Polar ice is rapidly vanishing in both Antarctica and the South Pole, and the world keeps circling back to the same question: Can we use technology to stop it? 



A new review takes a hard look at five of the boldest proposals for slowing polar melt - and comes back with a clear answer: not yet, and maybe not ever.



The stakes are rising fast. In 2025, Arctic sea ice hit its lowest winter maximum on record, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (<a href="https://nsidc.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSIDC</a>). 



That trend highlights why people keep dreaming up big fixes - and why scientists are now asking tough questions about whether those fixes could actually work.



Led by Professor Martin Siegert of the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, the team evaluated the five ideas against six yardsticks: effectiveness, feasibility, scale and timing, environmental risk, cost, and governance. 



Their conclusion is sobering - especially for the Arctic and Antarctic, where even small missteps can cascade into major problems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-ideas-bigger-costs">Big ideas, bigger costs</h2>



The five ideas are simple to list and hard to pull off. They include <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-small-aerosols-influence-cloud-formation/">stratospheric aerosol</a> injection, which means spraying reflective particles high in the atmosphere, and seabed curtains to block warm currents from ice shelves.



Other ideas are sea ice management by boosting albedo with beads or by thickening ice, basal water removal under glaciers, and ocean iron fertilization (OIF) to stimulate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plankton-at-risk-global-warming-threatens-the-oceans-lifeline/">plankton</a> that carry carbon to the depth.



Cost alone should make readers pause. This analysis estimates that an 80-kilometer (about 50-mile) sea curtain would cost roughly 80 billion dollars over ten years. That figure comes before ongoing maintenance and unforeseen impacts are counted.



"Mid-century is approaching, but our time, money, and expertise is split between evidence-backed net zero efforts and speculative geoengineering projects," said Professor Siegert.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aerosols-can-t-save-the-polar-ice">Aerosols can’t save the polar ice</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aerosol-formation-earths-lower-atmosphere-soas/">Stratospheric aerosol</a> injection sounds straightforward: add particles like sulfur dioxide high in the stratosphere to reflect sunlight.



Over the poles it runs into physics, since winter darkness removes sunlight for months and cold-season circulation flushes aerosols out faster.



Even when the sun is up, snow and ice already reflect a lot of light, which weakens the effect. 



The review also flags known risks, including ozone loss, shifts in rainfall, and the chance of rapid warming if injections stop after years of masking greenhouse heating.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thicker-ice-plan-falls-short">Thicker ice plan falls short</h2>



One attention-grabbing idea is to scatter tiny hollow glass microspheres over first-year <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/abrupt-collapse-of-arctic-sea-ice-may-come-with-little-warning/">sea ice</a> to reflect more light. 



A 2022 paper calculated that roughly 360 megatons of beads per year would be needed and found the beads can darken some surfaces enough to accelerate ice loss.



Support for that approach also sagged outside the lab. A 2025 announcement from the Arctic Ice Project said the nonprofit was winding down after ecotoxicology tests raised potential food web risks.



What about thickening sea ice by pumping seawater onto the surface so it freezes? 



The review points out a practical wall here too, since it would mean deploying and maintaining huge numbers of devices across drifting, breaking ice in brutal conditions for years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacier-pumping-hits-hard-wall">Glacier pumping hits hard wall</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glaciers-from-the-rockies-to-the-alps-are-melting-much-faster-than-expected/">Speeding glaciers</a> depend partly on water at the base that reduces friction. Drilling through miles of moving ice and pumping out subglacial water across wide areas are a massive challenge.



Keeping the holes from freezing shut demands power, logistics, and precision that exceed current polar field capacity.



Fertilizing the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-storage-mystery-emerges-in-the-southern-ocean/">Southern Ocean</a> with iron to grow more plankton has been tested many times. A policy brief notes that only one ship experiment - the <a href="https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/15162/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Iron Fertilization Experiment</a> - saw strong carbon export to more than 9,800 feet, where storage could last centuries. 



It also found that nitrous oxide produced during remineralization can offset 5 to more than 40 percent of any carbon gains.



Even if results looked better, governance would still be a hurdle. The London Convention’s 2013 amendment restricts large-scale ocean fertilization to legitimate research, not carbon markets. 



The review adds that the <a href="https://www.ats.aq/index_e.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Antarctic Treaty System</a> would require strict environmental review for most polar interventions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-harsh-realities-of-polar-ice-testing">Harsh realities of polar ice testing</h2>



Polar work windows are short, travel distances are long, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-near-the-north-pole-signals-major-climate-shifts/">storms</a> and sea ice can cancel whole seasons. 



That is before counting iceberg hazards, darkness, and the difficulty of powering heavy equipment cleanly without leaving black carbon on the snow.



Scale also defeats many of these ideas. The ocean and ice do not respect neat borders, so diverting warm water from one polar ice shelf can steer it toward another. 



Slowing one fast-flowing glacier can also redirect stress or subglacial water and speed up a neighbor.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cutting-co2-still-works-best">Cutting CO2 still works best</h2>



The most reliable lever we have is still cutting carbon dioxide quickly. 



The review emphasizes that temperatures tend to stabilize within about two decades after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-technology-is-urgently-needed-to-save-the-climate/">net-zero CO2</a>, which slows the drivers of polar ice loss and gives ecosystems and communities a fighting chance.



Protecting polar biodiversity and local livelihoods also means expanding and enforcing strong protected areas. 



It also requires improving monitoring and supporting Indigenous knowledge and leadership in the Arctic. These steps reduce harm now without adding new risks to already stressed systems.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/science/articles/10.3389/fsci.2025.1527393/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Science</a>.



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Polar ice is melting fast, and there is no current technology that can stop it

Polar ice is rapidly vanishing in both Antarctica and the South Pole, and the world keeps circling back to the same question: Can we use technology to stop it? A new review takes a hard look at five of the boldest proposals for slowing polar melt - and comes back with a clear answer: not yet, and maybe not ever. The stakes are rising fast. In 2025, Arctic sea ice hit its lowest winter maximum on record, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)....

A new study has revealed that the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/greenland-ice-sheet-melting/">Greenland Ice Sheet</a> releases tons of methane into the atmosphere. The research suggests that melting glaciers have a far greater impact on the atmosphere than previously realized. 


An international team of researchers led by the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> camped for three months next to the Greenland Ice Sheet and sampled meltwater during the summer. When the scientists used advanced sensors that measure methane in meltwater runoff, they discovered that methane was continuously carried beneath the ice.

The researchers estimated that at least six tons of methane was transported to their study site from just one region of the Ice Sheet.

“A key finding is that much of the methane produced beneath the ice likely escapes the Greenland Ice Sheet in large, fast flowing rivers before it can be oxidized to CO2, a typical fate for methane gas which normally reduces its greenhouse warming potency,” explained study co-author Professor Jemma Wadham. 

Methane had previously been detected in Greenland ice cores and in an Antarctic lake, but this is the first time that meltwaters have been found to continuously flush out methane from the ice sheet bed.

“What is also striking is the fact that we've found unequivocal evidence of a widespread subglacial microbial system,” said study lead author Guillaume Lamarche-Gagnon. “Whilst we knew that methane-producing microbes likely were important in subglacial environments, how important and widespread they truly were was debatable.” 

“Now we clearly see that active microorganisms, living under kilometers of ice, are not only surviving, but likely impacting other parts of the Earth system. This subglacial methane is essentially a biomarker for life in these isolated habitats.”

Most research on Arctic methane sources has been focused on permafrost, which contains large reserves of organic carbon that can be converted to methane when the soils thaw. The latest research shows that ice sheet beds are also atmospheric methane sources.

“The new sensor technologies that we used give us a window into this previously unseen part of the glacial environment,” said study co-author Dr. Elizabeth Bagshaw. “Continuous measurement of meltwater enables us to improve our understanding of how these fascinating systems work and how they impact the rest of the planet.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Melting ice sheets release massive amounts of methane

A new study has revealed that the Greenland Ice Sheet...

It could be argued that overall, Chinese law is rather ambivalent to environmental destruction, making compromises between conservation when convenient and destruction when profitable, not unlike US law.  So it makes sense that along with China’s less than stellar record when it comes to the trade in endangered species, the large nation would also have a national park system. 

<a href="https://www.biographic.com/posts/sto/green-glove-iron-fist?mpweb=1018-7418-1251639">Biographic</a> has reported on the opening of new parks in China.  With more of China’s tigers in captivity than in the wild and less than 2,000 pandas left in the wild, the stakes of conservation efforts in China are extremely high.  

Forest cover has been slowly increasing in China since commercial logging was banned in state owned forests two years ago.  Air pollution in China’s cities has been decreasing, largely due to efforts by the federal government. However, cattle grazing even in protected areas threaten pandas.  <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decline-giant-salamander/">Giant salamander</a> numbers are in fast decline in China, where the amphibian is endangered, perhaps partially by misguided government policies meant to protect them.  

What happens in China’s environment is important to the rest of the world simply because of scale.  China is the world’s second largest nation in terms of land mass after Russia, taking up 6.303% of the world’s land mass.  China is also the world’s most populated country with a population of 1.42 billion people, according to <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/07/11/world-population-day/">Pew Research</a>.  This means that China alone holds approximately <a href="http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/china-population/">18.54%</a> of the world’s entire human population.  The land size and number of people means that China is in a special position to promote its own global agenda, especially when it comes to the environment.  

Much of Asia and Africa has been depleted of specific wildlife species to meet a largely Chinese demand for animal parts for superstitious ‘remedies’.  China is also pushing to become a world leader in clean technology and climate change mitigation, especially since the US has pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement.  China is also home to an authoritarian government which at its whim can mean good or bad things for the environment. When changes come in Chinese political decisions, they can be acted upon immediately.  This is all to say that when China announces the start of a national park system, it’s potentially big news.

<a href="https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/10152-China-overhauls-its-national-parks-">Chinadialogue</a> reports that the Chinese government has <a href="https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1807032">issued plans</a> for a trial of 10 national parks which will be officially kicked off in 2020.  So far, China has roughly <a href="https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/9436-China-s-pilot-national-park-a-land-of-golden-opportunity-">10,000 protected areas</a>, but they’re all managed by different government agencies.  The new move by the Chinese government will not only draw new boundaries and create new parks but take a step towards centralizing management of parks under a specific national park system.  The plans lack many concrete details, but it’s clear that they call for many big changes and seems to be modelled on the US system of national parks. The plans call the national parks part of China’s ‘ecological civilization’.  Several of the new national parks announced are well situated to protect a few of China’s most iconic wildlife species.

<a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2017/05/chinas-first-national-park-an-experiment-in-living-with-snow-leopards/">Mongabay</a> reports that one of the new national parks, Sanjiangyuan National Park, is situated on the Tibetan Plateau, in Qinghai province.  The area was once part of an independent Tibet, now controlled by China, and it’s also home to the snow leopard (Panthera uncia).  The snow leopard is an extremely rare and endangered cat that still manages to often come into conflict with humans by preying on livestock.  The new national park is planned to protect the water and wildlife of the region, including the iconic snow leopard. 

The amount of water originating within what will be the boundaries of the park is impressive, as 15% of the Mekong’s water discharge, 25% of the Yangtze’s, and 49% of the Yellow River’s start there.  

But <a href="https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/9436-China-s-pilot-national-park-a-land-of-golden-opportunity-">Chinadialogue</a> raises doubts about the national park plans.  The Chinese news source points out that the newly formed national park service exists only on paper and that the officials running still maintain their old posts in the government.  Other protected areas in China have failed to live up to their promise, capitalizing on tourism rather than protecting ecology. Tibetan Buddhist traditions in the area have long promoted harmony between humans and the natural world but those traditions are eroding as the Chinese government promotes tourism development.  Cultural taboos that have protected wildlife and water sources are less often recognized. Nomadic herders are also leaving their rural homelands and moving into urban areas where it’s easier to make a living. 

A Tibetan monk was quoted in the Chinadialogue article:

“I do not know what our national park will be like in the future. One thing is certain as far as I am concerned: if there is no monastery and monks any more in the region, and once the herders are also moved out, the valley will be dead, despite the increasing number of brown bears and snow leopards…”

Another park in Sichuan province is set to be twice the size of Yosemite and provide vital habitat for panda bears, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/08/chinese-bank-giant-panda-conservation-park">The Guardian</a>.  <a href="https://www.biographic.com/posts/sto/green-glove-iron-fist?mpweb=1018-7418-1251639">Biographic</a> reports the area where this park is planned to occupy has long been recovering, due to local and NGO efforts.  Poaching, logging and overfishing have been in decline, partly due to the local economy turning to honey instead of these more destructive means.  Locals supported by an NGO also patrol the forest for poachers. 

Despite these improvements, the Panda National Park is set to evict 170,000 people from the area.  This follows the pattern of US parks that evicted natives from within their boundaries, probably the darkest part of the National Park legacy.  Undoubtedly however the specific plans end up, tourism will cash in on the last of the pandas left in the wild. 

<a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/china-national-park-amur-leopard-tiger_us_58bfca5fe4b0ed7182682c7b">Huffington Post</a> reports that another park China plans to create will protect Siberian Tigers and the Amur Leopard.  This park is set to be one of the largest sanctuaries for large cats in the world. Considering China’s overall ambivalence over tigers during international <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nepals-tigers-double-population/">summits</a>, this is more than ironic.  The main question is can we trust the Chinese government to do the right thing or is the new national park system just a piece of propaganda to prop up a totalitarian government and for tourism profit at the cost of rural farmers?                                  

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer             

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

China plans new national parks amid skepticism

It could be argued that overall, Chinese law is rather...

Some 10,000 years ago, following the recession of the glaciers that had blanketed the central portion of North America, drastic ecological changes began to occur. At first dominated by tundra vegetation, followed by mixed hardwood forest, the region converted to grasslands over the relatively short period of several thousand years. By 8,300 years ago, a period of warm, dry climate had eliminated much of the forest cover, which then gave way to a distinct prairie ecosystem dominated by grasses mixed with herbaceous flowering plants. 

Prior to European settlement, this ecosystem constituted the largest on the continent, stretching for some 1.4 million square miles running south from Manitoba to Texas, and east from the Rocky Mountains to Indiana. The majority of the Midwest was at one time covered by tallgrass prairie, perhaps the most well-known and evocative prairie ecotype—this was the prairie that early explorers claimed, probably erroneously, was taller than a man on horseback. Proceeding towards the Rockies, this faded from mixed grass prairie to the short grass prairie of the West. 

Supporting a unique flora and fauna, including the ubiquitous big bluestem grass (Andropogon gerardii) and some 60 million bison, plus hundreds of other species, the virgin prairie has been compared in extent and diversity to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/amazon-forests-climate-change/">Amazon rainforest</a>. Native Americans lived in relative harmony with the ecosystem, sustainably harvesting what they needed. 

A delicate balance was maintained by the activity of grazers such as bison, deer, and antelope, as well as by smaller herbivores, notably the the prairie dog, and by fires sparked by lightning and by Native Americans. Burns helped to cycle nutrients and prevented the incursion of woody shrubs and trees. And the periodic removal of grasses by grazing allowed larger patches of herbaceous plants to spring up where grasses had previously been dominant. Thus, the mosaic of prairie life constantly shifted with the occurrence of fires and the movements of the bison herds and the humans who depended upon them.

Prior to westward exploration, it was believed that the forests of the East stretched across the continent. Not so, as it turned out. In the 1600s, French Jesuit explorers were among the first Europeans to lay eyes on the “sea of grass” that covered most of North America’s heartland. And it was they who dubbed it the “prairie,” after a French word for “meadow.” That word itself derives from the Latin, pratum. Their wonderment would, within two centuries, give way to a surge of exploitation that ultimately decimated the ecosystem. 

Beginning in the 1830s and intensifying later in the 19th century with the <a href="https://www.archives.gov/files/publications/prologue/2012/winter/homestead.pdf">passage of the Homestead Act of 1862</a>, a series of land runs turned the fertile land over to a burgeoning population of pioneers eager to farm it. The prairie was converted to agriculture in short order, a process further hastened by John Deere’s invention of the steel moldboard plow in 1837. 

In the ensuing decades, this innovation made the tilling of the tough prairie sod substantially easier, thus facilitating its conversion to farm fields. This ecological disaster in the making reached critical mass in the early decades of the 20th century, which saw a further wave of settlement and the overfarming of the western expanse of the plains. The conversion of much of this area to wheat farms, known as the “Great Plow-up,” left massive swathes of soil, once contained by the dense root systems of prairie plants, exposed to the elements. Combined with a period of drought, this resulted in the decade-long Dust Bowl of the 1930s, which saw windstorms carrying eroded soil blacken the skies of the region and devastate farming communities.

[caption id="attachment_1864694" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/prairies.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1864694" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/prairies.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /></a> Image Credit: Forest Service, Eastern Region[/caption]

Even prior to the mitigation efforts that followed this catastrophe, which included the planting of windbreaks and cover crops, often with non-native plants, some had raised concern about the destruction of the prairies and begun advocating conservation. Thomas McBride, who was influential in the formation of the Iowa state park system in the early 1900s, noted the need to preserve what was left of the grasslands. And Iowa <a href="https://esa.org/history/ada-hayden-preserving-iowas-prairies/">botanist Ada Hayden</a> famously proclaimed that "the goddess of agriculture ha[d] banished the prairie." In a 1919 article, she called for the establishment of remnant prairie reserves on unused land along rail corridors and elsewhere. 

It was not, however, until 1934 that the first formal prairie restoration was initiated <a href="https://arboretum.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2015/04/16_ArbLeaflet.pdf">at the University of Wisconsin-Madison</a>. Intensive efforts began in 1936. Using workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps, a large patch of former farmland was planted with sod taken from relict prairies. Among the scientists who conceptualized this restoration as a representative of pre-settlement ecosystems was famed conservationist Aldo Leopold. A second restoration effort was initiated in 1943 on a nearby plot. These became the Curtis and Greene prairies, still extant today. At a combined 110 acres, they remain among the largest and most significant restorations attempted.

Such early efforts served to illustrate the difficulties of re-establishing such a complex ecosystem. Non-native plants persisted despite the transplantation of natives and maintaining the diversity of species representative of virgin prairie proved difficult due to the dominance of grasses, which even in a healthy prairie constitute 60-80% of the biomass. It was at UW-Madison that periodic burns were first employed, mimicking the fires that once swept the prairies as a result of lightning strikes and Native American intervention. In addition to helping to suppress non-native weeds such as bluegrass and autumn olive, the burns helped certain types of native seeds to germinate. 

The lessons learned from such experiments were invaluable as prairie restoration efforts intensified starting in the 1960s. Now, restorations have been established in most areas that once hosted prairies in the United States and Canada. Notable prairies include <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/midewin">Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie</a>, <a href="http://www.mortonarb.org/places/schulenberg-prairie">Schulenberg Prairie</a>, <a href="https://www.stateparks.com/goose_lake_prairie_state_park_in_illinois.html">Goose Lake Prairie State Park</a>, and <a href="https://ed.fnal.gov/samplers/prairie/fnal_prairie.html">Fermilab Prairie</a> in Illinois, the <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/glacial-ridge-project/">Glacial Ridge Project</a> in Minnesota, <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/broken-kettle-grasslands-preserve/">Broken Kettle Grasslands</a> in Iowa, and <a href="http://www.pcap-sk.org/docs/15_nprrwpresentatio/17_Restoring-Tallgrass-Prairie-in-Beaudry-Provincial-Park_MPNA.pdf">Beaudry Provincial Park</a> in Manitoba.

It is tempting to view these restorations as a losing battle. The North American prairie is one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems. Some 99% of the original prairies have been turned over to agriculture, with short grass prairies in the West retaining more of their original range than mixed grass and tallgrass prairies. Illinois, still known as the Prairie State, retains less than .01% of its tallgrass ecosystem. Still, even small restorations provide valuable wildlife habitat as well as so-called ecosystem services. Because of the extensive surface areas of prairie plants above ground and their massive root systems, which may penetrate up to 15 feet into the soil, prairies absorb massive amounts of rainwater, preventing run-off and helping to recharge groundwater systems. They are also important carbon sinks. 

Refinements of the restoration process will only amplify these benefits. <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180514083932.htm">Studies have demonstrated</a> that inoculating prairie seeds with spores of their mycorrhizal symbionts may assist in their establishment and contribute to the overall health of the restoration. Experiments with various types of soil tilling, transplantation, and seeding have made it easier for restorationists to adapt their methodology to a certain site based on its characteristics and what has worked best on similar sites. The use of seeds from nearby areas, when possible, has been a particular focus. The use of burning has been modified to ensure that certain invertebrate species are not eliminated. Only portions of some restorations are burned each year, allowing insects and arachnids that cannot survive fires to persist in unburned areas and repopulate the burned areas once the vegetation regenerates. And the reintroduction of bison to some prairies has demonstrated their integral role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. At Midewin Prairie, their grazing habits have allowed certain forbs to flourish as grasses are trimmed by browsing, and have created additional space for the endangered upland sandpiper, which requires short grass to breed. 

Such successes reinforce the restorationist maxim “if you build it, they will come.” Indeed, the increasingly sophisticated understanding of the prairie ecosystem has led to the planting of prairies that serve a huge suite of rare and endangered animals. So, you see, to paraphrase Emily Dickinson, the revery alone won’t do. Intensive thought and intensive labor are now necessary to make a prairie. Luckily, a few committed conservationists are equal to the task.

--

By <a href="mailto:rtpallardy@gmail.com">Richard Pallardy</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Main Image Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsmidwest/">USFWS Midwest Region</a>

The revery alone won't do: Restoring America's prairies

Some 10,000 years ago, following the recession of the glaciers...

The cover crops used in between growing seasons may be warming wintertime temperatures in the northern United States and southern Canada, according to a new study. The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cover-crops-soil-temperature/">crops</a> create a darker surface, absorbing more heat from the Sun and producing a local warming effect.

Study lead author Danica Lombardozzi is a plant ecologist at the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a>.

“Most people look at cover crops for the localized benefits, but the fact that they might increase winter temperature means they could contribute to regional climate change,” said Lombardozzi.

When vegetation is protruding above the ground, the snow is prevented from reflecting solar heat back toward space. Instead, more heat is absorbed by the plant stems and leaves, and the atmosphere is warmed up. 

“Dark cover crops absorb the Sun's heat and then warm the atmosphere. Even crops partially covered by snow could decrease reflectivity enough to influence the winter temperature,” explained Lombardozzi

The research team, which also included scientists from the University of New Hampshire and Cornell University, used advanced simulations of the NCAR-based Community Earth System Model (CESM) to analyze the interaction between cover crops, the land surface, and the atmosphere

“We wanted to look at the characteristics of cover crops: are they tall or short, do they have lots of leaves or few leaves?” said study co-author and NCAR senior scientist Gordon Bonan.

The scientists ran a series of simulations to represent a broad range of crops. The simulation included tall plants with few leaves, tall plants with lots of leaves, and short plants with lots of leaves.

The study revealed that, in growing regions across the central and northern United States and southern Canada, tall and leafy cover crops increase temperatures just above Earth's surface by nearly 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit through the winter months.

The researchers also found patterns of warming for the shorter and less leafy cover crops, but the change was not as significant.

“In general, the height tends to matter more than the leafiness, but together they have a strong impact,” said Lombardozzi. “The study's results suggest that farmers could reap the full benefits of winter cover crops and reduce the impact on climate by planting shorter and less leafy crops.”

The experts said that further research is needed to understand the costs and benefits of winter cover crops in North America.

“It is essential to understand how our land management practices might affect climate,” said Lombardozzi. “If we want all of the benefits that cover crops can provide, like carbon storage and erosion control, we also need information on cover crops that can minimize regional warming impacts.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cover crops can produce a local warming effect in the wintertime

The cover crops used in between growing seasons may be...

U.S. wetlands are rapidly disappearing, but researchers may have found a new solution for restoring degraded wetlands in Louisiana. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microorganisms-regulate-methane-emissions-from-wetlands/">Wetlands</a> can provide a buffer in flood-prone areas, filter out pollutants from watersheds, and protect coasts from erosion. Many endangered and threatened species also live in wetland habitats. 

Louisiana is undergoing some of the most staggering rates of wetland erosion in the country, and the <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/la-wetlands/">United States Geological Survey</a> reports that around 75 square kilometers of wetlands in Louisiana are lost every year. 

Now, in a new study, researchers from <a href="https://www.lsu.edu/">Louisiana State University</a> have found a cost-effective method for restoring wetlands by filling in abandoned canals that were dredged for oil and gas mining. 

The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE. 

The solution lies in the thousands of feet of spoil banks created by oil and gas companies that dredged channels in Louisiana's wetlands and marshes so that boats could move freely in and out. 

A spoil bank is the accumulation of dirt and clay that was dredged up to make the channel and the researchers found there are so many spoil banks in Louisiana that the banks could cross Louisiana east to west 79 times. 

From 1900 to 2017, the researchers discovered that of the 35,000 permits issued for oil and gas mining, 27,000 permits are no longer in use. 

The channels have led to land loss and degraded wetland habitats by allowing the flow of invasive saltwater into freshwater marshes and wetlands. 

However, the researchers say that using the dirt and clay of the spoil banks to fill in the canal would be an inexpensive and effective method for restoring wetlands. 

It’s been proven that filling in dredged canals helps wetland erosion, but Louisiana has not implemented this restorations technique on a grand scale. 

In Barataria Preserve in New Orleans, backfilling the canals led to a slow and gradual restoration of the wetlands in the area, according to <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/carey-louisiana-wetlands-tattered-by-industrial-canals/">Scientific American</a>. 

By filling up the channel, saltwater can’t flow as easily into the marsh, and the natural flow of freshwater helps revive the ecosystem and spurs plant growth.

It would also be much cheaper than Louisiana's current coastal restoration plan, and the researchers say that backfilling the canals will cost .67 percent of the state’s <a href="http://coastal.la.gov/our-plan/2017-coastal-master-plan/">Coastal Master Plan</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Restoring canals found to be a cost-effective way to revive wetlands

U.S. wetlands are rapidly disappearing, but researchers may have found...

Human activities and climate change are altering the conditions of Lake Baikal, the world's oldest and deepest lake. Researchers have found that a shift in the composition of the Siberian lake is putting its unique wildlife at risk. 

Lake Baikal holds one-fifth of the world's unfrozen freshwater, and 75 percent of the species found here are not found anywhere else in the world. In 1996, the lake was designated as a World Heritage Site.

The current investigation has revealed that warming waters have led to the rapid decline of important microscopic algae known as diatoms. These algae hold a critical position at the bottom of the food chain, providing essential nutrients to other organisms such as fish and plankton. 

The algae are being steadily replaced by diatoms that are usually found in other parts of the world. The new diatoms are lighter and grow faster, which is causing a shift in natural feeding patterns and could affect energy and nutrient cycles as well. These disturbances would have a major impact on the lake’s biodiversity. 

“The results from this study reveal how Lake Baikal has responded to human pressures in the 20th and 21st Century,” said Dr Sarah Roberts, a former PhD student at the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a>. 

“By analyzing the diatoms, we have been able to reconstruct how they have changed over the last 40 years. This information can then be used to assess the impact of global climate change and local catchment disturbance on the lake during the 20th and 21st Century.”

Previous studies have shown that human-induced <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-lake-evaporation/">climate change</a> has increased temperatures in Lake Baikal and reduced seasonal ice-cover duration. At the same time, untreated sewage waste has carried overly-enriched nutrients into the water, and thick mats of green filamentous algae have collected near some areas of the shore.


Although the entire lake was affected by a shorter duration of seasonal ice cover, the researchers were surprised to find that diatom responses were restricted to the south basin, with little evidence of change in the north of the lake.

Study co-author Dr. Elena Vologina is an expert from the Institute of Earth's Crust at the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“Diatoms are exceptional indicators of changing environmental conditions,” said Dr. Vologina. “The conclusions of our paper, obtained from the analyses of sediment archives, are confirmed by sediment trap experiments which reveal that increased water temperatures over the last two decades have caused alterations in the amount and composition of diatoms in Lake Baikal.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

The world’s oldest lake is at risk of losing rare species

Human activities and climate change are altering the conditions of...

A new powder has been created by scientists at the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a> that can filter and remove CO2 from the air at factories and power plants. According to the researchers, they have managed to make the substance twice as efficient in preventing <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/higher-co2-levels-forgetful/">CO2</a> from reaching the atmosphere. 

Once the powder is saturated with carbon dioxide captured at large facilities, the powder could be transported to storage sites and buried underground.

The substance was developed in the lab of Zhongwei Chen, who is a professor of Chemical Engineering. He explained that the technique used by the team could also be used to produce carbon powders for other applications, such as water filtration and energy storage.

“This will be more and more important in the future,” said Professor Chen. “We have to find ways to deal with all the CO2 produced by burning fossil fuels.”


In a process known as adsorption, CO2 molecules stick to the surface of carbon when they come in contact with it. Carbon is an ideal candidate for CO2 capture because it is abundant, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly.

The research team, which also included experts at several universities in China, set out to improve the adhesive performance of adsorption by manipulating the size and concentration of pores in carbon materials.

Ultimately, the researchers developed a system that uses heat and salt to extract a black carbon powder from plant matter. The powder is made up of carbon spheres that have an abundance of microscopic pores.

Professor Chen explained, “The porosity of this material is extremely high. And because of their size, these pores can capture CO2 very efficiently. The performance is almost doubled.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/carbon">Carbon</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists create powder that can help capture and store CO2

A new powder has been created by scientists at the...

Pacific Gas and Electric, one of the nation's largest utility companies, may be ordered to pay billions of dollars in damages if found responsible for deadly California wildfires. In a document obtained by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/">CNBC</a> last month, PG&amp;E acknowledged that its equipment may have sparked the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/california-fire-evacuations/">Camp Fire</a> on November 8, 2017.

PG&amp;E could also face murder charges if the company is found to be liable for the fire, according to a brief filed in Northern California’s federal district court. The state is investigating whether the company properly managed the operation and maintenance of its equipment.

Prosecutors said the investigation will examine PG&amp;E’s safety practices to see if it committed a crime “with the requisite mental intent.”

The <a href="http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/2277">Camp Fire</a> was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state of California, claiming at least 88 lives. High winds fueled the fire, which consumed the town of Paradise in less than 24 hours.

Some victims of the Camp Fire have already sued PG&amp;E over negligence and health and safety code violations. These lawsuits follow dozens of others against the utility that are related to previous fires in 2017.

In a statement, PG&amp;E  said that its “most important responsibility is public and workforce safety. Our focus continues to be on assessing our infrastructure to further enhance safety and helping our customers continue to recover and rebuild.”

“Throughout our service area, we are committed to doing everything we can to help further reduce the risk of wildfire.”

According to prosecutors, PG&amp;E could be charged with additional felony charges if the utility is found to have acted recklessly. If the company did not properly clear vegetation around its power lines and poles, lesser charges will be sought including involuntary manslaughter.

PG&amp;E believes that global warming is to blame for the increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires in California, stating that “drought, extreme heat, and 129 million dead trees” are making it more likely for fires to spark.

On October 1, PG&amp;E wrote to federal officials: “California is now experiencing the devastating impact of extreme weather and climate-driven natural disasters, including the massive wildfires that occurred in Northern and Southern California in 2017, and the largest wildfires in California’s history during 2018. Extreme weather is no longer a theoretical issue, it has become the new normal.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: NASA (Joshua Stevens) - NASA Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager

PG&E faces murder charges, billions in damages for deadly wildfires

Pacific Gas and Electric, one of the nation's largest utility...

Biologists and engineers from The Netherlands and Mexico are describing studies and field observations around the Caribbean Sea that demonstrate just how effective seagrass beds are in protecting tropical beaches from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-beach-erosion-threatens-protected-marine-areas/">erosion</a>. The experts report that seagrass beds can reduce the need for the expensive beach nourishments that are currently used. 

Study lead author Rebecca James is a PhD-candidate at the <a href="https://www.rug.nl/?lang=en">University of Groningen</a> and the <a href="https://www.nioz.nl/en">Royal Dutch Institute for Sea Research</a> (NIOZ).

“A foreshore with both healthy seagrass beds as well as calcifying algae, is a resilient and sustainable option in coastal defense,” said James. “Because of erosion, the economic value of Caribbean beaches literally drains into the sea.”

The study authors focused on beaches of the Caribbean Sea, where economies largely  depend on revenue from tourism that is centered around the beaches. 

“With the increase of coastal development, the natural flow of water and sand is disrupted, natural ecosystems are damaged, and many tropical beaches have already disappeared into the sea,” explained study co-author Rodolfo Silva.

“Until now, expensive coastal engineering efforts, such as repeated beach nourishments and concrete walls to protect the coast, have been made to combat erosion. Rising sea-level and increasing storms will only increase the loss of these important beaches.”

The team conducted a simple experiment to determine to what extent seagrass beds are able to hold sand and sediment on the beach foreshores. 

“We showed that seagrass beds were extremely effective at holding sediment in place,” said James. “Especially in combination with calcifying algae that ‘create their own sand,’ a foreshore with healthy seagrass appeared a sustainable way of combating erosion.”

Study co-author Dr. Brigitta van Tussenbroek said the team discovered that the amount of erosion was strongly linked to the amount of vegetation. At beaches where seagrass beds were destroyed, there was an abrupt increase in erosion, which created a need for expensive modifications. 


Bas Roels of World Wildlife Fund Netherlands said: “To date, seagrass beds are too often regarded as a nuisance, rather than a valuable asset for preserving touristically valuable coastlines. This study could change this perspective completely.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience">BioScience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Seagrass plays an important role in preserving beaches

Biologists and engineers from The Netherlands and Mexico are describing...

Fireworks have been banned across the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-galapagos-islands/">Galapagos Islands</a> in an effort to protect the region's wildlife. Government officials in Ecuador announced the ban on Friday, just days before annual New Year's Eve fireworks celebrations were to take place. 

The local council said in a statement that it had passed “unanimously a resolution that prohibits the importation, sale, distribution and use of fireworks or pyrotechnics in the Galapagos province.”

The campaign against fireworks was initially launched in 2017. Now that the legislation has passed, the new laws will take effect immediately. Fireworks that do not produce sound are an exception to the ban.

The Galapagos Islands are located just over 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. Thousands of tourists that visit the islands every year are drawn to the pristine environment and rare animal species.

Previous studies have shown that the loud noises produced by fireworks have a detrimental effect on both wild and domestic animals. The noise causes stress and anxiety, as well as fear that can cause animals to flee into dangerous areas such as roadways. 

The fear also causes some birds to leave the nest, and they can become so disoriented that they cannot find their way back to the nest to care for their young. Furthermore, when birds or mammals ingest the remains of fireworks, it usually leads to death. 

Officials in the Galapagos Islands said that many wild animals had previously suffered from heart problems and nervous stress because of noise from fireworks. They also explained that the ban on fireworks will help to prevent air and water pollution.

Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands in 1835, and the rare wildlife later inspired his Theory of Evolution, which is the idea that all species share a common ancestor, change over time, and give rise to new species.

Lorena Tapia, the president of the Galapagos Islands’ local council, wrote on Twitter: “This is a gift to conservation for Ecuador and the world. Ecosystems as sensitive as that of the Galapagos Islands are affected by fireworks, especially its fauna, which is unique.”
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Galapagos Islands ban fireworks to protect animals

Fireworks have been banned across the Galapagos Islands in an...

One ton of plastic waste found washed up on English beach. A group of volunteers and environmentalists recently removed 1,000 kilograms (one metric ton) of plastic shipping and fishing waste that had washed up on a beach along Worbarrow Bay in Dorset, England.

Among the debris were pieces of rope, nets, and even oil drums filled with used engine oil, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6542307/Volunteers-collect-ONE-TONNE-plastic-waste.html">Daily Mail</a> which reported on the pick-up effort. 

Steve Trewhella, a conservationist, headed a clean-up crew of twelve volunteers that worked to clean up the beach.One ton of plastic waste found washed up on English beach 

“We removed an estimated 1,000 kgs of litter from Worbarrow Bay, and a handful of volunteers filled a very large tractor-trailer,” Trewhella told the Daily Mail. “It was a depressing sight yet it’s the same thing every year, this is not a new problem. The vast majority of items were fishing or shipping related - nets, rope and plastic drums.”

The plastic waste came from shipping and fishing vessels that carelessly dumped their waste overboard, and some of the waste originated from the US and Canada, showing just how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-oceans-triple/">widespread the ocean’s plastic problem truly is</a>.

[caption id="attachment_1864561" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Screen-Shot-2019-01-01-at-1.13.57-PM.png"><img class="wp-image-1864561" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Screen-Shot-2019-01-01-at-1.13.57-PM.png" alt="" width="700" height="426" /></a> Image Credit: Steve Trewhella/SWNS[/caption]

What is particularly problematic is that Worbarrow Bay and its beaches are part of the Jurassic Coast, a British World Heritage Site. 

If the oil drums had leaked, it could have been devastating to the protected local ecosystem according to the volunteers. 

“Fishing boats show no regard for the environment, throwing debris into the sea rather than paying to have it safely disposed of at port,” Trewhella said. “So long as this is allowed to continue, we can ban all the single-use plastics we want, but it will have little impact on the world's oceans.” 

Much of the ocean’s plastic waste comes from discarded fishing and shipping gear. 

<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-22939-w">One study</a> found that fishing nets made up 46 percent of the 79,000 metric tons that is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. 

“I knew there would be a lot of fishing gear, but 46 percent was unexpectedly high,” said Laurent Lebreton, the lead author of the study, told <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/great-pacific-garbage-patch-plastics-environment/"> National Geographic</a>. “Initially, we thought fishing gear would be more in the 20 percent range. That is the accepted number [for marine debris] globally—20 percent from fishing sources and 80 percent from land.”

Discarded fishing nets pose some of the greatest risks for marine wildlife and too many fish, whales, and sharks end up entangled in fishing ropes every year. 

“Tighter regulations need to be in place to ensure ships and fishing vessels return to port with the objects they left it with, and that broken fish boxes, drums, boots, pallets, and other items are not simply thrown into the sea once out of sight,” Trewhella told the Daily Mail. “These objects do not degrade, they often spend years at sea becoming potential homes to species that while interesting do not belong in our waters.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

One ton of plastic waste found washed up on English beach

One ton of plastic waste found washed up on English...

South Korea recently amended a law to ban plastic shopping bags in supermarkets and put hefty fines in place for shops that don’t adhere to the new ruling. 

The ban will come in effect today, January 1st, and aims to help reduce plastic waste. 

According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/31/asia/south-korea-plastic-bag-ban-intl/index.html">CNN</a>, the ban will impact 13,000 supermarkets, eleven of which have 1,776 square feet or more of sales space within their stores. 

Currently, plastic bags are only available for a price, but this new amendment will ban them altogether. The ban mirrors the efforts of many other countries hoping to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-calls-for-ban-on-single-use-plastics/">reduce single-use plastics</a> and plastic waste overall. 

The UK, New Zealand, and China all have bans or taxes on plastic bags and shoppers must use paper or cloth shopping bags instead. 

If a supermarket disobeys the ban, fines could reach 3 million won, the equivalent of about $2,700 US dollars, according to CNN. 

South Korea's <a href="http://envfor.nic.in/">Ministry of Environment </a>is also working on reducing other single-use plastic items like drinking straws. 

Every year billions of pounds of plastic waste end up in the world’s ocean, and single-use plastic makes up a large portion of that waste. Plastic bags have been found at the bottom of the <a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/single-use-plastic-has-reached-worlds-deepest-ocean-trench">Mariana Trench</a> and in the protected Galapagos Islands. 

Around 40 percent of all plastic produced in the world is used in packaging, and less than one-fifth of all plastic produced is recycled, according to <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/07/ocean-plastic-pollution-solutions/">National Geographic.</a>

When this plastic ends up in the ocean, it doesn’t degrade and poses major health risks for marine wildlife who can ingest harmful microplastics or become tangled up in plastic debris. 

There is hope though, as CNN reported on a study that found that in northern Europe, there were 30 percent fewer plastic bags along the seabed thanks to plastic bans and taxes, proving that cutting back on plastic bags is effective. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Disposable plastic shopping bags have been banned in South Korea

South Korea recently amended a law to ban plastic shopping...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What caused the planet's longest ice age

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

<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.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

<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://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter 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://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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