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)....

On Friday at midnight, the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) began the process of temporarily laying off employees, after the agency's funding ran out as a result of the partial government shutdown.

A week ago, 25 percent of federal agencies were already forced to cease normal operations after the government failed to agree on a final funding bill.

The House and Senate both met briefly on Thursday, yet no agreement was reached between Congressional Democrats and President Trump, who are at odds over $5 billion in funding that is needed for the proposed border wall.


According to an email obtained by <a href="https://thehill.com/">The Hill</a>, acting EPA administrator <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/andrew-wheeler-inew-epa-head/">Andrew Wheeler</a> has informed employees: “In the event an appropriation is not passed by midnight Friday, December 28th, EPA will initiate orderly shutdown procedures.”

The message also said that travel plans will be cancelled for furloughed employees, who were instructed to create an out of office email message and to change their voicemail greeting. 


During the EPA shutdown, more than 700 of the most essential EPA employees will have to work without pay, while the remaining 13,000 employees will be on temporary leave from their positions. 

In addition, the Smithsonian will close its museums and popular galleries, the <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2018/12/29/epa-museums-close-shutdown-slogs-into-weekend/QieABjlBLyfdrAquiseysO/story.html">Boston Globe</a> reports. This includes The National Zoo, The National Air and Space Museum, and the National Museum of Natural History.

Overall, 400,000 federal employees will be affected by the partial government shutdown. In addition, previous EPA shutdowns have caused more than 134 facilities to close across the country. 

The Senate is not expected to reconvene until January 2, which is the same month that Democrats will take over the House. North Carolina Republican Representative Mark Meadows told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>, “At this point, it looks like we could be in for a very long-term shutdown.”

Activities such as inspections for drinking water systems and hazardous waste management sites could be potentially affected by the EPA shutdown. It will be up to senior officials to decide what work must continue in order to best protect public health.
--
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>

EPA runs out of money amid government shutdown, museums to close

On Friday at midnight, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began...

2018’s Winter Solstice had both a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/full-moon-meteor-shower/">full moon and a meteor shower</a>, closing out the year with some spectacular astronomical activity. 

But not to be outdone, 2019 will start with year with both a supermoon and a lunar eclipse, one of four eclipses expected to occur throughout the year. 

On January 21st, lucky stargazers will be privy to a “Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse” which will cast the moon in a coppery, red color, which is where the name “blood moon” comes from. 

The first full moon of the new year is referred to as a wolf moon, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/27/world/five-eclipses-in-2019-and-super-blood-wolf-moon-trnd/index.html">CNN</a>, which is why January’s hodgepodge supermoon eclipse event is being called a Super Blood Wolf Moon. 

A total lunar eclipse is only possible when the moon is full, according to <a href="https://earthsky.org/?p=295245">Earthsky</a>, and a supermoon describes the point when the moon is closest to Earth. 

When the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow, which is called the Umbra, <a href="http://time.com/3479189/blood-moon/">the moon begins to get darker</a>, and when the Earth’s shadow surrounds the moon, it appears red. 

Because of the alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth, the sunlight that bounces off the Earth’s atmosphere refracts and reaches the moon’s surface, and the longer wavelengths of red and orange encase the moon in a pale reddish tinge. The whole eclipse from start to finish will last around three and a half hours. 


January, February, and March will all have supermoons, and February’s supermoon will the biggest and fullest of them all. 

Other major 2019 astronomy events will include a total solar eclipse which will be visible in South America and parts of South Asia and the rare sighting of Mercury as it passes between the <a href="https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/transit/catalog/MercuryCatalog.html">Earth and Sun</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse will kick off the new year

2018’s Winter Solstice had both a full moon and a...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a> have found that trace elements in fish ear bones can be used to track down <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/trumps-epa-coal-plants/">coal ash contamination</a> in the waters where the fish lived.

“Calcified structures - or otoliths - found in a fish's inner ear are known to store a lot of life history information, including chemical and physical records of the fish's age, natal habitat and migration patterns,” said study lead author Jessica Brandt, who is currently a postdoctoral researcher with the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a>. “We've shown that otoliths also capture the signatures of contaminants that have affected the fish's ecosystems.”

The team discovered that strontium isotope ratios in the otoliths of fish from two North Carolina lakes matched the strontium isotope ratios in sediment samples from the lake bed. Both of the lakes had received waste water from coal ash ponds at nearby power plants.

“This shows otoliths can be used as biogenic tracers to assess the potential for ecological impacts of coal ash waste streams in affected waters,” said Brandt. “While strontium behaves differently than the toxic elements in coal ash effluents, it helps us connect high levels of those elements back to the contamination source.”

Even after coal is burned and the ash comes into contact with water, the naturally occurring trace element strontium retains its isotopic ratios. According to study co-author Professor Avner Vengosh, this is the first time that strontium isotope ratios have been used to measure the impacts of coal ash on living organisms. 

“This definitely shows the strontium in the fish must be from coal ash contamination,” said Professor Vengosh.

Study co-author Richard Di Giulio is the Sally Kleberg Professor of Environmental Toxicology at Duke. He explained that while strontium isotope ratios in surface water samples from the lakes did not always match those in the fish otoliths, this could be because surface water ratios are more variable over time.

“This study's finding demonstrates that otolith studies can add to our existing research efforts,” said Brandt. “Water-based strontium isotope tracers only give us information about coal ash impacts at a particular point in time, but because otoliths continuously grow over a fish's lifetime, we could use time-series analyses of otoliths to determine the timing of waste stream discharges or spills going back several years. This represents an emerging and important new direction in environmental toxicology and water-quality research.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/estlcu">Environmental Science &amp; Technology Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Jessica Brandt, Duke University

Coal ash contamination in water can be tracked using fish bones

Researchers at Duke University have found that trace elements in...

75 percent of the Earth’s freshwater is frozen in glaciers which have been steadily retreating since the early half of the 20th century. Glaciers also cover ten percent of the world’s land area, but glacial melt due to climate change has been a major contributor to rising sea levels. 

Despite the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-glacier-floating-ice/">important role glaciers play in rising sea levels</a> and their rapid rates of decline, relatively little has been known about glacier motion or ice friction between glaciers and the bedrock below. 

Glacial movement has been difficult to study because of the inaccessibility of the bedrock beneath them. Glaciers are thousands of feet thick, and even the most advanced radar and satellite technology can’t penetrate through all that ice to study how masses of ice move or the friction that ice in contact with the bedrock causes. 

But now, Bo Persson, a theoretical physicist from <a href="http://www.fz-juelich.de/portal/EN/Home/home_node.html">Jülich Research Center</a> in Germany, offers a solution to studying glacial movement in a new piece published in the Journal of Chemical Physics. 

Persson developed a new model of ice friction that accounts for a wide range of factors including water-filled cavities, melting temperatures, the temperature at the bedrock/glacier interface, regelation which is the melting and freezing caused by pressure changes, and the topography of the bedrock below. 

Accounting for surface roughness of both the ice and bedrock is especially important for modeling glacier movement because it can create friction and impact the speed of glacial movement. 

“The pressure fluctuates because of the bedrock surface roughness,” Persson said. “If you have a big ‘bump’ on the bedrock, the ice pressure against the bump will be higher on the side where the ice moves against the bump.” 

Persson reviewed previous studies of rubber surfaces that slide against each other or stay together and theorized that the models applied to those studies could be used to research glaciers as the principles are similar. 

“The most important contribution of my theory is that it describes accurately the formation of cavities during sliding, and shows that cavitation indeed occurs for sliding speeds typical of flowing glaciers,” said Persson. 

Glaciers are often filled with cavities of pressurized water that form when the glacier slides across the rough bedrock. As these cavities fill with water, they can act as lubrication, reducing friction and increasing the speed of glacial movement. 

“The friction between glacier and the bedrock is of crucial importance for the flow of glaciers and for the prediction of the increase in the sea level due to the melting of the polar ice caps,” said Persson.

Persson’s model will help improve glacier and ice sheet models and allow researchers to make more accurate projections about sea level rise and melting glaciers. 

“We ice sheet modelers need to resolve the base of ice sheets in our models better, which requires numerical methods that are not yet common for us,” said Angelike Humbert, a glaciologist not involved with the study. “Bo's work reminds us of the key role played by the roughness of the bedrock, which is very challenging to observe with the required accuracy in airborne radar surveys.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Julia Christmann, AWI

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

How do massive glaciers flow?

75 percent of the Earth’s freshwater is frozen in glaciers...

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cacti-birds-sonoran-desert/">Sonoran Desert</a> is towered over by one of the most iconic of plants.  <a href="https://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_cactus_.php#columnar">Saguaro cacti</a> (Carnegiea gigantea) are so unique that seeing one in a photo, a painting or in person brings to mind scenes of the old west and wild desert.  The saguaro is unsurprisingly, the largest cactus found in the US and it’s certainly one of the easiest to recognize, nothing very similar is found through most of the saguaro’s range in the US.  

There of course are organ pipe cacti of the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orpi/index.htm">Organ Pipe National Monument</a> but organ pipe cactus appear more like a cluster of cactus-like tentacles erupting from the ground than the singular trunk with arms of the saguaro.  If you drive south of the border, the simple image of the giant columnar cacti painted in Arizona becomes complicated. 

The Mexican giant cardon (Pachycereus pringlei) might be confusing as it’s found just south of the border in Sonora, Baja California and Baja California Sur; the cardon grows much larger than even the saguaro though.  Throughout the Americas, there are approximately <a href="https://uapress.arizona.edu/book/columnar-cacti-and-their-mutualists">170 species</a> of columnar cacti.  Columnar cacti can be found even in the Andes, where driving from the Amazon and cresting the mountains a transition into stark desert where rain is rare can be shocking.  Even with the broad range of columnar cacti as a group, it’s hard not to be impressed by what amounts to a very dry forest made of towering cacti surrounded by various ‘shrubs’ that are also a half-dozen species of cacti.  This is the magic of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.

Saguaros are an important part of the Sonoran desert as something of a keystone species.  Saguaros are pollinated by bees, birds and less commonly by bats. Coyotes and other wildlife eat the saguaro fruit.  Gila woodpeckers peck nests into the outer part of saguaros while gilded flickers hammer deeper into the cactus for their homes.  The Gila causes no serious damage but the gilded flicker is a less friendly woodpecker and can cause real harm to its host. Stems weakened by gilded flicker homes may break in storms and eventually cause the death of a saguaro.  

Many invertebrates make good use of the saguaro for a home as well and empty woodpecker burrows are used by owls.  Hawks and other larger birds sometimes make nests where the saguaro arms meet with the main trunk as they would with a tree.  Native peoples have long collected saguaro fruits for food as well as wine. Some native people also used the waxy ‘boots’ that form when a woodpecker makes a hole in the saguaro to carry water or food in.  Ribs from dead saguaros are good for creating shaded ramadas, furniture and can sometimes be handy walking sticks. 

The main cause of death for the saguaro in their upland habitat in Arizona where they’re most plentiful is freezing.  A saguaro that survives a freeze is marked with a pinched section drawn around its trunk. Lighting also hits some saguaros, causing a tremendous explosion of the cactus.  Saguaros like all plants must die, but is the future for the entire species threatened?

There is a persisting tale of a slow demise of the saguaro.  <a href="https://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_cactus_.php#columnar">The Desert Museum</a> reports that the first fear of saguaro extinction dates back to the 1940s and it explains why there is an eastern and western unit to <a href="https://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm">Saguaro National Park</a>, on either side of Tucson Arizona.  The eastern section of Saguaro National Park was first selected because the area was full of large, impressive, mature saguaro cacti.  These were older individuals nearing the end of their 150 to 200 year life span. 

 Because of ranching in the area, much of the Palo Verde and other bushes that create shade where young saguaros start their lives were absent.  There were very few young or middle aged saguaros in the original Saguaro National Park. So the older cacti started dying in large numbers and the park officials panicked.  

The western unit of Saguaro National Park was founded on the other side of Tucson in hopes of protecting the cacti even if all the saguaros in the east died of a mysterious disease.  Dead cacti were bulldozed and buried in the desert in hopes of stopping an unknown pathogen. Over time, the idea of the decline of the saguaro has surfaced again and again, due to bad science and sensationalized journalism.  Again, the idea of a mass saguaro die off is in print and it’s fair to ask whether this time is different.

<a href="https://tucson.com/news/local/after-decades-of-watching-saguaros-couple-finds-fewer-seedlings-is/article_28a5296a-8b64-5637-9cde-1eb19fa114e9.html#tncms-source=infinity-scroll-summary-siderail-latest">Tucson.com</a> reported on December 10, 2018 that scientific monitoring is finding fewer saguaro seedlings than usual.  Tom Orum and his wife Nancy Ferguson have monitored saguaro cacti in the eastern unit of Saguaro National Park for forty years.  The scope of their work is looking at 600 individual saguaros spread over 60 acres. The saguaros have been continuously monitored since 1941.  Tom and Nancy are the third generation of monitors. Since the 1990s, it seems like the couple might’ve noticed a decline in young saguaro numbers.  

A 2018 study shows that indeed there are fewer saguaros on both sides of the National Park. According to Pinal Central, a survey headed by National Park biologist Don Swann found only 70 saguaros younger than 15 years in 10,000 saguaros in the whole park.  Older saguaros are well adapted to the hot, dry climate of the Sonoran desert. Younger cacti are more dependent on the two rainy seasons of the region.

Arizona has been in a drought since 2000 and it’s unclear whether climate change is causing the drier conditions.  A recent study found that since 1950, Saguaro National Park has warmed by roughly 1.2 degrees Celsius. Saguaros are dependent on specific climatic conditions; the change in temperature could presage a slow march to higher elevation by the cactus.  Eventually the high ground would run out if conditions continued to warm and then the saguaro would die out. 

 As bleak as that scenario is, it’s far from certain.  It’s good to remember history and be cautious. Tom Orum, the cacti monitor, himself a retired plant pathologist thinks more research is needed before we cry wolf.  Saguaros have been monitored for only a very short period, especially for a plant that can outlive a person by 100 years or more under good conditions. Scientists have jumped the gun in crying doom for the saguaro more than once before.  Let’s hope this time it’s another case of no news for the west’s most iconic cactus. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

The decline of the saguaro?

The Sonoran Desert is towered over by one of the...

A new study by scientists at <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> has revealed that the noise from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wind-turbines-harm-birds-100-miles-away/">wind turbines</a> interferes with a strategy used by robins to protect their territory. In an article written for <a href="http://theconversation.com/au">The Conversation</a>, Professor Mark Whittingham details the study findings. 

“Much of the evidence for how wind turbines affect birds concerns their distribution patterns around turbines, but we know little about why birds choose to avoid them,” writes Professor Whittingham. “The robin, a widespread small bird which lives in rural areas where turbines are common, seemed a perfect candidate to investigate.”

The researchers subjected male robins to one of three conditions: another robin’s song, a robin’s song with wind turbine noise, and wind turbine noise alone.

“Robins defending their territory typically respond to an intruder by increasing the proportion of low frequency sounds in their songs,” writes Professor Whittingham. “We found that the robins subjected to robin song and wind turbine noise simultaneously had significantly fewer low frequency elements in their songs and so their songs sounded higher pitched. We interpreted this as interference from the wind turbine noise which occurs at low frequencies.”

The experts speculate that lower frequency noises are used by the robins to make them sound bigger and more intimidating in an effort to defend their territory. 

“But with the low frequency sound emitted by wind turbines drowning them out, there was a suggestion that robins were having to rely more on puffing out their red chest to deter aggressors,” says Professor Whittingham. 

“That may be why breeding songbirds, such as the skylark, avoid turbines. Recent work has found breeding bird populations such as the Dupont’s lark, a near-threatened species of songbird found in North Africa and Spain, declined in areas with wind turbines.”

The research suggests that there are reasons,  beyond the risk of fatal collision, that birds are avoiding wind turbines. 

“Noise emitted from turbines could disrupt their communication and leave them vulnerable. This is particularly troubling when we consider that wind turbines are often located in remote areas, some with high densities of songbirds, such as meadow pipits and skylarks in upland areas of the UK.”

“Of course, it is important to remember the bigger picture. While wind turbines may harm birds nearby, renewable energy is a vital solution to climate change - perhaps the most pressing threat to biodiversity globally.”

Nevertheless, says Professor Whittingham, noise pollution from wind turbines should be measured during assessments of wind energy projects to minimize the impacts to surrounding wildlife. 

The full article, “Robin hushed: wind turbines are making songbirds change their tune,” can be found <a href="https://theconversation.com/robin-hushed-wind-turbines-are-making-songbirds-change-their-tune-109136">here</a>.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wind turbines hurt the robin’s ability to defend its territory

A new study by scientists at Newcastle University has revealed...

Federally mandated fire suppression tactics have caused forests to become more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/determining-ecosystem-sensitivity-to-environmental-stress/">drought and fire</a> intolerant across the US. 

Researchers from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University </a>and <a href="http://www.usu.edu/">Utah State University</a> examined tree rings in Central Oregon to understand the impacts of fire suppression and increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 on tree growth, drought tolerance, and forest composition. 

The study was published in the journal Global Change Biology, and the results present a clear picture of how dense forest growth due to fire suppression tactics has changed how trees photosynthesize and take in water. 

Fire suppression also makes forests more susceptible to pests, disease, and wildfires, according to the researchers. 

In 1910, wildfire suppression became a federal policy and as such young, fire and drought intolerant grand firs were allowed to flourish among ancient ponderosa pines in Central Oregon. 

Not only did this increase fire risk because forests grew thicker, but the added competition for water over the past century forced trees to take in a heavier carbon isotope rather than the preferred lighter one. 

The researchers collected and analyzed tree-ring data from 2,800 hectares of mixed-conifer forests to find physiological evidence that fire suppression negatively impacted tree growth over  the years. 

Tree rings not only tell the age of a tree, but the color and chemical composition of each ring can also reveal what environmental and climate conditions were like during the year each ring was formed and what carbon isotopes the tree had to rely on for photosynthesis. 

“We've known for a long time that fire suppression has led to crowded forests, which means more competition for resources,” said Andrew Merschel, a co-author of the study. “We've known that because of that, trees are more prone to drought, which makes sense - there's less water reaching deep below ground and more trees pumping it out. Our research shows in a physiological way what's happening. We thought there would be signals in the annual tree rings, and there are.”

Denser forests also mean less snowpack which is another major risk factor for drought and wildfires. 

The researchers say that unless significant policy changes are implemented to decrease fire suppression and allow forests to go back to their natural, less dense states, drought, and wildfires will become more frequent. 

“We cannot predict exactly how all of these factors affecting forests will interact in the future, but it is certain that lower-density forests will have more snow and less drought stress,” said Steven Voelker, the lead author of the study. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fire suppression tactics have resulted in drought-sensitive forests

Federally mandated fire suppression tactics have caused forests to become...

In the 19th century, rivers that wound through the Hampshire National Park were straightened in an effort to drain the land and improve grazing. According to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ushome/index.html">Daily Mail</a>, these rivers are now being returned to their natural state. 

The modification of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rivers-polluted-cocaine-eels/">rivers</a> in the New Forest caused the water to flow much faster, and important nutrient deposits were being ripped away. The rapid water flow also eroded the river banks, which provide specialized wetland habitats for wildlife. 

The Daily Mail reports that the meanders are being restored as part of a ten-year project led by the <a href="https://www.forestry.gov.uk/">Forestry Commission</a>. Experts have studied historical maps and used laser mapping techniques to identify the natural shape of the rivers. 

Nick Wardlaw, Higher Level Stewardship manager at the Forestry Commission, told the Daily Mail: 

“More than four miles of streams have been returned to their natural state. The focus is to protect the very special nature of this forest and the unique habitat it provides for rare and endangered wildlife.”

“This more natural form also helps to improve grazing for livestock in the New Forest and help to make sure the surrounding habitats more resilient in both winter floods and summer droughts.”

“Returning the wetlands to their natural state has involved reinstating meanders, natural bends and turns in the waterways, after many were straightened in the Victorian period.”

“Rivers have a natural way of flowing throughout a landscape, they bend and change direction to work around trees and other obstacles and navigate gradients.”

“Artificially straight channels cause water to flow more quickly, eroding the riverbanks and causing the channels to becoming deeper and deeper, as well as eroding higher into the precious mire habitats.”

“Allowing water to flow naturally and meander through the landscape slows it down during periods of high rainfall, limiting erosion and reducing the risk of flooding further downstream and in built up areas.”

“Returning wetlands to their natural state is a long term project and therefore we expect that it will take many years to see the full benefits of the work. We hope it will have a real impact on helping these areas and the habitats they support to thrive long in to the future.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rivers in the UK are being restored back to their nature shape

In the 19th century, rivers that wound through the Hampshire...

This past weekend, pollution in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-delhi/">Delhi</a> rose to the highest level it has hit so far this year. The conditions have been classified as “severe to emergency,” and a public health crisis has become a real possibility.

According to officials, the thick smog was caused by a combination of fog, unusually cold air, and a lack of wind. These weather conditions, which trap air pollution from vehicles and coal power plants, are expected to last for at least a few more days. 


The air quality index, which measures the concentration of dangerous particulate matter, was an average of 450 on Sunday and 449 on Monday. 

According to the <a href="https://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/tags/safar">System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting</a> (SAFAR), the air quality remained “severe” on Tuesday before slightly improving to the “very poor” category by Wednesday.

“It will further improve a few notches by tomorrow as good wind speed will continue to disperse pollutants faster than that of accumulation due to colder condition and fog,” said the SAFAR. “The air quality will remain in the very poor range for the next three days. Moderate foggy conditions will prevail for the next two days over Delhi and surrounding regions and may not allow significant improvement.”

The <a href="http://cpcb.nic.in/">Central Pollution Control Board</a> (CPCB) announced measures such as shutting down factories and construction sites in heavily polluted areas, along with advising against the use of diesel-powered vehicles.

Environmentalists argue that the lack of action on behalf of the authorities is inexcusable and that an urgent effort is needed to reduce pollution from vehicles and industry. Delhi-based activist Vimlendu Jha said, “If this is not an emergency, then what is?”

A study published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/issue/current">Lancet Planetary Health</a> earlier this month revealed that air pollution in India killed 1.24 million people in 2017.

Toxic air has become the biggest environmental risk for premature death, and kills approximately seven million people a year. Dr. Maria Neira, the director of the <a href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a>, said that air pollution is “a global public health emergency.”

Air pollution is the worst in the crowded countries of south and east Asia, but it affects wealthier nations as well. 

“The trends are positive if we look at the last 50 years, but it depends how many deaths are you ready to accept,” said Dr. Neira. “We still have 500,000 deaths in Europe (per year) and this is totally unacceptable.”
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution in Delhi has reached its highest level all year

This past weekend, pollution in Delhi rose to the highest...

With the departure of US Secretary of Defense <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/12/mattis-proved-you-cant-serve-both-trump-and-america/578902/">Jim Mattis</a>, as well as the constant turnover of cabinet members during the Trump administration, another vacancy in the Trump cabinet barely qualifies as news.  Still, it’s worth looking at the legacy left behind as Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke departs as well as who’s likely to fill his shoes. 

Ryan Zinke stepping down is no surprise at all to those who’ve been paying attention.  Earlier I reported on the corruption swirling around him during his tenure. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drilling-oil-sangre-de-cristos/">Corruption</a> has included Zinke trying to use his cabinet position and connections to Halliburton to move forward on plans for his own brew pub in his home of Whitefish Montana.  

An article in <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/21/ryan-zinke-montana-interior-career-1070944">Politico</a> reports that even when Zinke was a little known Montana Senator he had multiple business dealings, some of which represented conflicts of interest and ethical lapses.  As a Navy SEAL, Zinke also ran into problems when he billed the military for his own personal travel expenses. 

 Zinke’s also been extremely unpopular among environmentalists.  The one act Zinke is most likely to be remembered for is his shrinking of Bear’s Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, actions many feel won’t hold up against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/patagonia-fighting-trump/">lawsuits</a>.  Interestingly, Zinke’s official <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/people/ryan-zinke/">White House</a> biography lists him as an adopted member of Fort Peck Assiniboine &amp; Sioux Tribes in Northeast Montana; <a href="http://utahdinebikeyah.org/resolutions-of-support/">both tribes signed</a> a resolution for Bear’s Ears National Monument to be left intact.    

A piece in <a href="https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/12/21/18150520/zinke-resignation-resigns">Vox</a> reports that under Zinke’s tenure, the Department of the Interior issued a new interpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a piece of legislation responsible for the survival of many bird species.  The new interpretation stated that the act only protected birds from purposeful threats, like hunting, not indirect threats like those from industry. This decision largely takes responsibility of bird deaths away from industry in cases oil spills and other irresponsible acts.  

According to the <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman/ct-perspec-chapman-migratory-birds-zinke-killing-0913-20180912-story.html">Chicago Tribune</a>, this means that under the new rule, BP would have been forgiven $100 million it had to pay for bird deaths related to the Deepwater Horizon tragedy.  Oil pit waste that once was required to be covered to keep birds out are now open for birds to land in and become poisoned. Wind turbines no longer need to allocate equipment for the safety of birds.

Zinke initially planned to dramatically raise National Park fees, a decision he later backed out of because of lack of support and general outrage.  <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2294636/zinke-rolls-over-national-park-fees-hike">Outside</a> reports that there were over 100,000 negative comments on the fee hike and quotes Vietnam Veterans of America on the logic of the fee increase, saying it was, “small minded and mean spirited.”  

According to <a href="https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/12/21/18150520/zinke-resignation-resigns">Vox</a>, Zinke was disavowed by 17 former Department of the Interior officials from both major political parties as well as 500 organizations from every US state and dozens of other politicians.  <a href="https://www.wilderness.org/articles/article/zinke-year-one-14-misdeeds-show-why-hes-worst-interior-secretary-ever">The Wilderness Society</a> calls Zinke the worst Secretary of the Interior ever and listed 14 of his misdeeds during his tenure, including opening drilling to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.                 

I for one am glad to see Ryan Zinke depart.  However, I worry about who may replace him. So far it’s largely speculative who the next Secretary of the Interior may be with likely candidates remaining quiet.  Trump’s track record suggests it won’t be someone friendly to the environment.

The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/15/us/ryan-zinke-interior-secretary.html">New York Times</a> reports that Trump accepted Zinke’s resignation in his typical fashion, through tweet.  The president thanked Zinke for his service and promised to announce a replacement within a week.  <a href="https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060110143">E&amp;E News</a> reports that those who are now campaigning to replace Zinke are doing so secretly.

E&amp;E reported that Trump has already met with Deputy Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, a man <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2018/12/20/david-bernhardt-interior-secretary-rifle-trump-zinke/">The Denver Post</a> reports is on a short list of candidates for the Secretary of the Interior. Bernhardt is native to Rifle, a small western Colorado town, known for beautiful waterfalls and world class rock climbing.  It’s also the gateway to some of western Colorado’s best wild (and commercial) caves. Bernhardt has also worked in the Department of the Interior from 2001 to 2009 before being the deputy interior secretary under the Trump administration.  He’s also worked as a lobbyist for oil and gas and has been part of some of Zinke’s worst plans. 

Bernhardt is said to have been one of the main people behind an effort to change the Endangered Species Act to better serve the interest of big business as well as weaken protection of Sage Grouse.  Bernhardt is probably the most qualified candidate for secretary of the Interior but it doesn’t mean he has the agency or the environment’s best interest at heart. 

<a href="https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2018/12/19/denham-interior-secretary-delta-water/">CBS Sacramento</a> reports that former Republican representative Jeff Denham of California is also being considered as a replacement of Zinke.  Denham spent a large part of his tenure serving the Central Valley of California focusing on water. According to the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-denham-interior-20181220-story.html">Los Angeles Times</a>, Denham said he’s expressed his concerns on water issues to the Trump administration and he’s worked on water storage plans in California.  Denham has old ties to Trump as well, including encouraging the federal government to lease the old post office in DC to the Trump Organization, a move that cost taxpayers millions of dollars.  

<a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/421755-five-potential-contenders-to-replace-zinke-as-interior-secretary">The Hill</a> also lists Representative Rob Bishop of Utah as a possible replacement for Secretary of the Interior.  Bishop is currently the chairman of the House Natural Resource Committee but will soon become its ranking member following the loss of the GOP majority in the House.  Bishop worked closely with Zinke on shrinking national monuments and dismantling endangered species protections.

Other possibilities for the Secretary of the Interior include republican Dean Heller of Nevada who <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/patagonia-partisan-conservation-politics/">failed</a> in his re-election campaign despite Trump’s support.  Republican Raúl Labrador of Idaho, who’s retiring from Congress next month, is also a possibility.  Labrador was born in Puerto Rico and if he became the Secretary of the Interior, would be the first person from a US insular territory to do so.  

No matter who becomes the next Secretary of the Interior, we can count on the Trump administration to make it someone bad for the environment.  The only real question is, how long will Zinke’s replacement last? 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

What Ryan Zinke’s departure means for the environment

With the departure of US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis,...

A new study has revealed that Arctic glaciers are the biggest contributor to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rising-sea-levels-england-coast/">rising sea levels</a>, losing enough ice to cause the ocean to swell by more than a millimeter every year. Antarctica contains far more ice, yet does not experience even close to the rate of ice melt that has been discovered in the Arctic region. 

Warning temperatures across the Arctic are causing glaciers in Alaska, Canada, Russia, and Greenland to retreat. The findings of the research suggest that simultaneous losses at both the Arctic and Antarctic extremes could fill the oceans with even more water than expected in the coming decades. 

According to NASA, the average sea level is rising by three millimeters every year. Beyond glacial melt, ocean waters expand as they warm, driving sea level rise even higher. 

Study first author Jason Box is a scientist at the <a href="https://eng.geus.dk/">Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland</a>. He explained that the rate of ice loss in the Arctic has tripled since 1986, which “clearly shows an acceleration of the sea-level contribution.”

“Antarctica will probably take over at some point in the future, but during the past 47 years of this study, it’s not controversial that the Arctic is the largest contribution of land ice to sea-level rise.”

For the investigation, an international team of scientists from the United States, Chile, Canada, Norway, and the Netherlands combined gravity-based data of Arctic mass loss from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites with older measurements of the ice dating back to 1971 that were taken directly from the field.

The study revealed that the total Arctic loss is currently at a rate of 447 billion tons of ice per year. This means that about 14,000 tons of water poured into the ocean every second from 2005 to 2015, compared to 5,000 tons per second between 1986 and 2005.

In a separate study, researchers determined that the rate of ice loss in Antarctica also tripled, and did so in just a single decade. From 2012 to 2017, 219 billion tons of ice melted each year across the Antarctic region. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/erl">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 


Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Ice melt in the Arctic is the biggest contributor to rising sea levels

A new study has revealed that Arctic glaciers are the...

The world is in the midst of a major shift in agricultural innovation, and advances in technology could soon help create more sustainable agricultural practices while improving productivity and<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europe-unsustainable-future-agriculture/"> continuing to meet food demands</a>. 

The world has undergone three major agricultural revolutions in the past. 

The first was when our early ancestors switched from hunting and gathering to permanent settlements, the second occurred in the 18th century during Britain's Agricultural Revolution, and the third was the result of advances in mechanization and the Green Revolution. 

Now, we are undergoing a fourth agricultural revolution driven by huge advances in smart technology, and a new report shows that agricultural advancements in technology must consider both the benefits and more importantly the negative impacts. 

Responsible innovation needs to be a priority, according to researchers from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a>, who wrote the article published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 

Policymakers as well innovators should be conscious of the social impacts of smart technology, as countries and organizations make smart “agri-tech” a priority investing time and money in new technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics. 

“All of these emergent technologies have uses in farming and may provide many benefits,” said David Rose, a co-author of the new article. “For example, robotics could plug potential lost labour post-Brexit in industries such as fruit picking, while robotics and AI could enable better chemical application, saving farmers money and protecting the environment. They could also attract new, younger farmers to an ageing industry.”

Along with these positive benefits to agriculture, Rose stresses that there will also be losses and negative impacts that need to be addressed before the widespread implementation of new technology. 

“In light of controversial agri-tech precedents, it is beyond doubt that smart farming is going to cause similar controversy,” said Rose. “Robotics and AI could cause job losses or change the nature of farming in ways that are undesirable to some farmers. Others might be left behind by technological advancement, while wider society might not like how food is being produced.” 

The researchers propose that farmers be included in public decisions and that new technology should be implemented responsibly. 

“We therefore encourage policy-makers, funders, technology companies, and researchers to consider the views of both farming communities and wider society,” said Rose. “We advocate that this new agricultural tech revolution, particularly the areas funded by public money, should be responsible, considering the winners, but particularly the potential losers of change.”
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why the agricultural tech revolution needs responsible innovation

The world is in the midst of a major shift...

<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

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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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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