Natural,Environment,Climate-neutral,Long-term,Emissions,Strategy,Net,Zero,2050,Carbon

Balancing cleaner air with rising incomes is not a luxury question for developing countries. It is a real-world, and real-life, policy problem that shapes health, jobs, and the future of their cities.



A new <a href="https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0217590825500304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> lays out when zero emissions can go hand in hand with steady <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-will-cut-world-gdp-by-a-staggering-40-percent-if-nothing-changes/">growth</a>, even when governments rely on foreign aid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zero-emissions-and-economic-growth">Zero emissions and economic growth</h2>



The work comes from <a href="https://tus.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/hideo-noda" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hideo Noda</a> at the Tokyo University of Science (<a href="https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TUS</a>) with coauthor Fengqi Fang, a Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration from the Graduate School of Business Administration at TUS. 



The team builds a simple but testable way to check if a country can hit zero net <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-trade-is-fueling-a-dangerous-rise-in-methane-emissions/">emissions</a> while its economy keeps expanding.



They also verify the model numerically using real world style parameters so it is not just a chalkboard exercise. 



The paper connects theory to a specific United Nations target on decoupling growth from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5c-is-almost-certainly-out-of-reach/">environmental damage</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zero-emissions-models">Zero emissions models</h2>



First, the authors define a zero-emissions <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/net-zero-coalition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">policy</a> as keeping net pollution at zero at every point in time, by matching abatement to emissions. That requires money, technology, and clear rules to assign who pays.



They run two versions of the economy. 



One is a public goods <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/stantcheva/files/lecture8.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> where government services like roads or schools lift private production for everyone at once, a standard growth <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/261726" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> introduced by Robert Barro in 1990. 



The second adds <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-will-climate-change-hit-hardest-global-index-reveals-vulnerability/">congestion</a>, where more people share the same public services so the boost per person shrinks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-minimum-income-rule">Minimum income rule</h2>



The key test is whether gross domestic product (<a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GDP</a>) per capita rises above a minimum income threshold so a country can fully clean what it emits. 



The authors call this the kindergarten rule level of abatement, as in: “clean-up what you make dirty.”



"Following the Kindergarten rule means implementing zero emission technologies in either finite time or asymptotically," noted M. Scott Taylor and William Brock in their related <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w9597" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>. 



This frame anchors the new threshold concept for developing countries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aid-supports-clean-income-growth">Aid supports clean income growth</h2>



Many low income governments fund services with official development assistance (<a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/policy-issues/official-development-assistance-oda.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ODA</a>), so the model lets outside aid pay for both cleaning and public services. 



That design reflects classic work showing how aid aimed at productive public services can shift long run growth.



In related <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304387806000290" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">theory</a>, flexible labor and aid tied to public capital influence the path of output and welfare. The new paper extends this logic to pollution control that must be paid for every year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-income-threshold">Changing income threshold</h2>



The threshold depends on clean technology, population size, and how much aid is fixed to environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/expanding-oil-and-gas-fields-threaten-global-climate-goals/">uses</a>. Better abatement technology lowers the income bar because each dollar of cleanup removes more pollution.



Population matters differently across the two models. In the public goods case, a larger labor force can raise growth because services scale with the economy, while in the congestion case that scale effect drops out as services get diluted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taxes-and-zero-emissions-targets">Taxes and zero emissions targets</h2>



The model also looks at tax policy, focusing on a labor income tax that finances services. 



There is a tax rate that maximizes the growth of income per person, and under both models governments can reach the needed income threshold in finite time if they choose that growth maximizing rate.



Public services that complement private capital are the link. When governments tax and spend on those services efficiently, private firms produce more and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-economies-can-grow-while-cutting-emissions/">economy climbs</a> to the income level that makes full abatement feasible.



"Both models indicate that implementing the zero-emissions policy is compatible with sustainable economic growth," wrote Noda. 



They also show the kindergarten rule threshold is higher with congestion than without it, so crowding of public services slows the crossing.



"We call this threshold the kindergarten rule level of pollution abatement in terms of GDP per capita," wrote Noda. The result gives policymakers a clear income target, not just a slogan about decoupling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-growth-and-sdgs">Income growth and SDGs</h2>



Target 8.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (<a href="https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SDGs</a>) asks countries to decouple growth from environmental degradation. 



The authors argue their framework helps explain when that is possible in practice, and how policy levers change the timing.



The UN defines the <a href="https://metadata.un.org/sdg/8.4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">target</a> as improving resource efficiency and decoupling growth from environmental harm through 2030. The paper’s threshold view fits that mandate with a concrete yardstick.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-results-still-matter">Why results still matter</h2>



Earlier <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652621009112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> in the same research stream focused on developed, innovation-driven economies and showed that zero emissions could be achieved alongside continued growth. 



That study examined whether sustained economic expansion could occur while also maintaining <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-net-zero-world-will-require-75-trillion-of-investment-and-1-billion-electric-cars/">zero net pollution emissions</a>.



The new paper shows the same compatibility can hold in aid dependent settings where innovation is not the main growth engine. 



That extension fills a real gap, because many low income countries face tighter fiscal and technological limits.



Build or buy cleaner technology so the threshold falls. Treat tied aid for environmental programs as a growth tool and not just a cost center.



Set tax policy to raise the growth rate of income per person, then sustain it long enough to pass the threshold. Guard against congestion by scaling services with population, so gains are not diluted.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0217590825500304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Singapore Economic Review</a>.



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Net-zero emissions and rising income levels can both be achieved simultaneously

Balancing cleaner air with rising incomes is not a luxury question for developing countries. It is a real-world, and real-life, policy problem that shapes health, jobs, and the future of their cities. A new study lays out when zero emissions can go hand in hand with steady growth, even when governments rely on foreign aid. Zero emissions and economic growth The work comes from Hideo Noda at the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) with coauthor Fengqi Fang, a Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration from the Graduate School...

Tiny organisms in the sea provide about half of Earth’s oxygen, which shows how much life below the waves matters for everyone on the planet. These organisms often cluster in drifting currents and eddies that seem small compared to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/ocean-basin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean basins</a>, yet each swirling system teems with energetic chemistry and unexpected activity.



Eddies in the ocean can measure around six to 62 miles wide, spinning off from busy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-weather-is-affected-by-the-atmosphere-in-unexpected-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coastal areas</a> and then journeying into quieter open waters. Kevin Becker from <a href="https://www.geomar.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GEOMAR</a> led a project that explored these twisting flows and tracked what they deliver to regions far from shore.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-eddies-move-nutrients-offshore">Ocean eddies move nutrients offshore</h2>



Many people envision the ocean as calm on the surface and dark below. Scientists now know these waters are crisscrossed by powerful rotations that form near coastlines, including the <a href="https://meerwissen.org/news/mauritania-hot-earth-cold-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mauritanian upwelling system</a> off West Africa.



These persistent eddies can carry material that supports marine life in places where conditions might otherwise be meager. They become natural transport lines for valuable molecules and nutrients that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-currents-may-soon-clean-up-waste-thanks-to-space-tech/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a> creatures need.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-eddies-carry-energy-rich-lipids">Ocean eddies carry energy-rich lipids</h2>



In recent work aboard the <a href="https://www.ebus-climate-change.de/reebus-m156" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">METEOR M156 Expedition</a>, researchers used high-resolution methods to identify nearly 1,000 different <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24425-lipids" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lipids</a> from the top layers of the Atlantic. 



These molecules make up a key fraction of phytoplankton bodies and provide energy for everything higher up the food chain.



“These eddies are basically the food trucks of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-trash-debris-now-found-in-deepest-parts-of-earths-seas-and-oceans-mediterranean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a>,” explained Dr. Kevin Becker, lead author of the study. Those words hint at the diversity and abundance of molecules that swirl along with the current, ready to nourish anything that ingests them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-energy-reserves">Surprising energy reserves</h2>



A fascinating discovery was the abundance of energy-packed <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/fatty-acid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fatty acids</a>. They showed up in forms that creatures like fish and zooplankton cannot make on their own, which means these compounds help sustain life wherever the eddy spins.



Scientists uncovered storage lipids in certain spots within the rotating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/southern-ocean-absorbs-more-co2-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">waters</a>, pointing to thriving microscopic communities. This energy reservoir can be a jackpot for marine grazers that encounter it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eddies-transport-organic-carbon">Eddies transport organic carbon</h2>



The team found that up to 9.7 ± 2.0 gigagrams (about 10,000 tons) of organic carbon may hitch a ride each year on westward-moving eddies. 



These swirling blobs of seawater can journey hundreds of miles, distributing nutritious materials in areas that would otherwise see fewer life-sustaining resources.



Gaining a better handle on how much carbon these eddies export helps clarify the ocean’s big picture. It also helps scientists understand how changes in currents could affect wildlife far offshore.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-matters-for-fish-and-people">Why this matters for fish and people</h2>



Marine organisms depend on carbon and nutrients to survive. Those lipids and fatty acids are building blocks for healthy fish stocks, which support <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/population-assessments" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">local fisheries</a> that put food on human tables.



Shifting ocean conditions under a warming climate could affect where and how these eddies form. That might change how nutrients flow across the sea, influencing the future of fisheries and coastal economies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community-shifts-and-ocean-health">Community shifts and ocean health</h2>



The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02152-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> showed that tiny phytoplankton play a starring role in shaping the chemistry within eddies. They thrive in upwelled waters before swirling along with the current.



Different species within these spinning waters can alter nutrient cycles in subtle ways. Researchers are examining how shifts in <a href="https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Microbiology_(Boundless)/16%3A_Microbial_Ecology/16.03%3A_Aquatic_Microbiology/16.3B%3A_Planktonic_Communities" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plankton communities</a> ripple up to affect the entire food web and the global carbon balance.



Mauritania’s coastal waters are a prime example of how wind, currents, and topography blend to form these eddies. Similar processes occur elsewhere, hinting that these spinning parcels of water are a widespread phenomenon worth watching.



Scientists will collect more data from other upwelling zones to see if eddies in those places function in the same way. Far-reaching comparisons may reveal broader lessons about nutrient transport and carbon flow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-may-reshape-ocean-eddies">Climate may reshape ocean eddies</h2>



<a href="https://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/ocean-mesoscale-eddies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mesoscale eddies</a> may grow stronger or weaker as ocean temperatures change. Some climate <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1157049/full">models</a> suggest patterns could shift in the coming years, yet the long-term consequences remain unclear.



More research is needed to figure out what will happen if these swirling waters become more or less common. Everything from the tiniest plankton to the largest fish might be affected.



The recent <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02152-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">findings</a> have shown that there is plenty to learn by exploring these spinning dynamics. Sophisticated techniques let experts pick apart complex chemical structures in water samples that were once a mystery.



“Our study highlights the central role of mesoscale eddies,” concluded Professor Dr. Anja Engel, lead scientist of the project and head of the Marine Biogeochemistry Research Division at GEOMAR.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02152-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Spinning ocean eddies feed marine life with rich nutrients

Tiny organisms in the sea provide about half of Earth’s...

Every summer feels hotter than the last. News reports cover deadly heatwaves, rising humidity, and collapsing infrastructure under soaring temperatures. But while climate models predict extreme weather, a deeper question lingers: how much heat can the human body actually tolerate?



A recent study from the University of Ottawa’s Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit (<a href="https://hepru.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HEPRU</a>) has provided fresh insights. 



The team, led by Dr. Robert D. Meade and Professor Glen Kenny, set out to measure the biological limits of thermoregulation - our body’s ability to control internal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-pushing-parts-of-earth-beyond-human-survival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperature</a> under conditions of environmental stress.



This research does more than update old data. It redefines our understanding of human survival in a warming world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-tolerance-is-lower-than-expected">Heat tolerance is lower than expected</h2>



Until recently, scientists assumed that humans could tolerate “wet bulb” temperatures - where humidity and heat combine - up to 35 °C. This threshold was widely cited as the maximum point for survival. However, new experiments have challenged that belief.



“The conditions under which humans can effectively regulate their body temperature are actually much lower than earlier models suggested,” said Professor Kenny.



This revelation comes from a series of precise laboratory experiments that exposed volunteers to controlled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat</a> and humidity. 



The research team applied a method called thermal-step protocols, where air temperature or relative humidity is increased in steps to determine when the body loses control over its internal temperature. 



This point, called the “core temperature inflection,” was assumed to mark the edge of thermoregulation. Yet, until now, no study had tested this assumption directly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-human-thermoregulation-limits">Testing human thermoregulation limits</h2>



To validate the threshold, researchers subjected 12 healthy adults to extreme conditions in a climate-controlled chamber. First, each participant underwent a humidity-step protocol. 



They were gradually exposed to increasing levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-broke-records-for-450-straight-days/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat</a> or moisture to determine their personal inflection point - the moment when their core temperature started climbing sharply.



But the experiment didn’t stop there. Each participant returned for two additional 9-hour trials. In one session, they were exposed to a wet bulb temperature just below their individual limit (around 30.9 °C). 



In the other, they faced a temperature just above it (approximately 33.7 °C). The goal was to see whether the body could adapt and stabilize, or whether it would succumb to the heat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-the-body-fails-to-cool-itself">When the body fails to cool itself</h2>



The outcome was decisive. “The results were clear. The participants’ core <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperature</a> streamed upwards unabated, and many participants were unable to finish the 9-hour exposure,” Dr. Meade explained.



These extended trials confirmed that even slightly exceeding the inflection point leads to dangerous, unmanageable rises in body temperature. Heat stroke levels (around 40.2 °C core temperature) could be reached in under 10 hours under “Tabove” conditions. 



Even in the “Tbelow” trials, where conditions were slightly milder, the body struggled. It would take more than 24 hours to reach heat stroke, but the trajectory was still upward.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-heat-impacts-on-humans">Predicting heat impacts on humans</h2>



This research does more than confirm a theory - it validates a method.



Thermal-step protocols have been used for decades to estimate limits for thermoregulation, but they lacked direct validation. Now, with this study, scientists can confidently rely on these models when projecting future human risks.



“Our findings [are] especially timely, given estimated limits for thermoregulation are being increasingly incorporated into large scale <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/clouds-have-become-less-reflective-making-global-warming-worse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> modeling,” noted Dr. Meade.



By testing human physiology in real-world simulations, this study connects lab science with global climate data. It also provides detailed measurements of physiological strain during prolonged exposure.



Even when core temperature didn’t immediately reach lethal levels, participants showed signs of uncompensated heat stress - rapid heart rates, fatigue, and inability to finish the trial.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-climate-map">Global climate map</h2>



As climate models grow more detailed, they are beginning to include human physiological limits. This study adds confidence to those models by showing that the lab-based thermal-step method can predict real-life responses. 



It also shifts expectations: survivability thresholds now fall between 26 °C and 31 °C wet bulb temperature, which is much lower than the previously cited 35 °C mark.



“By integrating physiological data with climate models, we hope to better predict and prepare for heat-related health issues,” said Professor Kenny.



In other words, this isn’t just about lab numbers. It’s about how cities will respond to heat emergencies, how healthcare systems can adapt, and how urban planning must change. Policies can now draw on data that reflect the actual stress on human bodies under conditions of rising temperature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-exposure-may-exceed-human-capacity">Heat exposure may exceed human capacity</h2>



What makes this study urgent is the projection that large regions across the globe will soon experience these dangerous conditions. 



Some of these zones include densely populated areas where millions may face extended periods of wet bulb temperatures of above 32 °C. With each degree rise, the margin for survival shrinks.



These findings serve as both a warning and a guide. They remind us that biological systems - unlike machines - can only adapt so far. The limits are real, measurable, and fast approaching.



Human survival under climate stress will depend not only on environmental policy but on understanding and respecting the boundaries of our own physiology.



This research marks a turning point. It shows that the future of climate adaptation must start with the human body. It is not a matter of theory, but of the unmistakable rise of core temperatures, the lab data collected over nine sweltering hours, and the shared vulnerability of every person facing a hotter planet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2421281122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PNAS</a>.



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Humans have a much lower heat tolerance than expected

Every summer feels hotter than the last. News reports cover...

Clothing rental has been pitched as a way to curb the fashion industry’s massive environmental impact. But so far, many of these ventures haven’t lasted long. 



What could make this idea work? It turns out that focusing on a specific market and building strong relationships with suppliers could be the key.



A recent study investigated whether clothing rental is a possible solution to the fashion industry's footprint. The research was led by <a href="https://www.chalmers.se/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chalmers University of Technology</a>, along with experts at the University of Borås and the research institute RISE.



The team explored what has and hasn’t worked for companies trying to make renting clothes a practical, long-term business.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rental-clothes-and-sustainable-consumption">Rental clothes and sustainable consumption </h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fashion-industrys-plastic-waste-is-a-major-environmental-threat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fashion industry</a> is one of the top contributors to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unprecedented-increase-in-global-ocean-plastic-pollution-since-2005/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global pollution</a>. In Sweden alone, over 90% of the climate impact from clothing comes from newly produced garments.



Renting instead of buying could keep clothes in circulation longer and reduce the need for constant production.



"Many people have clothes hanging in the closet that are rarely or never used. Renting clothes can extend the use of each garment and thus contribute to more sustainable consumption," said study co-author Professor Frida Lind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-types-of-fashion-rental-models">Types of fashion rental models</h2>



The researchers examined nine Swedish clothing rental companies. Some were still active, while others had shut down. Through this, they identified three common types of rental models.



The first model is membership-based. Customers sign up and borrow clothes for a set period of time, similar to how a library works. These companies were often founded by individuals who were driven by an interest in sustainability.



The second approach is subscription-based. In this model, customers pay a monthly fee and receive a rotating selection of garments to wear. Companies using this model usually aimed to expand quickly and attract investors.



The third model focuses on individual rentals. These businesses typically offered clothing for specific purposes - such as renting out ski jackets along with ski equipment - creating a bundled, purpose-driven experience.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-fashion-rental-companies-struggle">Why fashion rental companies struggle </h2>



Despite genuine interest from consumers, many of the businesses struggled to stay afloat.



"What struck us was that it seemed so difficult for them to make their business profitable. Several had had to end their investments for various reasons," said Professor Lind.



Running a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-were-already-making-clothing-120000-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clothing</a> rental service involves multiple layers of effort. Every garment needs to be returned, cleaned, inspected, and prepared before it can be sent out again. This process is time-consuming and costly. 



Many companies also had high overhead expenses related to storage, transportation, and laundry. For those using a subscription model, raising early-stage investment proved difficult. 



The researchers found that most of these models simply require more time and support to take root in the market.



"Renting out <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-dark-side-of-donating-clothes-to-charity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clothes</a> involves many steps where each item of clothing needs to be handled and inspected before it can be rented out again, which takes time. Companies also struggled with high costs for warehousing, logistics and laundry, for example," said Professor Lind.



"Especially for the subscription models, there were also difficulties in obtaining venture capital to be able to survive financially through the first phase of building the company. All this shows that these business models need time to establish themselves in the market."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-niche-markets-are-more-promising">Niche markets are more promising</h2>



Not all of the business models fared poorly. Companies that targeted a narrow and specific market - such as outdoor gear - had better outcomes, especially when they operated near places where such clothing was needed.



"They seem to have found their niche and seen that there is a specific need that the customer is willing to pay for each time they need to use that type of clothing," said Professor Lind.



Companies that collaborated closely with clothing designers, manufacturers, and suppliers tended to do better as they gained useful insights that helped improve both product quality and customer satisfaction.



"Rental companies that worked closely with clothing manufacturers and suppliers, such as designers with a sustainability profile, benefited greatly from this as they were able to quickly get feedback on which types of clothing were most popular," said Professor Lind.



"They also gained valuable information about the quality of the garments, for example if there was something that often broke."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-these-efforts-matter">Why these efforts matter</h2>



The researchers didn’t measure the environmental impact of each business model in this particular study. But earlier findings from Chalmers show that 70 percent of a garment’s climate impact comes from production, while 22 percent is linked to the shopping trips consumers make to buy them. 



In the U.S., an average person throws away about 81 pounds of clothing per year. In the EU, that number is about 26 pounds per person.



If people buy fewer new clothes and use existing garments for longer, that shift could bring major environmental benefits. And if those changes happen without extra travel emissions - even better.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-habits-one-attempt-at-a-time">Changing habits, one attempt at a time</h2>



While some of the companies examined for the study didn’t survive, Professor Lind believes the broader effort is still important. She noted that even failed attempts help shift public attitudes around how we view clothing ownership and consumption. They also provide useful lessons for future ventures.



"All initiatives that can contribute to the sustainability transition are important. Not least because they help to change attitudes about clothing consumption and increase knowledge about what can and cannot work," said Professor Lind.



"Our study can be an important contribution to the fashion industry's sustainability transition, as it shows the possibilities of new business models in this industry." 



"We hope that it can have an impact on decision-makers who need a basis for establishing incentives and financial motivation for a more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wealthy-nations-are-making-more-progress-toward-sustainable-development/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustainable</a> fashion industry."



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/jbim-04-2024-0281/full/html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing</a>.



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Borrow clothes, save the planet? The reality of fashion rental

Clothing rental has been pitched as a way to curb...

Every year, humpback whales in the southeastern Pacific make a long and difficult journey. They travel up to 10,000 kilometers from Central and South America to their feeding grounds in Antarctica.



But how do they know when it's time to leave? According to new research, these whales rely on both real-time changes in their environment and long-term memories of past ocean conditions to time their migrations.



The study, led by scientists from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McGill University</a>, used eight years of satellite tracking data collected between 2009 and 2016. The team tracked 42 humpback whales tagged near Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador.



By following the whales' movements southward to Antarctica, the researchers hoped to understand what cues triggered their annual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noise-pollution-is-increasingly-disrupting-whale-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migration</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whales-use-memory-to-time-their-journey">Whales use memory to time their journey</h2>



The study revealed that whales respond to local cues such as sea surface temperature and food availability.



But they don’t rely solely on current conditions. They also seem to remember when food was most abundant in the Southern Ocean during previous years.



That memory, combined with what’s happening around them, helps them decide when to go.



“They seem to know that changes happening in their immediate environment are linked to conditions thousands of kilometers away,” said Professor Virginie Millien. “This allows them to fine-tune their migration, so they arrive just as their food supply peaks.”



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humpback-whale-reproduction-is-linked-to-krill-abundance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Krill</a>, a small crustacean, is the whales’ main food source in Antarctica. Each year, krill populations bloom during a specific seasonal window. 



For centuries, whales have timed their migration to match this pattern. But that rhythm is now being disrupted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-whales-keep-up-with-climate-change">Can whales keep up with climate change?</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/krill-face-a-double-whammy-of-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warmer oceans</a> and changes in sea ice are beginning to shift the timing of the krill bloom. Even though whales are adjusting their departures, climate change may be moving too fast for them to keep up.



“We don't know how long they'll be able to keep up,” said Millien. “Every year since 2016 has been the warmest on record, and that pattern is speeding up. At some point, their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blue-whales-memories-feeding-sites/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">memory-based</a> strategy may no longer work.”



The study also revealed notable differences in how males and females migrate. Male humpbacks tend to travel more quickly and take direct paths. 



In contrast, females - especially those with calves - stick to the coast. Their route is slower but possibly safer, giving their young time to rest and stay away from predators.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-delicate-balance-of-marine-ecosystems">Delicate balance of marine ecosystems </h2>



These findings have important implications for conservation. As ship traffic increases along coastal routes, so do the dangers whales face.



Collisions with vessels and disturbances to their migration corridors can have serious effects on whale populations.



“This research provides the data needed to inform conservation efforts,” said Hector Guzman of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. “It's not just about protecting whales; it's about preserving the delicate balance of marine ecosystems.”



The researchers emphasize the need to safeguard migration routes and feeding zones, especially as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-a-warming-climate-will-change-the-humpback-whales-diet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate continues to shift</a>. Protecting these areas doesn’t just benefit whales - it supports the entire marine food web.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-whales-matter-more-than-ever">Why whales matter more than ever</h2>



Whales are amazing animals that help keep oceans and seas healthy. As they move, whales consume food and excrete waste - assisting with the distribution of nutrients in the water body.



This enables the growth of phytoplankton and other microscopic plants which take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. Thus, whales make a direct contribution to the food webs of the ocean and the climate on land.



Their existence also boosts biodiversity, creating new feeding opportunities for other marine creatures that depend on nutrient-rich zones. 



If whale populations are decimated, the productivity of the ocean will decline. As waters undergo more drastic changes, the survival of humpback whales is crucial.



Observations of humpback whales provide researchers with insights into the limits of ecosystem resilience and the measures needed to prevent collapse. From this perspective, protecting whales becomes a priority, along with assessing the overall health and stability of the oceans.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-87489-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Whales in hot water: Will climate change disrupt their migration?

Every year, humpback whales in the southeastern Pacific make a...

The climate crisis no longer lies in the future. It is unfolding now, reshaping lives, ecosystems, and economies with each passing year. Extreme weather, deadly air, rising seas, and shrinking habitats are no longer predictions. They are our reality. 



Behind much of this damage stands a powerful engine: fossil fuels. From coal plants to gas flares, fossil fuel use drives the most pressing crises of our time.



A new review published in Oxford Open Climate Change delivers this message with renewed clarity. Scientists from leading institutions have reviewed extensive data and issued a unified warning.



Fossil fuels, they say, are not just damaging the climate. They are fueling health crises, destroying biodiversity, worsening <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental injustice</a>, and choking the planet with plastic and chemical waste.



The United States plays a major role in these challenges. As the largest oil and gas producer, the country drives much of the damage. The review calls for a full shift to clean, renewable energy. This shift must happen rapidly and fairly across all economic sectors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extensive-harm-from-burning-fossil-fuels">Extensive harm from burning fossil fuels</h2>



“The science can’t be any clearer that fossil fuels are killing us,” said Dr. Shaye Wolf, lead author of the review and climate science director at the <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Center for Biological Diversity</a>.



“Oil, gas and coal will continue to condemn us to more deaths, wildlife extinctions and extreme weather disasters unless we make dirty fossil fuels a thing of the past. Clean, renewable energy is here, it’s affordable, and it will save millions of lives and trillions of dollars once we make it the centerpiece of our economy.”



Fossil fuels drive about 90% of human-caused carbon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a>. These emissions warm the planet and acidify oceans. They also fuel deadly weather events. 



On top of this, fossil fuel pollution causes millions of premature deaths globally every year. In the U.S. alone, hundreds of thousands die early due to air pollution.



The review links climate change to worsening disease spread, food insecurity, and forced migration. These add new layers of suffering, especially in already vulnerable populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-call-for-immediate-action">A call for immediate action</h2>



Governments must act now. The scientists call for an end to fossil fuel expansion. Existing fossil fuel projects should be phased out. Only strong, immediate policy action can limit the mounting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-constantly-reshuffling-earths-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">damages</a>.



“Fossil fuel pollution impacts health at every stage of life, with elevated risks for conditions ranging from premature births to childhood leukemia and severe depression,” said Dr. David J.X. González, assistant professor at <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Berkeley</a>.



“We’ve got to work fast to end fossil fuel operations near our homes, schools and hospitals and trade fossil fuel infrastructure for healthy, clean energy.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-injustice-due-to-fossil-fuels">Environmental injustice due to fossil fuels</h2>



The report also highlights racial and economic disparities. Communities of color and low-income neighborhoods bear the brunt of fossil fuel pollution. Historic policies like redlining have trapped many in toxic zones.



“Decades of discriminatory policies, such as redlining, have concentrated fossil fuel development in Black, Brown, Indigenous and poor white communities, resulting in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-shrinking-earths-atmosphere-and-thats-bad-for-satellites/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">devastating consequences</a>,” said Dr. Robin Saha from the <a href="https://www.umt.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Montana</a>.



“For far too long, these fenceline communities have been treated as sacrifice zones by greedy, callous industries. The most polluted communities should be prioritized for clean energy investments and removal and cleanup of dirty fossil fuel infrastructure.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extinction-risks-and-plastic-pollution">Extinction risks and plastic pollution</h2>



Unchecked fossil fuel use could wipe out up to one-third of animal and plant species in the next 50 years. 



To protect ecosystems, renewable energy infrastructure must avoid damaging natural habitats. Instead, it should be placed in developed areas whenever possible.



The review also focuses on plastics. Fossil fuel companies ramp up plastic production, increasing pollution across air, water, and food systems. These pollutants harm wildlife and people alike.



The scientists urge bold targets to cut primary plastic production. They also push for alternatives to plastic and more sustainable farming methods. These shifts can reduce petrochemical pollution from pesticides and fertilizers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decades-of-disinformation">Decades of disinformation</h2>



A major barrier that stands in the way of progress is industry propaganda.



“The fossil fuel industry has spent decades misleading us about the harms of their products and working to prevent meaningful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-ice-age-cycles-are-predictable-but-humans-may-change-that/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate action</a>,” said Naomi Oreskes, professor at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard University</a>. 



“Perversely, our governments continue to give out hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies to this damaging industry. It is past time that stops.”



The review ends with a clear message: We have the tools to change course. What’s needed now is political will.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/oocc/article/5/1/kgaf011/8099165" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxford Open Climate Change</a>.



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Fossil fuel pollution is causing disease, disaster, and extinction

The climate crisis no longer lies in the future. It...

Butterflies have always captured human imagination. Their delicate wings, bright patterns, and graceful flight inspire poetry, art, and science. Beyond their beauty, butterflies play vital roles in ecosystems as pollinators and as part of complex food webs. But a new climate warning has emerged. 



A Yale-led global study suggests their mountain homes — long thought to be safe havens — are becoming death zones. Climate change, once a distant threat, is now closing in fast.



The study, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, provides the first global analysis of butterfly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/butterfly-genome-has-barely-changed-after-250-million-years-of-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diversity</a> and climate risk. It exposes a crisis unfolding in silence, high in the world’s mountain ranges. 



And it paints a troubling picture not only for butterflies but for insect life as a whole.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-reverse-butterfly-effect">The reverse butterfly effect</h2>



The phrase “butterfly effect” describes how a small action, like a butterfly flapping its wings, can lead to large consequences — like a hurricane across the world. This study shows something more haunting: a global storm threatening <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/butterfly-mate-preferences-shift-with-slight-brain-changes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">butterflies</a> themselves.



According to the researchers, mountain habitats that once offered protection may now become population traps. These zones are warming fast. 



With nowhere higher to go, butterflies may run out of suitable conditions. Species adapted to cooler, narrow temperature bands will suffer most.



Even more concerning, the study points to a critical data gap. While scientists have long tracked changes in birds, mammals, and plants, insects - though far more numerous - have been overlooked in global biodiversity models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-butterfly-data-reveals-climate-danger">Global butterfly data reveals climate danger</h2>



To understand how butterflies might respond to climate change, Yale ecologist Walter Jetz and entomologist Stefan Pinkert led a team of researchers. They compiled phylogenetic and geographic data for over 12,000 butterfly species around the globe. 



​Jetz directs the&nbsp;<a href="https://bgc.yale.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global Change</a>, while Pinkert, now at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uni-marburg.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Marburg</a>&nbsp;in Germany, previously worked at Yale as a postdoctoral associate.​



Their work revealed that two-thirds of butterfly species live in tropical and subtropical mountains. These regions hold 3.5 times more butterfly hotspots than lowlands. 



But this concentration also increases risk. Mountains are warming quickly, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-country-without-butterflies-rapid-decline-in-u-s-populations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> that evolved in specific temperature zones may not adapt in time.



The study predicts that 64% of the thermal niche space used by tropical butterflies will disappear by 2070. As climate zones shift upward and shrink, many butterflies will lose their homes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-puts-butterflies-at-risk">Climate change puts butterflies at risk</h2>



Jetz explained the danger with both urgency and admiration.



“The diversity, elegance, and sheer beauty of butterflies impassion people worldwide. Co-evolved with host plants, butterflies form an integral part of an ecologically functioning web of life," said Jetz.



“Unfortunately, our first global assessment of butterfly diversity and threats finds that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/butterfly-migration-habits-are-not-determined-by-their-dna/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">butterflies</a>’ fascinating diversification into higher-elevation environments might now spell their demise, with potentially thousands of species committed to extinction from global warming this century.”



Pinkert shares this concern, especially as someone who has spent years studying insects. 



“As an entomologist, I am committed to informing the public about the distribution of insect diversity and targeted ways to protect it. Our results are insightful from an ecological point of view but unfortunately also very alarming,” noted Pinkert.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-butterflies-expose-a-conservation-blind-spot">Butterflies expose a conservation blind spot</h2>



The findings reveal a sharp contrast between butterflies and other well-known animals. Conservation plans today often rely on patterns seen in birds or mammals. 



But insects show very different responses. Their diversity and rarity do not follow the same geographic rules. As a result, current protection strategies might miss critical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-learn-about-butterflies-day-an-enchanting-world-awaits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insect</a> habitats.



The authors note that, until now, no global assessment of climate threats for any insect group existed. Butterflies offer the first test case — and the results demand a rethink. 



Butterflies are far more than pretty wings. They act as indicators of environmental health. Their decline signals deeper ecological instability.



Pinkert emphasized the scale of the project. “This research was made possible by many years of mobilizing various global data and newly developed integrative approaches, all aimed at filling this critical information gap for at least one insect taxon,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explore-climate-threat-to-butterflies">Explore climate threat to butterflies</h2>



While the results are stark, the researchers still see a path forward. Protection of key butterfly habitats, especially in the tropics, must become a priority. 



Connecting these areas with migratory corridors can help species survive shifting climates. This strategy will require better insect data, broader conservation planning, and faster emissions cuts.



Jetz points to a global tool already in use — the Map of Life, a database he directs that tracks species distributions worldwide.



“A reduction of carbon emissions, combined with proactive identification and preservation of key butterfly habitats and migratory corridors, will be key to ensuring that much of butterfly diversity survives to benefit future generations,” Jetz said.



The study’s co-authors include Nina Farwig of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uni-marburg.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Marburg</a>&nbsp;and Akito Kawahara of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Florida</a>. Support came from the&nbsp;Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moore.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Science Foundation</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://eowilsonfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation</a>.



To view the findings and explore butterfly distributions in more depth, visit the <a href="https://mol.org">Map of Life</a>. As butterflies face mounting pressure, the need to act has never been clearer. 



Their quiet struggle on mountain peaks is not just a story about insects. It’s a signal to humanity that time is running out.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02664-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Butterfly effect in reverse: Climate change turns havens into traps

Butterflies have always captured human imagination. Their delicate wings, bright...

This year’s winter buildup of Arctic sea ice is the weakest ever recorded, according to a team of scientists. 



On March 23, the ice peaked at about 5.53 million square miles (14.33 million square kilometers) - roughly 30,000 square miles less than the previous record low in 2017. In other words, a region the size of California is missing.



The alarming number marks the fifth time since 2015 that the winter sea ice maximum has been at or near all-time lows.&nbsp;



Data scientist Walt Meier from the <a href="https://nsidc.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Snow and Ice Data Center</a> emphasized how close Arctic conditions hover around freezing.



“Warming temperatures are what's causing the ice to decline,” said Meier. “Sea ice in particular is very sensitive... 31 degrees is ice skating and 33 degrees it's swimming.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-global-wake-up-call">A global wake-up call</h2>



Jennifer Francis, a scientist with the <a href="https://www.woodwellclimate.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodwell Climate Research Center</a>, called the record low yet another ringing alarm bell. She sees <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-arctic-ice-changing-global-climate-warm-arctic-cold-eurasia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic sea ice</a> as a kind of early warning system, sensitive to changes that may not yet be evident elsewhere.&nbsp;



And it doesn’t just matter for polar bears or seals: the region’s warming is believed to be reshaping weather patterns worldwide by altering the jet stream. That, in turn, can bring more erratic or prolonged storms, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rain-and-snow-are-difficult-to-forecast-at-near-freezing-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rain</a>, and cold snaps to lower latitudes.



Scientists point out that the Arctic is warming around four times faster than the global average. This outsized heat gain in the far north diminishes the temperature difference that drives the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-accelerate-jet-stream-winds-and-airplane-turbulence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jet stream</a>, letting it meander and linger, sometimes with extreme consequences for regions well outside the Arctic Circle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-winter-ice-holds-unique-importance">Winter ice holds unique importance</h2>



The continuing reduction in winter ice raises concerns for marine mammals, including polar bears, seals, and certain fish, that depend on the cold season’s stable ice.&nbsp;



Meier noted that even though summer melting tends to get more attention, the seasonal maximum is also critical because it sets the stage for how the ice will fare in the hotter months. Thinner or more fragmented winter ice can melt away more rapidly when summer arrives.



As Julienne Stroeve, an ice scientist at the <a href="https://umanitoba.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Manitoba</a>, put it, it’s not only that there’s less ice, but the ice that remains is thinner and more vulnerable. She cautioned, however, that a record-low winter doesn’t always portend a record-low summer.&nbsp;



Nevertheless, this historically weak buildup does place Arctic sea ice in a precarious position.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decades-of-declining-winter-ice">Decades of declining winter ice</h2>



The contrast with earlier observations is striking. In 1979 - the first year of satellite records - the winter peak measured around 6.42 million square miles. This means the Arctic has lost an area larger than Pakistan - some 900,000 square miles - over four decades of monitoring.



The center also points out that severe warming events in the past eight years have somewhat muted the 40-year cooling trend overall. But the repeated record lows for winter ice highlight the accelerating nature of Arctic change.&nbsp;



The region’s warming winter atmosphere does influence large-scale weather patterns, Stroeve said, pointing to how a warm polar region can shift the patterns that steer storms and cold snaps far below the Arctic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-effects-on-wildlife-and-beyond">Effects on wildlife and beyond</h2>



Less winter sea ice spells bad news for iconic Arctic animals. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-polar-bear-day-keeping-moms-and-cubs-safe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Polar bears</a> rely on thick ice to hunt seals; thin or absent ice forces them onto land with fewer hunting opportunities, leaving them weaker.&nbsp;



Seals need stable ice for breeding. Fish populations can also shift as ice recedes, sometimes altering Indigenous hunting traditions and local fisheries. Thus, the winter sea ice is crucial not just for summer ice survival but for whole ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-impacts-of-arctic-sea-ice-nbsp">Broader impacts of Arctic sea ice&nbsp;</h2>



The meltdown extends beyond the Arctic. Antarctica recently flirted with a record low in its own annual sea ice minimum - this while the Arctic hits an unprecedented winter low. As a result, Meier notes that global sea ice coverage in February dropped to a record minimum, signifying a broader, planet-wide shift.



Scientists and policymakers worldwide watch the poles because the polar regions have a profound influence on global oceans and atmospheric patterns.&nbsp;



Melting Arctic sea ice can accelerate additional warming through what is known as the albedo effect: as bright, reflective ice disappears, more sunlight gets absorbed by darker open water, fueling further temperature increases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warning-signs-of-changes-ahead">Warning signs of changes ahead</h2>



What happens in the Arctic might prove a harbinger of deeper shifts affecting global coastlines, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-pushing-nature-toward-a-breaking-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weather extremes</a>, and ecological systems.&nbsp;



Amid these warning signs, researchers continue refining models to anticipate how the Arctic will evolve in the coming decades, hoping to give communities from Alaska to Europe a clearer sense of the changes ahead.&nbsp;



For now, the winter sea ice record serves as one more urgent reminder that a warming world is leaving fewer and fewer safe harbors for the frozen North.



Image Credit: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka



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Arctic sea ice hits record winter low, raising global alarm

This year’s winter buildup of Arctic sea ice is the...

Wind and Earth’s spin keep the ocean’s surface currents constantly moving, and those currents are the main reason floating plastic and other debris travel so far. A prime example of this phenomenon is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.



Two types of currents do most of the work: geostrophic currents, which form from the balance between gravity and Earth’s rotation, and Ekman currents, which wind drives directly. Together, they carry debris across vast stretches of the ocean.



As these currents swirl, they naturally pull trash toward the centers of the world’s five subtropical gyres - massive, slow-moving whirlpools in the ocean. Over time, these zones turn into plastic hotspots, where all kinds of floating junk gathers.



The North Pacific subtropical gyre is the most infamous of the bunch. That’s home to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the biggest and most studied plastic pile-up in the ocean. 



It’s drawn the attention of scientists, environmentalists, and the public alike. And not surprisingly, many of the first large-scale ocean cleanup projects have started right there.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch">Understanding the Great Pacific Garbage Patch</h2>



The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a massive collection of plastic debris, abandoned fishing gear, and other trash that accumulates in the North Pacific Ocean. 



These plastics can take hundreds of years to break down, and even when they do, they become tiny microplastics that enter marine food chains. 



This swirling soup of litter poses a big threat to marine life, seabirds, and even human health when contaminated seafood ends up on our plates.



You might picture the patch as a giant floating island of trash, but in reality, it’s more like a massive zone of scattered debris. 



This makes it difficult to clean up, as much of the garbage is tiny bits of plastic dispersed throughout the water. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-alternative-hiding-in-plain-sight">Smarter alternative hiding in plain sight</h2>



Instead of chasing the trash, scientists now suggest using the ocean’s own natural flow to do the work. A new study has mapped out zones where water tends to converge and pull debris into tight pockets.



“Instead of boats slowly trawling and burning fuel, they can hold their position and keep the nets steady at a location where currents funnel and aggregate drifting objects,” said <a href="https://www.psi.edu/staff/profile/rodrigo-duran/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rodrigo Duran</a>, a research scientist at the <a href="https://www.psi.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Planetary Science Institute</a>, and co-author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-patterns-pull-trash-into-zones">Ocean patterns pull trash into zones</h2>



The team, led by <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luca_Kunz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luca Kunz</a> from the University of Hamburg, used over 20 years of satellite and drifter data to spot high-traffic areas for floating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-currents-may-soon-clean-up-waste-thanks-to-space-tech/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">debris</a>. 



These zones, called Transient Attracting Profiles (<a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024OcSci..20.1611K/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TRAPs</a>), are temporary regions where swirling currents push trash together.



TRAPs form when four eddies - circular currents - spin in just the right pattern. About 60% of the time, this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/critical-ocean-current-may-be-more-stable-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pattern</a> pulls debris into a stable zone roughly 60 miles (96 kilometers) wide. Most of these zones stick around for about six days.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-changes-cleanup-strategy">Why this changes cleanup strategy</h2>



Instead of moving across hundreds of miles, crews could now wait at known TRAP locations. When positioned right, nets could skim off trash that is funneled in by the current.



That saves fuel, time, and effort - and reduces the environmental cost of sweeping up the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-oceans-are-rapidly-changing-colors-matching-climate-predictions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-just-ocean-trash">More than just ocean trash</h2>



While TRAPs are useful for plastic cleanup, Duran says they could also be used for search and rescue, cargo loss, oil spill containment, or tracking volcanic ash and wildfire smoke as it drifts across the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-draining-nutrients-from-the-oceans-surface/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a> and air.



“This can even be used for atmospheric data,” Duran said, pointing to how the technique can predict movement across multiple systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-past-predictions-fell-short">Why past predictions fell short</h2>



Previous models tried to guess where trash was heading based on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/030193229090034G" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lagrangian simulations</a>, which track particles drifting on oceans over time. But at the smaller scale - about 1 to 10 miles (1.6 to 16 kilometers) - those methods break down.



TRAPs flip the question. Instead of asking where an object will go, they ask: where will things gather? That shift makes all the difference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-the-patterns">Testing the patterns</h2>



To verify these zones, the team analyzed how drifters (floating sensors that move with surface currents) behaved around TRAPs. Most stayed near a TRAP for an average of six days. A few stuck around for over a month.



Researchers also noticed that drifters weren’t just spinning in circles. They were pulled straight into a TRAP, then funneled along its length - like getting sucked into a current and pushed out the other side.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-this-can-change-everything">How this can change everything</h2>



The most effective TRAPs form in clusters of four eddies with alternating spin directions. These structures appear often in areas of high turbulence, like near <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/science-data/oceanography-northern-california-current-study-area" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California’s upwelling zone</a> or around the <a href="https://hilo.hawaii.edu/~kenhon/GEOL205/Chain/default.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hawaiian Ridge</a>.



Tracking them in real time could help cleanup crews navigate better and use far fewer resources. Long-lasting TRAPs, in particular, offer a clear target: the longer they exist, the more plastic they tend to gather.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-coming-for-ocean-trash-cleanup">What’s coming for ocean trash cleanup</h2>



This technique isn’t just theory. It’s backed by decades of observations and tested with real ocean data. Cleanup crews could start using TRAP tracking to guide where and when they deploy nets.



As satellite monitoring improves and new missions deliver higher-resolution data, smaller TRAPs near coastlines may also be tracked more easily.



“It’s a very exciting time,” Duran remarked. The scale of the garbage patch is overwhelming, but knowing where and when debris gathers gives crews a fighting chance.&nbsp;



If cleanup systems can act more like filters than drag nets, sitting still while the ocean delivers the trash, then this could mark a shift in how we tackle plastic pollution at sea.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-22939-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean Science</a>.



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New ideas on how to cleanup the 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch'

Wind and Earth’s spin keep the ocean’s surface currents constantly...

For the first time, scientists have captured detailed measurements of water vapor high above Greenland’s vast ice sheet, using a custom-built drone to reach the upper atmosphere.&nbsp;



The breakthrough provides a new window into how water moves across and away from the island - and offers an important step toward more accurate models of ice loss in the Arctic’s rapidly changing climate.



The study was led by Kevin Rozmiarek, a doctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/instaar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research</a> (INSTAAR) at the University of Colorado Boulder. The research could reshape how scientists calculate Greenland’s future contributions to global sea level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-melting-giant-with-global-impacts">A melting giant with global impacts</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-ice-sheet-is-approaching-a-critical-tipping-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland’s ice sheet</a> is a freshwater giant, containing about 8% of Earth’s total supply. But it’s rapidly shrinking. 



According to the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA), between fall 2023 and fall 2024 alone, Greenland shed around 55 gigatons of ice and snow - enough to fill over 20 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. 



The island has lost ice every year for nearly three decades, with more than 5 trillion tons melted away since 1992.



Most of that loss comes from visible processes: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-reshaping-landscapes-and-national-borders-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glaciers</a> calving into the sea and melting ice and snow at the surface. But there’s another, less obvious way ice can vanish - through sublimation, when ice transforms directly into vapor without becoming liquid first. 



Some studies suggest that in parts of Greenland, up to 30% of summer snow might sublimate into the atmosphere. Where that vapor ends up, however, has been a mystery.



According to the experts, it is unclear whether that vapor recondenses and returns to the surface, or if it escapes the system entirely. Understanding the fate of this water is key to calculating Greenland’s long-term water balance - and predicting how much melt will contribute to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-much-did-sea-levels-rise-after-the-last-ice-age-alarming-new-clues-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea level rise</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flying-into-the-unknown">Flying into the unknown</h2>



Traditionally, studying Arctic water vapor meant mounting costly plane flights into inhospitable environments and hauling air samples back to a lab. But Rozmiarek’s team found a better solution: a drone.&nbsp;



Outfitted with advanced sampling equipment and boasting a wingspan of 10 feet, the drone was launched 104 times during the summer of 2022 from a camp in Greenland’s interior run by the <a href="https://eastgrip.nbi.ku.dk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Copenhagen’s East Greenland Ice-Core Project</a>.



The drone ascended to nearly 5,000 feet on each flight, collecting air samples at different altitudes. The goal was to measure the isotopes - unique combinations of hydrogen and oxygen - within water vapor molecules. These isotopic signatures act like a molecular fingerprint, helping scientists trace the vapor’s origin.



“Isotopes are water’s fingerprints,” Rozmiarek said. “By following these fingerprints, we can trace back to the source where the water vapor came from.”



Until now, scientists had good data on where Greenland’s water starts and ends - coming in from tropical air currents and freezing on the surface. But little was known about what happens to that water while it’s moving through the atmosphere. This missing piece was crucial.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-the-future-of-greenland-ice-nbsp">Predicting the future of Greenland ice&nbsp;</h2>



Once the team gathered their isotopic data, they compared it to an existing climate model of the Arctic water cycle.&nbsp;



The results were striking: the model significantly underestimated how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainfall-is-increasingly-unpredictable-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">precipitation</a> Greenland receives. But when the researchers added their new isotopic data into the simulation, the model aligned closely with reality.



“It’s really important to be able to predict what’s going to happen to Greenland in the warming world as accurately as possible,” Rozmiarek said. “We demonstrated how useful water vapor isotope data is by successfully improving an existing model.”



This kind of refinement could lead to better predictions of melt rates, atmospheric circulation, and even how Greenland’s changes affect weather patterns far beyond the Arctic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sensitivity-of-greenland-s-ice-nbsp">Sensitivity of Greenland’s ice&nbsp;</h2>



History shows that Greenland’s ice is sensitive to warming. About 125,000 years ago, during a naturally warmer period in Earth’s history, the ice sheet was much smaller, and global sea levels were up to 19 feet higher than today.&nbsp;



Now, with the planet once again heating up, scientists fear we could be heading toward a similar future.



The United Nations estimates that sea level rise already affects one billion people globally, threatening communities and ecosystems. Understanding exactly how - and how quickly - Greenland’s ice sheet might respond to further warming is critical.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-in-the-arctic">Next steps in the Arctic</h2>



Rozmiarek hopes to return to Greenland for more drone flights and extend this new method to other parts of the Arctic. The research is just beginning, but its implications are vast.



“It’s like we just figured out how to discover fingerprints at a crime scene,” he said. “This is a concrete step forward in understanding where water is going and where it is coming from in this important system at a time when we need it most.”



By combining cutting-edge drone technology with isotope science, researchers are piecing together the invisible flows of water that shape the future of one of Earth’s most vulnerable regions.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2024JD042719" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JGR Atmospheres</a>.



Image Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio



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Drones reveal hidden details about Greenland’s melting ice

For the first time, scientists have captured detailed measurements of...

Hearing is one of our most vital senses. It helps us stay alert, connect with others, and make sense of the world. But not everyone hears the same way. While most people know hearing tends to decline with age, new research shows that sex and environment play an even bigger role.



Scientists have now confirmed that women generally have more sensitive hearing than men. The study, published in Scientific Reports, also uncovers how local surroundings - forests, cities, mountains - shape the way we hear.



These findings reshape how we <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/useless-ear-muscles-may-actually-serve-a-purpose/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">understand hearing</a> across different human populations and could improve how we approach hearing loss.



This global investigation, led by Dr. Patricia Balaresque from the&nbsp;Center for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (<a href="https://www.cbiolab.fr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CRBE</a>)&nbsp;in France and Professor Turi King from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bath</a>, brought together researchers from multiple countries.



Their work is the first to explore how biology, geography, and culture intersect to shape human hearing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hearing-varies-by-global-environment">Hearing varies by global environment</h2>



The team tested hearing in 450 individuals across 13 populations. Participants came from diverse settings, including Ecuador, England, Gabon, South Africa, and Uzbekistan. 



These locations were selected for their rich variety in ecology and culture. The goal was to go beyond urban, Western groups often overrepresented in medical research.



By choosing people from rural villages, high-altitude settlements, forests, and cities, the study captured how different environments might <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drugs-may-be-available-to-prevent-hearing-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impact</a> how we hear. 



For the tests, the researchers used a technique called Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE). This method measures the cochlea’s response to sound and tracks how the ear sends signals to the brain.



This approach allowed scientists to understand not just how loudly someone hears but how their hearing responds across different sound frequencies. Until now, very little work had examined how sex or geographic setting affects these biological reactions. The results were striking.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sex-has-the-strongest-impact">Sex has the strongest impact</h2>



It’s long been accepted that hearing sensitivity drops as people age. However, this study revealed that sex plays an even greater role than age. Across every population tested, women had an average of two decibels more sensitive hearing than men. This trend held true regardless of location, language, or lifestyle.



The differences also extended beyond basic sensitivity. Women performed better in other hearing tests, including those involving speech <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-mind-when-the-inner-voice-fades/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">perception</a>. This suggests not only greater auditory sensitivity but also superior brain processing of sound.



"We were surprised to find that women had two decibels more sensitive hearing across all the populations we measured, and this accounted for most of the variations between individuals," said Professor King.



"This could be due to different exposure to hormones during development in the womb, due to men and women having slight structural differences in cochlear anatomy."



Professor King noted that, in addition to having higher hearing sensitivity, women also perform better in other hearing tests and speech perception, indicating that their brains are also better at processing the information.



"We don't really know why this might be, but given the detrimental effect of noise on overall health such as sleep quality and increased cardiovascular disease, having more sensitive hearing in noisy environments may not always be a good thing."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environment-changes-how-we-hear">Environment changes how we hear</h2>



Next to sex, the most important factor influencing hearing was the environment. 



Where a person lived not only affected their response to sound volume but also altered how they processed different sound frequencies. People living in forests had the best hearing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/video-gamers-may-be-at-risk-of-irreversible-hearing-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sensitivity</a> overall, while those in high-altitude regions showed the weakest.



The researchers believe this may be due to environmental adaptation. Forests are full of non-human sounds - bird calls, rustling leaves, distant movements - that demand attention.



In such settings, sharper hearing may have offered survival advantages. In contrast, high-altitude environments offer less auditory stimulation and involve other stressors like low oxygen and air pressure, which might dull hearing over time.



"Our findings challenge existing assumptions and highlight the need to consider both biological and environmental factors when studying hearing. Identifying drivers behind natural hearing variation will improve our understanding of hearing loss and individual differences in noise tolerance," said Dr. Balaresque.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-city-noise-alters-frequency-perception">City noise alters frequency perception</h2>



Urban life presented a different kind of challenge. People from city areas showed a distinct shift in sensitivity toward higher <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spatial-hearing-how-humans-know-where-sounds-come-from/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frequencies</a>. 



The researchers suggest this may be the result of needing to filter out low-frequency noise from traffic and construction. Over time, the brain might adapt by tuning in more sharply to higher-pitched sounds.



This kind of adjustment could represent a modern form of sensory adaptation. Just as vision can change in response to light conditions, hearing might shift to suit the surrounding noise environment. While this ability may help urban residents focus on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spatial-hearing-how-humans-know-where-sounds-come-from/">speech</a> in noisy areas, it could also limit their range of auditory perception over time.



Professor King collected samples from the UK participants while at the <a href="https://le.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a>. 



"We wanted to investigate in more detail what factors shape our hearing and the diversity of hearing sensitivities and see how our hearing has adapted to our local environment," she added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sound-pollution-and-human-health">Sound, pollution, and human health</h2>



Another theory links hearing sensitivity to pollution. People living in quieter, less polluted regions - like forests - might retain better hearing due to lower exposure to environmental toxins.



In contrast, city dwellers may be constantly exposed to noise, smoke, and chemicals that harm ear structures over time.



Hearing loss is not just a matter of inconvenience. Studies have connected poor hearing to cognitive decline, disturbed sleep, and even heart disease. These findings suggest that understanding how hearing works in different settings could help protect public health in more targeted ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hearing-and-human-evolution">Hearing and human evolution</h2>



This research also adds to the ongoing conversation about human evolution. Our hearing is not static - it reflects both our biology and the world we live in. As soundscapes change, so too might our ability to perceive them.



"We know that humans are continuing to evolve, so the next question is whether our hearing is able to change in response to different environments generally or whether there are genetic adaptations involved," said Professor King.



This study opens the door to further research on how our senses respond to change. It invites us to rethink hearing not just as a fixed ability, but as something deeply shaped by sex, biology, and the places we call home.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-92763-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Women hear better than men across all environments

Hearing is one of our most vital senses. It helps...

Young,Woman,Drinking,Water,Outdoors,,Promoting,Healthy,Hydration,And,An

Plastic containers and packaging are everywhere, as many people rely on them for food storage, convenience, and hydration. Plastics have improved modern life in countless ways, but the ultimate price of this convenience is only now coming clearly into focus.



We have reached the point as a society where researchers have begun looking beyond the environmental hazards of plastic pollution to uncover hidden connections between plastic exposure and human well-being. 



Questions are emerging about how microplastics might be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-chewing-gum-may-be-full-of-microplastics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">affecting our bodies</a> and whether this is something we should address.



Some everyday items, such as water bottles, may contribute far more than trash. They could be releasing tiny plastic particles that slip into our bodies. 



Early studies suggest that plastic particles are influencing human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-over-2000-genetic-markers-that-affect-blood-pressure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blood pressure</a>, a condition linked to serious cardiovascular problems. 



According to Dr. Johanna Fischer from the Department of Medicine at <a href="https://www.dp-uni.ac.at/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Danube Private University</a> in Austria, a few recent findings have sparked new debates about what happens when microplastics flow through our bloodstream.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-pieces-of-plastic-wreaking-havoc">Tiny pieces of plastic wreaking havoc</h2>



Microplastics measure less than 5 mm, arising from the breakdown of larger plastics or from everyday sources like car tires and synthetic clothing. 



They have been detected in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food, water, and the air</a>. Scientists have identified them in the placenta, in certain organs, and even in the bloodstream. 



Their presence has raised concerns because they might trigger inflammation or hormonal imbalances. By entering daily routines unnoticed, these microscopic bits could pose health hazards that are still under investigation.



Recent work has pointed to an unexpected culprit for high blood pressure. Their investigations indicate that common water bottles can release particles into the liquid we drink. 



According to preliminary insights, microplastics can migrate into our system, with potential effects on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-smell-control-your-blood-pressure-new-research-says-yes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blood pressure measurements</a>. 



Investigators also discovered these minute fragments in glass containers, which complicates efforts to avoid them altogether. 



This points to a wider issue that stretches beyond visible waste and calls for innovative approaches to monitoring exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastics-linked-to-blood-pressure">Plastics linked to blood pressure</h2>



Eight healthy adults took part in a project aimed at exploring any links between plastics and blood pressure. 



They were asked to rely on tap water instead of bottled drinks for about a month. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-gold-the-vitamin-packed-fruit-that-regulates-blood-sugar-and-blood-pressure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blood pressure</a> readings were collected at the outset, after two weeks, and at the end of four weeks. 



The findings indicated that women showed a noticeable dip in blood pressure levels, particularly in diastolic readings, while men did not exhibit the same changes.



One explanation might be that only three men participated. That small number makes it difficult to form broad conclusions. 



Still, the overall data hint that cutting back on plastics could influence cardiovascular health by reducing the number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-widespread-in-the-seafood-we-eat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic particles</a> present in the bloodstream. 



The research group emphasizes that larger trials are needed. They aim to measure the actual concentration of microplastics in the blood, providing a clearer picture of how plastic exposure might relate to changes in blood pressure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blood-pressure-and-plastics-the-results">Blood pressure and plastics - the results</h2>



“We concluded, after extensive research, that beverages packaged in plastic bottles should be avoided,” the research team warned. 



The changes observed in blood pressure suggest that reducing the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-in-the-brain-alarming-new-details-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">intake of plastic particles</a> could lower cardiovascular risk, emphasizing how these findings may fit into the bigger picture. 



For these scientists, a lower exposure to plastics seems to correlate with improvements in some blood pressure markers.



By stating that “plastic particles <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-found-in-every-semen-sample-tested/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">present in the bloodstream</a> could contribute to increased blood pressure,” the team highlighted a potential link between microplastics and cardiovascular concerns. 



Although their study involved only a small group, they view the results as a motivation to investigate these interactions further. 



While the precise pathways remain unclear, the prospect that tiny plastic fragments might affect blood pressure and overall cardiovascular health should encourage us all to rethink these common habits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



Because hypertension is a leading cause of heart complications, any factor that might raise blood pressure deserves scrutiny. 



Humans already face multiple risks for cardiovascular disease, so identifying one that might be avoidable is compelling. 



Limiting bottled beverages or opting for tap water in reusable non-plastic containers will definitely help reduce exposure, though additional verification is needed to confirm the long-term impacts.



Reviewing many different studies, it's very clear that microplastics have infiltrated every nook and cranny of our bodies, natural environments, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sounding-the-alarm-microplastics-are-disrupting-photosynthesis-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global ecosystems at large</a>. 



On top of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular health issues that arise from the consumption of microplastics, scientists and physicians are concerned about inflammation, endocrine problems, and oxidative stress, all of which can harm overall health. 



Though the convenience of disposable products is tempting, making a personal choice of removing single-use plastics from our everyday lives will undoubtedly yield benefits - both for our health and the global environment. 



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8929/3/3/26" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microplastics</a>.



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Drinking from plastic bottles directly linked to high blood pressure and heart problems

Plastic containers and packaging are everywhere, as many people rely...

Our global food system stands at a dangerous crossroads. As the world heats up and air quality declines, the challenge of feeding nearly 8 billion people grows harder. At the same time, the very system meant to nourish humanity contributes heavily to climate change, air pollution, and rising emissions.



A recent review in the journal Engineering offers a detailed examination of this tangled relationship. It brings forward the idea that food, climate, and air pollution are no longer separate issues. They form a feedback loop - where each reinforces the other.



This growing realization has prompted researchers and policymakers to seek strategies that address them all at once. The solutions must not only protect crops and diets today but also reshape the food system for long-term resilience.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-air-pollution-is-damaging-how-we-grow-food">Air pollution is damaging how we grow food</h2>



Climate change disrupts the natural rhythm of agriculture. Crops grow within specific temperature and rainfall windows. As global temperatures rise and weather grows erratic, those windows shift. 



Farmers face shortened or mistimed growing seasons. Floods, droughts, and storms now damage fields with greater frequency.



Meanwhile, polluted air compounds the damage. Ground-level ozone, in particular, harms plant leaves. This weakens photosynthesis and reduces growth. 



Fine particulate matter from combustion sources also affects pollination and soil health. All of this adds stress to crops that are already <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/critical-food-crops-are-threatened-by-rising-temperatures-globally/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">struggling to adapt</a>.



Livestock suffer as well. Heat stress impacts growth, fertility, and milk production. Poor air quality affects their respiratory systems and increases disease risks. These challenges create ripples through the food supply chain, reducing both quantity and quality of food available to people.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-production-drives-emissions">Food production drives emissions</h2>



While <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-waste-crisis-why-u-s-goals-remain-out-of-reach/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">agriculture</a> suffers from climate change and pollution, it is also a major driver of both. The food sector is responsible for over 30% of total greenhouse gas emissions globally. 



These emissions don’t only come from farms. They stretch from soil to store - covering growing, harvesting, transport, processing, packaging, and waste.



Key sources include methane from livestock digestion and rice paddies, nitrous oxide from fertilizer use, and carbon dioxide from fuel combustion. 



"Over the past three decades, emissions beyond the farm gate have nearly doubled, emerging as a primary driver of emissions growth in the agri-food system," the authors note.



Agriculture also emits harmful pollutants such as ammonia, black carbon, and volatile organic compounds. These contribute to both global warming and local air quality problems. 



The feedback loop tightens: the more the system pollutes, the harder it becomes to grow food under safe, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-molecule-could-shape-the-future-of-food-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stable conditions</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-food-practices-reduce-emissions">Smarter food practices reduce emissions</h2>



To address this, the review identifies several strategies that can reduce emissions without compromising productivity. Fertilizer management is a top priority. 



The 4R approach - right source, right rate, right timing, and right placement - can prevent nitrous oxide from escaping into the air. This not only cuts emissions but also improves soil health.



Rice farming presents another opportunity. Traditional flooded fields generate large amounts of methane. By adopting non-continuous flooding and mid-season drainage, farmers can reduce this output significantly. These techniques are already gaining ground in parts of Asia.



Livestock practices also hold promise. Adjusting animal diets, reducing herd sizes, and improving feed conversion rates can limit methane. Feed additives - like seaweed or plant extracts - suppress methane production in the stomachs of ruminants.



"Improved enteric fermentation mitigation strategies, including dietary adjustments and additive use, hold significant potential for reducing CH₄ emissions," noted the researchers.



"However, successful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-you-eat-can-literally-change-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">implementation</a> requires these measures to be integrated with broader agricultural policies to address trade-offs and ensure sustainable livestock management."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-managing-manure-soil-and-supply-chains">Managing manure, soil, and supply chains</h2>



Beyond animal feed, manure management plays a key role. 



Simple changes such as covering manure storage tanks or switching to anaerobic digestion can reduce methane and ammonia. In colder regions, composting with additives like biochar helps control emissions even more.



Emissions also occur after food leaves the farm. Transport, refrigeration, and retail operations generate pollutants, especially when powered by fossil fuels. Switching to cleaner logistics and reducing spoilage can cut these downstream emissions.



The review emphasizes that demand-side changes are just as important. Dietary shifts - especially toward more plant-based foods - offer large reductions in emissions. Food waste, which currently squanders nearly one-third of all food produced, must also be tackled.



Models show that combined demand-side actions could lower global emissions by over 4 GtCO2eq per year. These actions require education, policy support, and market changes to make sustainable choices easy and affordable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-producers-in-a-changing-climate">Food producers in a changing climate </h2>



While reducing emissions is essential, farmers also need help adapting to the changing climate. 



Crops bred for drought resistance, heat tolerance, and disease resistance can thrive where others fail. Adjusting sowing times, crop rotations, and irrigation techniques boosts resilience.



In livestock, adaptation means more than survival. Farmers can use cross-breeding programs to produce animals better suited for heat or disease resistance. Improving animal housing ventilation also reduces stress and mortality during extreme weather.



Water use becomes critical. Climate change disrupts rainfall patterns, often bringing too much or too little. 



Technologies like drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting help manage this uncertainty. In areas where water is scarce, choosing less water-intensive crops can preserve supplies for future use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-case-studies-show-what-s-possible">Case studies show what’s possible</h2>



The review cites several global examples of progress. In parts of Africa, agroecological farming systems mix crops, trees, and livestock in ways that mimic natural ecosystems. This improves biodiversity and yields while reducing environmental pressure.



In Asia, the “climate-smart village” model has introduced early-warning weather systems, improved seeds, and resource-sharing networks. These villages offer a practical demonstration of what sustainable, climate-resilient farming looks like.



These initiatives show that local knowledge and global science can come together. They highlight that success lies not in any single technology but in rethinking the food system as a whole.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-and-emission-data-gaps">Food and emission data gaps</h2>



Despite progress, large gaps in understanding remain. Many emissions estimates focus only on carbon dioxide, ignoring methane and nitrous oxide. There is little high-resolution data that tracks emissions across entire food supply chains.



Another concern is nutrient loss in crops. Air pollution and climate change can reduce protein, vitamin, and mineral levels in food. This impacts not just yield but the nutritional value of diets.



As the authors state, more precise measurement tools, better emissions inventories, and long-term field trials are needed. Without this, policies may target the wrong sources or overlook key mitigation options.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shared-responsibility-global-solutions">Shared responsibility, global solutions</h2>



Fixing food systems requires global cooperation. Governments must design policies that reward sustainable farming. Companies must reduce supply chain emissions. Farmers must adopt new practices, and consumers must rethink their choices.



These efforts should be fair and inclusive. Many low-income countries depend on agriculture for survival. Climate action must support - not punish - those who are most vulnerable to its effects.



As the review concludes, the path forward lies in unity. A food system that supports both people and planet is within reach, but only if we work together.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809924007380?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Engineering</a>.



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Vicious cycle: Food systems both suffer from and cause emissions

Our global food system stands at a dangerous crossroads. As...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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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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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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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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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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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

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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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

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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

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" 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.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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