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...

Cruise ships have revolutionized the way people travel since they first rose in popularity in the 1990s. Travelers can eat, drink, shop, swim and enjoy entertainment while voyaging the seas, free from the stress of planning out every step of a vacation. But with the convenience of cruise ships comes a steep environmental cost.

Cruise ships are a popular vacation attraction for the laid-back traveler. According to the<a href="https://www.f-cca.com/downloads/2017-Cruise-Industry-Overview-Cruise-Line-Statistics.pdf"> Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association</a>, 24.2 million travelers went on a cruise in 2016 alone.

Along with carrying passengers, cruise ships carry waste and pollution as well. The<a href="https://www.epa.gov/vessels-marinas-and-ports/cruise-ship-discharges-and-studies"> U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a> even describes cruise ships as “floating cities” because the ships transport people, resources, entertainment and services. All this baggage can cause a huge impact.

A 3,000 passenger cruise ship is<a href="http://www.cep.unep.org/publications-and-resources/databases/document-database/other/cruise-ship-pollution-background-laws-and-regulations-and-key-issues.pdf/view"> estimated</a> to generate 210,000 gallons of sewage, one million gallons of graywater (water from laundry, sinks and showers), 130 gallons of hazardous wastes, 8 tons of solid waste and 25,000 gallons of oily bilge water every week.

These pollutants cause high levels of pesticides, chemicals and nutrients to enter the air and waterways. Untreated graywater, for example, contains excessive levels of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-increase-nitrogen-runoff/">nitrogen</a> and phosphorus. The artificial influx of nutrients into fragile ocean ecosystems results in the diebacks of corals and other sea vegetation.

As nature serves as a popular backdrop for travelers, pristine habitats may be exploited and commercialized to accommodate the new visitors. Construction can occur on previously undisturbed areas to make tourist excursions which can cause increased pollution and disrupt local wildlife.

Cruise ships can also damage pristine beach habitats that tourists shell out thousands of dollars to visit. Cruise ship anchors sometimes destroy coral reefs when the ship is landing. In March 2017, a cruise ship rammed into one of Indonesia’s most preserved coral reefs destroying<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/15/asia/raja-ampat-ship-coral-reef/index.html"> nearly 140,000 square feet</a> of reef total.

Marine animals who come into contact with the massive structures may suffer as well. A 2004<a href="https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/shipstrike/news/shipstrike03.pdf"> report</a> on large whale ship strikes found that 12.7% of incidents of large whale ship strikes from 1975 to 2002 were from cruise ships.

The cruise ship industry is estimated to be the fastest growing segment in the travel industry. A simple search on a travel website can present you with options to cruise all over the world. The international, multi-jurisdictional nature of cruise ship has resulted in international laws to address cruise ship pollution. One of the major international agreements governing cruise ships is the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), established in 1973.

Although MARPOL sets guidelines for member nations to follow, enforcement can be difficult as cruise ships sail through different jurisdictions. As a<a href="http://www.cep.unep.org/publications-and-resources/databases/document-database/other/cruise-ship-pollution-background-laws-and-regulations-and-key-issues.pdf/view"> 2008 Congressional report</a> states about incidents outside of the U.S., “these procedures require substantial coordination between the Coast Guard, the State Department, and other flag states and that, even when referrals have been made, the response rate from flag states has been poor.”

The tides are slowly changing for the cruising industry. Ships are now being held to higher environmental standards and are investing in technology such as solar panels and advanced wastewater treatment systems to lessen their ecological footprint. Cruise ships should also embrace the new wave of ecotourism in the travel sector by adjusting their excursions to focus on appreciating and preserving nature instead of exploiting it.

For the traveler who still wants to sip their Bahama Mama while sailing on a Caribbean cruise, Friends of the Earth has made a<a href="https://foe.org/cruise-report-card/"> cruise ship report card</a> which grades environmental standards cruise lines have put in place. Measures such as this both hold the cruising industry accountable and allow travelers to stay informed. Afterall, vacations should allow travelers to kick back and relax without worrying about the damage they are causing to the beautiful sites they visit.

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By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cruise ships can be wildly harmful to the surrounding environment

Cruise ships have revolutionized the way people travel since they...

When it comes to the success of an ecosystem, populations of wildlife, reproduction and evolution, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-key-measure-success/">diversity is the key term</a>. 

A diverse array of species can spell the difference between thriving and extinction, as diversity in nature helps strengthen an ecosystem and improves resilience to a number of threats. 

The same holds true for forests, according to a new study led by researchers from the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a>. 

A diverse forest would be one with many different tree species, as opposed to one specific species or group. 

Forests that have trees with a range of diversity when it comes to water use and management are more resilient to drought and wildfire risk, according to the results of the study published in the journal Nature. 

The researchers found that hydraulic diversity, the traits of different tree species in a forest that manage water use, was the key predictor of a forest’s ability to combat drought. 

Hydraulic traits in trees involve the way a tree moves water through its roots and leaves, how it stores and conserves water, and the hydraulic safety margin which is the difference between the amount of water movement a tree allows during dry conditions compared to the water minimums that drive the tree to shut down. 

“We expected that hydraulic traits should matter,” said William Anderegg, who led the study. “but we were surprised that other traits that a lot of the scientific community have focused on weren't very explanatory or predictive at all.”

For the study, Anderegg and colleagues collected and analyzed date from 40 forest sites around the world that were equipped with flux tower measurement instruments. 

The flux towers are used to measure carbon, water, and energy flows from a forest as well as soil and moisture levels. This allows forest managers and researchers to see how much water is moving in and out of a particular area which is crucial during times of drought.

Data from the 40 sites were compared to what the researchers knew about each tree species and its hydraulic traits present in the different forests. 

The forests that had more diversity of hydraulic traits among its trees were less likely to be negatively impacted by drought. 

“The species present and the hydraulic traits they have seem most important for predicting resilience to drought at an ecosystem scale,” said Anderegg. We want to understand what's the detailed physiology behind this resilience. What are the specific traits, either of different species or different populations, that give you resilience to future climate?"

Anderegg plans to continue studying hydraulic diversity and forest resilience, and the research offers new methods for combating both drought and forest fire. 

“After we log a forest or a fire comes through, we sometimes think about planting a single species,” said Anderegg. “We should be thinking about the best mixes of multiple species for resilience.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Diverse forests are more resilient against drought

When it comes to the success of an ecosystem, populations...

For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feed-livestock-reduce-land-use/">livestock farmers</a>, large carnivorous predators are more than a nuisance and can pose a major threat to a farmer’s entire livelihood. But the methods implemented to manage these predator encounters can have a ripple effect on the entire ecosystem. 

There exist many methods for reducing predator-livestock interactions, but new research shows that these methods and their effectiveness need to be thoroughly investigated before farmers implement them in their own herds. 

A collaboration of 21 researchers across ten countries examined 114 peer-reviewed scientific studies on different lethal and non-lethal methods to find the most effective ways to deter predators and improve human/carnivore coexistence. 

The findings were published in the journal PLOS Biology. 

While it’s important to protect people, and by association their livestock, from predators, it’s equally important to protect and conserve existing ecosystems and reduce population declines. 

However, farmers often use whatever methods they have found to be the most effective, lethal or not, with little consideration for the environmental impacts. 

“Too often our current practices are based on habit and history, not evidence,” said Lily van Eeden, a lead author of the study in a statement. “Continuing with ineffective management has social and financial costs for the rural communities who bear the impacts of predator attacks on their livelihoods.” 

This is what motivated the researchers to conduct the study, to prove the effectiveness of different methods and to highlight the lack of research on lethal and non-lethal methods for protecting livestock.

The researchers found that three non-lethal methods, guardian dogs, livestock enclosures, and fladry (hanging colored flags on rope fences to keep wolves away) were the most effective at protecting livestock. 

Other methods, both lethal and non-lethal, could have potential but there exists too little scientific evidence to back them. 

An organization called the <a href="https://defenders.org/">Defenders of Wildlife</a> is working to address this gap in research for non-lethal livestock management and the study authors say that thorough research should be a prerequisite to any large-scale implementation of new methods or policy changes. 

“We call on the scientific and agricultural communities to hold carnivore management to the highest standards of scientific integrity,” said Jennie Miller, a fellow lead author of the study and senior scientist at the Defenders of Wildlife. “When scientists, policymakers and livestock producers come together to make wise regulations, we'll save money, time, livestock and carnivores alike.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Methods to protect livestock can impact entire ecosystems

For livestock farmers, large carnivorous predators are more than a...

A new study has found that air and noise pollution increase the risk of dementia as well as respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

The link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/manchester-air-pollution-health/">air pollution and heart disease</a> has been studied extensively but its association with dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases has not been well understood. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://london.ac.uk/">University of London</a> conducted a study to explore air pollution’s impact on neurological and cognitive decline in older adults.

The results of the study were published in the journal BMJ Open. 

First, the researchers estimated air and noise pollution levels across the greater London area to assess links between higher levels of air pollutants and new cases of dementia. 

The researchers then reviewed a little under 131,000 health records that had been made anonymous for patients that were aged 50 to 79 in 2004. 

Yearly exposure to air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter, and ozone, as well as proximity to heavy traffic and road noise, was calculated using modeling methods. 

The researchers tracked the health records starting in 2004 until a patient was diagnosed with dementia or died, and this occurred on average in the next seven years of the patient’s life. 

2,181 patients were diagnosed with dementia within the monitoring period, and the researchers found that those patients who were exposed to higher levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter were more likely to be diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease. 

People who lived in the top fifth of areas in London with high nitrogen dioxide levels were 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia. 

While the research doesn’t show the long-term risks of exposure to air pollution and its link to dementia, the study provides more insight into how air pollution can contribute to increases in dementia diagnoses.  

The researchers suggest that limiting exposure to pollution may delay the progression of dementia and that many people could reduce their risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease. 

--

 By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air and noise pollution exposure increase the risk of dementia

A new study has found that air and noise pollution...

Over the past 30 years, the boundary of the Earth’s tropics has shifted by ten degrees latitude, according to the <a href="https://sos.noaa.gov/datasets/tropical-widening/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA).

The tropics make up a large portion of the planet along the equator, and tropical areas are determined by their latitude, precipitation, and climate among other factors. 

Given that around half of the world’s population lives in or near tropical zones, monitoring and predicting this widening is crucial. 

The expanding tropics increases the spread of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-dengue-fever/">tropical diseases like dengue fever</a>, and further widening could adversely impact billions of people. 

There had been concern that the tropics are widening faster than previous models have predicted due to climate change and weather extremes, but a new study has found this is not the case. 

An international collaboration of researchers from <a href="https://www.indiana.edu/">Indiana University Bloomington</a>, the <a href="https://www.pnnl.gov/">Pacific Northwest National Laboratory</a>, the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>, the <a href="http://www.virginia.edu/">University of Virginia</a> and the <a href="https://www.en.uni-muenchen.de/">Ludwig Maximilians University Munich</a> found that recent models match current widening rates. 

“If we compare the observed trends of how the tropics have widened to modeling trends, it's actually not outside of what the models predict,” said Paul Staten, a co-author of the study which was published in the journal Nature Climate Change. 

The findings put fears that the tropics are widening at an increased rate to rest and although climate change will continue to expand the boundaries of the tropics, it should match projected rates.

“Climate change should continue to expand the tropics over the next several decades,” said Staten. “But the expansion may not continue at the rapid rate we've seen; at times it may even temporarily contract.”

The researchers calculate that the tropics have been widening at an average rate of about 17 miles per decade, although this rate varies wildly depending on year and location. 

There are many factors that are contributing to this widening, according to the researchers, including increased greenhouse gas emissions, ozone depletion, volcanic eruptions, pollution, and natural climate phenomena like El Niño. 

Even though the researchers can’t specifically point to human activities as the main drivers of tropic expansion, as greenhouse gasses increases, human activities will have more and more of an impact on the widening of the tropic boundaries. 

It will be important to keep a steady eye on the widening tropics and to implement policies that help minimize the negative impacts to humans such as influxes in tropical diseases in future. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists confirm that the tropics are widening at predicted rate

Over the past 30 years, the boundary of the Earth’s...

The Great Plains of North America take up approximately 501,900 square miles of land.  The Serengeti of Africa is only about 12,000 square miles in size. As odd as it sounds, once, before Europeans and even the people who became Native Americans arrived, the Great Plains of North America had a lot in common with Africa’s Serengeti.  

In fact, it might be the case that Africa’s megafauna survive while similar species have died off in much of the rest of the world because humans first evolved in Africa.  African wildlife may have been given a longer period of time to evolve to the presence of humans, in fact both co-evolved together. 

According to <a href="https://defenders.org/bison/basic-facts">defenders.org</a>, there were once around 20 to 30 million bison roaming across broad expanses of North America.  Today the number of bison is down to an estimated half a million, many of which are hybrids of domestic cattle and bison.

Similar to the more famous decline of the American Bison, elk populations are not what they once were.  <a href="https://www.grit.com/animals/wildlife/north-american-elk-zm0z14jfzsmi">Grit Magazine</a> reports that an estimated historic population of 10 million elk across North America has dropped to about 1 million elk.  Today elk is thought of as an animal of the Rocky Mountains but before European disturbance, the large ungulate had a much broader distribution.  Elk once grazed across prairies and were distributed much further east as well. With pressure from increased human hunting, elk have taken refuge in the more remote, inhospitable and hard to access parts of America, the higher mountains of the west.  

Pronghorns, which are also known incorrectly as ‘antelope’ live in much of the prairie and are probably the most visible of the plains megafauna.  If you drive across lonely expanses of eastern Wyoming or parts of Utah, you’re certain to see the quick running pronghorn. It’s harder to find solid estimates for historic populations of Pronghorn, perhaps partially due to their modern abundance in certain areas.  However the <a href="http://www.iws.org/species_pronghorn.html">Institute for Wildlife Studies</a> estimates that there were once as many as 500,000 pronghorns in California alone.  The population of Pronghorns in California as of 2013 was close to 3,000. 

Brown bears, wolves, mountain lions and other large predators once lived on the Great Plains of North America in numbers.  Now largely ignored or relegated to scattered montane habitats, it’s easy to forget that these animals were once prairie animals as well.  

The decline of bison due to commercial hunting and an official government program of eradication to bring plains Indians to their knees hurt many other species.  It’s thought that bison which accidentally died from cold, disease, or accidents like drowning in river crossing once fed bears across the plains. Not only bears would benefit either but also wolves, coyotes, foxes, and even grasses would benefit from the bodies of bison. 

Bison and other herbivores were not only instrumental to the integrity of the Great Plains ecosystem as sources of food for predators.  Dung also was important as a food source for beetles and other insects. According to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/bison-bellows-10-6-16.htm">National Park Service</a>, an average Bison produces about 10 to 12 quarts of dung.  Each individual Bison patty is said to support as many as 300 species of insect.  Insects in turn support bats, turtles, lizards and other small mammals and herps that prey on them.  Of course insects and small animals are important for pollination, spread of plant seeds, herbivory and in general affect the ecology of plants.                

Invasive grasses, tamarisk and other plants have forever altered the landscape of North America in ways it’s hard to completely fathom.  New plants and a radical change in herbivory associated with the decline in native megafauna has made the grasslands into something completely different.  Bison and native plants had a long history of co-evolution that is simply not there with domestic cattle which were imported relatively recently from North America.  

Plants that have been introduced to the Great Plains vary from well-known plants like Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) and Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) that are planted in cities to grasses most people never think of being planted.  The situation is complicated by the dynamics between different non-native and native plants.  According to a <a href="https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70037466">USGS</a> study, the decline of a high profile invasive plant, Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) is related to the proliferation of exotic grass species.  In turn non-native grasses have hurt native grasses.    

Even before Europeans arrived to the scene, North America’s wild prairie ecosystem had begun a radical change.  Once the home to mammoths, mastodons, giant sloths, cave bears, dire wolves and sabre toothed cats, all were extinct before Columbus set sail or the Norse reached North America.

There were once four species of giant ground sloths in North America, all of which went extinct around 10,000 years ago.  I’ve spent time with fossil bone casts of some of these ground sloths, helped putting them together again and they’re truly impressive.  Some of the claws are longer than my whole hand. Megalonyx one genus of giant sloth that lived from about 10.3 million years ago until about 11,000 years ago stood taller than an adult human and weighed around 2,200 lbs when alive.  When you think of sloths, it’s hard to imagine these giant terrestrial animals. It’s easier to imagine giant ground sloths when you know they’re distant relatives of giant anteaters, animals known to eviscerate predators with the enormous claws of their fore paws.  

Mammoths and mastodons complete the comparison of the Great Plains with a lost Serengeti.  Like Africa, North America once had elephants of a sort. Mammoths in North America died off later than the ground sloths, living until about 4,500 years ago but were still most certainly extinct by the time Europeans arrived on the scene.  <a href="http://www.nathpo.org/Many_Nations/mn_news17.html">Nathpo.org</a> tells how Thomas Jefferson asked Lewis and Clark to investigate mammoths specifically during their corps of discovery.  It was unknown when they set out whether the mammals were extinct or living in some hidden part of North America. 

Some of the megafauna left the Great Plains much later than others.  Unlike cave bears, mastodon, sabre toothed cats or giant sloths, wolves were doing well when Europeans moved west from the first colonies.  Wolves were eradicated throughout the west with a fury it’s hard to understand. The killing and suffering inflicted upon wolves seems to show a sort of madness made Federal law.  People not only killed wolves to collect a bounty, they sometimes tortured them, or poisoned carcasses, killing everything that ate indiscriminately. The shadow of the murder of wolves still lies over the west.  Small amounts of wolves have been reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and other parts of the west even though a lot of hatred for the canid still remains. Wolves larger relative, the Dire Wolf have long been extinct.  

There are still fragments where you can see wide expanses of grassland and even small, heavily managed populations of bison that once roamed wild.  Pronghorn, elk, even a few wolves are out there. Brown bears have taken huge hits and no longer live in most of the west, being extirpated even from the high mountains of Colorado.  

One lesson we can learn from the extinction of animals like giant sloths and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cloning-reverse-extinction/">mammoths</a> is that the world is always changing.  We should cherish the animals we have left, the plants that still remain.  The biggest threat now to the Great Plains is development and encroachment on habitat.  <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prairie-dogs-true-underdog/">Prairie Dogs</a> are regularly killed by ranchers and others, which in turn hurts Burrowing Owls, Black-footed Ferrets and others.  We should cherish what we have left and allow it to grow. If we can do that, we could once again live on a continent with a habitat that rivals the great plains of Africa.      

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

The lost world of the American Serengeti

The Great Plains of North America take up approximately 501,900...

Ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft would like imagine the environmental impact of car transportation is greatly reduced. 

However, according to a 2017 study by researchers at the Institute of Transportation at the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>, calling a car on Uber or Lyft has become so cheap and convenient that more people are opting out of public transportation for ride sharing, prompting <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/epa-rollback-emissions-standards/">higher emissions</a>. What are the companies doing about this? 

Among other initiatives, Uber has promoted its Pool option, which the company says avoided <a href="https://www.uber.com/blog/earth-day-2018/">82,000 metric tons</a> of emissions in 2017 alone (though this calculation assumes every Pool rider would have taken a single-occupancy car instead).

Uber is also currently encouraging drivers to use electric vehicles through a new pilot program that was launched this past June in U.S. cities like Austin, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle. 

The program, named the <a href="https://www.uber.com/newsroom/electrifying-our-network/">EV Champions Initiative</a>, include new in-app features for drivers who opt for electric vehicles. One main hurdle for drivers who decide to go electric is “range anxiety”, which refers to fear that they may unexpectedly run out of charge before the arriving at their next destination with a passenger. Now drivers will be warned prior to a trip exceeding 30 minutes so they can better understand how much charge they need for the potential ride. 

Also part of the new electric vehicle initiative, Uber is providing more education and resources to drivers. Since the many federal, state, and local tax incentives provided for electric vehicle drivers can be confusing, Uber is streamlining the process and making sure drivers have the most up to date information that they can potentially take advantage of. The company is also working on providing other incentives like free charging stations or money back on miles driven in an electric vehicle. 

Lyft is approaching the issue of making their rides more green in a vastly different manner. Instead of solely focusing on making their fleet more green, they are committed to offsetting their carbon footprint by buying it. Lyft claims to currently be carbon neutral due to its many million dollar purchase of carbon offsets. Carbon offsets are when you can’t avoid burning fossil fuels, you pay someone else to prevent an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere therefore offsetting the environmental damage you’ve inflicted. Lyft is purchasing enough carbon offsets to cover all of their rides, but excludes energy used for Lyft drivers roaming around waiting for a passenger and other energy expenditures of the company such as data centers and corporate offices. 

However, many understandably view carbon offsets as just a bandaid for a problem that delays moves toward building infrastructure that is not dependent on fossil fuels. Lyft says the offsets are only a step toward its sustainable goals. 

“The ultimate solution to the issue of carbon emissions in the transport sector is electric cars powered by renewable energy,” the Lyft spokesman said in a statement.

--

By <a href="mailto:bianca@earth.com">Bianca Vierra</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Is a ridesharing culture actually better for the environment?

Ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft would like imagine the...

You might think that organic farming is better for the environment than “high-yield” farming, which uses more intensive techniques thought to cause pollution, water scarcity, and soil erosion. In the face of those factors, organic farming must be more environmentally friendly, right? Well, a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain/">Nature Sustainability</a> has found that this isn’t necessarily the case.

In recent years, there has been mounting evidence that the best way to deal with rising <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/europe-unsustainable-future-agriculture/">food demand</a>, while also conserving biodiversity, is to achieve the highest possible yield out of the land we farm as possible. In this line of thinking, more natural habitats can be left alone, rather than turned into farmland due to lower crop yields.

Past studies have compared the environmental costs of greenhouse gas emission, fertilizer, and water use generated by high- and low-yield farming techniques by land area. But because high-yield farming needs less land to produce the same amount of food, the authors of this most recent study say that the previous approach overestimates its environmental impact.

A team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> conducted the study with 17 organizations across the United Kingdom and around the world. They analyzed data from hundreds of investigations into four major food sectors, accounting for significant percentages of global output for each product: Asian paddy rice (90%), European wheat (33%), Latin American beef (23%), and European dairy (53%).

Examples of high-yield strategies in this study include enhanced pasture systems and livestock breeds in beef production, use of chemical fertilizer, and keeping dairy cows indoors for longer periods of time. Although data was somewhat limited, the results of the study suggest that many high-yield systems are less damaging to the environment, and also a lot less land. 

In field trials, inorganic nitrogen increased yields with little to no greenhouse gas “penalty” and a lower water use per ton of rice. The research team also found that greenhouse gas emissions could be cut in half in some systems where yields are bolstered by adding trees to provide shade and forage for cattle. And while the study only assessed organic farming in the European dairy sector, they found that the organic systems caused at least one-third more soil loss and take up twice as much land for the same amount of milk as conventional dairy farming.

“Across all dairy systems we find that higher milk yield per unit of land generally leads to greater biological and economic efficiency of production,” says Phil Garnsworthy, a professor at the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a> and co-author of the study. “Dairy farmers should welcome the news that more efficient systems have lower environmental impact.”

However, the researchers do caution that if higher yield are only used to increase profit or lower prices, they will likely just accelerate the extinction crisis that is currently ongoing. 

“Agriculture is the most significant cause of biodiversity loss on the planet,” says study lead author Andrew Balmford, a professor of Conservation Science from Cambridge's Department of Zoology. “Habitats are continuing to be cleared to make way for farmland, leaving ever less space for wildlife.”

For this reason, the authors suggest that high-yield farming be combined with mechanisms that limit agricultural expansion, in order for there to be an environmental benefit. This could be done through strict land-use zoning and a restructuring of rural subsidies. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Organic farming can be harder on the environment than high-yield

You might think that organic farming is better for the...

A research team led by <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> has conducted a thorough investigation into the potential impacts of transitioning from coal to natural gas in China. The study has examined the possible effects on air quality, carbon mitigation, and water stress by the year 2020.

As China attempts to shift from coal to natural gas, the country is considering a variety of solutions, including domestic and imported gas or the creation of synthetic gas from coal.

The study has revealed that the use of coal-based synthetic natural gas (SNG) would cause a spike in both carbon emissions and water demand, particularly in regions of China that already face high levels of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/chinas-carbon-emissions-decline/">carbon emissions</a> and water insecurity.

Overall, the researchers found that a transition from coal to other natural gas sources would produce significant environmental benefits when methane leakage is controlled. However, the extent of improvements for air quality and water scarcity greatly depend on where the natural gas is being used as an alternative.

This study is one of the first to investigate  the interactions between air quality, carbon emissions, and water use in both energy production and consumption. 


“Assessing air quality, carbon emissions, and water scarcity impacts across local, regional, and global levels is crucial to capturing potential co-benefits while avoiding unintended consequences," said study first author Yue Qin.

Denise L. Mauzerall is a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Public and International Affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the School of Applied Science and Engineering. Professor Mauzerall is also the study's lead investigator.

“Although there is a lot of discussion on the need for a clean energy supply transition, in what sector the clean energy is used and what it is displacing is also critical in determining air quality, carbon, and water co-benefits,” said Professor Mauzerall. “While the paper focuses on China, its general conclusions are widely applicable.”

The researchers ultimately found that, with the exception of coal-based SNG, replacing coal with natural gas will benefit air quality, carbon mitigation, and water stress. 

On the other hand, SNG increases carbon emissions and water consumption in China's northwestern provinces, which already suffer from high per capita carbon emissions and severe water scarcity.

“Importantly, as the regions with high air pollution do not overlap with regions with high water stress, and substitution in different sectors bring different levels of air quality and water impacts, there are trade-offs in the magnitude of air quality and water improvements,” said Qin.

“Our findings show why it is critical to understand the underlying air-carbon-water synergies and trade-offs so that China, as well as other developing countries, can properly design clean energy transition pathways according to their local environmental priorities.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain">Nature Sustainability</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Energy production methods must consider environmental trade-offs

A research team led by Princeton University has conducted a...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/long-term-damage-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill/">Deepwater Horizon disaster</a> in 2010 flooded the Gulf of Mexico with more than 170 million gallons of oil. But using oil dispersants to clean up after the spill may have caused further damage to the oysters that live in the Gulf, a new study has found.

A team of researchers at the <a href="https://uconn.edu/">University of Connecticut</a> joined with the <a href="https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/">Morris Animal Foundation</a> to see how the deployment of oil dispersants like Corexit 9500 after the massive Deepwater Horizon spill affected Gulf marine life.

They compared the effects of oil, Corexit 9500, and a combination of both on Eastern oysters. The oysters – one of the Gulf’s important marine species – likely suffered toxic effects from the oil dispersants used after the Deepwater Horizon spill, the study found.

"There's an unfortunate trade-off to using dispersants like this," study co-author Lindsay Jasperse said in a press release. "They may prevent giant oil spills from washing ashore and damaging wetlands, but they also cause negative effects for species below the ocean's surface that might have been spared if dispersants weren't used."

Oysters in the Gulf help to keep the water clean. They filter particles and nutrients out of the water to feed, helping to keep the waters clear for other species. But while oysters can create reefs and habitats for other species, their stationary nature makes them more vulnerable to disasters like the Deepwater Horizon spill. It also means that they can’t escape from the oil dispersants used to clean up such spills.

For the oysters, the UConn team discovered, Corexit 9500 alone was even more toxic than the oil. The mixture of oil and oil dispersants was also damaging to the oysters’ immune systems; however, oil alone didn’t affect their immune systems. The scientists also found that the dispersant had the biggest impact on oyster feeding rates, while the combination of dispersant and oil had the least effect.

"Knowing the effects dispersants and oil have on oysters can help us make better mitigation recommendations the next time an environmental and ecological crisis like this happens," Dr. Kelly Diehl of the Morris Animal Foundation said. "Species are interconnected, and what harms oysters will likely cascade through their ecosystem to the detriment of all."

The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/aquatic-toxicology">Aquatic Toxicology</a>. The study was funded by the Morris Animal Foundation.

— 

Image credit: Lindsay Jasperse, University of Connecticut

Oil dispersants could damage marine life while protecting coast

The Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010 flooded the Gulf of...

For years, research into air pollution has hinted that it could be linked to low birth weight, premature birth and childhood respiratory conditions. Now, researchers have found tiny particles of soot and carbon linked to pollution in placentas.

The new study shows that as pregnant women breathe polluted air, they may be passing some of that pollution to their unborn children, the researchers said.

"We've known for a while that air pollution affects fetal development and can continue to affect babies after birth and throughout their lives. We were interested to see if these effects could be due to pollution particles moving from the mother's lungs to the placenta,” Dr. Lisa Miyashita, a post-doctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a>, said in a press release. “Until now, there has been very little evidence that inhaled particles get into the blood from the lung."

Miyashita and her colleagues, part of Dr. Jonathan Grigg’s research group, found five pregnant women who planned to deliver by cesarean section. The five women were healthy non-smokers, and agreed to donate their placentas for the team to study.

They studied placental macrophage cells from the five tissue donations, finding material that appeared to be made of tiny carbon particles – signs that air pollution could be reaching placentas.

"We do not know whether the particles we found could also move across into the fetus, but our evidence suggests that this is indeed possible,” Miyashita said. “We also know that the particles do not need to get into the baby's body to have an adverse effect, because if they have an effect on the placenta, this will have a direct impact on the fetus."

The researchers – and Dr. Mina Gaga of <a href="http://www.sotiria-telecare.gr/">Athens Chest Hospital Sotiria</a> in Greece and the <a href="https://www.ersnet.org/">European Respiratory Society</a>, who was not involved in the study – hope that the study encourages stricter controls on air pollution and more awareness of how it affects pregnant women. 

Miyashita and fellow researcher Dr. Norrice Liu, a pediatrician and research fellow at Queen Mary University, presented the team’s research today at the <a href="https://erscongress.org/">European Respiratory Society International Congress</a>. The air pollution study was funded by the <a href="https://bartscharity.org.uk/">Barts Charity</a>.

Could soot from air pollution reach unborn children?

For years, research into air pollution has hinted that it...

According to a recent study by scientists at the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/university/">University of Geneva</a>, Switzerland has lost nearly one-fifth of its snow in just over a decade and global warming is to blame. The study was focused on advanced satellite data that spanned the whole country.

“We used 22 years of Landsat observations over the entire Switzerland to track snow cover changes using the Snow Observations from Space algorithm,” wrote the researchers.

The analysis revealed that more than 1,900 square miles of snow have disappeared across Switzerland in the last 12 years, and the experts warn that the situation is only getting worse. The areas most affected include some of the country's top ski resorts, including parts of the Swiss Alps.  

From 1995 and 2005, 36 percent of Switzerland received little or no snow. The study revealed that this number jumped to 44 percent by 2017, which had a big impact on some of the most popular ski resorts.

“Low snow conditions prevailing on the plateau are gradually gaining ground in the Jura and in the Alps, a phenomenon particularly evident in the Rhône Valley,” explained study coauthor Dr. Grégory Giuliani.

The researchers used thousands of images taken since the early 1970s by the last three American satellites of the Landsat Earth observation program and the European Sentinel-2 satellite.

“Detailed knowledge of snow cover and its evolution in Switzerland is an essential tool for public policies decision-making,” said Dr. Giuliani.

“Beyond the economic issues related to tourism, other questions arise such as flood risk management or water supply, given the storage role that snow plays, retaining water in winter to release it in spring and summer.”

The study was made possible by the development of the <a href="http://www.swissdatacube.org/viewer/#8/46.808/8.220/OSM-Country-Mask">Swiss Data Cube</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Switzerland loses 20 percent of its snow due to global warming

According to a recent study by scientists at the University...

<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...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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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

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

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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

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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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.

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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