It is no secret that some lifestyles demand more resources than others. But recent climate findings highlight how individuals with vast wealth have exerted a larger influence on global warming and temperature shifts than previously realized.



In a 2025 <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02325-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a>, the world’s wealthiest 10% are reported to have caused two-thirds of observed global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming</a> since 1990. 



This work was led by lead author Sarah Schöngart, an alumna of the 2024 Young Scientists Summer Program, who is currently associated with <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a>, and published by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (<a href="https://iiasa.ac.at" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IIASA</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wealthy-emitters-drive-climate-warming">Wealthy emitters drive climate warming</h2>



Scientists indicate that the top 1% of high-income earners contributed 26 times the global average to monthly 1-in-100-year heat extremes worldwide, and 17 times more to intense drought <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a> in the Amazon region.&nbsp;



“We found that wealthy emitters play a major role in driving climate extremes, which provides strong support for climate policies that target the reduction of their emissions,” explained Schöngart at the end of her remarks.



Researchers also noticed that emissions from the richest 10% in major economies, such as the United States and China, caused a two- to threefold increase in dangerous heat conditions across vulnerable tropical areas. 



These hotspots include Southeast Asia, southern Africa, and other regions with limited resources to handle amplified environmental stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consequences-for-vulnerable-regions">Consequences for vulnerable regions</h2>



“Addressing this imbalance is crucial for fair and effective climate action,” says coauthor <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/staff/carl-schleussner" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carl-Friedrich Schleussner</a>, who leads the Integrated Climate Impacts Research Group at IIASA. 



Communities in zones already prone to high temperatures and scarce rainfall are dealing with more frequent hazards linked to wealth-driven pollution.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Experts</a> have underscored how nations or groups with historically low <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a> often face disproportionate impacts. Scientists note that these areas experience higher chances of weather disasters, yet have fewer means to respond or rebuild.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finances-fuel-climate-warming">Finances fuel climate warming</h2>



Several analysts believe that climate discussions should not only focus on personal consumption but also on the massive financial investments of wealthy individuals. 



When these investments support high-emission ventures, the world sees greater rises in heat extremes and drought occurrences.



Groups like the <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations Environment Programme</a> have called for policy measures that redirect funds to cleaner solutions. 



Advocates argue that this could help reduce future harm while encouraging fair contributions from top earners who have the greatest capacity to shift investments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rebalancing-climate-responsibility">Rebalancing climate responsibility</h2>



Income-based emission studies raise questions about how to share the costs of adaptation and recovery. 



Observers suggest that policies aimed at rebalancing responsibility might also improve public acceptance of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-impacting-earths-rotation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> strategies, since people often want to see genuine efforts toward equity in carbon reduction.



“If everyone had emitted like the bottom 50% of the global population, the world would have seen minimal additional warming since 1990,” says Schleussner. 



This observation hints that tailored policies targeting disproportionate emissions could produce meaningful changes.



Scientists stress that tackling climate threats involves more than quick technical fixes. 



Those with higher incomes often have greater capacity to choose low-carbon lifestyles or to fund transformational climate solutions, making their role especially crucial in reducing warming trends.



Researchers emphasize that individuals in affluent groups have a unique chance to spark large-scale shifts. 



That could entail demanding cleaner supply chains, backing renewable energy, or encouraging sustainable investment portfolios, all of which can shape future climate outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-warming-inequality">Global warming inequality</h2>



The study estimates that the top 10% of earners contributed 6.5 times more to global warming than the average person, while the top 1% contributed 20 times more. 



For the top 0.1%, the figure skyrockets to 76 times the global average - an eye-opening statistic that illustrates how a small share of the population has driven a large share of climate disruption.



If everyone had emitted like the top 10%, global temperatures would have risen nearly 3°F (1.6°C) more since 1990. But if everyone had lived like the bottom 50%, there would have been almost no additional warming at all. 



That contrast highlights how the burden of global warming cannot be pinned on “humanity” in general - it’s coming from a concentrated source.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



Climate experts believe that ongoing conversations about carbon taxes and financial regulations might incorporate these findings for more equitable action. 



Some advocate for measures that hold top emitters accountable and support the communities that are most affected by intensifying weather events.



Others propose progressive policy instruments that reflect actual emissions contributions. 



Policymakers are increasingly exploring how to ensure elite pollution is addressed, while resources for adaptation and recovery become more accessible in low-income nations.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02325-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Climate Change</a>.



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Wealthy elite responsible for vast majority of global climate warming

It is no secret that some lifestyles demand more resources than others. But recent climate findings highlight how individuals with vast wealth have exerted a larger influence on global warming and temperature shifts than previously realized. In a 2025 analysis, the world’s wealthiest 10% are reported to have caused two-thirds of observed global warming since 1990. This work was led by lead author Sarah Schöngart, an alumna of the 2024 Young Scientists Summer Program, who is currently associated with ETH Zurich, and published by the International Institute...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a> are reporting that water conservation measures in the state of California have also significantly reduced electricity consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In 2015, following four years of severe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-drought-changing-landscape/">drought</a>, California implemented new water regulations with a target of cutting overall water usage by 25 percent. 

The investigation from UC Davis established that 524,000 million gallons of water were saved in the first year of conservation efforts, which was a bit shy of the state's goal of a 25 percent reduction. However, the experts also found that the new water regulations were helping to address other environmental issues. 

The water and energy systems in California are closely interconnected. The energy used to move, treat, and distribute water accounts for 19 percent of the state's total electricity demand.

“Due to this close interdependence, we estimated that the decrease in water usage translated into a significant electricity saving of 1,830 gigawatt hours (GWh),” said lead author Dr. Edward Spang. 

The study authors noted that the energy savings which resulted from water reduction were around 11 percent greater than those savings which resulted from investor-owned electricity utilities' efficiency programs within the same time frame.

“In turn, we calculated that the GHG emissions saved as a direct result of the reduction in electricity consumption are also significant - in the region of 524,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). That is the equivalent of taking 111,000 cars off the road for a year,” said Dr. Spang.

“The scale of these integrated water-energy-GHG savings, achieved over such a short period, is remarkable,” said study co-author Professor Frank Loge. “Even more interesting is that the cost of achieving these savings through water conservation was competitive with existing programs that specifically target electricity or GHG reductions.”

Professor Loge said that the findings of this study strongly support the addition of water conservation to the growing collection of ideas on how to effectively reduce energy consumption and harmful emissions.

“Taking these three benefits into consideration together would substantially increase the cost-effectiveness of water-focused conservation programs across all scenarios of varying program and technology persistence,” said Professor Loge. 

“There is a strong incentive for water and energy utilities to form partnerships, and identify opportunities to secure these combined resource savings benefits at a shared cost. There would also be a benefit in the associated regulatory agencies supporting these partnerships through aligned policy measures, and targeted funding initiatives.”

The study is published today in the journal <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

California water conservation brings other environmental benefits

Researchers at the University of California, Davis are reporting that...

According to a new report from the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/">Environmental Working Group</a> (EWG), more than 170 million people are exposed to radioactive elements in their drinking water. A study conducted by the nonprofit organization reveals that radiation can be detected in treated tap water across all 50 states.

The EWG says that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nuclear-tests-exposed-radiation/">radiation</a> in drinking water poses a major health risk, particularly for women who are pregnant. The researchers found that radium is the most common radioactive element found in tap water. Radium is a carcinogen which is associated with an increased risk of cancer even in low doses. 

EWG analyzed data from almost 50,000 public water systems for their investigation. They found that more than 22,000 utilities in all 50 states reported radium in tap water between 2010 and 2015. Of these public water systems, 158 “reported radium in amounts that exceeded the federal legal limit.”

According to the study, Texas has the most widespread contamination levels and 80 percent of the state's population is affected. 

A former top environment official in the state of Texas, Kathleen Hartnett White, has been accused of consistently lowering the levels of radiation submitted to the EPA. Despite this, Hartnett White has been nominated by President Trump to serve on the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

Christy Goldfuss is the Vice President for Energy and Environmental Policy at the <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/">Center for American Progress</a> and was previously the managing director of the CEQ.

“With the renomination of Kathleen Hartnett White to the White House Council of Environmental Quality, President Trump is failing these 170 million at-risk Americans who are drinking contaminated water,” said Goldfuss. 

“When Hartnett White was tasked with addressing radiation in Texas’s drinking water as a government official, she regularly and deliberately underreported the amount of radiation in drinking water, keeping families in the dark about their health and safety. Putting her in charge of the Council of Environmental Quality could do untold damage to even more Americans.”

EWG has released an <a href="https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2018-radium/#.Wle0poFOnqB">interactive map</a> to inform the public of where radium has been detected in tap water. Information on contamination, including how many people are affected, can be accessed with a simple zip code search.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Radioactive material reported in drinking water in every state

According to a new report from the Environmental Working Group...

The <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> (ESA) is making forest regeneration and forest ecosystem management much easier thanks to easily accessible compilations of satellite data. 

It’s part of ESA’s <a href="https://tep.eo.esa.int/">Thematic Exploitation Platform</a> or TEP for short. There are now seven TEPs available to me make Earth Observation (EO) satellite data easily understandable and available. 

According to the ESA, the project is “a collaborative, virtual work environment providing access to EO data and the tools, processors, and Information and Communication Technology resources required to work with them, through one coherent interface.” 

Each of the seven platforms are dedicated to a particular geographic region, ecosystem, or concern. 

The platforms include data on geohazards, coastal environments, forestry, hydrology, polar regions, urban environments and food security.

The TEPs provide valuable insight and can help with widespread management and conservation. In Finland, for example, the forestry TEP helps landowners manage conifer seedlings and conifer populations. 

Conifers are the most common native species of tree and of vital economic importance to Finland, but managing conifers in forests can be a timely and costly process. 

Conifers need space to grow and often government incentives are given to property owners in order to cut down shrubs and plants that might hinder the seedling’s growth. 

Now, with TEP, forest owners need only search through the data to find <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/guardians-forest-ecological-preservation/">forest</a> maps that tell them what areas need attention. 

“The Forestry TEP allows us to map shrub coverage so that we can advise forest owners on the best time to manage regeneration areas. It can also be used to estimate how much work it will take to remove shrubs and the cost involved,” said Aki Hostikka from the <a href="https://www.metsakeskus.fi/node/321">Finnish Forest Centre</a> told ESA.

The Thematic Exploitation Platforms are still in their early phases, but as has been evidenced with the Finnish Forest Centre, the TEPs will be a valuable asset in monitoring and managing the Earth’s ecosystems. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Satellite data helps forest management and regeneration

The European Space Agency (ESA) is making forest regeneration and...

With record-breaking temperatures leading to more confounding discussions of the undeniable impacts of climate change, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> has assembled a list of ten unusual weather occurrences… along with one insane (but not so unusual) fire tornado.

&nbsp;

Ocean freezes over in Massachusetts. 

In January 2018, the Winter Storm Grayson, also known as ‘the bomb cyclone,' caused certain sections of the northeastern coast to freeze over. Temperatures dropped below -20º F, making parts of the region resemble the shores of Alaska.

&nbsp;

Sahara Desert sees snow.

 In December of 2017, snow fell upon the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-falls-sahara-desert/">Saharan desert</a> town of Ain Sefra, Algiers in North Africa for the first time in 37 years. It only lasted for a day and then melted away. Temperatures in the Sahara can reach 136º F. 

&nbsp;

Wildfires burn western Greenland.

Much of Greenland is normally covered by ice. However, in August 2017, a satellite over western Greenland detected wildfires. There were more wildfires in Greenland in 2017 than any year since 2002.

&nbsp;

Hottest daily low temperature on record in Oman.

On June 17, 2017, the port city of Khasab, Oman earned the new world record for the “hottest daily low temperature” at 111.6º F.

&nbsp;

Peru devastated by El Niño floods.

The Los Angeles Times estimated $3.1 in damage, dozens of casualties, and hundreds of thousands of people left homeless in the South American country of Peru due to floods caused by a coastal El Niño storm in March of 2017.

&nbsp;

Bavarian town sees rainbow… arched over a tornado.

Kürnach, a small town about 60 miles from Frankfurt, saw a phantasmic white tornado swirling under a perfect rainbow in March of 2017. There was even reportedly footage of a secondary rainbow…

&nbsp;

Sierra Ski Resorts get too much snow.

In April 2017, California’s Sierra Nevada mountains went from snow-starved just two years earlier to 800 inches of snow. It was the wettest year for the region since the El Niño storms of 1982 and 1983. There was so much snow that ski season was extended into August.

&nbsp;

Oklahoma goes from nearly 100 degrees to snow in three days. 

In February 2017, the town of Magnum, Oklahoma registered record-breaking heat of 99.4 º F, only to see snow fall three days later on Valentine’s Day. The ground was too hot to result in any visible snow cover.

&nbsp;

First February tornadoes ever recorded hit Massachusetts. 

In February 2017, the Massachusetts towns of Conway and Goshen were ripped through by a pair of tornadoes. These were the first tornadoes to hit the state in the month of February since weather patterns started being recorded in the 1950s.

&nbsp;

Lightning strikes Seattle’s Space Needle while it snows.

It is indeed a rare occurrence for winter snow and thunder to happen at the same time. In late February 2017, lightning struck the Space Needle while snow fell upon the city of Seattle. On average, there is a less than .5 percent chance of both snow and thunder happening there between November and March in that region.

&nbsp;

Fire tornado captured in Western Australia.

In January 2017, a fire whirl over 3,000 feet high was filmed in the midwest region of Western Australia. While not entirely uncommon to the region, video footage of such an occurrence is hard to find. 

--

By <a href="mailto:dajostep@gmail.com">Darryl Joseph</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The 10 craziest weather occurrences

With record-breaking temperatures leading to more confounding discussions of the...

A new study has revealed that fresh bodies of water are becoming more acidic. While it is widely known that rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) have caused significant ocean acidification, this is some of the first evidence to show that freshwater bodies are absorbing extra <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/co2-levels-record-highs/">CO2</a> as well.

The researchers discovered that some freshwater ecosystems have become more acidic with rising partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2). 

In lab studies, the team demonstrated that increasing levels of freshwater pCO2 negatively affect at least one core species. The scientists identified a tiny freshwater crustacean that becomes unable to defend itself after exposure to pCO2.

The findings suggest that increasing CO2 levels may be having widespread effects on freshwater ecosystems. Dr. Linda Weiss of <a href="http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/index_en.htm">Ruhr-University Bochum</a> in Germany is the lead author of the study.

“Ocean acidification is often called ‘climate change's equally evil twin,’ and many current investigations describe tremendous effects of rising CO2 levels on marine ecosystems,” said Dr. Weiss. “However, freshwater ecosystems have been largely overlooked. Our data indicate another pCO2 problem: pCO2-dependent freshwater acidification.”

Researchers have shown that ocean acidification can have negative consequences for marine food chains, nutrient cycles,  biodiversity, and overall productivity. Despite all of these potential issues, very little is known about freshwater acidification.

To investigate whether or not freshwater bodies were undergoing a transformation similar to that of ocean acidification, the research team focused a study on four freshwater reservoirs in Germany. 

After analyzing over 35 years of data that spanned from 1981 to 2015, the experts confirmed that there has been a continuous rise in pCO2 levels over this time period. The team found that freshwater bodies may even be acidifying at a faster rate than the oceans.

The researchers also developed a study to closely examine the impact of pCO2 on freshwater crustaceans called Daphnia, which are a primary source of food for many larger marine creatures.

Daphnia respond to predators by producing helmets and spikes that make them difficult to eat. The research team found that rising pCO2 levels get in the way of the Daphnia’s ability to put up its defenses.

“High levels of CO2 reduce the Daphnia's ability to detect their predator,” said Weiss. “This reduces the expression of morphological defenses, rendering them more vulnerable.” 

Weiss explained that this phenomenon needs to be studied on a global scale. She said that the findings of the research have raised the question, “Are all freshwater impoundments prone to this kind of acidification?”

The study is published in <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Freshwater bodies have become more acidic with rising CO2 levels

A new study has revealed that fresh bodies of water...

An international team of researchers conducted one of the first-ever investigations into how the public perceives threats to the world's oceans. The study revealed that the majority of people feel that the marine environment is at serious risk from human activities and support action for ocean protection. 

The researchers analyzed a set of public opinion surveys regarding marine issues that involved over 32,000 people in 21 countries. They found that 70 percent of respondents believe that the marine environment is directly threatened by human activities, and that 45 percent of participants feel that this threat is either high or very high.

The respondents identified <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-reduce-plastic-pollution/">pollution</a> and fishing as the most urgent issues, followed by habitat alteration, climate change, and biodiversity loss. 

Heike Lotze is a researcher at <a href="https://www.dal.ca/">Dalhousie University</a> in Canada and the lead author of the study. “People around the world are aware that the ocean is threatened and what are the major threats to the ocean,” said Lotze.

Over 70 percent of respondents also supported marine protected areas (MPAs), which are regions established to conserve natural resources found in the ocean. MPAs help to protect marine ecosystems by restricting human activities such as fishing, habitat alteration, or oil and gas extraction.

“There's a lot of scientific thought put into ocean conservation around the world. But there's much less information out there on what people actually think about the ocean and some of the protection measures,” said study co-author Jennifer O'Leary. 

“This is important because anytime we are introducing protection measures, we're asking people to change their behavior. And we know from behavioral research that focusing on what people already think is important can make changes easier for people to accept."

While the public was found to perceive pollution as the biggest issue to marine environments, scientists typically rank habitat loss and fishing as the highest threats. The researchers also discovered that, while the majority of the public supports MPAs, there were many respondents who were unclear on exactly what an MPA is and how many are already established.

“What surprised me about the results was that most people overestimated the amount of ocean area being protected, and thus have a more optimistic view of ocean conservation and management than there actually is,” said Lotze. “However, most people still wanted to see much more ocean area protected than currently is, thus there is a clear wish for more ocean conservation.”

The study will be published in the February issue of the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ocean-and-coastal-management">Ocean and Coastal Management</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global public agrees oceans are in trouble, supports protection

An international team of researchers conducted one of the first-ever...

A team of researchers has discovered that green sea turtles along Australia's northern Great Barrier Reef (nGBR) are undergoing some dramatic changes as a result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/river-flooding-climate-change/">climate change</a>. The study revealed that turtles born on the region's warmest beaches are now 99.8 percent female. 

The sex of a sea turtle is not determined genetically, as it is in mammals. According to the researchers, cooler temperatures produce more males and warmer temperatures produce more females. For example, the experts found that turtles being born on a cooler beach just south of their study site are only 65 percent female.

The researchers explained that the pivotal temperature, which will produce 50 percent males and 50 percent females, varies across different species and nesting groups.

The experts used data on air and sea surface temperatures to estimate sand temperatures that nests would have experienced in the nGBR from 1960 to 2016. The team used a temperature model which they acknowledged had some limitations, but said that this model “clearly shows that green turtle nests at Raine Island and Moulter Cay were consistently incubated above the pivotal temperature  since the early 1990s.”

Although sea turtles often choose to breed when the sand is slightly warmer than pivotal temperatures, global warming has boosted the temperature in the nGBR enough to really tip the gender scale. The researchers are concerned about what this means for sea turtles as temperatures continue to rise.

“While rising temperatures may initially result in increased female population sizes, the lack of male turtles will eventually impact the overall fertility of females in the population,” wrote the study authors. “For the nGBR, many of these questions will be answered as the adult population become increasingly female biased. As such, our study raises new concerns over the immediate threats of climate change to sea turtle populations.”

It remains unclear how the turtles will respond to this major gender shift. Males breed much more often than females, but this cannot likely compensate for such a large number of missing males. The researchers suggested that females may begin to seek out mates further south in the cooler climate.

The study authors said that this investigation “highlights the need for immediate management strategies aimed at lowering incubation temperatures at key rookeries to boost the ability of local turtle populations to adapt to the changing environment and avoid a population collapse - or even extinction.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change has made 99.8 percent of these sea turtles female

A team of researchers has discovered that green sea turtles...

Reducing global temperatures and CO2 emissions will lessen the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-ice-storms/">climate change</a>, but its impact is already altering the global landscape.

The increasing frequency of severe weather, along with higher precipitation levels, has prompted more widespread river flooding around the world. Increasing flood protection will be a necessity for many countries, and researchers set out of to calculate the total necessary measures needed in a new study published in the journal Science Advances. 

The United States, parts of India and Africa, and several countries in Europe are most at risk of facing severe increases in river flooding. Unless additional protection measures are put in place, millions more could be affected than already are by flood damage.

“More than half of the United States must at least double their protection level within the next two decades if they want to avoid a dramatic increase in river flood risks,” said Sven Willner from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/pik-frontpage">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> and the study’s lead author. 

The team of researchers created comprehensive computer simulations using data from major rivers around the world, precipitation changes, and evaporation. Much of the climate data, including changes in rainfall, came from the largest modeling <a href="https://www.isimip.org/">intercomparison project of climate impacts</a>. 

Willner and his team found that if no adaptations are made in river flood management, the number of people affected by flooding will increase drastically.

In northern America, the number of people in high-risk river flood areas would jump from 0.1 million to 1 million, and in Asia, those numbers skyrocket from 70 million to 165 million. 

Co-author Ander Levermann noted that even countries with good infrastructure need to make changes in management and protection to keep people from losing their homes. 

The increases in river flood risks that will occur over the next several decades can be linked to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions already present in the atmosphere, which is why the researchers caution against doing nothing in the face of climate change. 

“If we act now, we can protect against the risks of the next two decades,” said Levermann. “But further climate change must be limited by cutting greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels to avoid risks that surpass our abilities to adapt.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

River flooding will increase worldwide due to climate change

Reducing global temperatures and CO2 emissions will lessen the effects...

The phenomenon of urban agriculture has become increasingly more apparent over the years – whether the gardens and plants themselves are community projects or simply provide some greenery to the drab concrete and brick. While it may seem that the benefits of these plantings are only local and somewhat limited, they may actually provide a significant environmental impact when considered collectively.

New research from collaboration between <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> and Google provides an assessment of the value of urban agriculture, and the benefits it provides on a global scale. The findings are presented in “A Global Geospatial Ecosystems Services Estimate of Urban Agriculture,” in the current issue of <a href="http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)2328-4277/">Earth's Future</a>.

“For the first time, we have a data-driven approach that quantifies the ecosystem benefits from urban agriculture,” says Matei Georgescu, an ASU associate professor of geographical sciences and urban planning and corresponding author of the paper. “Our estimates of ecosystem services show potential for millions of tons of food production, thousands of tons of nitrogen sequestration, billions of kilowatt hours of energy savings and billions of cubic meters of avoided storm runoff from agriculture in urban areas.”

Using the Google Earth Engine, the researchers analyzed global population, urban, meteorological, terrain, and Good and Agricultural Organization (FAO) datasets to arrive at their global scale estimates – and then aggregated them by country. The estimated value of four ecosystems services resulting from existing vegetation in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-grow-faster-cities/">urban areas</a> was found to be roughly $33 billion. This includes a projected annual food production of 100 to 180 million tons and energy savings of 14 to 15 billion kilowatt-hours.

If urban agriculture is implemented on a global scale, the overall annual worth is estimated to be as much as $80 to $160 billion, and could help feed a world that faces future challenges to industrial agriculture as a result of climate change. “We’ve known there are benefits to having these small plots of land in our cities, but we found that the benefits extend well beyond having fresh food in the hands of those who will consume it,” explains lead author Nicholas Clinton of Google, Inc. These benefits include improved access to healthy foods, and increased urban nitrogen fixation, pollination and control of storm water runoff, among others.

“Relatively temperate, developed or developing countries with the right mix of crops are expected to have the greatest incentives for urban agriculture,” he said. “These would include China, Japan, Germany and the U.S.,” says Clinton.

Overall, the research team found that the environmental and societal benefits of urban agriculture extend well beyond what we once previously thought. It would stand for the benefit of everyone if cities and countries looked to improve their urban agricultural efforts.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The benefits of urban agriculture may be greater than we thought

The phenomenon of urban agriculture has become increasingly more apparent...

Wildfire smoke plumes linger high up into the air even after a fire has been extinguished. This smoke, which contains fine particles and toxic gases, can be carried thousands of miles away from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/charcoal-wildfires-carbon-emissions/">fires</a>. In an unprecedented analysis, researchers have determined that these smoke plumes drastically affect air quality.

The study, which was led by Alexandra Larsen of <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a>, is the first of its kind to examine the long-term effects of wildfire smoke across the United States.

To measure the impact of wildfires on air quality, the researchers investigated relevant data collected between 2006 and 2013. Information analyzed by the team included satellite data on the presence and spread of smoke plumes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hazard Mapping System (HMS).

The researchers also used the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality System, which measures daily levels of ozone and fine particulate matter.

The study revealed that ozone concentrations were 11.1 percent higher on days when plumes were visible compared to days when they were not. On days when smoke plumes could be seen, fine particle levels were found to be 33.1 percent higher than normal.

Larsen was surprised to discover that the presence of wildfire smoke also affected the ozone. While plumes had occurred only on 6-7 percent of days, these plumes accounted for 16 percent of unhealthy days due to small particles and 27 percent of unhealthy days due to ozone.

“Smoke-plume days accounted for a disproportionate number of days with elevated air quality index levels, indicating that moderate increases in regional air pollution due to large fires and long-distance transport of smoke can tip the air quality to unhealthy levels,” said Larsen.

The biggest impacts from wildfire smoke were found across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. Smoke plumes over these states caused ozone concentrations to rise.

“Enhanced ozone production in urban areas is a concern because of the population size potentially impacted and because air pollution levels could be already elevated due to local and mobile sources,” said Larsen.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/jes">Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Smoke and toxic gases travel thousands of miles after wildfires

Wildfire smoke plumes linger high up into the air even...

For the third time in nearly forty years, snow fell in parts of the Sahara Desert this past weekend. In the early morning hours, up to 16 inches of snow covered the desert town of Ain Sefra in Algeria.

The town itself only got a couple of inches, but just outside of Ain Sefra there were snow-white sand dunes which are usually bright orange. 

Even though Ain Sefra is located around 3,547 feet above sea level and surrounded by the Atlas Mountains, it is very rare to see snow here. 

“Cold air was pulled down south into North Africa over the weekend as a result of high pressure over Europe,” explained a representative of the Met Office. “The high pressure meant the cold weather extended further south than normal.”

With an average temperature of 99 degrees in the month of July, extreme heat is a much more familiar occurrence in Ain Sefra than freezing cold. And the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-largest-deserts-world/">Sahara Desert</a> is not the only region of the world that is experiencing extreme weather. 

In the United States, Winter Storm Grayson dumped snow and ice as it charged up the East Coast from Florida to Maine with near-hurricane force last week, leaving behind brutally cold temperatures.

Meanwhile, Australia is experiencing its hottest summer in decades. The temperature in Sydney hit 117 degrees on Sunday, which is the highest recorded temperature in this region since 1939.

Snow fell in 2016 and 2017 in Ain Sefra, and the last time the area saw snow fall before that was 1979.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-3.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-992549" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-3-300x200.png" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>

[caption id="attachment_992550" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-2.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-992550" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sahara-2-300x199.png" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a> Photo Credit: Discover Algeria on Twitter[/caption]

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Photo Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/Discover_DZ/status/950054509723750400">Discover Algeria on Twitter</a>

Snow falls on the Sahara Desert for the third time in 40 years

For the third time in nearly forty years, snow fell...

There are millions of species on Earth, ranging from large elephants to single-celled organisms. But according to new research, no matter the size, geographic location, or lifespan, all species are given the same chance for survival. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom and published in the journal Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution. 

The report describes how all species are “fit” for survival with no species having an absolute advantage over the other. 

Each species transmits the same amount of energy to the next generation when reproducing. In other words, gram for gram, blue whales and bacteria give the same amount of energy to their offspring. 

“We found, rather astonishingly, by examining the production rate and the generation time of thousands of plants, animals, and microbes that each would pass on, on average, the same amount of energy to the next generation per gram of parent, regardless of size,” said  Charles A.S. Hall, one of the co-authors of the study.  

The research team built an energy allocation model using data that included rates of energy investment, growth and reproduction, generation times, and body sizes of hundreds of plants and animals.

The model showed an “equal fitness paradigm,” where no matter how opposite the relationship between growth rate and generation time, they all expelled the same amount of energy during reproduction. 

Smaller species like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-algae-food-shortages/">algae</a> have short lifespans and reproduce quickly, while larger species with longer life spans can have gestation periods that take years.

The results show that there is no real evolutionary advantage among the world’s species and that no matter how diverse the range of plants, animals, and organisms, each has the same chance of life and reproduction as the next. 

“There is no single way of living and using energy that is best," said Hall and his co-author James H. Brown. “Given the array of environmental conditions on the planet, one kind of organism might gain a temporary advantage, but such gains will soon be countered by other, competing organisms.” 

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By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

All species have an equal chance of life, study finds

There are millions of species on Earth, ranging from large...

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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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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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



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.

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image 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.

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



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.

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says 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.

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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