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...

The Black Hills are special, not in their size or uniqueness, but because of the landscape they find themselves surrounded by.  Covering part of Wyoming but mostly located in western South Dakota, the Black Hills are a cluster of forested islands in a sea of grassland.  

The Black Hills have historically been sacred to different Native American groups, which is a bit perplexing to people like me who’ve spent time in much higher and more awe-inspiring mountains in North America.  

Next to the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, the Black Hills are paltry in size.  <a href="http://harneypeakinfo.com/">Black Elk Peak</a> (formerly Harney Peak), the highest in the Black Hills, is only 7,242 feet in elevation.  The <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-10-highest-mountains-in-wyoming.html">highest peak in Wyoming</a>, is Gannett Peak at 13,804 feet above sea level.  The highest peak in Montana is 12,799 foot tall <a href="https://www.summitpost.org/granite-peak/150239">Granite Peak</a>.  Mt. Elbert stands at 14,433 feet as Colorado’ highest mountain.

Hiking Black Elk Peak is an entirely different experience from these other mountains.  I’ve seen people hiking Black Elk in sandals and I didn’t think they were crazy. The hike is really quite easy, the trail well groomed.  Mt. Elbert is technically simple, no ropes, no gear but you feel the elevation and after a couple of false summits, it feels painful and challenging.  The high points of Montana and Wyoming, although shorter than Elbert are truly challenging, more than just hikes these peaks are mountaineering experiences.  Black Elk in contrast, is little more than a stroll, it’s literally a walk in the park (Custer State Park). 

Why would Native Americans find these particular hills special when western Wyoming, Montana and Colorado aren’t very far away and full of higher, more impressive mountains?

Considering the question of The Black Hills supposedly inflated importance, I’m reminded of a story Gary Snyder recounted from his own life in the book, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=mPKZftM7lCgC">The Practice of the Wild</a>.  Snyder tells of riding in the back of a pickup truck in the Australian Outback with an aboriginal man.  The man starts recounting traditional myths connected to the landscape they’re driving through. The myths are unrelenting, one after the other at a pace hard to follow.  Snyder reflects that the myths were meant to be told by groups of people walking through the landscape rather than driving. At a walking pace, the stories could be told slowly and reflected upon as people pass through a landscape both physical and spiritual.  At a pace dictated by muscles rather than motorized vehicles, the Black Hills start to seem more special. 

The <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hill+City,+SD/Leadville,+CO/@41.5041621,-109.6970332,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x87629bd96ddabad5:0x303ceb424afcbd94!2m2!1d-103.575193!2d43.9324855!1m5!1m1!1s0x876a91243b08979d:0x45a43089dfe8ed21!2m2!1d-106.2925238!2d39.2508229!3e0">drive</a> from Hill City, South Dakota to Leadville, Colorado is only about seven hours, fifteen minutes.  Walking on the other hand the trip takes 151 hours, according to <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hill+City,+SD/Leadville,+CO/@41.5041621,-109.426041,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x87629bd96ddabad5:0x303ceb424afcbd94!2m2!1d-103.575193!2d43.9324855!1m5!1m1!1s0x876a91243b08979d:0x45a43089dfe8ed21!2m2!1d-106.2925238!2d39.2508229!3e2">Google Maps</a>.  When one considers time for resting, eating, sleeping the trip becomes much longer in reality.  When one further considers a life where stops for hunting and gathering are the norm as well as inclement weather, the trip starts to seem an improbable one on foot.  Considered in this light, the world starts to seem much bigger and harder to travel through. 

Native American groups living in the Black Hills region may rarely if ever have seen the Rocky Mountains.  If someone did see the Rocky Mountains, they’d still be aware that the trip from the Black Hills to greater peaks is a long one across a massive expanse of grass and rolling hills.  Seeing forests of pine trees after days or weeks with nothing but prairie would be incredibly special. We see the world in a significantly different way than people before modern technology.  Not only are massive distances reduced to relatively short car rides or plane trips, the internet, overnight shipping and television create the illusion of bridging distances. You can easily watch video shot halfway around the world from where you sit or eat seafood thousands of miles from the nearest coast.  Bananas, a tropical fruit, are normal fare in states like North Dakota far removed from the world’s equatorial regions.

Another part of the mystery of why the Black Hills would be considered special is related to the passage of time.  The western landscape, including the Black Hills and the surrounding Great Plains, has changed radically over time.  I <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lost-world-american-serengeti/">reported recently</a> on how drastically the Great Plains have changed and how much we’ve lost.  In previous years, the amount of wildlife in the Black Hills region would have been mind blowing.  Not only were there Bison from the prairie regions immediately surrounding the hills, there were elk, brown and black bears, wolves.  Bighorn sheep still live in the adjacent Badlands National Park and are seen in the Black Hills as well. Occasionally <a href="https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/moose-on-the-loose-in-black-hills/article_d49658d2-7e2a-5d24-bf29-43986234b3d3.html">moose are still seen</a> in the black hills but are rare visitors.  Wild turkeys in the Black Hills area have been decimated and a similar species introduced to replace the natives.  I saw my first wild porcupine climbing a tree in the Black Hills when I was a young boy. 

Some of the nation’s largest mountain lion concentrations are found still around the hills.  Wildlife would’ve only been richer and more plentiful in pre-Columbian times or later before hordes of gold hungry prospectors pushed native people off their land with the help of the US military.  

Despite the lower elevation of the Black Hills compared to the more awe inspiring mountains, it’s a place of contrasts.  Granitic spires and forested hills of any size would’ve been surprising and special compared to golden grasslands that seemed to stretch forever.  Likewise, wildlife in the area were there in part because of the intersection of different ecosystems. 

The Black Hills, as modest as they seem to a mountaineer, are a place of abundance from the viewpoint of a hunter.  The forests were also a place where teepee poles could be gathered, different herbs and medicines could be found. The hills were also a place that haunted one with their different-ness, caves yawned with no hint to the depths they plumbed (these are still some of the longest caves in North America).  It’s easy to forget that each place is unique and special when you can see the Himalayas or the Amazon or the Sahara any time you have an internet connection. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

What’s so special about the Black Hills? Ask the Native Americans

The Black Hills are special, not in their size or...

Researchers at <a href="http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a> have revealed that forest fires fueled by El Niño conditions in 2015 and 2016 may have resulted in three or four times greater carbon losses than previously realized.

The study was focused on 6.5 million hectares of forest in the Brazilian Amazon, where almost one million hectares of primary and secondary forests burned during the 2015-2016 El Niño. 

Even though the area analyzed covers less than 0.2 percent of the Brazilian Amazon, these wildfires resulted in immediate <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/co2-emissions-cost-us-economy/">CO2 emissions</a> of over 30 million tons. 


“Uncontrolled understorey wildfires in humid tropical forests during extreme droughts are a large and poorly quantified source of CO2 emissions,” said lead author Kieran Withey. 

“These understory fires completely consumed leaf litter and fine woody debris, while partially burning coarse woody debris; resulting in high immediate CO2 emissions. This analysis covers an area of just 0.7% of Brazil, but the amount of carbon lost corresponds to 6% of the annual emissions of the whole of Brazil in 2014.”

In 2015, Santarém in the Brazilian state of Pará was one of the epicenters of an El Niño event, and experienced severe drought along with extensive forest fires. 

Scientists from “ECOFOR,” an international research project led by Professor Jos Barlow of Lancaster University, had installed 20 study plots in Santarém and lost eight of them to the fire. The experts saw this as a great opportunity to document how forests may respond to fire of this magnitude.

A team led by Dr. Erika Berenguer found that average trees in burned areas of forest grew 249 percent faster than trees in forests hit by only drought, but not fire. While the growth rate is good news, the effect appeared to be a relatively short-term.

“Only a few trees can survive these wildfires, as Amazonian forests did not co-evolve with this threat,” said study co-author Professor Jos Barlow. “So even though surviving trees grow faster in burned forests, this does not compensate the large carbon loss that results from tree mortality.”

Dr. Berenguer added: “Overall, our combined results highlight the importance of considering wildfires in Brazilian forest conservation and climate change policies.” 

“With climate models projecting a hotter and drier future for the Amazon basin, wildfires are likely to become more widespread. The continued failure to consider wildfires in public policies will lead to shorter fire-return intervals, with forests being unable to recover their carbon stocks.”

The study is published in the <a href="http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B</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: Adam Ronan

Amazon forest fires release 4 times more carbon than thought

Researchers at Lancaster University have revealed that forest fires fueled...

Fertilizer runoff from farms can leach into local watersheds, contaminate ecosystems and is a major contributor to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/22/dead-zone-gulf-of-mexico-decades-recover-study">Gulf of Mexico’s dead zone,</a> an oxygen-deprived area larger than the state of New Jersey. 

Even though farmers are aware of the environmental impacts of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/waste-polluting-drinking-water/">fertilizer</a>, particularly nitrogen, their crops and livelihoods depend on it. 

For corn farmers, a nitrogen-rich fertilizer is sprayed on newly planted seeds and as the corn is growing. Without this process, their harvests and health of their crop would suffer. 

But fertilizer is expensive, and finding a better alternative would not only benefit the agriculture industry but it would also help reduce nitrogen pollution.

<a href="https://www.pivotbio.com/">Pivot Bio</a>, a biotech company in Berkeley, California, may have found a solution to the fertilizer pollution problem by creating a microbial treatment that effectively allows the plant to self-fertilize. 

According to a report from <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/farmers-can-now-buy-designer-microbes-to-replace-fertilizer/?mbid=email_onsiteshare">Wired</a>, the company recently announced its commercial launch of a biological nitrogen fixation which will be available for farmers in 2019. Pivot says the product adheres to a plant’s roots and feeds the crop the essential nutrients it needs. 

The environmental implications of a self-fertilizing crop are significant, and Pivot says that if all the corn farmers in the United States took advantage of the treatment, it would equate to removing the emissions of one million cars. 

To create a self-fertilizing corn plant, Pivot Bio researchers looked to bacteria that were already present on corn roots that had the ability to create nitrogen for the plants encoded in their genes. 

However, the bacteria’s nitrogen genes became dormant over time because of farmers using fertilizer in their fields. 

 “What we’re trying to do is actually reawaken this function that the microbe has had all along,” says Temme.

The Pivot researchers collected soil samples from different agricultural operations along the Midwest where corn is a major crop and planted corn into the soil samples. 

After the corn plants had a chance to take advantage of any beneficial microbes in the soil, the researchers ground up the roots of the plant and created a microbial treatment that creates its own nitrogen using gene editing technology to rewrite gene expression of the bacteria. 

Pivot is in the process of testing the liquid probiotic on several farms across the United States, and while the corn treated with the bacteria has yet to be harvested, the researchers are already seeing promise with the treatment. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Self-fertilizing crops are better for farmers and environment

Fertilizer runoff from farms can leach into local watersheds, contaminate...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/polar-bears-climate-change-2/">Polar bears</a> depend on sea ice cover so that they can hunt seals, their primary food source. But when sea ice cover is low, bears are not able to get as much food as they need. 

Researchers have theorized that polar bears were able to survive past interglacial warm periods in the Arctic by scavenging on washed up whale carcasses, sometimes returning to the same carcass for years. 

In 2017, over 180 polar bears were observed feeding on bowhead and gray whale carcasses. The bears’ ability to store tremendous amounts of fat makes whale carcasses a perfect meal for times when hunting opportunities are scarce. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> conducted a study to see if whale carcasses during low periods of ice cover would be enough to sustain polar bear populations in the future, when summers in the Arctic will likely be ice-free by 2040 due to climate change. 

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 

“If the rate of sea ice loss and warming continues unmitigated, what is going to happen to polar bear habitat will exceed anything documented over the last million years,” said Kristin Laidre, the lead author of the study. “The extremely rapid pace of this change makes it almost impossible for us to use history to predict the future.” 

The researchers theorized that bears survived previous warm periods by feeding on whale carcasses and reviewed years of observational data of polar bears scavenging. 

However, there are concerns that the severity of future climate change will make whale carcasses a limited and unsustainable food source. 

“But when we look at the situation now, ecologically, with respect to food sources, it's a very different picture,” said Ian Stirling, a co-author of the study. “The potential of whale carcasses to bail bears out may still be important in a few areas but, quite simply, their overall availability is going to be substantially less than before humans invaded the Arctic.” 

To find out if whale carcasses could provide enough food for polar bears in a warmer climate, the researchers first calculated how much blubber and meat an average population of 1,000 polar bears would need to survive each year. 

Then, the researches calculated the abundance of whale populations on the coasts of Chukotka and Alaska to see if the average ten percent die-off rate in whale populations would provide enough washed-up whale carcasses for polar bears during times of low ice cover. 

It was discovered that during an ice-free summer, 1,000 polar bears would need about eight whales to sustain their population and during the spring when bears eat much more, 20 whales would be required. 

In Russia, enough whales die every year to meet this demand currently, but the question remains if this will be a sustainable option as the Arctic experiences rapid warming. 

Arctic whale populations are shrinking due to human activity and there is no guarantee that enough whales will regularly die off and end up stranded on shore to feed hungry polar bears. 

“Scavenging on large whale carcasses is probably important for bears in some areas and may buffer them from sea ice loss,” said Laidre. “However, carcasses of large whales are not expected to replace seals as nutritional resources as we move towards the ice-free Arctic. In most regions, the environmental changes are too large and the whale carcasses are too few.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Chris Collins/Heritage Expeditions

Polar bear backup food sources won’t be enough to sustain warming

Polar bears depend on sea ice cover so that they...

Researchers led by the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> have found that the transition from hominins to modern humans may have been instigated by an unpredictable environment. According to the study, an increasingly dry climate with sporadic wet spells may have driven the origins of modern <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/diverse-climates-homo-sapiens-thrive/">Homo sapiens</a> and the Middle Stone Age.

Based on lake sediment cores, the investigation provides the first continuous environmental record to compare with a large amount of archeological evidence recovered from the rift valley basins of southern Kenya. The cores were collected from Lake Magadi as part of the Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project (HSPDP), which is directed by study co-author Professor Andrew Cohen.

The researchers explained that while previous theories have related hominin evolution to climate change, most prior studies lack regional-scale evidence for a link between environment and hominin evolution.

The current study revealed that the region experienced a trend toward intense aridification beginning 575,000 years ago. The climate change, which was not previously documented in continuous continental cores from East Africa, coincides with faunal extinctions and a major transition in stone tool technology.

“Much evidence for human evolution has been gathered from the area, but linking those records to detailed environmental records was missing until now,” said study lead author Richard Owen of <a href="https://www.hkbu.edu.hk/">Hong Kong Baptist University</a>. “There is a big gap in the records between the last Early Stone Age tools 500,000 years ago and the appearance of Middle Stone Age tools about 320,000 years ago. Our results plugged that gap with a continuous environmental record.”

The cores from Lake Magadi have demonstrated the first detailed link between climate change and events that have been identified in the region's archeological record.

“We have known for a while that the climate at the time was very varied, but the key here is that the records are in proximity to the archeological evidence for this transition,” said Professor Cohen. “The older stone tools found at Olorgesailie did not change much between 1.2 million and a half-million years ago. And suddenly, after 500,000 and before 320,000 years ago - we don't know exactly when, but in that timespan - there was a critical transition in archeology when tools became more sophisticated and were transported over longer distances.”

Evidence has been found that modern Homo sapiens appeared elsewhere in Africa at the same time that lake core records indicate a drier, more variable climate. This timing has prompted much speculation that the two events are connected.

“Whether the evolution of bigger brains goes hand in hand with new toolkits is not entirely clear,” said Professor Cohen. “But the earliest modern Homo sapiens fossils from Morocco date back 325,000 years, the same time we see this transition of tools. And both happened around the same time that our core record indicates severe drying very close to the archeological sites.”

Owen pointed out that, according to the hypothesis of variability selection, a rapidly changing environment creates selective pressure that forces species to adapt to rapid change. The larger brains of anatomically modern humans would have empowered early Homo sapiens to quickly adapt to a less predictable world.

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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: Richard Owen

A changing climate may have led to anatomically modern humans

Researchers led by the University of Arizona have found that...

The <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) has released its much-anticipated report on what exactly is required to limit climate change to below catastrophic levels. 

When news of the report first started making headlines, members of the IPCC were still in the process of assessing the state of climate change and how the countries involved in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/countries-failing-paris-accord/">Paris Accord</a> had dealt with their promises to reduce emissions. 

Unfortunately, the team has found that the Paris Accord has done very little in enacting real or meaningful change, and now the deadline for capping emissions and limiting warming is fast approaching. 

The report makes two things crystal clear, one is that warming must be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the other is that it’s not too late to make a major difference. 

We could breach this 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold by 2030, the ramifications of which would be devastating, particularly to coastal communities, island countries, and areas already suffering from long-lasting extreme droughts 

1.5 degrees might not seem like much, but because the planet has already warmed by about 1 degree Celsius, the report emphasizes how much of a difference a half a degree will make in the long run. 

“Every bit of extra warming makes a difference,” Hans-Otto Pörtner of the IPCC told the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45784892">BBC</a>. “By 2100, global mean sea level rise will be around 10cm lower for warming of 1.5 degrees compared with 2C. This could mean up to 10 million fewer people exposed to the risks of rising seas.” 

A second major takeaway from the report is that although the window of time to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is quickly closing in, it is not impossible to enact change. 

The report calls for nothing less than “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society” according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/07/world/climate-change-new-ipcc-report-wxc/index.html">CNN</a>, which reported on the IPCC’s findings.

Regardless of how the world’s countries respond to the new report, global warming has reached a point of irreversible, widespread damage, as has already been evidenced by the increase in severe storms, heatwaves, droughts, and extreme weather events. 

However, acting now and doing nothing could spell the difference between coral reefs declining by 70 percent and being completely wiped out altogether, as just one example. 

This is why it’s crucial to limit emissions. The IPCC report states that global net emissions need to be reduced by 2030, and by 2050, the globe must be carbon neutral, meaning zero net emissions. 

To do this, the world’s countries will need to focus on making renewable and sustainable energy a priority as well as developing technology to help remove carbon from the atmosphere. 

It’s not unthinkable, but the report emphasizes that as a global society, we must adopt a new mindset that stops looking at climate change as a future problem and enact widespread changes across all industries and sectors to reduce emissions. 

--

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>

Report: World has until 2030 to limit the impact of climate change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released its...

I’m not a climate change denier.  I’m not a climate scientist either.  My knowledge of climate and weather extends to a couple undergraduate classes in ecology and environmental science.  Still, when the majority of scientists in a particular field all agree on something, it obviously means there’s very little doubt.  

Scientists by the very nature of their profession are prone to disagreement and critical of new ideas. For a vast majority to come to consensus means there’s already a preponderance of evidence.  Still, I sometimes cringe at how quickly people are to blame something as complex as <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a> for specific problems. 

I’m suspicious of animals held up as symbols of human destruction.  It isn’t that our species isn’t destructive, we are incredibly destructive.  The fact is that for every rhino or panda or great ape that is threatened with extinction, there are many more insects, reptiles and non-descript rodents that face similar threats.  Why should we as a species or as individuals care more about the panda we’ll never see in the wild than a cockroach wiped from its wild habitat by mining? 

One case is a perfect example of why I was suspicious.  There was a photo circulating of a male polar bear holding a dead cub in his mouth.  The photo was used to promote the idea that polar bears are so desperately hungry due to climate change they’ve turned to cannibalism.  The problem with the photo is that male polar bears normally kill young and it’s no sign of desperate hunger or other stress. It’s with these questions in mind that I started working on an article about polar bears.  Then I talked to Andrew Derocher a PhD professor at <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/">University of Alberta, Edmonton</a> and important polar bear biologist.  

I asked Dr. Derocher about polar bear’s role as icon of climate change and he explained it to me.  Of 19 known polar bear populations, there are 3 that show obvious signs of being hurt by climate change.  It turns out that we know more about polar bears than any other large mammal in the Arctic. It’s not that they’re the most iconic, narwhals and orcas are quite majestic.  Caribou and musk ox have plenty of appeal. Polar bears have been potentially threatened before and this is key to the reason they’ve become such an important image in the discussion on climate change.  

In 1965 there was a landmark meeting in 1965 at the <a href="https://www.uaf.edu/">University of Alaska Fairbanks</a>, the discussion at hand was research and conservation of polar bears.  The meeting marked the first step towards the creation of the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group (PBSG).  The group was an international group of scientists collaborating on research and conservation of one species: Ursus maritimus, the polar bear.  

PBSG in turn lead to an international agreement between all the nations with polar bears.  In 1973, an agreement was made in Oslo Norway between the governments of Canada, Denmark, Norway, (the then) Soviet Union and the United States.  This unique agreement allowed the collection of an unprecedented amount of research in the Arctic. The result is that today scientists know more about the polar bear than any other large Arctic mammal.  This set the stage for polar bears to become the poster child of climate change. The other reason polar bears are center stage as icons of the destruction of a warming planet is their unique dependence on sea ice. 

Polar bears are unique among bears.  Not only are polar bears the largest of bears but they also have a completely unique life among bears.  Black and brown bears live terrestrial lives, bound to solid land. Polar bears live lives on the sea, it’s even observed that polar bears although great swimmers walk awkwardly on land.  If you look at a map of the far northern part of our planet, where polar bears live, it it’s easy to see that the North Pole is mostly devoid of land, being dominated by the Arctic ocean north of the continents.  What isn’t so easy to see is that the sea in the polar region is dominated by ice floes that wax and wane with the seasons. Sea ice in the Arctic has played its own unique role in human history.

Through human history, much exploration has been pushed by the interest in global trade.  It was a hope of finding a trade route between Europe and Asia that Columbus first set out across the Atlantic and ended up in the Americas.  With North America and South America clearly hindering oceanic travel to the west from Europe towards Asia, a Northwest Passage became the new goal of explorers.  

The Northwest Passage north of the Americas, was sought for centuries and became a sort of El Dorado, a legendary objective for explorers seeking glory.  Roald Amundsen, the man who led the first expedition to the South Pole, made the first complete North West Passage in an expedition from 1903 to 1906. Still until 2009, ice made the passage impractical for normal, year round marine shipping.  The decline of sea ice has created new possibilities for shipping and international trade. What is good for human commerce isn’t good for polar bears though.

Polar bears hunt on the same pack ice that kept the Northwest passage closed to normal shipping for so long.  Polar bears depend almost entirely on seals for their diet. Bears wait patiently for long periods of time near holes (called aglu) in sea ice that seals use to get air.  In his book <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Arctic_Dreams.html?id=Y-WxJYMD5HsC">Arctic Dreams</a>, Barry Lopez vividly described the hunting strategies of Polar Bears:

“It may take half an hour to patiently approach a seal resting on the edge of an ice floe, surfacing quietly to reconnoiter, then submerging again.  A bear may drift toward a seal like an innocuous piece of ice; when it reaches the floe edge it explodes from the water and smacks the seal dead all in one motion.  When it stalks seals over the ice, it flattens itself on its forequarters and slides along slowly on chest and forelegs, taking advantage of every piece of cover. It will scrape away the sea ice at a breathing hole until there is just a thin layer left, and then cover the ice with its body to cut off sunlight, so it looks to the seal below as if the thick crust of ice and snow is still present.  It will build a snow wall to hide behind while it waits at an aglu. And it will rise up suddenly in a resting seal’s own aglu.”

It’s clear that polar bears can be skilled, dedicated hunters but the ice is always part of their pursuit of seals.  It’s also well known that polar bears must work incredibly hard for the food they get. Inexperienced bears waste a lot of energy and bears have been known to regularly fast for up to eight months.  The fasting period is possible because of a seasonal extreme in food abundance. Dr. Derocher told me that for a bear, one seal is the caloric equivalent of 1,000 big mac meals. The number seems incredible but I did the math myself and it checks out.  Seals, like many marine mammals, especially those in cold climates are very fatty. The huge amount of calories from seal kills allow polar bears to survive seasons without pack ice to hunt on. The fat in polar bear’s diet poses another problem for their long term survival: pollutants.  

Many pollutants bond to fat.  Because polar bears are very large animals, pollutants in the fat of smaller animals that are in turn eaten by bigger animals and then seals and finally the bears become concentrated.  This means that the bears end up with a concentration of pollutants compared to say fish that seals eat. Some of these pollutants are pesticides from agriculture that travel long distances to reach the Arctic.  Andrew Derocher told me that there’s good evidence that pollutants are already causing bone development and immune system problems in bears. The fats that keep seals, polar bears and other marine mammals alive are also collecting toxins that hurt them.

In the end, it all comes down to the Arctic.  The cold is a defining characteristic of our pole and has partially set the niches of polar bears, seals, narwhals and anything else that lives in the far north.  This is why an animal like the polar bear is important to those concerned about climate change. Derocher said that scientists expect polar bears to live until the end of the century, he also tells me that as far as he can tell, the Arctic could get along without polar bears.  

As a scientist, Dr. Derocher’s role is to collect data, to show the cost of human enterprise, not advocate for bear survival.  When I think about places with dangerous creatures myself, I can’t help but think of them different. In an area with tigers, crocodiles or polar bears, we walk more softly, we feel our own humanity more acutely.  In my view, polar bears are part of the Arctic. As I finished up my conversation with Andrew Derocher, he told me that the Arctic is the most serene and beautiful place he’s been, and that as a scientist, he’ll run out of time before he runs out of questions.  I smiled to myself at the scientist’s curiosity and hoped quietly that I too will someday see a place of such northern beauty. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Why polar bears became an icon of climate change

I’m not a climate change denier.  I’m not a climate...

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Haiti on Saturday night October 6th. The <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">United States Geological Survey</a> (USGS) reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was about 12 miles northwest of the city of Port-de-Paix at a depth of about seven miles.  

Port-de-Paix is about 136 miles from Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince and was the hardest hit. 

According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/07/americas/haiti-earthquake/index.html">CNN</a>, at least 12 people were killed by the earthquake and 188 were injured and are being treated in nearby hospitals. 

The damage from the earthquake caused power outages and even prevented hospitals from admitting wounded patients in need of care. 

Now, the hospitals in the area are still struggling to cope with the overflow of people, according to a report from <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/haiti-earthquake-hospital-struggles-cope-patients-181008083816028.html">Al Jazeera.</a>

“There was no electricity here, so we couldn't receive the huge numbers that came last night,” Paul Miclaude, a doctor working in the emergency room, told the <a href="https://www.afp.com/en">Agence France-Presse</a> news agency. “It was really difficult for us to send them to another hospital. With time running out, some died here.”

No tsunami warning was issued following the quake and two minor aftershocks were felt in the aftermath, but luckily did no further damage. 

Both the Prime Minister Jean-Henry Céant and Haiti’s President, Jovenel Moïse, have responded to the quake and Moïse visited the city of Port-de-Paix on Sunday, 

The Prime Minister is working with a crisis team to ensure that emergency responses target the areas most in need, according to CNN. 

"Damage has been recorded mainly in the Far North. All my sympathies to the victims," Céant <a href="https://twitter.com/jeanhenryceant/status/1048783344601878529">tweeted</a>. "The executive at the highest level is mobilized to provide appropriate answers. I call on the population to be cautious and calm."

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/haiti-focuses-conservation-efforts-on-northern-coast/">Haiti</a> is still recovering from the disastrous 2010 earthquake that displaced thousands and killed an estimated 220,000 to 300,000 people. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Deadly 5.9 magnitude earthquake hits Haiti

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Haiti on Saturday night...

The petrochemical industry is one of the biggest in the world. Economies around the world depend on oil and natural gas for everything from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/freshwater-insects-eaten-microplastics/">plastics</a> to fertilizer.

But until now, the <a href="https://www.iea.org/">International Energy Agency</a> said in a new report, the industry has been largely ignored in conversations about energy use and climate change.

“Our economies are heavily dependent on petrochemicals, but the sector receives far less attention than it deserves,” Dr. Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA, said in a report released Friday. “Petrochemicals are one of the key blind spots in the global energy debate, especially given the influence they will exert on future energy trends.”

The report, titled <a href="https://www.iea.org/petrochemicals/">The Future of Petrochemicals</a>, is the first in a series that the IEA plans to release about such blind spots in global energy policy.

The petrochemical industry uses oil and natural gas to produce everything from medical equipment to technical devices like computers and cellphones to fertilizer. Natural gas powers cities, and is used in clothing manufacture. 

And the demand is growing as more countries industrialize. The petrochemical industry is expected to account for more than a third of growth in global oil demand within the next 12 years, and more than half of that growth by 2050. 

“When we look at the years to come, the petrochemical sector is by far the largest driver of global oil demand growth, much higher than cars, much higher than trucks, aviation, and shipping,” Birol told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a> on Thursday.

While the petrochemical industry has helped to revolutionize technology and modern medicine. But it also raises challenges when it comes to reducing pollution – and banning plastic straws and grocery bags won’t put much of a dent in that.

The report outlines a Clean Technology Scenario, setting a series of goals that the IEA believes are achievable and will vastly reduce pollution. The goals include reducing reliance on single-use plastics, improving waste management practices around the world, and designing products with eventual disposal in mind. The IEA also recommends investing in research and development for more sustainable production, and ensuring that fuel and feedstock prices reflect their actual market value. 

For example, the IEA report believes that ramping up recycling efforts can help prevent additional plastic pollution in the Earth’s oceans. 

“Although plastic recycling plays a comparatively smaller role when it comes to emission reductions, improved waste management infrastructure – a necessary prerequisite for the recycling increases in the CTS – lays the groundwork to drastically reduce plastic pollution from today’s unacceptable levels,” the report says. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kyla.cathey@gmail.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

New guidelines to curb pollution as the petrochemical industry expands

The petrochemical industry is one of the biggest in the...

Researchers have investigated the health of secondary forests, or previously deforested areas, and compared them to undisturbed primary forests. The study revealed that even after as many as four decades of recovery, secondary forests are still species and carbon-poor. According to the experts, however, forests that are in recovery are still critical for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/carbon-storage-ocean-floor/">carbon storage</a> and biodiversity.

Tropical forests are possibly the most important ecosystems on the planet, yet humans continue to destroy these regions at a shocking rate. Every year, an area of tropical forest the size of Austria is cleared.

An international research team measured carbon and surveyed more than 1,600 plant and animal species in 59 secondary forests and 30 primary forests in the eastern Amazon. Primary forests were found to contain more biodiversity and carbon than even mature regenerating forests.

“We found that the carbon and biodiversity of secondary forests recovered to more than 80 percent of levels found in undisturbed primary forests,” said lead author Dr. Gareth Lennox from <a href="http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a>. 

“This is undoubtedly good news for climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation. Nevertheless, the regions we assessed provide very favorable regeneration conditions, with greater than 50 percent remnant primary forest cover and, consequently, large populations of forest species that can colonize secondary forests.”

“Even in this situation, secondary forests cannot substitute for undisturbed primary forests, which must remain a priority of conservation efforts.”


In areas like Brazil, traditional farming practices are becoming increasingly abandoned as farmers move to the city, which provides secondary forests with an opportunity to expand. In the last 30 years, the area of the Brazilian Amazon made up of secondary forests has grown from less than 30,000 square kilometers to over 170,000 square kilometers.

“Brazil has made bold forest restoration commitments,” said study co-author Dr Joice Ferreira. “Through the Bonn Challenge and Initiative 20 x 20, Brazil has pledged to restore an additional 120,000 km2 of forest by 2030. But there remains considerable uncertainty whether secondary forests can meet minimum ecological standards and whether natural regeneration or active planting is the best restoration strategy.”

“Our results show that novel secondary forests can deliver a range of high-value ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, habitat provision, and the suite of services linked to biomass resilience, such as soil conservation and the maintenance of water systems. Importantly, we show that these services can be provided through natural regeneration, which is vastly less expensive than active restoration alternatives.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486?systemMessage=Wiley+Online+Library+will+be+disrupted+on+27+October+from+10%3A00-12%3A00+BST+%2805%3A00-07%3A00+EDT%29+for+essential+maintenance">Global Change Biology</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: Alexander C Lees: Manchester Metropolitan University

Reviving deforested areas boosts biodiversity, just very slowly

Researchers have investigated the health of secondary forests, or previously...

The Paris Accord, an agreement between almost <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-paris-agreement-us-climate-change-donald-trump-world-country-accord-a8041996.html">every single country on Earth</a> (except the United States) to limit warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, is about to face a rude awakening.

The <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> will release a report on Monday that confronts the stark realities of climate change and what must be done to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

Part of this report includes assessing the lack of meaningful change to combat emissions since the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/country-paris-agreement/">Paris Accord</a> was first created in 2015. 

Similar to a teacher grading exam papers, the IPCC is reviewing everything that has and hasn’t been done to limit emissions in accordance with the promises made in the Paris Agreement and, unfortunately, it looks like most countries will be getting a failing grade. 

“The pledges countries made during the Paris Climate Accord don’t get us anywhere close to what we have to do,” said Drew Shindell, an author of the IPCC report to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/10/03/climate-scientists-are-struggling-find-right-words-very-bad-news/">Washington Post</a> which reported on the IPCC conference. “They haven’t really followed through with actions to reduce their emissions in any way commensurate with what they profess to be aiming for.”

According to the Washington Post, the IPCC has a difficult task ahead. Not only do scientists from the IPCC need to consider every aspect of climate change and come to an agreement about what is required to limit warming, but the IPCC also has to keep governments informed. 

Those government, as part of the Talanoa Dialogue which will take place in December at a <a href="http://www.un.org/en/">United Nations </a>climate meeting, will have to face their failings in limiting CO2 emissions. 

The goal is to limit warming and this has always been the main driver of the Paris Accord, but the Earth is on a fast warming track that would take a major shift to slow down and get under control. 

Studies have already reported warming above 1.5 degrees with disastrous consequences in some parts of the world. 

This is why it’s vital to find ways to cap emissions sooner rather than later because the clock is ticking and the IPCC has found that we don’t have much time before we max out the Earth’s “carbon budget.” 

The carbon budget refers to the maximum amount of carbon the Earth can emit into the atmosphere before warming will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius.  As it stands, 41 billion tons of carbon dioxide are emitted every year, and so the IPCC needs to find out what it would take, and how long we have, to keep within that budget. 

According to the Washington Post, it is possible that we have as little as 15 years before we risk going over the carbon budget. 

Some of the requirements needed to limit warming would be to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent worldwide by the year 2030. 

This is not an easy undertaking by any means, especially given that the US, one of the world’s biggest sources of emissions, is not part of the accord and is currently implementing policies that prioritize fossil fuel production over sustainability. 

--

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>

Most countries get a failing grade on Paris Accord follow through

The Paris Accord, an agreement between almost every single country...

Major flood events cause more erosion and are a much greater hazard in mountainous regions than seasonal monsoon rainfalls, according to a new study. 

In 2016, a glacier moraine that had held back a lake in Nepal broke and caused a massive flood of over 100,000 tons of water to flow down the Bhotekoshi/Sunkoshi River. 

The flood was so catastrophic it triggered seismic activity, and as a result, residents were forewarned of the coming gush of water because of ground shaking. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/home/">GGZ German Research Center for Geosciences</a> were able to record this activity thanks to seismometers that had been deployed a year prior after a huge earthquake in 2015. 

The GFZ recently published a study in the journal Science that shows how seismic technology can help with predicting <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/europe-coastal-overhaul-flooding/">flood events</a> and how much more of an impact flood events have on erosion rates compared to monsoon rainfall totals. 

Even though monsoons cause huge downpours of precipitation and can cause erosion, the displacement of large boulders and coarse sediment after a major flood does much more damage overall.  

Monsoons only drive the transportation of fine sediment and pebbles which aren’t enough to trigger landslides or large erosions, according to the researchers. 

This is why it’s important to factor in non-climate related impacts on erosion and flooding. 

“Erosion rates may be strongly influenced by non-climatological drivers such as earthquakes and the climatic factors that affect the size and distribution of glacial lakes,” wrote the authors in their study. 

The researchers visited the Nepal River valley where the flood occurred before and after the event, and observed the changes in seismic activity captured by different seismic stations in the nearby region. 

Kristen Cook, the first author of the study said that researchers identified two distinct “pulses” with the flood. 

First, the seismometers recorded activity from the wall of water that gushed down and the second pulse came from the rocks and sediment carried by the flow. 

Bridges, roads, and hydro-power stations were all destroyed due to the tumbling boulders and huge quantities of water. The flood also triggered landslides because the river had eroded so badly. 

Major floods from glacial lakes, like the one that happened in Nepal, are not unheard of and there are many glacial lakes currently dammed up that could burst and flood valleys in the Himalayas and other mountain ranges. 

The study’s results help show how floods impact erosion, and understanding this relationship can help predict landslide risks and erosions rates in at-risk mountain regions prone to earthquakes. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Kristen Cook/GFZ

Seismic technology can help predict flood events, erosion rates

Major flood events cause more erosion and are a much...

<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.

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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.



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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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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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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.

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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