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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



They run two versions of the economy. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



This frame anchors the new threshold concept for developing countries.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

Researchers have developed a computer model that is providing new insight into how people responded to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a> in the past. The experts are now able to identify the underlying causes of cultural shifts by examining how the changing conditions transformed people's ability to produce food in particular places.

Study lead author Jade d'Alpoim Guedes is an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">University of California San Diego</a>.

“There's been a large body of literature in archaeology on past climates, but earlier studies were mostly only able to draw correlations between changes in climate and civilization,” said Professor d'Alpoim Guedes. “What we're showing in this work is exactly how changes in temperature and precipitation, over space and time, would have actually impacted people - by affecting what they could and couldn't grow.”

By combining contemporary weather station data from across Asia with a climate reconstruction of the entire hemisphere, the researchers were able to create a simulation of how temperatures in Asia changed across space and time. The model also includes data on archaeological sites and the record of seeds found there.

When a major global cooling event happened around 3,700 to 3,000 years ago, not all regions of the globe were affected equally. Just as with climate change today, the impacts were most pronounced in the high latitude and high-altitude areas. 

For example, the team demonstrated how dramatic the changes were in Mongolia and the Tibetan Plateau. Around 3,500 years ago, broomcorn and foxtail millet would have failed to come to harvest about half of the time across this region. People had to abandon the crop and replace it with crops that were more resilient to the increasingly cold conditions, such as wheat and barley.

The researchers also concluded that cooling temperatures would have made it increasingly difficult to grow grain crops across Northern China between AD 291 and 360. According to the experts, this likely played a key role in the relocation of the Chinese capital from Xi'an to what is now Nanjing.

In other cases, the crop failures led to much more extreme migrations of people that were accompanied by conflict, including violent struggles.

The study also revealed that climate change instigated the development of transportation infrastructure across Asia, including Sui Dynasty's decision to invest in China's Grand Canal. The canal is the world's longest and oldest canal, linking the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, and serves as a major facilitator of trade.

“Crises are opportunities for culture change and innovation,” said study co-author and computational archaeologist Kyle Bocinsky. “But the speed and scale of our current climate change predicament are different.”

Professor d'Alpoim Guedes said that the impacts of warming are going to become quicker and greater. “With global warming these long-lasting patterns of adaptation will begin to change in ways that are unpredictable. And there might not be the behavioral flexibility for this, given current politics around the world.”

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</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: Jade d'Alpoim Guedes, UC San Diego

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

What happened in the past when the climate changed?

Researchers have developed a computer model that is providing new...

An international team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> has found that the last few areas of wilderness in the world are rapidly disappearing. The experts are warning that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/conservation-progress-limited-funding/">conservation</a> targets are critically needed to save what little wilderness remains.


The researchers had previously worked together in a 2016 project to map the remaining terrestrial wilderness, followed by another study in which they mapped the Earth's intact ocean ecosystems.

Professor James Watson said the results of those two studies produced the first full global picture of how little wilderness is left, and he was shocked by what he saw.

“A century ago, only 15 percent of the Earth's surface was used by humans to grow crops and raise livestock,” said Professor Watson. “Today, more than 77 percent of land - excluding Antarctica - and 87 percent of the ocean has been modified by the direct effects of human activities.”

[caption id="attachment_1861455" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/amazon-rainforest.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1861455" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/amazon-rainforest-1024x680.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="465" /></a> Image Credit: University of Queensland[/caption]

“It might be hard to believe, but between 1993 and 2009, an area of terrestrial wilderness larger than India - a staggering 3.3 million square kilometers - was lost to human settlement, farming, mining and other pressures. And in the ocean, the only regions that are free of industrial fishing, pollution and shipping are almost completely confined to the polar regions.”

Study co-author James R. Allan said that the only way the world's remaining wilderness can be protected is if its importance is recognized in international policy.

“Some wilderness areas are protected under national legislation, but in most nations, these areas are not formally defined, mapped or protected,” said Allan. “There is nothing to hold nations, industry, society or communities to account for long-term conservation.”

“We need the immediate establishment of bold wilderness targets - specifically those aimed at conserving biodiversity, avoiding dangerous climate change and achieving sustainable development.”

[caption id="attachment_1861456" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/whale.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1861456" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/whale-1024x717.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="490" /></a> Image Credit: Christopher Michel[/caption]

The researchers said that global policy urgently needs to be translated into local action. Professor Watson explained that one obvious intervention that needs to take priority is establishing protected areas in ways that would slow the impacts of industrial activity on the larger landscape.

“But we must also stop industrial development to protect indigenous livelihoods, create mechanisms that enable the private sector to protect wilderness, and push the expansion of regional fisheries and management organizations,”  said Professor Watson.

"We have lost so much already, so we must grasp this opportunity to secure the last remaining wilderness before it disappears forever.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Gregoire Dubois

The last of Earth’s wilderness will vanish unless it is protected

An international team of researchers led by the University of...

Most animals are hurt primarily by habitat loss.  Trees are cut down; prairies are plowed into fields, poisons leak into water.  

Sometimes the situation is different.  Sometimes the trees are left as pillars of an empty cathedral, bathed in eerie silence.  So is the case with the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil and Paraguay. With less name recognition and much less land size than other iconic forests, the Atlantic Forest is often overlooked but it’s an amazing place quickly being emptied of its wondrous inhabitants.  Hunting is one of the major causes of biodiversity loss there, and in some areas many of the trees are left standing, the habitat though shrunk is somewhat intact.

The Atlantic Forest of Brazil is very different from the region’s more famous <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/president-brazil-amazon-rainforest/">Amazon Rainforest</a>.  For starters, the forest is located on the Atlantic side of Brazil, a place easier to access than the remote interior, also a region more heavily populated.  

The area of the Atlantic Forest was first colonized in the 1500s and it’s much closer to large human population hubs than western Brazil.  In fact, the Atlantic Forest is the first environment encountered by Portuguese colonists upon arrival in Brazil. Over 85 percent of the Atlantic Forest has been destroyed.  The remaining portion of the original forest still stands but suffers from over-exploitation.  What is called the Atlantic Forest is actually a mix of different habitat types.

The ‘forest’ can be Restinga forests, which are usually dominated by densely growing, short shrubby trees that stabilize normally windblown coastal dunes.  Restinga forests also sometimes grow in clumps of taller trees amidst the dunes, creating a savanna-like habitat. There are also seasonal tropical moist forests, which can vary from lowland to submontane and montane depending on the elevation the forest is found at.  Tropical moist forests of course are much hotter in their lowland incarnations than their montane forms at higher elevations. There are also dry Atlantic Forests that transition between the moist forests and the Caatinga desert to the northeast as well as the Cerrado savannas to the east of the forest.  The whole of the Atlantic Forest habitats is incredibly biodiverse and very unique. 

According to <a href="https://www.globalspecies.org/hotspots/display/1">Global Species</a>, the Atlantic Forest contains 20,000 plant species, 40 percent of which are found nowhere else on earth.  There are also 950 bird types found in the Atlantic Forest, including a few threatened parrot species. Some of the better known animals still living in the Atlantic Forest include Golden Lion Tamarins, a small orange monkey that as a child I wanted to trade my brother for on a trip to the Denver Zoo.  The monkey has a small, remarkably human-like dark face surrounded by a mane of leonine hair. According to the <a href="https://www.denverzoo.org/animals/golden-lion-tamarin">Denver Zoo</a>, by 1971 there were only 200 Golden Lion Tamarins left in the wild.  Smithsonian’s <a href="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/golden-lion-tamarin">National Zoo</a> reports that now there are approximately 3,200 Golden Lion Tamarins in the wild, a third of which are descended from captive breeding programs.  Despite the rise in population, there are still too few of the tamarins to feel secure in their future and some animals of the Atlantic Forest are doing much worse.

<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180925140428.htm">Science Daily</a> reported last month on new research from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> that tells the story of the decline of the Atlantic Forests, which originally measured about 1.1 million square kilometers (approximately 272,000,000 acres).  The forest is now merely 0.143 million square kilometers in size. Because the size is smaller, proximity to humans and developed areas has an increased impact on species living in the remaining forest; this is called edge effect.  

The new research on the Atlantic Forest was carried out by Dr Juliano Bogoni of the <a href="http://www5.usp.br/english/?lang=en">University of São Paulo, Brazil</a>, Professor Carlos Peres from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> (UEA), and collaborators from the <a href="http://structure.ufsc.br/">Federal University of Santa Catarina of Brazil</a>.  The researchers analyzed populations of 500 mammals found in the Atlantic Forest region.  The results showed marked declines in many mammal populations, but some groups declined more than others.  

Among the most negatively impacted were large predators like jaguars and pumas as well as larger herbivores.  This trend has been shown in other parts of the neotropics. A classic example is Barro Colorado, an island in Panama that was created by flooding when the Panama Canal was created.  Barro Colorado is the location of the Smithsonian’s Tropical Research Institution and one of the most intensively studied places in the tropics. Jaguars and other large predators were some of the first to leave the island after it was created, changing the dynamics of a once larger piece of forest.  These examples from the tropics show the limitations of setting aside pieces of land for the protection of large mammals. Edge effects aren’t the only problems facing the small pieces of Atlantic Forest left though. 

<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180912202418.htm">Science Daily</a> reported on another piece of research in September.  The research, carried out by Tiago da Silveira Vasconcelos of São Paulo State University, Brazil and others, looked at the potential future of frogs and toads in the Atlantic Forest region.  There are currently 550 known species of frogs and toads known in the Atlantic Forest, 80 percent of which are found nowhere else on earth. Researchers looked at the distribution of 350 species in the Atlantic forest and another 150 species in nearby habitat.  With data in hand, researchers then made estimations as to the future for these species taking into account climate change predictions. 

Some species in the Cerrado area near the Atlantic Forest look like they’ll fare well in the future of a warmer climate, their habitat may even expand.  The expansion of one habitat comes at the cost of others though. 10 percent of frog and toad species in the Atlantic Forest may face extinction in the time period between 2050 and 2070.  As even more species go extinct in the Atlantic Forest, the empty quiet among the trees becomes more eerie. Even if some of the forest itself may remain intact in protected areas, too much may already have been destroyed to save more than the shadow of a once healthy ecosystem in the Atlantic Forest.                

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

What remains of the Atlantic Forest after destruction, exploitation

Most animals are hurt primarily by habitat loss.  Trees are...

Nitrous oxide (N2O), also known as laughing gas, is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/peatlands-release-nitrous-oxide/">potent greenhouse gas</a> with 300 times warming potential than CO2. 

Currently, nitrous oxide accounts for only ten percent of all greenhouse gases, but N20 stays in the atmosphere for 120 years and can destroy the ozone layer. 

Many researchers are concerned about the far-reaching environmental and climate impacts of increasing N2O emissions. Currently, N2O is mainly created through biodegradation of nitrite based fertilizers.

As microorganisms break down the fertilizers, N2O is generated. But now, a new study shows that some soil bacteria are primed to eat nitrous oxide even in soil where oxygen levels are plentiful. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> and the <a href="https://www.nmbu.no/en">Norwegian University of Life Sciences</a> conducted a study to examine how soil bacteria respond to nitrous oxide levels in their environment. 

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). 

Previously, it was theorized that in order for a bacteria to eat and breath N20, it had to first sense the greenhouse gas. It was thought that N20 only served as a replacement in low oxygen environments. 

However, the researchers soon found that soil bacteria can hedge their bets and will gamble on the chance that there is N20 in the soil. 

This ability is also passed on to new cells so that the bacteria can thrive in low oxygen environments if needed. 

The study has important implications for using soil bacteria to remove N20 from the atmosphere. 

“Despite efforts to address carbon dioxide emissions, nitrous oxide is now emerging as a pressing global concern and requires researchers with different skill sets to come together from around the world to prevent the next wave of climate change,” said  Andrew Gates, a leader of the study. “This work will help inform policy makers of the potential to exploit bacteria as sinks for this powerful climate-active gas.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Soil bacteria eat up this powerful greenhouse gas

Nitrous oxide (N2O), also known as laughing gas, is a...

Aquatic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/kelp-antarctica-traveled/">kelp</a> forests are considered to be some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. These giant pillars of seaweed, commonly found along the Pacific coast of North America, provide food and shelter for thousands of marine species.

Study co-author Bob Miller is a biologist from the Marine Science Institute (MSI) at the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara</a>.

“Giant kelp's complex physical structure that extends throughout the water column and its very high productivity are unique,” said Miller. “No other species in the kelp forest can replace giant kelp's high capacity to physically modify the environment and produce habitat and food for a myriad of other species.”

For this reason, giant kelp are known as a “foundation species,” which is an organism that plays a major role in the structure of a community.

Giant kelp are typically able to endure strong ocean currents, and can even replenish themselves after storms at an impressive rate that is the equivalent of about three percent of their weight per day. However, according to MSI research biologist Dan Reed, the violent disturbances that are expected to result from climate change could devastate kelp forests across the globe.

“One of the expectations of climate change is that many types of disturbances - for example fire, hurricanes and floods - will occur more often or become more severe in their intensity,” said Reed. “Ecologists have long recognized the important role of disturbance in structuring natural communities, however, they have yet to resolve how natural communities respond to increases in the frequency of disturbance versus increases in the severity of disturbance.”

Max Castorani is a professor of Environmental Sciences at the <a href="http://www.virginia.edu/">University of Virginia</a> and the study's lead researcher.

“We found that the frequency of disturbance was the most important factor influencing kelp forest biodiversity, whereas the severity of disturbance in a given year played a minor role,” said Professor Castorani.

Over the course of nine years, the researchers counted and measured more than 200 species of fish, plants, and invertebrates every three months in large experimental kelp forests off the Santa Barbara coast.

By simulating annual disturbances where kelp forests were experimentally reduced each year, the team discovered that the number of smaller plants and invertebrates attached to the seafloor such as algae, corals, and sponges doubled in number. At the same time, the numbers of shellfish, such as clams, starfish, lobsters, and crabs, were reduced by 30 to 61 percent.

“Our findings surprised us because we expected that a single severe winter storm would result in big changes to kelp forest biodiversity,” said Castorani. “Instead, the number of disturbances over time had the greatest impact because frequent disturbances suppress the recovery of giant kelp, with large consequences for the surrounding sea life.”

An ecosystem supported by an unhealthy kelp forest has less protection and becomes less complex and productive overall.

David Garrison is a director of the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=7671">National Science Foundation's Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER)</a> program, which funded the study.

“It's a significant finding that the severity and frequency of disturbances influence kelp bed communities in different ways,” said Garrison. “We need this kind of research to predict what future kelp bed communities will look like, and what ecosystem services they will provide.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19399170/">Ecology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Climate change could devastate most productive kelp ecosystems

Aquatic kelp forests are considered to be some of the...

President Trump has been steadily forging ahead with his mission to put fossil fuels, industry, and domestic energy production first.

Wyoming is at the heart of a new <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fracking-harmful-human-health/">fracking</a> boom as more and more oil and gas companies seek permits to drill on leased land up for grabs in what the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/climate/trump-fracking-drilling-oil-gas.html">New York Times</a> calls a “federal lands free-for-all.” 

Over 12.8 million acres of federally controlled parcels of land across the West have been offered up for lease, and the number of acres leased by energy companies has reached record highs since 2012. 

According to the New York Times, the number of drilling rigs in Wyoming has doubled since 2016, a trend that shows no signs of stopping. 

Acquiring drilling rights to federal land has never been easier due to a concerted effort by the Trump administration and lobbyists to reverse policies implemented by the Obama Administration that stringently governed how federal lands were used. 

According to the New York Times, Trump’s administration is working to rollback protections for wildlife, air quality, and groundwater. 

Now, big energy companies like Chevron have applied for thousands of permits to drill on federal land and while the economic gains are considerable, so are the potential threats to the environment. 

Some of the policy rollbacks include how often federal land is up for bid, how quickly a permit can be approved, and limiting how long the public has to protest a sale. 

Previously, protests could be filed up to ten days before a lease was issued, and now that number has increased to month. 

The <a href="https://www.blm.gov/">Bureaus of Land Management</a> also faces constraints due to the policy rollbacks and federal leases must be approved by six months. 

To expedite the lease and permit process, the Trump administration has also advised in a memo that environmental assessments are no longer necessary and can be bypassed using a set of loopholes called categorical exclusions.

Perhaps most worrying are the rollbacks that lift restrictions for wildlife habitats and deregulate methane flaring. 

Wyoming is home to a large population of sage grouses and despite extreme conservation measures, male sage grouse populations have experienced declines of up to 30 percent due to increases in energy production. 

“The president, love him or hate him, he’s doing what he said he would do in Washington,” Samantha McDonald, who until August served as a top lobbyist at the <a href="https://www.ipaa.org/">Independent Petroleum Association of America</a>, said during an industry event in Houston. “He’s been actively pursuing a deregulatory agenda that has had millions of dollars of impact.”

Oil production in the U.S. has been growing at an extraordinary rate, and according to the New York Times, states are seeing big returns. Revenue from federal oil and gas sales amounted to $669 million alone for Wyoming. 

The industry and administration are celebrating these gains, but environmental concerns continue to grow along with the surge in fracking. 

“The American West embodies the American spirit, and that is at risk here,” Jeremy Nichols, the energy program director at <a href="https://wildearthguardians.org/">WildEarth Guardians</a>, told the New York Times. “The open spaces, clean air, wild rivers — this is all part of the fabric of the American West, and it is being torn apart, acre by acre, by this unfettered oil and gas leasing.”

Protests to save sage grouse habitats and conserve land have been largely ignored. 

“Literally, thousands of the birds winter there,” Tom Christiansen, who recently worked for the <a href="https://wgfd.wyo.gov/">Wyoming Game and Fish Department</a>, told the New York Times. “We are talking about the highest density population in Wyoming of sage grouse, which has the highest density population in the world. I am very concerned.”

Still, bidding continues, and the impacts of the new administration’s “energy first” policies can be visibly felt across the vast landscapes of Wyoming and the West.  

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Latest fracking boom prompted by Trump policy changes

President Trump has been steadily forging ahead with his mission...

A new discovery at the Department of Energy's <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a> has revealed that climate scientists should be paying more attention to what happens among plants at night. The experts have found that, in the absence of photosynthesis, plant nutrient uptake is having an effect on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meat-dairy-production-emissions/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> that is not being accounted for in climate models.


Using a land model that they developed and integrated into the DOE's Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), the researchers discovered that plants can absorb more carbon dioxide than previously realized. The study also demonstrated that soils lose less nitrous oxide than what has been estimated. 

“This is goodish news, with respect to what is currently in the climate models,” said study lead author William Riley, a scientist in Berkeley Lab's Earth &amp; Environmental Sciences Area. “But it's not good news in general - it's not going to solve the problem. No matter what, plants will not keep up with anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions; it's just that they might do better than current models suggest.”

Over the past decade, humans have emitted an unprecedented amount of carbon dioxide, averaging 34 gigatons per year. Around half of that CO2 lingers in the atmosphere, while the rest is absorbed by oceans and land. The amount of carbon captured by land varies from year to year depending on factors such as land use, fires, drought, and weather.


The Berkeley Lab findings suggest that, by not accurately accounting for what plants do at night and during the non-growing season, climate models may be substantially underestimating the terrestrial carbon sink and overestimating nitrous oxide release.

To test the new model, study co-author Qing Zhu conducted a meta-analysis of 120 experiments that were focused on the short-term nitrogen uptake by plants.

“We also compared observations of nutrient uptake at nighttime versus daytime and across non-growing seasons,” said Riley. “We're pretty confident that the basic mechanisms in the model are correct and this meta-analysis and individual site observations back that up.”

The research team determined that a substantial amount of nutrient uptake occurs in the absence of photosynthesis as plants and microbes compete for nutrients. 

“The amounts vary a lot by latitude, but in the higher latitudes, such as the Arctic, roughly 20 percent of plants' annual nitrogen uptake occurs outside the growing season. That goes up to 55 percent for nighttime uptake in the tropics,” said Riley. 

“That's a huge deal for plants and will facilitate atmospheric carbon uptake, and it's currently completely ignored in most climate models. This type of model improvement will help us better understand implications of future CO2 emissions.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants are storing more carbon thanks to nighttime activity

A new discovery at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bitcoin-consume-worlds-energy/">Bitcoin</a>, the much-buzzed about cryptocurrency sweeping the internet, has attracted a wide following and its value has surged nearly tenfold in recent years.Bitcoin growth could push global warming above 2 degrees Celsius 

Even though 2018 saw Bitcoin’s value dip to $6,000 USD, that hasn’t slowed interested or the number of cryptocurrency farms working to mine bitcoin. Bitcoin growth could push global warming above 2 degrees Celsius 

Unfortunately, as Bitcoin’s value grows and more and more minors work to hunt down and record bitcoin purchases, the amount of energy needed to decipher the bitcoin blockchains (a public ledger of all bitcoin exchanges) increases exponentially. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawaii at Manoa</a> conducted a study to project Bitcoin’s energy demands and calculate the cryptocurrency's carbon emissions. 

The results, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, show that if Bitcoin is embraced like other technologies now mainstream, it could produce enough greenhouse gas emissions to raise global temperatures by 2 degrees Celsius by the year 2033. 

In a warming world where scientists are racing to combat emissions and avoid catastrophic climate change, the study shows that bitcoin should be considered in any regulation or mitigation strategies to reduce warming. 

“Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency with heavy hardware requirements, and this obviously translates into large electricity demands,” said Randi Rollins, a co-author of the paper.

In 2017, <a href="https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/07/technology/bitcoin-energy-environment/index.html">CNN reported</a> that Bitcoin used 32 terawatts of energy per year, enough to power millions of households. 

Every Bitcoin purchase is recorded and processed by a group of miners, and miners compete to decipher these complex transactions and show “proof-of-work” since Bitcoin has no bank or stable currency to which it's tied. 

For the study, the researchers took into account several factors for their energy calculations including how much power bitcoin mining required, where miners were located, and the CO2 emissions of the areas where bitcoin mining is popular. 

After analyzing the data, the researchers discovered that in 2017 Bitcoin purchases and mining emitted 69 million metric tons of CO2. 

If implemented at even the slowest rate of other technologies adopted by society, the researchers calculated that Bitcoin emissions could cause global temperatures to climb above 2 degrees Celsius in 22 years. 

“With the ever-growing devastation created by hazardous climate conditions, humanity is coming to terms with the fact that climate change is as real and personal as it can be,” said Camilo Mora, the lead author of the study. “Clearly, any further development of cryptocurrencies should critically aim to reduce electricity demand, if the potentially devastating consequences of 2°C of global warming are to be avoided.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Bitcoin growth could push global warming above 2 degrees Celsius

Bitcoin, the much-buzzed about cryptocurrency sweeping the internet, has attracted...

Ahead of Halloween, wildlife officials are urging people to take precautions to protect wildlife. While fake cobwebs are meant to be a fun part of the festivities surrounding the holiday, they pose a risk to wild animals who can become entangled in the fabric.

Fake cobwebs can catch a number of species who live in close proximity to humans such as deer, squirrels, raccoons and insects. <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wind-turbines-harm-birds-100-miles-away/">Birds</a> are likely at the greatest risk of entanglement, especially when cobwebs are hung off the ground and obstruct a bird’s flight path. Since the cobwebs are lightweight, they can also blow away and enter animals’ habitats.

Even if wild animals normally keep their distance from humans, they may be attracted to the area by other Halloween decorations. Pumpkins left outside are a tempting treat and may entice wild animals to a front yard where they can encounter the cobwebs. The Arizona Game and Fish Department even warned residents ahead of Halloween this year that they could be fined up to $300 if wild animals eat their Halloween decorations, according to<a href="https://kvoa.com/news/local-news/2018/10/24/residents-could-be-fined-for-wildlife-eating-halloween-decorations/"> News 4 Tucson</a>.

In one instance, an owl in California became entangled in a fake cobweb on Halloween night. When the owl tried to escape, he panicked and only became more ensnared. Thankfully, the Marin Humane Society responded to the scene and rescued him. He was then taken to WildCare in San Rafael for treatment and was returned to the wild. The family took down their cobwebs after the incident and decided to stop using the decorations permanently.

It’s not just Halloween that threatens wildlife. WildCare has seen animals clash with decorations throughout the year.

"It's a lot more common than people realize," said WildCare Director Melanie Piazza told<a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Real-Owl-Caught-in-Fake-Halloween-Spider-Web-132831773.html"> NBC Bay Area</a>. "We've had squirrels come in with Fourth of July banners wrapped around their tails and deer that have been stuck in Christmas lights."

Fireworks can also cause harm to wild animal through loud noises, toxins and direct obstructions. One Arkansas neighborhood famously brought in the New Year in 2011 with<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/us/04beebe.html"> thousands of dead birds falling from the sky</a>. Wildlife officials believe the fireworks caused the birds to become disorientated. The birds began flying at lower heights to avoid the fireworks and collided into homes and trees, resulting in their death.

People who want to enjoy their holidays do not need to forgo all decorations. For Halloween, people can hang fake cobwebs up from inside their windows or use other decorations such as jack-o’-lanterns with fake candles. This way the only ones who are spooked are the trick-or-treaters.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Fake cobwebs can cause more than just a spook to wildlife

Ahead of Halloween, wildlife officials are urging people to take...

All active volcanoes pose a risk to nearby people and communities, but some are more dangerous than others. In an updated volcano threat assessment, the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> has listed 18 volcanoes as “very high threats.”

Eleven of the 18 riskiest volcanoes in the U.S. are in Washington, Oregon or California, and five are in Alaska, but it’s Hawaii’s erupting Kilauea that tops the volcano threat list.

“This report may come as a surprise to many, but not to volcanologists,” Dr. Janine Krippner of <a href="https://www.concord.edu/">Concord University</a> told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a>. “The USA is one of the most active countries in the world when it comes to volcanic activity.”

The <a href="https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sir20185140">2018 report</a> also lists 39 high threat, 49 moderate threat, 34 low threat and 21 very low threat volcanoes in the U.S. – 161 active volcanoes in total.

Each volcano threat was assessed on 24 different different risk factors, including how active the volcano is, its historic eruptions, how close it is to large populations, and more. 

But a high-risk volcano won’t necessarily be the next one to erupt and cause damage.

“The threat ranking is not an indication of which volcano will erupt next,” the USGS report noted. “Rather, it indicates how severe the impacts might be from future eruptions at any given volcano.”

The top five “high threat” volcanoes on the report are Hawaii’s Kilauea, Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in Washington, Redoubt Volcano in Alaska, and Mount Shasta in California. The majority of the moderate threat volcanoes are in Alaska, the USGS reported. The report also raised the volcano threat level of Yellowstone in Wyoming.

The volcano threat assessment comes at a time when about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-hazards-millions-risk/">800 million people</a> around the world live within 60 miles of an active volcano. 

“Understanding how volcanic threat varies with distance from the volcano and which groups of people are affected most can contribute to risk reduction by providing empirical data on which to forecast impacts or support evidence-based eruption planning and preparedness,” researchers wrote in a <a href="https://appliedvolc.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13617-017-0067-4">study published last October</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Kilauea tops new USGS volcano threat assessment

All active volcanoes pose a risk to nearby people and...

Rising sea levels could force England to sacrifice about 90 miles of its coast – 1.5 million coastal properties – by the year 2080, a new study warns.

“There's already a very significant risk of flooding and coastal erosion,” Dr. Jim Hall of the UK’s <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/">Committee on Climate Change</a> told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a>. “That could get a lot worse – about a million-and-a-half properties in future at risk from flooding, 100,000 properties at risk from coastal erosion.”

The committee estimates that the sea around England will rise as much as 3 feet by 2080 due to rising atmospheric temperatures around the world. Depending on the coastal elevation, this could cause England to lose anywhere from 0.1 to 25 meters of coastal land.

The rising sea levels won’t just cause flooding, the researchers said. The shift will allow for more devastating storm surges and cause issues with erosion.

Large swaths of the Lancashire coastline could be lost, along with south Devon, north Somerset and parts of Essex and Norfolk. Some areas may be saved, but financial impact mean others will not.

And as many as 55 landfills could be swamped, spilling hazardous materials into the ocean waters.

The UK study isn’t the first to warn people of the rising sea levels. 

One recent study found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-sea-levels-inland/">13.1 million people in the United States</a> alone could be displaced by coastal flooding. The <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> has released a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/maps-potential-sea-level-rise/">set of maps</a> predicting which areas might be hardest hit.

A global study found that even a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-rise-tsunami-flooding/">12-inch rise</a> could lead to flooding and more devastating tsunamis.

The UK government needs to sit down with small coastal communities and begin considering their options before the rising sea levels cause problems, Hall told the Mail.

“We are talking about abandoning houses and people being exposed to intolerable levels of coastal flood risk,” he said.

At least one member of the Committee on Climate Change agreed with him.

“Our current approach to protecting the coastline is really not fit for [this] purpose,” Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge and deputy chairwoman of the committee, told the Mail. “This is a wake-up call.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Rising sea levels could cost England 90 miles of coastland

Rising sea levels could force England to sacrifice about 90...

An island located 550 miles off the coast of Honolulu has all but disappeared after a devastating hurricane. 

East Island is part of the French Frigate Shoals in <a href="https://www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/">Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument</a>, and researchers knew that the island was under siege from rising <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rising-sea-levels-cliff-erosion/">sea levels</a>. 

“Sea level is rising around the world, these low sandy islands become more and more vulnerable as the ocean rises,” Chip Fletcher, an earth science professor at the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawaii at Manoa</a> told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/25/us/hawaii-island-hurricane-gone-wxc-trnd/index.html">CNN</a>. “If the ocean was rising very slowly, there's the potential that these islands could adapt, but rapid sea level rise, as is happening due to global warming, puts these islands out of equilibrium.”

However, a process that was expected to take years, possibly decades, was sped along with the help of Hurricane Walaka earlier this month. 

The high power winds of the storm quickly eroded the island, and even though the area is uninhabited, the French Frigate Shoals and East island are a haven for two highly endangered species, green sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals. 

Before and after satellite images show that East Island’s strip of sand is almost entirely submerged and all that’s left is an outline of the area below the shallow waters.

[caption id="attachment_1861324" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/east-island-before-after.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1861324" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/east-island-before-after-1024x679.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="464" /></a> Image Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service[/caption]

“It’s one more chink in the wall of the network of ecosystem diversity on this planet that is being dismantled,” Fletcher told the <a href="https://www.civilbeat.org/2018/10/this-remote-hawaiian-island-just-vanished/">Honolulu Civil Beat. </a>

96 percent of Hawaiian green sea turtles nest in the French Frigate Shoals and a vast majority used to nest on East Island, according to Charles Littnan, a <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)</a> conservation biologist. 

Luckily, the seals have weathered storms in the Pacific before, and most of the turtles left for the season, but researchers will not be sure of the full extent of the damage until they thoroughly survey the area 

While Hurricane Walaka was not caused by climate change, rising sea levels are along with an increase in stronger storms which puts vulnerable regions like the Frigate Shoals at high risk for erosion which could devastate local ecosystems. 

“The take-home message is climate change is real, and it’s happening now,” said Randy Kosaki, a deputy superintendent for research and field operations for NOAA, told the Honolulu Civil Beat. “Whether or not East Island will come back is now a mystery, and even if it does, the process could take many years, and its stability is uncertain.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Dan Link/USFWS

Entire island off the coast of Hawaii disappears after hurricane

An island located 550 miles off the coast of Honolulu...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What caused the planet's longest ice age

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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