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)....

Successful conservation measures that restore declining populations of species should be a cause for celebration right? 

But what if a species’ growing population in an ecosystem leads to more food competition and inadvertently causes population declines in another species? This was a major concern raised about the growing populations of seals in the Baltic Sea. It was thought that having more seals in the area would decrease fish populations as seals prey on fish. 

However, researchers from <a href="https://www.su.se/english/">Stockholm University</a> have now put an end to the argument showing that seals aren’t the problem. Instead, their new study shows that climate change, nutrient levels in the ocean, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/overfishing-history-conservation/">fisheries</a> have a far greater impact on fish stocks than seals do. 

The study factored in human activities like fishing and agriculture and their impact on the environment to see if seals feeding on fish were the main driver of herring, Baltic cod, and sprat declines in the Baltic Sea.

“We currently have 30,000 grey seals in the Baltic Proper, but we can even have more than 100 000 seals and it will still not affect the amount of cod negatively as much as climate change, nutrient load and fisheries. The Baltic is very sensitive to human impact,” said David Costalago, the lead author of the study. 

The research was published in the journal Ambio, and the team created computer simulations to project how climate change and nutrient load will impact commercial fish stocks in the Baltic Sea. 

The simulations projected future fish populations up to the year 2098. High temperatures and high levels of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus were found to be more damaging to cod than herring or sprat.

Overall, the researchers found that climate change, nutrient load, and fishing decreased fish stocks far more than any amount of seals eating the fish. 

The team says that debates surrounding predator-prey relations miss the mark, and in reality, the ecosystem as a whole has to be considered to prevent future damage to marine food webs. 

“We need to start to focus on the main problem that the Baltic is facing for its fish populations - which is for example climate change and eutrophication,” said Monika Winder, an author of the study. “We need to find ways to both secure the revenues of the fishers and guarantee the conservation of the fish stock and good status of the grey seal population.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Jan Kansanen

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com </a>

Climate change, overfishing are the real threat to Baltic Sea fish

Successful conservation measures that restore declining populations of species should...

The most destructive weather event of 2018 was <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-florence-slams-carolinas/">Hurricane Florence</a>, which caused an estimated $17 billion in damages. Hurricane Michael was a close second, with $15 billion in damages. While these disasters occur naturally, scientists have found that climate change is making them much worse by increasing their intensity and duration.

For example, human-caused climate change is worsening hot and dry conditions in the western United States, which sets the stage for more intense wildfires. Meanwhile, rising ocean temperatures are fueling more severe hurricanes, and a wetter, warmer atmosphere is producing heavier rainfall. 

Beyond the record-breaking California wildfires of 2018, Greece and Sweden also experienced deadly fires after a devastating heat wave lingered across Europe throughout the summer. 

Kevin Trenberth is a climate scientist at the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> in Boulder, Colorado.

“Climate change is adding to what’s going on naturally, and it’s that extra stress that causes things to break,” Trenberth told the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a>. “It takes the experience well outside anything that’s been experienced before. It crosses thresholds. As a result, things break, people die, and things burn.”

The Washington Post reports that Africa may have endured the hottest temperature ever measured since record-keeping began on July 5, 2018, when the Saharan city of Ouargla reached 124.3 degrees Fahrenheit. On the same day, temperatures were estimated to reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit on the Arctic coast of northern Siberia.

Natural disasters cost a total of $155 billion this year across the globe. The United States was hit especially hard, including the Kilauea eruption in Hawaii, from which recovery efforts will cost hundreds of millions.

Despite the high cost of extreme weather events in 2018, however, the damage does not compare to 2017. According to Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Research Center, 2017 was the costliest weather year in U.S. history with more than $300 billion in damage.

Trenberth told the Washington Post, “Climate change is here, and it’s already costing tens of billions of dollars a year. I think the climate costs in the future are greatly underestimated.”

A paper published last week by the UK charity <a href="https://www.christianaid.org.uk/">Christian Aid</a> detailed the most expensive weather disasters of the year. 

“Extreme weather hit every populated continent in 2018, killing, injuring and displacing millions, and causing major economic damage,” said Christian Aid. “Throughout the year, and across the world, droughts, floods, fires, heatwaves, typhoons and hurricanes have made the news and captured public attention.”

The report also stated that the extreme weather events of 2018 “are not normal: they were worsened or made more likely by climate change, or both.”

“There will not be any new normal as long as greenhouse gas emissions continue to push up global temperatures - extreme weather events will constantly become increasingly common and more extreme.”

The full report by Christian Aid can be found <a href="https://mediacentre.christianaid.org.uk/download/?id=4170&amp;pn=21e38f435ea050ce63ac6b7e52c58d72-pdf#link=%7B%22role%22:%22standard%22,%22href%22:%22https://mediacentre.christianaid.org.uk/download/?id=4170&amp;pn=21e38f435ea050ce63ac6b7e52c58d72-pdf%22,%22target%22:%22%22,%22absolute%22:%22%22,%22linkText%22:%22new%20study%20by%20Christian%20Aid%22%7D">here</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Climate change made extreme weather worse in 2018, research confirms

The most destructive weather event of 2018 was Hurricane Florence,...

This past Sunday, NBC’s <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-december-30-2018-n951406">Meet the Press</a> was an hour-long special completely dedicated to the climate crisis. Politicians like California Governor Jerry Brown and scientists spoke with NBC’s panel of journalists including Chuck Todd about the serious ramifications of increased fossil fuel use, carbon emissions, and climate change. California Gov. Brown says we must go to war against climate change

At the start of the show, Todd made it clear that the Climate Crisis special would not give any airtime to climate deniers. 

“But just as important as what we are going to do this hour is what we're not going to do. We're not going to debate climate change, the existence of it,” Todd said. “The Earth is getting hotter. And human activity is a major cause, period. We're not going to give time to climate deniers. The science is settled, even if political opinion is not.”

As we have reported, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/majority-republicans-climate-change/">science of climate change is undeniable</a> and human activity is the main driving force behind increases in greenhouse gases, temperatures, and weather extremes. 

Unfortunately though, it is still somehow a debated issue for people like the President of the United States, whose policies directly reflect his stance on climate change. 

California’s Governor Jerry Brown spoke with Chuck Todd about the dangers of unchecked climate change and the problems California, in particular, is facing. Brown said that fire seasons were getting longer and wildfires were happening all year rather than a few months during the summer and fall. 

During the interview, Governor Brown said that the US should be investing time and money into new technologies, fuel-efficient cars and reducing emissions, rather than focusing on tariffs. 

Brown likened climate change to an enemy to the country that we all have to come together and fight like we did in World War II, but we can only do that with a united front with the President in the lead. 

“I would point to the fact that it took Roosevelt many, many years to get America willing to go into World War II and fight the Nazis,” said Brown. “Well, we have an enemy, though different, but perhaps, very much devastating in a similar way. And we've got to fight climate change. And the president's got to lead on that.” 

Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, also spoke with Todd at length about the disconnect between an administration pushing for fossil fuels and denying climate change and the realities of climate change driven weather extremes and disasters. 

“It would be a lot more helpful if we had a climate champion rather than a climate denier in the White House,” Bloomberg said. “You know, I've always thought Trump has a right to his opinions, but doesn't have a right to his own facts.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: NASA

California Gov. Brown says we must go to war against climate change

This past Sunday, NBC’s Meet the Press was an hour-long...

Utah is a paradise for a lover of the outdoors.  From hot deserts to a chilly alpine high point of <a href="https://www.summitpost.org/kings-peak/150376">13,528</a> feet elevation above sea level, Utah has plenty of opportunity for boating, fishing, hiking, hunting, skiing, rock climbing and anything else done outside.  Considering the shear natural beauty and scale of undeveloped land, it’s not surprising that Utah is also home to <a href="http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/national-parks.html">13 National Park Service Units</a>, including five national parks and three national monuments administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

<a href="https://www.deseretnews.com/top/2318/0/From-03-to-811-What-percentage-of-each-state-is-owned-by-the-federal-government.html">Deseret News</a> reports that there are 35,033,603 acres of federal land in Utah, making up 66.5% of the state as of 2012.  According to the <a href="https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/SSRSReports/National%20Reports/Visitation%20By%20State%20and%20By%20Park%20(2017%20-%20Last%20Calendar%20Year)">National Park Service</a>, it’s 13 units in Utah saw a total of 15,152,428 visitors in 2017 alone and that doesn’t include the National Monuments managed by the BLM.  Utah is also home to 44 of its own <a href="https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/?view=list">state parks</a>, some of which are spectacular in their own right.  Utah was also until recently, host to <a href="https://www.outdoorretailer.com/">Outdoor Retailer</a>, the largest national trade show for outdoor retail companies.  That last part changed as the political fight over federal lands heated up after Trump was elected.  

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/patagonia-fighting-trump/">Patagonia</a> and other brands in the outdoor industry pushed to move the Outdoor Retailer Show from Salt Lake City Utah to Denver Colorado due to what was an unfriendly attitude by Utah’s state government towards federal land conservation.  Even as Utah enjoys more visitors to its parks than most of its neighbors, even as it profited from the Outdoor Retailer trade show, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/utahs-tenacious-efforts-to-take-back-federal-land-stand-out">PBS</a> reports that the state has done more than any other to win back control of federal lands.

In 2012, Utah legislature passed a law demanding the federal government give it back 30 million acres of land, in 2017 a Utah congressman introduced a bill to sell more than 4,600 square miles of federal land before pulling it.  After Trump’s administration proposed severely slashing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/canyon-tree-frogs-bears/">Bear’s Ears National Monument</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-grand-staircase-escalante/">Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument</a>, the government of Utah seemed to cheer.    

As late as November of this year, <a href="https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900041730/how-much-are-utahs-federal-lands-worth-state-going-to-try-to-find-out.html">Deseret News</a> reported that Utah legislators were planning on tallying up the amount of revenue that would be made if the state’s federal lands were managed privately.  After calculating the number, Utah planned to bill the federal government for the difference. This year, the <a href="https://www.doi.gov/">US Department of the Interior</a> already gave Utah $40.7 million in lieu of federal taxes, but the state’s government suspects the land managed by the department is worth much more.  Utah has a long history of opposition to the federal government, including federal lands. During the civil war, the <a href="https://www.utahhumanities.org/stories/items/show/243">US stationed troops</a> in Utah because of the state’s suspect loyalty to the union.  As much as Utah seems to chafe over the federal management of its lands, something interesting has happened during the current partial government shutdown.

As Trump and Congress continue their stalemate over funding for his border wall, many national parks are closed, leaving employees in a difficult position.  <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2018/12/27/national-parks-closed-during-federal-government-shutdown/2424786002/">USA Today</a> reports that National Parks websites no longer have up to date information on conditions.  This means that you won’t have flood, fire or storm warnings on parks you may visit. Access may change without notice as well.  Trails, roads or other services may be closed without any warning. Besides this, many National Parks are simply completely closed.  Other parks have no trash or toilet service, some offer the golden opportunity for a free visit without staff to collect fees. Big Bend National Park in Texas posted signs that the park itself remains open during the shutdown but offers no visitor services, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/12/28/680720032/national-parks-many-are-open-during-the-shutdown-their-bathrooms-not-so-much">NPR</a> reports.  

Some states have stepped in to fill the gaps left by the federal government.  Arizona is paying for trash services and trail snow removal crews in the iconic Grand Canyon National Park.  Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee is partially open thanks to the state. 

Along with the others, some of Utah’s National Parks will remain open.  Arches, Bryce and Zion National Parks with have custodial services paid for by the state of Utah.  The Utah Office of Tourism is even updating information on the parks on its own website, <a href="https://www.visitutah.com/">VisitUtah.com</a>.  Not only National Parks are kept running in Utah, ski resorts are sometimes operated on US Forest Service land are to remain open and fully operational.  However, even Utah’s funding for parks is set to run out as costs pile up. 

An article in the <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/12/18/if-government-shuts-down/">Salt Lake City</a> Tribune worries about the consequences of keeping parks open to visitors with delayed emergency response times and lack of visitor services.  It’s interesting that in Utah the people and the government seem more interested in capitalizing on the land and protecting people from it than protection of the land.  The goal of environmentalism and perhaps conservation is to protect the environment itself and promote an intimate relationship between humans and that environment.

Sometimes intimate relationships are messy.  Instead of loving the land, the government of Utah seems to only understand profiting from it.  The parks that remain open in Utah remain open to make money, no other reason. As to the other parks with open gates, roads and trails made dangerous in the absence of rangers, I say enjoy the land but fear for its future.  I’d like to end this article with a quote from a man made famous in his irreverent love of the land in Utah and throughout the US southwest. In his book, Desert Solitaire, Ed Abbey wrote about people enjoying the outdoors:

“A venturesome minority will always be eager to set off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks, for godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American.”

If the government is set on anarchy, the least we can do is make the most of it, as Utah is soon set to join the rest of the nation in ending National Park Services.                                  

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Utah’s national parks remain open during government shutdown

Utah is a paradise for a lover of the outdoors....

2018 has been the year of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-eases-safety-offshore-drilling/">rollbacks</a>, and the Trump administration has not been subtle about its stance on pushing for fossil fuel use and mining. As the demand for minerals, oils, and natural gas continues to increase, we have to dig deeper and set up more mining operations to fulfill that demand. 

There are some major decisions regarding seabed mining expected in the coming year which could open up a gold-rush-like frenzy to set up deep-sea mining operations. 

But if seabed mining increases, it could negatively impact deep-sea ecosystems, according to a new paper written by researchers from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter </a>and <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/">Greenpeace</a>.

The paper, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, calls for expanded protections of deep-sea ecosystems rather than more mining. 

“Some areas targeted for seabed mining are known to be hotspots for biodiversity, including habitat for endemic corals and nursery grounds for sharks,” said Kathryn Miller, a co-author of the study. 

Policy experts and scientists from Exeter teamed up with members of Greenpeace to review the deep-sea regulations and see if these would continue to be effective with added threats like mining. The goal of the paper was to create a discussion before there are any major decisions made on deep-sea mining. 

One of the major arguments is that although demand for minerals is increasing, deep-sea mining is not a sustainable solution and there are much better alternatives that would still meet energy and industrial demands while keeping the seabed safe. 

The researchers say that deep-sea mining would not be necessary with a “circular economy,” which is one that relies heavily on recycling and reusing metals and reducing overconsumption. 

Along with recycling metals, the researchers say that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-protected-areas-expanded/">Marine Protected Areas</a> must be preserved and expanded with better monitoring and stricter consequences for mining or fishing in protected areas. 

“Many marine scientists are concerned that, once the first commercial contract for mining is issued, there will be no going back,” said Miller. “Before that happens, we should be absolutely certain that we have looked carefully at all the other options for a more sustainable future.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: DJ Amon &amp; CR Smith

Deep-sea mining could damage delicate deep-sea ecosystems

2018 has been the year of rollbacks, and the Trump...

The December 23rd tsunami that devastated coastlines along the Sunda Strait in Indonesia and killed 430 has raised many important questions about <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-tsunami/indonesias-latest-tsunami-raises-global-questions-over-disaster-preparedness-idUSKCN1OT069">disaster preparedness</a>. 

This is not the first tsunami to devastate Indonesia and parts of the country are still recovering from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reconstruction-tsunami-social-divide/">2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami</a>. There was no early warning given to the people due to the fact that Indonesia's countrywide warning system has been out of order since 2012.  

If the warning system had been in place, it might have given people on the beaches of Sumatra and Indonesia at least some time to evacuate to a safer place. 

The December 23rd tsunami was traced back to the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano located in the Sunda Strait, and after the volcano partially collapsed, and the water displacement caused the tsunami. 

A 2012 study actually predicted both the eventual collapse of Anak Krakatau and the resulting tsunami, and the study could have helped prevent the major disaster, according to the <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/2012-study-predicted-tsunami-disaster-that-struck-indonesia">Straits Times</a>. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/">Geological Society of London</a> conducted the study examining the risks posed by Anak Krakatau, which means “child of Krakatau,” because the volcano is precariously located on part of the Krakatau caldera which erupted in 1883.

The researchers used a numerical model to simulate potential landslides and tsunamis from an eruption of Anak Krakatau. 

On December 22, the model’s simulations came true showing how eerily accurate the researcher’s projections were right down the areas the researcher predicted would be hardest hit. 

After the partial collapse of the volcano, the landslide created waves nearly 16 feet high. 

The study emphasized Anak Krakatau’s instability and called for monitoring of the volcano to prevent catastrophic fatalities due to a tsunami, according to the Straits Times.

When asked about the research by the Straits Times, Antonius Ratdomopurbo, the national geological agency's secretary, said that there were just too many studies to consider them all seriously. 

“There are a lot of them,” Ratdomopurbo replied. “One thousand pieces of research, and one of them is correct. How could we go about this?”
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

2012 study accurately predicted Indonesia’s December tsunami

The December 23rd tsunami that devastated coastlines along the Sunda...

The Madden-Julian Oscillation is the weather pattern that brings strong thunderstorms to the tropics on a regular basis, and atmospheric scientists have long studied how this reoccurring system influences extreme weather events far beyond this region. 

Experts at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University</a> have found that well-known weather patterns will shift as a result of man-made climate change. A study led by Professor Eric Maloney in the Department of Atmospheric Science was focused on how anthropogenic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/never-pause-global-warming/">global warming</a> will affect the Madden-Julian Oscillation.

The research team used data from six existing climate models to synthesize current views of such changes projected for the end of the century, particularly across the years 2080-2100.

The investigation revealed that the precipitation variations associated with the Madden-Julian Oscillation are likely to increase in intensity under a warmer climate. However, wind variations are likely to increase at a slower rate, or even decrease.

“In just looking at precipitation changes, the Madden-Julian Oscillation is supposed to increase in strength in a future climate,” said Professor Maloney. “But one of the interesting things from our study is that we don't think this can be generalized to wind as well.”

[caption id="attachment_1864495" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/weather-patterns.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1864495" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/weather-patterns-1024x445.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="304" /></a> Image Credit: Eric Maloney/Colorado State University[/caption]

It is important to understand weather patterns like the Madden-Julian Oscillation to predict the weather in other regions. For example, atmospheric rivers, which are plumes of high atmospheric water vapor that can cause severe flooding on the west coast of the United States, are strongly influenced by phases of the Madden-Julian Oscillation.

According to the research, the Madden-Julian Oscillation's impact on remote areas may gradually decrease. A sharp decline in the wind signal could make it difficult for meteorologists to predict extreme weather events. In particular, preferential warming of the upper troposphere in a future climate is expected to reduce the strength of the Madden-Julian Oscillation circulation.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/about">Nature Climate Change</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>

Global warming will make reliable weather patterns unpredictable

The Madden-Julian Oscillation is the weather pattern that brings strong...

If you’ve kept up with the slew of climate change reports and studies being published as of late you will have undoubtedly noticed a pattern, one year that pops up time and time again: 2050. 

Why do so many studies and climate reports seem hyper-focused on this year, especially when it comes to food security, agriculture, and global food demand? Is 2050 some portent of doom that we should all be more aware of or a worst-case scenario only in the unlikeliest of events?

To understand why so many studies focus on 2050, it’s important first to understand what the date means for the world’s population. Having a better grasp on population projections and why researchers choose the dates they do will help make sense of food demand and the project impact of climate change on food security. 

What’s with 2050? 

2050 presents a perfect middle ground for a future that’s far enough away that climate change mitigation still seems like a possibility, and yet close enough for people to be concerned about what the world will be like for future generations. 

Many people today will live to see 2050 or will have children or grandchildren who will. It’s also an exact number that’s easy to remember, write about, and factor into predictions. 

Kostas Stamoulis, the director of the Agricultural Development Economics Division of the <a href="http://www.fao.org/">United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization</a>, told <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/forget-2015-2050-year-predictions-296481">Newsweek</a> that the year in question was a “nice, round number.” 

The Earth will look very different in 2050, not only because of climate change, but also because of the projected growth in the world’s population, which is estimated to be 9.8 billion by 2050 and 11.2 billion by 2100, according to the <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/world-population-prospects-2017.html">United Nations (UN) Department of Economic and Social Affairs. </a>

2050 will have a population nearly twice as large as it was at the beginning of the millennium. Studies that make projections about 2050 examine both climate impacts and food demand for a drastically growing population of people.

India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Indonesia and the United States will experience some of the biggest population increases, according to the UN. 

The fact so much population growth will be concentrated to some of the least developed countries could be challenging for ensuring nutritional needs are met when already, many populations suffer from hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. This brings us to the crux of the food demand issue. 

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-triggers-extreme-weather/">Climate change</a> is expected to cause sea level rise, heat waves, droughts, and an increased frequency of storms, flooding, and hurricanes, all of which will impact global agriculture and crop production. We are already seeing these impacts today, and crop production in many parts of the world is suffering because of climate change. 

However, if climate change will negatively impact crop production, what will that mean for a quickly growing population of people on Earth? Put simply, more people equals higher food demand, but climate change is projected to reduce food security. 

Food Security and rising demands: 2018 versus 2050

Food demand, or food security, is how much food is needed to feed a population, be it your own family, the population of a country or the world, and ensuring that these needs are met. 

The term food security was first coined in the 1970s but later revised in 1983 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to a definition that factored in both supply and demand of food products according to a<a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/faoitaly/documents/pdf/pdf_Food_Security_Cocept_Note.pdf"> 2006 FAO Policy Brief.</a>

The 1983 definition of food security is “ensuring that all people at all times have both physical and economic access to the basic food that they need.” 

There are many different facets to food security including ethical and human rights considerations, access to food, availability, and sustainability, according to the FAO.  

Food insecurity, similarly, doesn’t just describe hunger. According to the <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security.aspx">United States Department of Agriculture</a>, it refers to limited or uncertain access to adequate food at the household level. 

Around 821 million people are undernourished today, and world hunger has been on the rise. 

Agriculture and food security go hand in hand, and each one is dependent on the other which is why a rising population coupled with rising food demands presents such a challenge.

The amount of resources like water or grain needed for food production is staggering. According to the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/food-security-and-why-it-matters/">World Economic Forum</a>, it takes on average 1,500 liters of water to produce one kilogram of rice, or about 400 gallons to produce two pounds of rice. 

Cows require even more water, around 16,000 liters to produce a kilogram of beef. Chickens require hundreds of gallons of water a day. As people increase their meat consumption, it will require more grains to be produced every year to feed livestock. 

More grains will need more water along with the increasing numbers of livestock draining the already strained freshwater resources available for human consumption and agriculture. 

Many people don’t realize just how much water is required for the food we eat every day. <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/food/">National Geographic</a> reported that 70 percent of the water available for human consumption goes toward food production. 

In 2050, it’s projected that food production will require twice as much water to ensure food demands are met. We’ll also need viable cropland and more sustainable farming alternatives by 2050, but today we are losing far more potential farmland than we are gaining due to expanded urban development and soil degradation through pollution, logging, mining, and other human activities. 

The <a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/Issues_papers/HLEF2050_Global_Agriculture.pdf">FAO</a> also notes that a shrinking rural labor force will result in fewer farmers by 2050.

Meanwhile, climate change will factor into food production in the future as increasing temperatures cause more droughts and shrink usable land for crops and grazing. 

In order to feed 9.1 billion people, the FAO reports that current projections estimate that food production will need to increase<a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/expert_paper/How_to_Feed_the_World_in_2050.pdf"> by 70 percent</a> between 2007 and 2050. 

To help put that number in perspective, cereal production would need to increase from 2.1 billion tons to three billion and meat production will need to more than double to 470 million tons by 2050. 

By 2050, the Earth is projected to have drastically increased populations which will increase global food demands, especially for lower income and developing nations. Climate change is projected to majorly impact food security which is why many researchers, aid organizations, and policymakers are so focused on finding sustainable agricultural practices that won’t further strain the world’s limited natural resources. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

How climate change will impact food security

If you’ve kept up with the slew of climate change...

How much of an impact does ocean trash have on the environment, coastal economies and human health? 

That’s what a team of researchers from <a href="http://www.disl.org/">Dauphin Island Sea Lab</a> and the <a href="https://missionaransas.org/">Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve</a> set out to discover in a two-year study in the Gulf of Mexico.

Between February 2015 and August 2017, the team monitored 12 sites on a series of nine barrier islands that range from North Padre Island off the coast of Texas to Santa Rosa, Florida. They sorted through ocean trash that washed ashore, separating by type, frequency, and where it was collected.

“With this information we are investigating three specific questions: (1) what are the major types/sources of marine debris; (2) does debris deposition have seasonal oscillations; and (3) how does debris deposition change spatially?” the researchers wrote in their report, published in the ScienceDirect journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X18308749?via%3Dihub">Marine Pollution Bulletin</a>.

The answers were sometimes shocking, the researchers said.

For example, they discovered that ocean trash washes up on the shore of Texas at more than 10 times the rate as at other Gulf State locations. 

Somewhat less surprising was the makeup of the ocean trash they collected. From 69 to 95 percent of the garbage was <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-oceans-triple/">plastic</a>, the team found. That included plastic bottles and bottle caps, straws, spoons and forks, clothing hangers and more. Much of the plastic had broken down into indeterminate pieces. Other debris included aerosol cans, string and cigarette butts.

“[T]here was a significant increase in debris accumulation during the spring and summer seasons,” the researchers noted. More human activity on the water during the warmer months could account for much of that, they said.

They also found that they could predict when and how much ocean trash would accumulate in areas with high freshwater influx.

“Marine debris is an economic, environmental, human health, and aesthetic problem posing a complex challenge to communities around the globe,” the researchers wrote.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Study looks at ocean trash in the Gulf of Mexico

How much of an impact does ocean trash have on...

The <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> on Thursday outlined a plan to roll back limits on mercury emissions put in place by the Obama administration, declaring them too costly.

The new plan proposes that “it is not appropriate or necessary” to regulate mercury emissions from coal and gas plants, according to a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-12/documents/frnmatsfindingandrtr_12_2018wdisc.pdf">document released by the EPA</a>. However, the agency is seeking input from the public.

“The EPA is planning to hold at least one public hearing in response to this proposed action. Information about the hearing, including location, date, and time, along with instructions on how to register to speak at the hearing, will be published in a second Federal Register document,” the agency said.

The public has 60 days to comment.

The proposal has drawn concern and criticism from environmental experts – not just because of the potential effects of loosening restrictions on mercury emissions, but also because it could set a precedent affecting other efforts to protect the environment.

“It will make it much more difficult for the government to justify environmental regulations in many cases,” Dr. Robert N. Stavins, an environmental economics professor at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a>, told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a>.

Mercury pollution has been linked to a host of problems, from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/closing-coal-oil-power-improves-health/">negative impacts on fertility and infant health</a> to damaging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-and-animals-at-grand-canyon-accumulating-mercury-contamination/">plant and animal life</a>. Mercury – much of it from human activity – has been found in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-mercury-arctic-soil/">Arctic soil</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-mercury-in-antarctic-sea-ice/">Antarctic sea ice</a>.

When the Obama administration proposed the mercury emissions limits, it claimed that the restrictions would save the United States $80 billion in health costs per year. It would also prevent 11,000 premature deaths per year, not just by lowering mercury pollution, but also by limiting the air pollution associated with burning coal and oil – and with higher rates of heart and lung disease. Plants would have been required to reduce emissions of mercury, a neurotoxin, by 90 percent over five years. 

But the EPA estimates that the cost of implementing restrictions on mercury emissions could cost $7.4 billion to $9.6 billion annually, and estimates that it will only actually save $4 million to $6 million per year in health costs, the New York Times reported.

Critics of the Obama-era rule are welcoming the change.

“For a lot of folks, this was just another example of Obama regulatory overreach,” Jeffrey R. Holmstead, who served in the EPA under President George W. Bush and is now a partner at the legal firm Bracewell, told the Times.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

EPA to loosen Obama-era retrictions on mercury emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday outlined a plan to...

Nancy Pelosi revives climate change panel, taps Castor. Nancy Pelosi will reinstate a special climate change panel when the new Congress begins, and has selected <a href="https://castor.house.gov/">Florida Rep. Kathy Castor</a> to lead it.

The climate change panel will be similar to one created by Democrats in 2007. It was axed in 2011, when the Republican Party took control of the House of Representatives.

Membership and scope of the panel is still a work in progress, but it is unlikely to have subpoena authority. Still, the climate change panel could help shape how Congress responds to environmental issues, Pelosi said.Nancy Pelosi revives climate change panel, taps Castor

Pelosi cited Castor’s extensive experience in two key areas when announcing her selection to lead the committee.

“Congresswoman Castor is a proven champion for public health and green infrastructure, who deeply understands the scope and seriousness of this threat. Her decades of experience in this fight, both in Florida and in the Congress, will be vital,” Pelosi said in a statement.

Pelosi called Castor an “outstanding leader” on the <a href="https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398686">House Democratic Environmental Message Team</a> and the <a href="https://energycommerce.house.gov/">Energy and Commerce Committee</a>.

Castor accepted the position on the climate change panel with promises to focus on green jobs and reducing carbon pollution. 

“The costs of the changing climate and extreme weather events pose greater risks every day to American families, businesses and our way of life,” Castor said.

While the committee won’t have subpoena authority, it is unlikely to need it, Maryland Democrat Steny Hoyer told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/">The Guardian</a>. Hoyer, the incoming House majority leader, said scientists and other experts will be lining up to testify before Congress on climate issues.

“I think they’ll want to give the best information as it relates to the crisis,” he said.

Announcement of the climate change panel comes as many younger Democrats, including soon-to-be Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez of New York, are calling for a “Green New Deal” that includes new clean energy jobs.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Nancy Pelosi revives climate change panel, taps Castor

Nancy Pelosi revives climate change panel, taps Castor. Nancy Pelosi...

Feeling a chill? The unstable polar vortex is back, and it’s ready to deliver a brutal winter to the East Coast of the U.S., at least for the next several weeks – and maybe longer.

“[It] can affect the entire winter,” Dr. Judah Cohen told the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a> in an interview.

Cohen, a climate researcher at <a href="https://www.aer.com/">Atmospheric and Environmental Research</a>, has been monitoring conditions in the Arctic, and says we’re in for another unstable polar vortex this winter.

A weaker polar vortex spells icy conditions and a brutal winter outside the Arctic. The polar vortex is a swirling mass of cold air centered, as the name indicates, near the North Pole. When it’s spinning tightly, that cold air stays massed in the Arctic.

But as the vortex loses stability, that cold air spills south, stretching freezing fingers of winter down farther south than usual.

The unstable polar vortex made itself felt last year, in February. Before then, Europe and Asia had seen a normal winter – cold, but nothing unusual.

Then, scientists say, the vortex was disrupted. The result? The “Beast from the East,” a frigid, sudden and brutal winter that swept from Siberia into the rest of the Eurasian continent. In March, another finger stretched down from the unstable polar vortex into the United States, hurling a series of nor’easters at the East Coast.

“We were still feeling the impacts into the end of April,” Cohen told the Post.

An unstable polar vortex led to brutal winter conditions in 2009-10 and 2013-14, too. The cause of the instability and the freezing temperatures that follow is usually, ironically, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warmer-arctic-northeast-winter/">warming in the stratosphere</a>, according to experts.

Current models by Cohen and his colleagues point to a burst of cold on the East Coast as we enter January, and in Europe toward the middle of the month, though conditions could change. Predicting the vortex is still a new and inexact science.

Still, people living in those areas should brace for freezing weather.

“Confidence is growing in a significant #PolarVortex disruption in the coming weeks,” he <a href="https://twitter.com/judah47/status/1072232091717373952?lang=en">tweeted</a>. “This could be the single most important determinant of the weather this #winter across the Northern Hemisphere.”

Read more about Cohen’s predictions at the <a href="https://www.aer.com/science-research/climate-weather/arctic-oscillation/">AER blog</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Unstable polar vortex may ring in 2019 with brutal winter

Feeling a chill? The unstable polar vortex is back, and...

<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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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

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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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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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