-lifetime, high-value composite materials like those that would be used in car parts, wind turbine blades, surfboards, or snowboards,” said Greg Beckham, the senior author of the study.

The researchers combined recycled PET with renewable materials like plant-biomass and developed two fiber-reinforced plastics that are two to three times more valuable than PET.  

PET upcycling would also require 57 percent less energy to produce than other recycling processes and would emit fewer greenhouse gasses. The key is to find a way to process the new upcycled material on a large scale.

“The idea is to develop technologies that would incentivize the economics of PET reclamation,” said Beckham. “That's the real hope--to develop ‘second-life’ upcycling technologies that make single-use waste plastic valuable to reclaim. This, in turn, could help keep waste plastic out of the world's oceans and out of landfills.”

The researchers plan to continue studying upcycled PET and finding efficient ways to make the process feasible for manufacturing and 100 percent recyclable. For now, the materials combined with PET in the study, although durable and long lasting, are not recyclable at the end of their life, according to the researchers.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Dennis Schroeder / NREL

New method ‘upcycles’ plastic to give it a more valuable second life

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a lightweight and waterproof plastic commonly...

As scientists work to find new ways of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slow the impacts of climate change, several clean energy alternatives and carbon capture techniques have emerged as potential frontrunners in the race to limit global warming to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2030-limit-climate-change-warming/">1.5 degrees Celsius</a>.

Now, after conducting a study of the world’s forests, one scientist argues that planting a little over one trillion new trees could cancel out ten years of emissions.

Ecologist Thomas Crowther and a team of colleagues analyzed large forest and soil datasets to develop a more accurate picture of the world’s forest system.

Data from the <a href="https://www.gfbinitiative.org/">Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative</a> (the world’s largest global dataset of forest inventory data) and the <a href="https://www.globalsoilbiodiversity.org/">Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative</a> along with satellite imagery were used in the study, and the researchers realized that an estimated three trillion trees currently cover the planet

This number is over seven times more than previous estimates by the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">National Aeronautics and Space Administration</a> (NASA).

Once the researchers had a clearer picture of the global forest system, machine learning was used to predict how many more trees could be planted on Earth.

The results of the analysis showed that the globe had room for 1.2 trillion more trees in forests and abandoned lands.

As previous estimates largely underestimated the number of trees on Earth, researchers have also overlooked the potential role of forests in combating climate change.

Taking the 1.2 trillion trees into account, Crowther and his team discovered that restoring the world’s forests and planting more trees could effectively cancel out years of carbon emissions.

“There’s 400 gigatons now, in the 3 trillion trees, and if you were to scale that up by another trillion trees that’s in the order of hundreds of gigatons captured from the atmosphere – at least 10 years of anthropogenic emissions completely wiped out,” Crowther told <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/forests-climate-change-co2-greenhouse-gases-trillion-trees-global-warming-a8782071.html">The Independent</a>.

Crowther presented the <a href="https://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2019/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/23744">findings</a> at the recent annual meeting of the<a href="https://www.aaas.org/"> American Association for the Advancement of Science </a>(AAAS).

Planting more trees may seem like an obvious answer, but is it feasible or realistic to plant an addition 1.2 trillion trees, especially in a world where food security and expanding agriculture are real concerns?

Crowther explained to The Independent that the new data only took unused land into account, meaning that the 1.2 trillion trees would not encroach on agricultural land.

“We are not targeting urban or agricultural area, just degraded or abandoned lands, and it has the potential to tackle the two greatest challenges of our time – climate change and biodiversity loss,” Crowther said.

While 1.2 trillion trees is a lofty yet unrealistic goal, the study does emphasize the underestimated potential of forest restoration in the efforts to curb climate change.

--

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>

Could planting a trillion trees cancel out 10 years of emissions?

As scientists work to find new ways of reducing greenhouse...

Scientists devise groundbreaking technique to turn CO2 back into coal. For the first time ever, scientists have managed to convert carbon dioxide back into solid coal. The groundbreaking technique developed by researchers at <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/">RMIT University</a> in Melbourne uses liquid metals to transform <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/high-co2-levels-stratus-clouds/">CO2</a> from a gas into solid particles of carbon.

Most of the technologies that have been proposed for carbon capture and storage involve pumping CO2 underground after it has been compressed into a liquid form. However, progress has been hindered by environmental concerns and engineering challenges. Scientists devise groundbreaking technique to turn CO2 back into coal 

Dr. Torben Daeneke explained that converting CO2 back into a solid form could be a more sustainable approach.

“While we can't literally turn back time, turning carbon dioxide back into coal and burying it back in the ground is a bit like rewinding the emissions clock,” said Dr. Daeneke. “To date, CO2 has only been converted into a solid at extremely high temperatures, making it industrially unviable.”

“By using liquid metals as a catalyst, we've shown it's possible to turn the gas back into carbon at room temperature, in a process that's efficient and scalable. While more research needs to be done, it's a crucial first step to delivering solid storage of carbon.”

Study lead author Dr. Dorna Esrafilzadeh developed the electrochemical technique to capture atmospheric CO2. In order to convert it, the researchers designed a liquid metal catalyst with surface properties that made it extremely efficient at conducting electricity while chemically activating the surface.

The carbon dioxide is dissolved in a beaker containing an electrolyte liquid and a small amount of the liquid metal. After the metal is charged using an electrical current, the CO2 slowly converts into solid flakes of carbon. Dr. Esrafilzadeh explained that the solid carbon produced in this process could also be used as an electrode.

“A side benefit of the process is that the carbon can hold electrical charge, becoming a supercapacitor, so it could potentially be used as a component in future vehicles. The process also produces synthetic fuel as a by-product, which could also have industrial applications,” said Dr. Esrafilzadeh.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists devise groundbreaking technique to turn CO2 back into coal

Scientists devise groundbreaking technique to turn CO2 back into coal....

Red alder trees play an important role in promoting healthy forest ecosystems by tapping into nutrients that are locked in bedrock, such as calcium and phosphorus. According to a study from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> and the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a>, this process speeds up the dissolution of rocks and makes more nutrients available for the surrounding plants and trees.

Study co-author Julie Pett-Ridge is a geochemist in OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences. She explained that the research addresses the long-term implications of how nutrients make their way into ecosystems, which sustain their long-term growth and productivity and ultimately store carbon.

The study also provides new insight into how some trees can naturally fertilize <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/young-forests-storing-carbon/">forests</a>, which is essential for natural ecosystems. In a process called nitrogen fixation, the trees convert atmospheric nitrogen into forms that can be utilized by other plants.

“Nitrogen mostly comes from the atmosphere, but more than 20 other nutrients mostly come from rock,” said Pett-Ridge. “We've established a connection between those two processes. Nitrogen-fixing trees, which we knew were special for how they bring in nitrogen from the atmosphere, also have a unique ability to accelerate the supply of rock-derived nutrients.”

The red alder is a deciduous tree that is native to western North America, but is closely related to other species of alder around the world. Alder tree species, including red alder, have the ability to release nitrogen into soil through nodules on their roots.

Study lead author Steven Perakis is an ecologist with the USGS. He said that, in a way, the red alder trees eat through the rocks. 

“These trees not only can add nitrogen to ecosystems, they also can add all the other nutrients that forests require to grow and store carbon,” said Perakis. “That knowledge can contribute to the sustainability of forest practices in managed forests. Farmers figured out a long time ago that nutrients were essential for maintaining productivity. These processes take a little bit longer to show themselves in forests.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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: Walter Siegmund

Red alder trees can break through rocks to release nutrients

Red alder trees play an important role in promoting healthy...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.uef.fi/en">University of Eastern Finland</a> have mapped more than 1,000 wetland sites that are currently concealed by fields, forests, and lakes. These ancient wetlands may ultimately provide new insight into the global carbon cycle. 

Carbon-rich wetland deposits that are buried beneath other sediments have been exposed by road construction, cliffs, quarries, and also by scientific investigations. A record of the site’s history is often preserved in un-decomposed plant material, or peat.

The researchers collected data, including where the buried wetland deposits were found, when they formed, and how they were buried. Some of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/restoring-canals-revive-wetlands/">wetlands</a> were once coastal marshes that were flooded by sea level rise, while others were buried by glaciers or flooding.

“We were really surprised when we started to combine our data from different sites around the world. What we thought would be only a few sites turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg. When we started to look for more examples from previous studies, we identified more than 1,000 buried wetland sites across the globe,” said Dr. Claire Treat, who co-led the study with Dr. Thomas Kleinen.

Buried wetlands were discovered from the Arctic islands of Canada and Siberia to the tropical regions of Africa and Indonesia. The researchers found that some of the wetlands developed less than a thousand years ago, but others were found to have formed more than 100,000 years ago between the two latest glaciations.

The study revealed that peat burial can result in the slow transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to land, which helped to offset a small amount of climate warming in the past.

“The fact that these peats are buried and stay on land is basically like a leak in what we usually consider a closed system of how carbon moves around the earth, from the atmosphere to the land and oceans,” said Dr. Treat. “This new finding isn't represented in our models of the global carbon cycle, and may help to explain some behavior that differs between models and observations.”

The findings indicate that present-day wetlands will continue to mitigate rising CO2 concentrations as long as they remain undisturbed.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Buried wetlands reveal new secrets of the global carbon cycle

Scientists at the University of Eastern Finland have mapped more...

When it comes to what kind of weather is normal and what is unusual, people have very short memories, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>. The researchers believe that this detachment may prevent people from having a realistic perception of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a>.

The team analyzed more than two billion Twitter posts by users in the United States. They discovered that people tend to base their understanding of “normal” weather on what has happened in the last two to eight years.

Study lead author Frances C. Moore is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at UC Davis.

“There's a risk that we'll quickly normalize conditions we don't want to normalize,” said Professor Moore. “We are experiencing conditions that are historically extreme, but they might not feel particularly unusual if we tend to forget what happened more than about five years ago.”

The experts looked at Twitter posts created between March 2014 and November 2016 to determine what kind of temperatures generated the most tweets about weather. 

The study revealed that people often tweeted when they were experiencing temperatures that were unusual for a particular time of the year. If the same weather persisted for more than a year, however, there was much less commentary. This indicates that people began to view big weather changes as being normal in a relatively short amount of time.


The researchers used sentiment analysis tools, which measure the positive or negative association of words. After repeated exposure to historically-extreme temperatures, people tweeted less about the weather specifically, but still expressed negative sentiments. In particular, hot or cold conditions seemed to make people grouchy and unhappy.

“We saw that extreme temperatures still make people miserable, but they stop talking about it,” said Professor Moore. “This is a true boiling-frog effect. People seem to be getting used to changes they'd prefer to avoid. But just because they're not talking about it doesn't mean it's not making them worse off.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: NOAA

It only takes a few years for people to normalize unusual weather

When it comes to what kind of weather is normal...

A little boy sits on a fallen tree trunk, dressed in warm clothes and a hat with a punpon. Long wide panorama

A new study from <a href="https://international.au.dk/">Aarhus University</a> has revealed that children who grow up with greener surroundings have a much lower risk of developing certain mental illnesses later in life. The findings highlight the importance of creating <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/green-spaces-childrens-respiratory/">greener cities</a> to benefit mental health. 

According to the World Health Organization, more than 450 million people suffer from mental disorders, and this number is expected to increase. 

The researchers used satellite data to examine the presence of green space surrounding the childhood homes of nearly one million people in Denmark. This information was compared with the risk of developing 16 different mental disorders.

The study revealed that children living among green spaces were 55 percent less likely to develop a mental health disorder. 

Study lead author Kristine Engemann is an expert in the Department of Bioscience and the National Centre for Register-based Research at Aarhus University.

“Our data is unique. We have had the opportunity to use a massive amount of data from Danish registers of, among other things, residential location and disease diagnoses and compare it with satellite images revealing the extent of green space surrounding each individual when growing up,” said Engemann.

Previous studies have shown that more green space promotes greater social cohesion and physical activity. Green space has also been found to improve cognitive development among children. These factors can all have a positive impact on mental health.

“With our dataset, we show that the risk of developing a mental disorder decreases incrementally the longer you have been surrounded by green space from birth and up to the age of 10. Green space throughout childhood is therefore extremely important,” explained Engemann.

“There is increasing evidence that the natural environment plays a larger role for mental health than previously thought. Our study is important in giving us a better understanding of its importance across the broader population.”


As the number of people living in the world’s cities continues to grow, the research has important implications for urban planning.

Study co-author Professor Jens-Christian Svenning added, “The coupling between mental health and access to green space in your local area is something that should be considered even more in urban planning to ensure greener and healthier cities and improve mental health of urban residents in the future.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Colourbox.dk

Growing up with green spaces can lower risk of adult mental illness

A new study from Aarhus University has revealed that children...

The White House is moving forward with its plan to form a panel to review and challenge the scientific consensus on climate change.

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-house-panel-global-warming-threat/">we reported</a>, the Trump administration had announced plans for a similar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-house-panel-global-warming-threat/">climate change committee spearheaded by fossil fuels advocate William Happer</a>.

Happer wanted to form an independent federal advisory committee, but the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/white-house-to-select-federal-scientists-to-reassess-government-climate-findings-sources-say/2019/02/24/49cd0a84-37dd-11e9-af5b-b51b7ff322e9_story.html?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.047db5eeab48">Washington Post</a> reports that the committee would be comprised of select federal scientists and would not be subjected to the same requirements of an advisory committee. The group will be selected by the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/">National Security Council</a>. 

The goal of the plan has not changed, and the National Security Council’s new group will assess the threat of climate change to national security. The news comes after the president’s own administration published several reports stating that climate change was a threat to coastal military bases.

It’s a well-known fact that greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities have driven up atmospheric CO2 concentrations and increased global temperatures.

President Trump has made his stance clear that he doesn’t agree with the overwhelming consensus that CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are leading to irreversible climate change.

Charles Kupperman, Deputy National Security Advisor, said that the President was unhappy with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-denies-federal-climate-report/">National Climate Assessment</a> issued in November during a meeting on Friday February 22nd.

During that meeting, top government officials discussed the best way to go about forming a group to contest the findings of the National Climate Assessment, according to the Washington Post.

While the Trump administration argues that the panel is a way to thoroughly review and assess previous climate studies, critics fear that the committee will continue to deny the realities of climate change.

“I never thought I would live to see the day in the United States where our own White House is attacking the very science agencies that can help the president understand and manage the climate risks to security of today and tomorrow,” David Titley, a retired Rear Admiral, and former chief operating officer at the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA), told the Washington Post. “Such attacks are un-American.”

--

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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White House to form panel to challenge climate change science

The White House is moving forward with its plan to...

An international team of researchers led by the <a href="http://www.cnrs.fr/en/cnrs">French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)</a> have found via computer model that biological changes within global oceans are accelerating, therefore affecting our use of marine resources. This data helps to round out current marine biology system monitoring, which is limited to small fractions of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/earths-oceans-blue-green/">ocean</a>.

Researchers wanted to understand “climate surprises,” those being abrupt biological shifts that occur due to climate fluctuations. To do so, scientists from CNRS and <a href="http://www.sorbonne-universite.fr/en">Sorbonne University</a>, alongside colleagues from Japan, Europe, and America, developed a computer model based on the macroecological theory on the arrangement of life, dubbed METAL.

Their model included varying simulated species, called "pseudo-species,” each exhibiting a range of reactions to natural temperature variations. Said pseudo-species, which avoid thermal fluctuations outside their tolerance range, formed "pseudo-communities" and gradually colonized all oceanic regions within the model. 

As explained in a February 25th writeup in <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Changes</a>, this research method allows scientists to study oceans all over the world, quantify the force and spread of biological shifts, and identify those major biological shifts linked to changing marine life, which affects services like fishing, aquaculture, and the carbon cycle.

The model also helped scientists understand the increase of “climate surprises,” which are most likely linked to El Niño, temperature irregularities of the Atlantic and the Pacific, and Arctic warming.

Furthermore, the model predicts events a year before they occur, allowing researchers to turn their attention to locales overlooked by current observation programs.

The changes revealed by the new computer model suggest changes in marine biology systems may affect our marine industries due to shifting ocean communities and redistribution of marine species. 

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

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Biological changes in global oceans are accelerating, research shows

An international team of researchers led by the French National...

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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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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