The thin line of gold behind every tap, swipe, and click on our electronic devices rarely enters daily conversation, yet the metal keeps digital life running, then eventually turn into landfills full of toxic e-waste. 



From the contacts in a phone jack to the chips inside a smartwatch, gold moves electrons smoothly and shrugs off corrosion. 



Mining more, however, blasts mountains, drains rivers, and spews carbon. With the global appetite for electronics still climbing, attention has turned to the growing junkyard of cast‑off gadgets.



E‑waste is now the quickest‑rising waste stream on the planet - roughly 63 million short tons in 2024 according to <a href="https://www.unep.org/ietc/what-we-do/e-waste-management" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations estimates</a> - and only a small share gets recycled in certified facilities. 



Most of our old electronics end up in landfills or backyard workshops, which then leak metals into the groundwater, creating toxic brews. A cleaner strategy is to reclaim precious metals safely before our devices make their way into the garbage heaps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cheese-e-waste-and-gold">Cheese, e-waste, and gold</h2>



A research team is now working to change that script. Professor Raffaele Mezzenga at <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a> and senior scientist Mohammad Peydayesh assembled colleagues in search of a simpler tool than acid vats or cyanide baths. Their unlikely inspiration bubbles up in cheese factories.



Cheese makers separate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cottage-cheese-is-making-a-comeback-due-to-its-nutritional-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">curds from whey</a>, leaving behind nearly nine pounds of watery by‑product for every pound of cheddar. Whey is rich in proteins that twist into hair‑thin amyloid fibrils when warmed in acid. 



The Zurich group realized those fibrils could be coaxed into a feather‑light sponge that prefers gold over the other metals lurking in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electronic-waste-is-growing-five-times-faster-than-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shredded phones and laptops</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adding-a-cheesy-twist-to-golden-e-waste">Adding a cheesy twist to golden e-waste</h2>



The researchers stirred the fibrils into a gel, then dried it into an aerogel - think Styrofoam’s airiness on a nanoscale. Microscopic pores criss‑cross the material, offering miles of surface area inside a crumb‑sized cube. 



When a slice of this sponge meets a beaker filled with dissolved circuit boards, gold ions rush toward the proteins and cling tightly.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_schematic_credit-ETH-Zurich_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_schematic_credit-ETH-Zurich_1s.webp" alt="Schematic route followed to generate neat value via pure gold, extracted from food waste (whey) and e-waste as starting source materials. Credit: Advanced Materials" class="wp-image-1968796"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Schematic route followed to generate neat value via pure gold, extracted from food waste (whey) and e-waste as starting source materials. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Advanced Materials</figcaption></figure>



Early trials showed the aerogel collecting a far higher share of gold than plastic resins that recyclers often use. Better yet, the process skips noxious solvents. 



Water, moderate heat, and the natural chemistry of protein do the heavy lifting, which slashes both hazard and cost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aerogel-and-a-protein-sponge">Aerogel and a protein sponge</h2>



For a head‑to‑head laboratory test, the team stripped metal parts from twenty <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-zero-waste-a-global-commitment-to-a-sustainable-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discarded computer motherboards</a>, dissolved them in acid, and dropped in a fingernail‑sized piece of aerogel. 



Copper, nickel, and cobalt swirled in the brew, yet gold ions settled on the sponge far more efficiently. After a short soak, the solution cleared, signaling that most of the precious metal had left the liquid.



Numbers tell the story. The sponge drew out gold that was about 90.8 percent pure - close to 22‑karat jewelry - on its first pass. Competing adsorbents usually require extra purification steps to reach similar purity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-e-waste-ions-to-gold-nuggets">From e-waste ions to gold nuggets</h2>



Pulling ions from solution is useful; turning them back into solid metal is crucial. The Zurich group warmed the loaded sponge until the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fools-gold-may-be-a-valuable-source-of-lithium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gold ions</a> shed their charge and merged into shimmering flakes. 



Heating continued until the flakes fused into a nugget weighing roughly 450 milligrams. Chemical analysis showed the lump was 91 percent gold and 9 percent copper, again hitting the mark for 22 carats.



This step also freed the protein skeleton. Burned away under controlled heat, the whey‑derived matrix leaves no synthetic residue, easing cleanup. Conventional resin beds cannot claim the same neat exit.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_gold-nuggets-recovered_Credit-ETH-Zurich_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/electronic-devices_gold-extraction-process_gold-nuggets-recovered_Credit-ETH-Zurich_1s.webp" alt="The gold nugget obtained from computer motherboards in three parts. The largest of these parts is around five millimeters wide. Credit: ETH Zurich/Alan Kovacevic" class="wp-image-1968794"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The gold nugget obtained from computer motherboards in three parts. The largest of these parts is around five millimeters wide. Click image to enlarge. Credit: ETH Zurich/Alan Kovacevic</figcaption></figure>



Recycling lives or dies on the balance sheet. Here the math looks encouraging. 



Procurement and energy costs for the entire operation are about fifty times lower than the market value of the gold retrieved. Even after accounting for labor and overhead, that margin hints at solid profit for commercial recyclers.



Lower operating costs open doors for smaller regional plants. Instead of shipping obsolete electronics overseas, communities could process them nearby, cutting transportation emissions and keeping revenue local.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-e-waste-has-more-than-just-gold">e-Waste has more than just gold</h2>



Gold steals headlines, yet the technique need not stop there. By tweaking pH or tailoring the protein structure, the same sort of sponge could sort copper, cobalt, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-captured-on-video-forming-out-of-thin-air-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">palladium</a> - metals vital for batteries and sensors. 



The team is already experimenting with pea‑protein waste from plant‑based milk production and collagen from fish scales. Success would guard against supply bottlenecks tied to a single dairy stream.



E‑waste is not the only target. Industrial rinse water from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-computer-defeats-a-supercomputer-in-crucial-annealing-optimization-task/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microchip fabrication</a> and gold‑plating shops also carries trace metals worth reclaiming. A modular protein sponge could slip into those lines, trimming costs and curbing runoff.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taking-the-next-steps">Taking the next steps</h2>



“The fact I love the most is that we’re using a food industry byproduct to obtain gold from electronic waste,” Mezzenga says. In a very real sense, the method transforms two waste products into gold. “You can’t get much more sustainable than that!”



If pilot projects scale as hoped, tomorrow’s recycling centers may sit beside creameries and food processors, quietly turning yesterday’s whey and last decade’s gadgets into tomorrow’s circuit traces. 



The approach will not halt mining overnight, but every recovered ounce delays a blast, a slurry pond, or a diesel haul truck. 



That shift, multiplied across millions of phones and laptops, offers a straightforward path toward lighter footprints and longer‑lived resources - no new mountains required.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202310642" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advanced Materials</a>.



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Invention turns e-waste into 22-carat gold nuggets instead of toxic trash

The thin line of gold behind every tap, swipe, and click on our electronic devices rarely enters daily conversation, yet the metal keeps digital life running, then eventually turn into landfills full of toxic e-waste. From the contacts in a phone jack to the chips inside a smartwatch, gold moves electrons smoothly and shrugs off corrosion. Mining more, however, blasts mountains, drains rivers, and spews carbon. With the global appetite for electronics still climbing, attention has turned to the growing junkyard of cast‑off gadgets. E‑waste is now...

Although the therapeutic value of sunlight exposure is often overshadowed by its harmful risks, the health benefits of the sun are actually incredible. Sunlight therapy, or heliotherapy, has been used since the time of the ancient Greeks. 

Ultraviolet rays from the sun help create Vitamin D which promotes bone health, fights cancer, and protects brain health. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-solar-cells-absorb-sunlight/">Sunlight</a> also helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol, cures depression, and builds up the body's immunity.

As we approach the official start of winter, the sunny days of summer start to seem like a distant dream. But there are some places in the country where the sun shines nearly all of the time. If you are feeling inspired to escape dreary winter weather, here are the top ten cities in the United States where sunshine is the most abundant.

&nbsp;

Yuma, Arizona

With a 90 percent chance of sunshine year-round, Yuma is not only the sunniest city in the United States but is also the sunniest place on Earth. Yuma receives more than 4,000 sunlight hours per year and averages 11 sunny hours per day.

&nbsp;

Redding, California

Located in northeastern California, the city of Redding takes over as the sunniest destination in the United States during the summer months. On average, Redding has sunny days 88 percent of the time.

&nbsp;

Phoenix, Arizona

Known for its long, hot summers in the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix has sunshine 85 percent of the time. An average of 3,872 sunshine hours per year makes it one of the top ten sunniest places in the world.

&nbsp;

Las Vegas, Nevada

Just behind Phoenix, Las Vegas has an average of 3,825 hours per year with an 85 percent chance of sunshine on any given day. The city also has very little humidity and less than five inches of rain per year.

&nbsp;

Tucson, Arizona

Tucson is another sunny destination in the Sonoran Desert which has sunny weather 85 percent of the time. This city is slightly cooler than Phoenix and gets about 12 inches of rain per year.

&nbsp;

El Paso, Texas

If you are visiting this west Texas town, there is an 84 percent chance you will have a sunny afternoon. Located in the Rio Grande across from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, El Paso receives just over 9 inches of rain annually. 

&nbsp;

Fresno, California

With hot summers and mild winters, the sun shines about 79 percent of the time in Fresno. Located in the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno is a major gateway to Yosemite National Park.

&nbsp;

Reno, Nevada

Also having a 79 percent chance of sun, Reno has an average of 252 sunny days per year. Reno is the largest city in northern Nevada, located on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

&nbsp;

Flagstaff, Arizona

Flagstaff has 266 days a year with sunny skies and an average of 78 percent sunshine. At an elevation of 7,000 feet, the city is located on a mountain surrounded by volcanoes.

&nbsp;

Sacramento, California

Sacramento has a 78 percent chance of sunshine throughout the year, and the likelihood of catching a sunny day in Sacramento during July and August jumps to 96 percent. The city, which is located in the northern part of California’s Central Valley, receives 3,608 hours of sunlight every year.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The top 10 sunniest cities in the United States

Although the therapeutic value of sunlight exposure is often overshadowed...

The moon is covered in craters, and most of those were formed during a period called the “late accretion” or the late heavy bombardment. This era refers to the time just after the moon was first formed, when early Earth was pelted with debris. 

Scientists theorized that the late heavy bombardment is when the Earth received the last of its mass, meaning the debris that struck was either integrated or accreted into the new planet. 

Accretion is the process of growing by gradual accumulation. For example, think about the gravitational force that brings enough debris together to form a planet. 

Integration, on the other hand, would have occurred if the debris were assimilated into the Earth’s mantle.

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.swri.org/">Southwest Research Institute</a> has revealed that the late bombardment delivered more mass to the Earth than was thought. 

“We modeled the massive collisions and how metals and silicates were integrated into Earth during this 'late accretion stage,' which lasted for hundreds of millions of years after the Moon formed,” said Dr. Simone Marchi, the lead author of the study. “Based on our simulations, the late accretion mass delivered to Earth may be significantly greater than previously thought, with important consequences for the earliest evolution of our planet.” 

It was previously thought that early planet debris integrated into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-zealand-fault-line/">Earth</a> during its final stage of formation accounted for only a half percent of the Earth’s mass. 

These conclusions come from the number of elements in the Earth's mantle, such as gold and platinum. This means that during the late bombardment, the elements were “tacked onto”  the planet after the core was formed. 

However, for this new study, the researchers created new high-resolution impact simulations that told a different story. 

Instead of only accreting into the mantle, some of the elements in their metallic core form could have assimilated into the Earth’s core, making up much more of the Earth’s mass than thought. 

This study could help researchers better understand how the Earth and moon were formed, and the importance of the late accretion to the Earth and moon’s geological makeup. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Debris from the moon’s formation reshaped the Earth

The moon is covered in craters, and most of those...

Deep below New England, an enormous mass of warm rock has been slowly rising up, according to new research. This steady trend could indicate a major volcanic eruption, although researchers say that probably won’t occur for millions of years. 

The new study conducted by researchers from <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> and <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> provides new insight into how the Earth’s continental crust behaves right under our feet. 

“Our study challenges the established notion of how the continents on which we live behave,” said Vadim Levin, a geophysicist, and the lead author. “It challenges the textbook concepts taught in introductory geology classes.”

For the study, the researchers collected data from the National Science Foundation’s <a href="http://www.earthscope.org/">EarthScope</a> program. 

EarthScope has installed thousands of seismic and other geophysical instruments across the continental United States. The devices, which were spaced 46.6 miles apart, collected and recorded seismic data for two years. 

EarthScope's mission is to “study the structure and evolution of the North American continent and the processes that cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.”

The Rutgers University study focused primarily on data coming from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-england-forests-threat/">New England</a>. Previously, researchers had recorded a pocket in the Earth’s upper mantle in that area that was hundreds of degrees Celsius warmer than other neighboring areas. 

Levin noted that this warm pocket was an upwelling or a mass of rising rock. 

“The upwelling we detected is like a hot air balloon, and we infer that something is rising up through the deeper part of our planet under New England,” said Levin. “It is not Yellowstone (National Park)-like, but it's a distant relative in the sense that something relatively small - no more than a couple hundred miles across - is happening.” 

The discovery is unprecedented as the researchers note that the crust and plates beneath most of the United States are relatively fixed in their location. But this upwelling shows that there are major changes happening deep below the Earth’s surface. 

Levin says the next steps are to focus on what is causing the upwelling and if there are other parts of the world experiencing similar activity. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A huge mass of warm rock is rising under New England

Deep below New England, an enormous mass of warm rock...

Researchers have determined that medium-sized carnivores spend more time hunting for food than smaller and larger carnivores. This means that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/battling-climate-change-misinformation/">climate change</a> will have a bigger impact on medium-sized predators, as changes in the environment will affect the availability of their food.

It has been long assumed that foraging time decreased as animal size increased. But now, a study from <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> and the <a href="https://www.zsl.org/">Zoological Society of London </a>demonstrates that this is not the case.

The researchers obtained data on land predators worldwide, from small predators to large predators. For their investigation, the team used tracking methods such as radio collars and GPS. Overall, they examined 73 land-based carnivore species.

The analysis revealed that medium-sized species of predators, such as the leopard cat and the crab-eating fox, spent the largest amount of time foraging. The researchers explained that the findings of the study provide a more accurate model to forecast the vulnerability of animals to habitat loss and climate change.

"We propose a simple mathematical model that predicts how foraging time depends on body size,” said study co-author Dr Samraat Pawar. “This can help predict potential risks to predators facing environmental change.”

"Habitat changes can mean that predators have to move more to find the same amount of food, causing them greater stress,” said Pawar. “This impacts the health of the individual, and therefore the health of the population.” 

Study co-author Matteo Rizzuto explained that the extent to which species are vulnerable will also depend on the kind of prey they feed on. "If they are able to adapt their diet and diversify their prey, they may fare better,” said Rizzuto.

The mathematical model developed by the researchers helped explain why medium-sized predators spend so much more time searching for food. This is because they tend to feed on animals that are small in relation to their own body size.

Study co-author Dr. Chris Carbone said, "Prey that are much smaller than a predator are hard to find and catch, and therefore do not easily satisfy the predator's energy needs and provide insufficient 'bang for the buck'."

The study is published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Medium-sized carnivores face biggest threat from climate change

Researchers have determined that medium-sized carnivores spend more time hunting...

Researchers from <a href="https://vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a> have discovered that invasive plant species are not only highly adaptable, but are also able to adjust to new environments for survival. This means that the plants do not need conditions similar to their native environment in order to thrive.

Study co-author Jacob Barney is an associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science.

"This is important for both changing how we think about species and where they grow," said Barney. "The findings also change our ability to predict where they will grow, and how they may respond in a changing climate. This could be a game-changer for invasive species risk assessment and conservation."

The researchers set out to challenge the assumption that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/battling-climate-change-misinformation/">climate</a> limitations of plants do not change. The team completely disproved this theory while investigating over 800 plant species with new models they developed.

"Some people would say that invasive species have different distributions in a new climate. But we found they are occupying a wider range of new climates," said study co-author Dan Atwater. "Species are changing in their ecology when they move from one continent to another. We should expect species to change, possibly permanently, when they cross continents."

In order to find out if  invasive species occupy the same climate in invasive range that they do in their native range, the team compared 815 terrestrial native and invasive plant species from every continent. They also examined millions of occurrence points, or locations where the plants have been known to occur, and compared models.

A climatic niche refers to the climates in which a species has a stable population. The researchers identified climatic niche shifts in all of the plant species, with the largest shifts occurring in long-lived and cultivated species. This means that cultivated plants with long lifespans are particularly skilled at thriving in different climates.

"There are not only implications for predicting where invasive species will occur, there are management repercussions as well," said Barney. "As an example, for certain species we use biocontrol, introducing one organism to control another, an approach that may not be effective or safe if the targeted species undergoes ecological change. When we do climate modeling, we assume the climate niche may be the same when it may not be. So, there are a broad range of implications in a broad range of fields."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Virginia Tech

Invasive plants can change according to their environment

Researchers from Virginia Tech have discovered that invasive plant species...

Even though most volcanoes erupt beneath the ocean, scientists do not know much about underwater volcanic activity. Gabrielle Tepp of the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> (USGS) says that improved monitoring could help provide insight into submarine eruptions. 

"It's very difficult to study underwater volcanoes because it's hard to put instruments in the water, especially long-term," said Tepp.

Depending on the immensity of an underwater eruption, gas and ash may break through the surface of the ocean with the potential to interfere with air travel. 

"The ocean is a big place so it's pretty unlikely that you're going to have a situation where a ship haphazardly wanders over an eruption, but there are a few that have come close," said Tepp. 

Submarine eruptions can also create a floating blanket of rocks, called a pumice raft, which can damage boats and obstruct harbors.

Furthermore, submarine volcanoes change the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-noise-pollution-fish/">soundscape</a> of the ocean. Observations of two separate underwater eruptions revealed that they made very different sounds. This indicated to researchers that different processes took place during the eruptions.

The two eruptions were recorded on distant seismometers, which measure waves passing through the ground to record earthquakes. When volcanoes erupt directly into the water, the sounds can travel for thousands of miles.

"Eruptions that create a loud enough sound, in the right location, can travel pretty far, even from one ocean to another," Tepp said. "It makes you wonder, how many of these signals have we seen on distant instruments where nobody knew what they were, and it's a submarine volcano from halfway around the world?"

Tepp and fellow researchers at the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration </a>and the USGS recently deployed a number of hydrophones in the Northern Mariana Islands. The data, which will be collected next summer, may help the experts to determine where and how often local volcanoes erupt to see if the area needs better hazard monitoring.

Tepp will present a discussion on the challenges and benefits of remote monitoring and what it can teach us about submarine eruptions at the 174th Meeting of the <a href="http://acousticalsociety.org/">Acoustical Society of America</a> in New Orleans this week.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Photo Credit: Dave Withrow (NOAA/Fisheries)

Underwater volcanoes can disrupt travel and the ocean soundscape

Even though most volcanoes erupt beneath the ocean, scientists do...

The Niassa National Reserve in Mozambique is the largest protected area in the country, spanning 16,300 square miles. The reserve is home to a large population of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/us-mexico-border-wall-threaten-100-endangered-species/">endangered wildlife</a> and people who can legally live there. 

Deforestation is a major cause for concern, especially in places like the Niassa Reserve where habitat loss has already become widespread. In Africa, deforestation rates are five times higher than the global average. 

A new study, published in the journal Parks, found that even though the Niassa reserve has undergone some deforestation, it could support lion and elephants with populations in the thousands because of its massive size. 

For the study, researchers examined land-use and tree cover and concluded that the reserve had lost 41 square miles of forest between 2001 and 2014. But put into perspective, this is a small amount (one percent) of the total forest in the reserve. 

The fact that the reserve, despite forest loss, could still support large populations of elephants and lions lends hope that conservation efforts are working, and protected areas are staying, for the most part, protected. 

“The fact that forest loss is much lower than in the surrounding region or in many other African protected areas is a very encouraging result,” said James Allan of the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland </a>in Australia, the study’s lead author.

The results are especially exciting because of the opportunity for large populations of animals to thrive in the remaining parts of the reserve. 

It’s widely known that poaching is a huge issue for elephants, rhinos and other threatened and endangered species in African countries. In Niassa, more than 8,000 animals were poached in the last six years. 

Poaching is not the only threat to wildlife in the reserve, but the researchers say that with the right management strategy and enough investment, the Niassa reserve could hold populations of larger wildlife in the tens of thousands. 

Very few places exist on Earth today that could support those kinds of population numbers, and this further emphasizes the importance of keeping the Niassa reserve intact and making forest conservation and biodiversity a priority. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A safe place for elephants in Africa

The Niassa National Reserve in Mozambique is the largest protected...

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When a supermoon rises in the night sky tonight, it’ll be the first – and last – of 2017. The full moon will be closer to the Earth today than it has been at any other time this year, making it appear much bigger and brighter than usual.

A supermoon is classified as a full moon during the period when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth, a point called the perigee. At its closest point to the Earth on Sunday, the moon will be only 222,135 miles away from Earth. Normally, the moon is about 238,900 miles from our planet.

“Full moons can occur at any point along the moon’s elliptical path, but when a full moon occurs at or near the perigee, it looks slightly larger and brighter than a typical full moon,” <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> educational tech specialist Lyle Tavernier told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>.

At around 3:45 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast, the moon will be closer to our planet than it’s been since November 2016. 

However, the best time to see the heavenly show will be just after sunset, thanks to a phenomenon known as the “moon illusion.” When the moon is closer to the horizon, it looks larger to the naked eye – if not to cameras. 

To catch the full effect of the supermoon on film (or a memory card), NASA suggests <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/shoot-the-supermoon-like-a-pro">using a telephoto lens</a> and adjusting settings for low light. And, of course, getting away from ambient light sources can help, so for the best photo opportunities head out of cities or towns to rural areas.

The supermoon will begin rising just before 5:30 p.m. on the East Coast, and just before 4:30 p.m. on the West Coast. 

But if you’re not looking skyward when the supermoon rises tonight, don’t worry. Two more are coming in the first month of 2018. Not only will the supermoon on January 31 be a rare “blue” moon – the second full moon within a month – but western North America and Eastern Asia will be treated to a total lunar eclipse the same night, according to NASA.

“The lunar eclipse on Jan. 31 will be visible during moonset, NASA research scientist Noah Petro told <a href="https://www.space.com/38969-supermoon-trilogy-kicks-off-dec-3.html">Space.com</a>. “Folks in the eastern United States, where the eclipse will be partial, will have to get up in the morning to see it.”

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Video Credit: <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/sciencecasts/a-supermoon-trilogy">NASA</a>

Keep an eye on the skies: 2017's only supermoon rises tonight

When a supermoon rises in the night sky tonight, it’ll...

Researchers have identified two pesticides that are making songbirds severely ill. Pesticides known as neonicotinoids and organophosphates, which are among the most widely used in the world, have been previously linked to declining bee populations.

Now, biologists have witnessed firsthand just how harmful the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pesticides-bumblebees-buzzing/">pesticides</a> are for birds as well. 

A study by researchers at the <a href="https://globalnews.ca/search/university-of-saskatchewan/">University of Saskatchewan</a> is unprecedented in demonstrating the toxic effects of neonicotinoids and organophosphates in birds. The research team fed sparrows varying doses of the pesticides over the course of three days during spring migration.

The experts found that the birds suffered from drastic weight loss and completely lost their sense of direction after ingesting only three or four seeds affected by an insecticide in the class of neonicotinoids known as imidacloprid.

“What surprised us was how sensitive and rapid the effects were, particularly to imidacloprid,” said study co-author Christy Morrissey. “The birds showed a significant loss of body mass and signs of acute poisoning (lethargy and loss of appetite).”

“The migration trials also showed that birds completely failed to orient or changed their northward orientation,” said Morrissey.

Study co-author Margaret Eng said that the team found it encouraging that most of the birds observed in the study recovered after they stopped ingesting the pesticides.

“But the effects we saw were severe enough that the birds would likely experience migratory delays or changes in their flight routes that could reduce their chance of survival, or cause a missed breeding opportunity,” said Eng.

According to Morrissey, the findings of this study could have a major impact on the regulation of these pesticides.

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

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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

Pesticides found to be extremely toxic to birds

Researchers have identified two pesticides that are making songbirds severely...

Earthquakes happen every day. The <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/contactus/golden/neic.php">National Earthquake Information Center</a> actually locates up to 14,000 earthquakes per year, yet most are so small that they go unnoticed. Earthquakes that measure less than a magnitude of 2 happen hundreds of times a day, while earthquakes that measure magnitude 8 and higher occur only about once a year. 

While scientists cannot predict when a large earthquake will happen, they can often pinpoint where these events will strike. The following are the cities which experts believe are the most likely to experience a major earthquake.

&nbsp;

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is located on top of the Ring of Fire, an intense region of seismic activity in the Pacific Ocean which is responsible for 80 percent of all strong earthquakes. A study from the University of Tokyo found that the city has a 98 percent chance of experiencing a large earthquake over the next 30 years.

&nbsp;

Jakarta, Indonesia

Also located over the Pacific Ring of Fire, small earthquakes are common in Jakarta. Half of the city is below sea level, making this city extremely vulnerable to flooding or ground liquefaction in the event of a major earthquake. 

&nbsp;

Manila, Philippines

Manila, which is also prone to volcanoes, tsunamis, and typhoons due to its position on the Ring of Fire, experiences frequent earthquakes. Because of its current infrastructure, it is predicted that almost 17 million people will be exposed to damage, death, or injury in the event of an intense earthquake.

&nbsp;

Los Angeles, California

The state of California sits on the San Andreas fault,  a major fault line that forms the tectonic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. Both plates are moving northward, but the Pacific Plate is moving faster, creating a lot of pressure that is likely to be released in the form of a massive earthquake.

&nbsp;

Quito, Ecuador

In this region, the Nazca plate is diving beneath South America. According to the geological survey, the plate is moving eastward at 61 millimeters per year, causing an enormous amount of tension. Ecuador just had an intense magnitude 7.8 earthquake last April. 

&nbsp;

Osaka, Japan

In Osaka, 14.6 million people would be affected by a big earthquake, which is likely to happen due to Japan’s position over the volatile Ring of Fire. A disaster in this city would be catastrophic to the country’s economy, according to experts.

&nbsp;

San Francisco, California

Scientists say that the state of California is 99 percent likely to experience a huge earthquake within the next 30 years. The devastation could be the worst in San Francisco, which is located near the Cascadia Subduction Zone opposite the Ring of Fire. This region is so dangerous that experts warn an earthquake here could reach a magnitude of 9, which only happens once in hundreds of years.

&nbsp;

Lima, Peru

Earthquakes have been a common occurrence in Lima for thousands of years. This is due to Peru’s location over the boundary of two tectonic plates, the Nazca Plate and the South American Plate, which collide a little more each day and release the pressure in the form of earthquakes.

&nbsp;

Tehran, Iran

Scientists warn that a large earthquake expected to hit Tehran will kill hundreds of thousands of people. Seismologists have put the risk of an earthquake of magnitude 6 or greater at 90 percent, and experts say that the area is just too populated to handle this sort of catastrophe.

&nbsp;

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is positioned near the center of the North Anatolian fault zone. The Marmara section of the fault zone which includes Istanbul is known to rupture every 250 years and the last earthquake was in 1766. Scientists say that a massive earthquake could strike any day.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

10 cities most likely to be struck by an earthquake

Earthquakes happen every day. The National Earthquake Information Center actually...

A Canadian fishing crew caught a lobster off the coast of New Brunswick that is truly one-of-a-kind. The lobster has a Pepsi logo plastered across its claw like a tattoo. 

Karissa Lindstrand, the woman that noticed the interesting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-lobster-numbers-decline-maine/">lobster</a> while it was being loaded in a crate to have its claws banded, drinks Pepsi every day and quickly identified the image. 

There is no telling how the image got there, and some are speculating that the lobster must have grown inside of a Pepsi can. But Lindstrand claims that the picture was pixelated, which means it likely did not originate from a can.

Lindstrand told the<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/"> Globe and Mail</a>, “It looked like the image was tattooed on the lobster claw. I've just seen deformed claws. I've never seen anything like this before with the image of a Pepsi symbol.”

Lindstrand explained that the image was not paper but could be scraped off. 

“I'm still trying to wrap my brain around what exactly it was,” she said. “I just happened to notice a blue picture, and got looking at it closer and it was a Pepsi can.”

The discovery comes at a time when a growing collection of evidence suggests that the pollution in Earth’s oceans is expanding out of control. Researchers are now estimating that between five and 13 millions tons of plastic is being dumped into the ocean every year.

Matthew Abbott is a marine coordinator with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick. He suggested that the lobster claw delivers an important message.

 “What it really tells us is the prevalence of marine debris in our coastal waters,” said Abbott. “This is a case where the lobster not necessarily has been hurt by it, but it shows that even in the relatively deep waters off Grand Manan there’s garbage down there.”

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Karissa Lindstrand

Ocean pollution: Pepsi logo found plastered on lobster’s claw

A Canadian fishing crew caught a lobster off the coast...

Researchers have determined that an underground commute may be harmful to your health. A study from the <a href="https://viterbischool.usc.edu/">USC Viterbi School of Engineering</a> has found that underground transit routes are likely to contain higher levels of carcinogens in the air.

90 percent of the 4.5 million people that make up the workforce in Los Angeles spend an average of one hour each day commuting. The research team set out to examine potential environmental benefits of different modes of transportation in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/watering-lawns-lost-gallons-water/">Los Angeles</a> area.

Using devices with particle sensors, the researchers collected air samples along major commuter routes, including freeways I-110 and I-710, the Metro Red and Gold Lines, as well as Wilshire and Sunset Boulevards. These sites represented a range of traffic and environmental conditions.

Diesel-fueled commercial trucks transporting cargo are frequently traveling on the 710, while the 110 allows only non-commercial vehicles across much of its length. The streets surveyed by the team also have much less commercial traffic. 

In addition, the Gold Line is a light rail that is above ground and the older Red Line travels entirely underground.

The researchers used cancer potency factors obtained from the EPA and California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). They calculated cancer and non-cancerous health risks based on a lifetime of exposure commuting one hour a day, five days a week, for 30 years of employment.

The study revealed that the maximum Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk for the Red Line was ten-times higher than the acceptable threshold of one-in-a-million. This was caused by high levels of hexavalent chromium measured in the air of the train cars. The researchers said this was likely due to a buildup of dust resulting from friction on the steel tracks and also due to the lack of ventilation on the underground line. 

The study authors pointed out that the Red Line is the most used of the six Los Angeles Metro lines, accounting for about 40 percent of total commutes on these rail lines annually.

Although the team found some measurable concentrations of hexavalent chromium along the other routes, including inside personal automobiles, the maximum Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk for these routes was found to be within the safety threshold. Overall, the lowest levels of hexavalent chromium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were found within the Metro Gold Line.

The design of the Red Line, which does not have open windows and has a ventilation system, actually prevented even higher concentrations of carcinogens inside the train cars.

"What we report is actually the absolute, most protective case scenario for the Red Line," said study author Constantinos Sioutas. "The initial premise of our study was to prove that you are better off not driving and instead taking the subway and the light rail. We proved part of the point with the light rail, but we were completely refuted insofar as the Red Line because of the chromium levels.”

The researchers believe that other underground subway systems are likely to have similar issues. They explained that individuals who spend more time in the subway have a higher health risk.


The research is published in <a href="http://www.aaqr.org/">Aerosol and Air Quality Research</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

An underground commute may pose serious health risks

Researchers have determined that an underground commute may be harmful...

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 



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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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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