The world’s seas have long acted as a planetary safety net, soaking up excess heat and roughly a quarter of all human-generated carbon dioxide. 



Yet this crucial buffer is anything but uniform. Some waters capture carbon, others release it, and the balance can swing in a matter of days.



Until now, most global maps blurred those variations into month-long snapshots at coarse, 100-kilometer grids. 



A new satellite-driven product called <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/13/777/2021/">OceanSODA-ETHZ</a> changes that picture, offering eight-day updates at 25-kilometer resolution and revealing the ocean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-carbon-sinks-are-being-pushed-to-their-limits/">carbon sink</a> in unprecedented detail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-fill-ocean-carbon-gaps">Satellites fill ocean carbon gaps</h2>



Direct readings of surface-water CO2 come from ships and buoys, leaving vast gaps in space and time.



“Increasing the resolution of these global datasets is challenging because the number of direct measurements of carbon dioxide at the ocean’s surface is rather sparse across all regions and times,” explained project co-leader Nicolas Gruber of ETH Zurich.



To fill those gaps, Gruber’s team paired the in situ data with a suite of Earth-observation satellites that sense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-are-substantially-changing-the-seasons-of-the-ocean/">sea-surface temperature</a>, color, wind, and more - variables tightly linked to how much CO2 water can hold.



Feeding that information into a cascade of machine-learning algorithms produced a fine-grained, eight-day global mosaic.



“This new version maps the parameters of the ocean carbon system every eight days at a resolution of about 25 by 25 kilometers, more than 30 times finer than previous products,” Gruber said.



“A critical part of the approach is the use of satellite data, which provides detailed information to interpolate the measurements in time and space.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-track-ocean-carbon-changes">Satellites track ocean carbon changes</h2>



Presented this week at <a href="https://lps25.esa.int/">ESA’s Living Planet Symposium</a>, the dataset already highlights dramatic short-term swings. 



An animation released by the team tracks the 2017 Atlantic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-hurricanes-help-oceans-fight-climate-change/">hurricane</a> season, when storms such as Maria and Irma churned deep, carbon-rich waters to the surface.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/cEUvoY8krHM?si=cX1giVtLnycyFKqr
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Animation generated using the new OceanSODA-ETHZv2 product by Luke Gregor, Jamie Shutler and Nicolas Gruber</figcaption></figure>



In the visualization, red plumes - areas where the sea outgasses CO2 - flare beneath the swirling wind arrows, then fade as cooler, oxygen-laden surface layers return.



Jamie Shutler from the University of Exeter, while not involved in developing the product, is already using it for storm studies.



“Thanks to its fine detail, the dataset can help us separate and understand the influence of events like hurricanes - where deep water, often high in carbon, can be forced to rise to the surface - which can cause sudden spikes or changes in surface ocean carbon dioxide levels,” said Shutler.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-view-of-ocean-acidification">A new view of ocean acidification</h2>



Every molecule of CO2 that the ocean absorbs reacts with seawater, lowering pH and shifting carbonate chemistry in ways that erode coral skeletons, thin oyster shells, and alter plankton communities.



Until now, researchers tracking this “other CO2 problem” relied on sparse records or coarse climatologies. 



OceanSODA-ETHZ delivers near-real-time fields of surface pH and carbonate ions, letting scientists watch <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-is-spreading-into-deeper-waters/">acidification</a> pulses unfold as upwelling, rainfall, or melting sea ice change local chemistry.



Because the product also extends back to 1985, analysts can mine four decades of fine-scale variability to see where buffers are weakening and hotspots are emerging. 



Those insights can feed into fisheries management, coastal planning, and global carbon-budget assessments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-esa-powers-new-ocean-maps">ESA powers new ocean maps</h2>



The dataset is the latest deliverable from <a href="https://eo4society.esa.int/">ESA’s FutureEO “Science for Society” program</a>, which funds innovative uses of satellite records.



“The fact that we can use this method to gain new insights into the exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere - and on the ocean acidification altogether - is a great step forward in ocean science,” said Roberto Sabia, an ocean scientist at <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth">ESA Earth-Observation</a>. 



Gruber and colleagues emphasize that OceanSODA-ETHZ is not a static atlas but a living product that can assimilate new ship measurements and leverage upcoming satellite missions.



Higher-resolution sensors such as <a href="https://pace.gsfc.nasa.gov/">NASA’s PACE</a> and <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Copernicus_Sentinel_Expansion_missions">ESA’s Copernicus Expansion</a> promise even clearer views of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plankton-help-predict-ocean-biodiversity-losses/">plankton</a> blooms, sea-surface roughness, and dissolved organic matter - all factors that modulate carbon exchange.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forecasts-of-regional-carbon-uptake">Forecasts of regional carbon uptake</h2>



Ultimately, the goal is to couple these detailed maps with ocean-atmosphere models, yielding short-term forecasts of regional carbon uptake akin to daily weather predictions.



Such tools could alert coastal managers when acidification thresholds are likely to be breached or help negotiators refine national emissions budgets by tracking natural carbon sinks more precisely.



For now, the new product already reshapes our understanding of the ocean’s role in moderating climate. 



Where earlier charts smoothed over crucial dynamics, OceanSODA-ETHZ reveals a living, breathing carbon landscape - one where swirling eddies, roaring storms, and shifting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-ocean-currents-play-a-huge-role-in-earths-climate/">currents</a> all leave their stamp on the planet’s most important carbon reservoir.



Image Credit: ESA



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Satellites reveal how oceans absorb carbon in unprecedented detail

The world’s seas have long acted as a planetary safety net, soaking up excess heat and roughly a quarter of all human-generated carbon dioxide. Yet this crucial buffer is anything but uniform. Some waters capture carbon, others release it, and the balance can swing in a matter of days. Until now, most global maps blurred those variations into month-long snapshots at coarse, 100-kilometer grids. A new satellite-driven product called OceanSODA-ETHZ changes that picture, offering eight-day updates at 25-kilometer resolution and revealing the ocean carbon sink in unprecedented...

<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> scientists have ranked 2017 as the second hottest year on record. The experts explained that in 2016, which holds the record as the hottest year in history, an El Niño event pushed temperatures higher. In 2017, however, temperatures broke records without the help of an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-nino-ice-shelves/">El Niño</a>.

March of 2017 was particularly exceptional. According to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “This marked the first time the monthly temperature departure from average surpassed 1.8°F (1.0°C) in the absence of an El Niño episode in the tropical Pacific Ocean.”

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, which includes both El Nino and La Niña, causes global changes in temperatures and rainfall levels. El Niño results in warmer sea surface and atmospheric temperatures, while La Niña events leave the ocean and air colder than usual.

Greenhouse gas emissions are also affecting temperatures, and global warming has raised temperatures an average of 1 degree Celsius since the late 19th century. Since 2001, the planet has experienced 17 out of the 18 hottest years since record-keeping began in 1880.

Gavin A. Schmidt is the director of <a href="https://www.giss.nasa.gov/">NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies</a>, which conducted the study.

“Individual ranking of years is not necessarily the most important thing,” Schmidt told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a>. “What we’re seeing is an increasing string of years of temperatures more than 1 degree above the pre-industrial era. And we’re not going to go back.”

Scientists are linking an abnormally warm February, in particular, to climate change. And the experts are saying that Earth’s changing environment is also to blame for the extent of the damaging hurricanes and wildfires that struck the United States in 2017.

“Despite colder than average temperatures in any one part of the world, temperatures over the planet as a whole continue the rapid warming trend we’ve seen over the last 40 years,” said Schmidt.

More details on the study by NASA can be found on their Global Climate Change <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2671/long-term-warming-trend-continued-in-2017-nasa-noaa/">website</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

2017 was the second hottest year on record

NASA scientists have ranked 2017 as the second hottest year...

Megacities are defined as cities that contain at least 10 million people, and while that may seem like an overwhelming place to live, almost 10 percent of the world’s population lives in megacities. Dominated by skyscrapers and concrete, these cities are testaments to man’s triumph over nature. But could nature make these megacities a better place to live?

Many modern megacities use a good portion of their land to contain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-grow-faster-cities/">urban forests</a>. These forests can be as small as a few trees in someone’s backyard, or a major park in the middle of a city. Roughly 20 percent of the area in each of the world’s megacities today is urban forest. But a recent study in <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecological-modelling">Ecological Modelling</a> finds that planting just 20 percent more trees in megacities would serve to double the benefits that urban forests provide.

These benefits include pollution reduction, carbon sequestration, and energy reduction. “By cultivating the trees within the city, residents and visitors get direct benefits," says Theodore Endreny, Ph.D., PH, PE, lead author of the paper and a professor in the Department of Environmental Resources Engineering at the <a href="http://www.esf.edu/">State University of New York ESF</a> campus. “They’re getting an immediate cleansing of the air that’s around them. They’re getting that direct cooling from the tree, and even food and other products. There’s potential to increase the coverage of urban forests in our megacities, and that would make them more sustainable, better places to live.”

The study took place at <a href="https://www.uniparthenope.it/">Parthenope University</a> of Naples in Italy, and utilized a tool called i-Tree Canopy to estimate the tree coverage in cities, and the potential for more urban forest cover. In ten megacities across five continents, the researchers analyzed current tree cover, as well as the benefits of urban forests. They estimate that these benefits carry a monetary value of more than $500 million per year.

Researchers also found that each city they assessed had the potential to host 20 percent more forest canopy coverage. However, city planners and local authorities will have to change their perception of the natural resources that are currently available to cities in order to see the true benefits of building up nature within a metropolitan area.

“Everyone can take action to increase the urban forest areas in our cities, not just city planners,” says Dr. Endreny. “You can visit the free resource itreetools.org to find out how much coverage there is in your city now, find out where you could plant more trees in your area and see how the benefits of the urban forest increase as more trees are planted.” You too can feel the power of environmental benefits in your own hands, and it feels a lot like soil and seeds.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Quality of life improves if megacities add 20 percent more trees

Megacities are defined as cities that contain at least 10...

What do we appreciate from nature? Most people would likely answer the food we eat, water we drink, and air we breathe. But this type of thinking is what has led to the potentially shortsighted idea that nature is solely a source of services or commodities.

In a new publication in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/journals">Science</a>, thirty international experts associated with the <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/">Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services</a> (IPBES), present a new approach to our thinking. They outline the idea of using all of nature’s contributions to people in order to inform policies and decisions.

“For more than a decade, policies about nature have been dominated by knowledge from the natural sciences and economics,” says Professor Sandra Diaz. “The vibrant research developed from this ‘ecosystem services’ approach - popularized by the landmark 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment - has advanced sustainability, but largely excluded insights and tools from the social sciences, humanities and other key worldviews.”

Diax believes that by broadening our notion of nature’s contributions to our society, we see that culture is the consistent factor linked to people and nature. Thinking in this manner also allows us to recognize other “knowledge systems,” like those of local communities and indigenous peoples.

In both developed and developing countries, people rely on nature’s contributions – whether they’re rich or poor. But in order to ensure that we are using our natural resources sustainably, we need to change the way we value nature. 

“This new inclusive framework demonstrates that while nature provides a bounty of essential goods and services, such as food, flood protection and many more, it also has rich social, cultural, spiritual and religious significance - which needs to be valued in policymaking as well,” says Sir Robert Watson, IPBES Chair and former co-chair of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.

One example of this new way of thinking revolves around <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-junk-food-tax/">food</a>. Obviously, food comes from nature and food security is an important part of any nation, with policies implemented and contested around the world. But food is also a major factor in cultural identities, art, and basic human festivities. This new approach to thinking would better represent these more abstract concepts.

While this all sounds slightly abstract, one concrete application for this approach is its uptake in large-scale expert assessments and how they are conducted. Overall, the researchers believe it will increase the effectiveness and legitimacy of policies and decisions about nature. “This inclusiveness and equity among knowledge systems and perspectives will not only make assessment processes more legitimate; it will also lead to better policy results because we will be drawing from a much richer and wider information base,” the authors say.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Changing the way we think about nature to inform policies

What do we appreciate from nature? Most people would likely...

A team of researchers at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> have constructed the first-ever global atlas of soil bacterial communities. The researchers have identified around 500 key soil species from across the planet, resulting in a guide that may be used in the future to manipulate certain functions such as soil fertility and nutrient cycling.

Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo is a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="http://cires.colorado.edu/">Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences</a> (CIRES) and the lead author of the study.

“With this research, we have started to open the black box and are gaining a better understanding of what microbes are living in our soils,” said Delgado-Baquerizo. 

Even though soil bacteria account for a large amount of Earth's living biomass and promote critical processes such as carbon cycling, the microorganisms living in soil are still poorly understood. This is primarily due to the fact that there are tens of thousands of soil species and most of them have not yet been described, which means that they do not match any existing genomic records.

“It is amazing how much we still don't know about even the most dominant microorganisms found in soil,” said study co-author Noah Fierer. “Many of them don't even have names yet.”

The research team gathered soil samples from 237 different sites across six continents and 18 countries. This collection was expansive enough to represent an entire range of climates from deserts to wetlands. The experts used DNA sequencing to identify the different bacteria and to determine which species of bacteria appeared across the various types of soil.

The study revealed that just two percent of all bacterial species, which is around 500 individual species, consistently appear in half of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antibiotics-animals-contaminating-soil/">soil</a> bacterial communities in the world. These common and dominant species will undoubtedly be the target of many future studies.

“Now that we have this list, we can really focus our research efforts to categorize these major groups and see where they are and what they do,” said Fierer.

Knowledge of the composition and function of soil bacteria could ultimately lead to useful agricultural applications.

“Eventually, knowing more about these bacteria might allow us to improve soil health and fertility,” said Delgado-Baquerizo. “There's a lot that we can do now that we have some tractable information.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists explore what types of bacteria live in everyday dirt

A team of researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder...

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is discreetly changing its system of approving new chemicals, according to a report from <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/">NBC News</a>. While the previous safety review process was criticized for being too slow, experts are saying that the new approach will not be as thorough.

In 2016, The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act was passed, which required the EPA to systematically review the safety of commercial chemicals. But now, former <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pruitt-clean-power-plan/">EPA</a> officials are claiming that some critical steps of the chemical review process are being eliminated, raising concerns about whether the new approach will effectively protect Americans from exposure to hazardous chemicals.


One of the biggest changes the EPA is making is the elimination of consent orders. This means that manufacturers will no longer have to sign a legal agreement that they will not use the chemicals under certain conditions. Consent orders will now only be given if the EPA believes that the intended use of a chemical poses a public health or environmental risk.

Experts explain that, under the new system, a new commercial chemical may be approved for one purpose and then end up being used later for other manufacturing purposes without a comprehensive review. The modified safety review process undermines the legislation passed with widespread approval by Congress in 2016.

Under the Obama administration, Bob Sussman served as co-chair of the Transition Team for the EPA and then as senior policy counsel to the EPA administrator.

“EPA is explicitly disavowing and downplaying a tool that’s really been a cornerstone of new chemical regulation,” Sussman told NBC News. “We believe EPA is taking a big step backward in the protection of health and the environment without an offsetting benefit.”

As an alternative to consent orders, the EPA will now put their confidence into a measure known as “significant new-use rules” to regulate chemicals that may pose a public risk if used for different purposes. Critics say there is a major difference between the former standards and the use of significant new-use rules, which often do not require testing.  

The 2016 legislation not only gave the EPA the authority to enforce a stricter review of commercial chemicals, but also required the EPA to reevaluate the safety of chemicals already in use by a certain deadline.

“What I’m observing is an effort by the agency and also some in the industry to turn back the clock and behave as though the Lautenberg Act was never passed in the first place,” former EPA official Lynn Goldman told NBC News. “The agency has been granted more authority to do testing, then it put hands in its pockets and said it doesn’t want to use this authority.”
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

EPA’s new approach to approving chemicals causing big concerns

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is discreetly changing its system...

New research out of the UK has found that microwaves in the EU emit as much carbon dioxide as nearly 7 million cars.

In the first-ever comprehensive study of the environmental impact of the ultra-popular appliance, the results show that microwaves emit 7.7 million tonnes of <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/oceans-remove-carbon-dioxide/">carbon dioxide</a> each year. This amount is equal to how much carbon is emitted annually by 6.8 million cars in the EU.

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://www.manchester.ac.uk/">University of Manchester</a>, who also found that microwaves across the EU consume as much electricity as three large power plants do every year. 

For the study, the researchers used life cycle assessment to determine the environmental impacts of microwaves. The life cycle, in this case, includes manufacturing and waste management after the microwaves are thrown out. 

Twelve different environmental factors, such as climate change and ecological toxicity, were taken into consideration when measuring the full ecological impact.

Both Manufacturing and the materials used to make microwaves are a major contributor to their impact, as they contribute more than 20% to the depletion of natural resources and climate change alone. 

In order to reduce the environmental impact, the researchers say that focus should be put on consumer awareness and creating more energy efficient models. Because of the large supply and affordability of appliances, microwaves are thrown out before the end of their lifeline. 

Throwing out appliances like microwaves not only generates tons of waste but also creates toxic waste in the process. 

“Consumers now tend to buy new appliances before the existing ones reach the end of their useful life as electronic goods have become fashionable and 'status' items,” said Dr. Alejandro Gallego-Schmid, the study’s lead author. “As a result, discarded electrical equipment, such as microwaves, is one of the fastest growing waste streams worldwide.”

According to the study, appliance lifespans are getting shorter, which causes consumers to throw them away at an increasing rate. Microwave lifespans are now almost 7 years shorter than they were 20 years ago. 

As more and more people purchase and throw out common household appliances like microwaves, the impact on the environment will increase. The research shows that implementing policies for both manufacturers and consumers is vital to reducing waste, power use, and carbon emissions. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Microwaves may be as harmful to the environment as cars

New research out of the UK has found that microwaves...

For years, <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/mount-etna-volcano-erupts/">Mount Etna</a> has been classified as an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily. But now, one scientist is exploring the idea that Mount Etna may not actually be a volcano, but instead a large, volatile hot spring. Professor Carmelo Ferlito at the <a href="https://www.unict.it/en/">University of Catania </a>has developed a study to examine how the volcano is fueled.

Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet. It produces up to 70 million tons of lava each year, as well as 7 million tons of steam, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. 

Professor Ferlito is challenging the status of Mount Etna due to the fact that it does not spew enough lava to be classified as a full-blown volcano. He says that if the gases are ejected as a result of magma rising to the surface, the volcano should be producing ten times as much lava.

Some experts believe that the lava attempts to escape during the gas emissions, but ultimately retreats back into the volcano. Professor Felito argues that this is simply not the case, as it would “inflate the volcano like a children's balloon.” 

The results of his study indicate that the volcano does not contain magma at all, but that it is simply filled with large amounts of water, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Professor Felito says that only 30 percent of Mount Etna is molten rock.

A growing collection of research supports the idea that there is a huge amount of water in the Earth's mantle. Professor Ferlito explains that this water may actually be the source of the eruptions.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/earth-science-reviews">Earth-Science Reviews</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Is Mount Etna actually a hot spring rather than a volcano?

For years, Mount Etna has been classified as an active...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has revealed that no-fishing zones are helping to save a struggling species of African penguins. The research team determined that the effects of fishing closures are greatly beneficial and should be continued and also expanded.

The experts teamed up with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/drought-western-cape/">South African</a> government and researchers from the <a href="http://www.uct.ac.za/">University of Cape Town</a>, and focused their investigation on bans against fishing for “forage fish” such as anchovies and sardines.

“The amount of forage fish caught worldwide is increasing and - although the effects are disputed - the impact on marine ecosystems could be severe,” said study co-author Dr. Richard Sherley. He explained that forage fish are an important link in the food chain because they feed on plankton and then are preyed upon by tuna, dolphins, whales, penguins, and other species.

“We need to do more to understand the circumstances in which small no-fishing zones will improve the food available to predators, but our research shows this is a promising way to help African penguins,” said Dr. Sherley.

The research team examined colonies at Dassen Island, Robben Island, St Croix Island, and Bird Island. They compared three-year periods of fishing bans with similar time frames when fishing was allowed. It was difficult to get a clear look at the overall effects that the no-fishing zones had on penguin populations because there are so many other factors that affect their livelihood.


“Decades of research may be needed to be absolutely certain of the impact on the penguins' population size,” said Dr. Sherley.

However, using a statistical method called Bayesian inference, the researchers were able to demonstrate that the fishing bans directly improved the health and survival of penguin chicks.

“There's never going to be a quick answer to problems in complex ecosystems,” said Dr. Sherley. “However, without conservation action, there's a good chance African penguins will go extinct in at least some of their current colonies. We are calling for a precautionary and adaptive approach - no-fishing zones to protect this species, with an open mind to change as more evidence emerges.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Richard Sherley

No-fishing zones helping endangered penguins bounce back

A new study from the University of Exeter has revealed...

Among the many disastrous consequences that could arise if climate change continues at its current rate, a new study from the <a href="https://www.umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> reveals that an especially worrisome impact may be on the horizon; the disappearance of our natural sources of maple syrup.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/plants/hybrid-sugar-maple-acer-leucoderme-saccharum-2/">Sugar maples</a> are known for their beautiful fall foliage, as well as being our main source of maple syrup. They also happen to be the dominant tree species in the northern hardwood forests of eastern North America, including in the Great Lakes region. Researchers have recently found that with the forecasts of warmer temperatures and increased likelihood of summer drought in the Upper Great Lakes region, the sugar maples and other trees in that area will be put under a lot of additional stress.

On the flip side, forests around the world will be exposed to rising levels of nitrogen compounds generated by cars, power plants, factories, agriculture, and other human sources. While it’s considered a pollutant, these nitrogen compounds actually have a fertilizing effect on trees, and help promote growth. For years, climate scientists and forest ecologists have wondered whether the fertilizing effects of human-derived nitrogen would be enough to offset the additional stresses of a warmer, drier climate. Previous studies have produced contradictory results.

This new study, published in the journal <a href="http://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1939-9170/">Ecology</a>, uses 20 years of data from four forest sites in both of Michigan’s peninsulas, and ultimately finds that nitrogen from human activities “will not fully compensate for the negative effects of growing under the drier forecasted climates.” As climate change marches on, the authors state that residents of the state should see a decrease in growth of sugar maples. Additionally, it appears that if the more extreme climate predictions hold true, sugar maples will eventually disappear from Michigan’s Lower Peninsula entirely.

“Under extreme climate scenarios, the increase in nitrogen won’t be able to compensate for decreased growth of sugar maples due to lack of water,” says Inés Ibáñez, an associate professor and forest ecologist at the University of Michigan.

Losing these trees would likely be a positive feedback loop, as the world’s forests remove about one-quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. Fewer trees means more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, further exacerbating the greenhouse gas problem. 

“That’s why these questions about forest growth are so important,” says Donald Zak, a professor at the University of Michigan. “And the only way to get some of the answers is through the type of long-term ecological research used in this study.”

For their study, the researchers analyzed the combined effects of soil moisture, summer temperature, and nitrogen deposition on the growth of sugar maples from four different sites in Michigan. This encompassed records from more than one thousand trees over a period of roughly 20 years. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Maple trees (and syrup) under threat from climate change

Among the many disastrous consequences that could arise if climate...

Climate change has far-reaching effects that involve more than just the weather. A recent study from <a href="http://www.americanornithology.org/content/condor-ornithological-applications">The Condor: Ornithological Applications</a> has scientists concerned that the annual migration of birds – and their corresponding reproduction – will be thrown out of sync with the seasons. 

If climate change makes it more difficult for certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/songbirds-tune-different-situations/">bird species</a> to adjust their breeding behavior, they may be unable to match the timing of raising their young to their habitat’s availability to food resources. 

The study involves researchers monitoring birds’ songs, as they are correlated with their breeding behavior and can be used to easily identify a bird species. Brett Furnas and Michael McGrann – from the <a href="https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/">California Department of Fish and Wildlife</a> and <a href="http://www.jessup.edu/">William Jessup University</a>, respectively – analyzed data from two bird survey programs from California’s Klamath Mountains and Southern Cascades. Between 2009 and 2011, the researchers used automated recorders to monitor bird sounds and provide new baseline data for the birds of northern California.

“Climate change is disrupting songbird populations, distributions, and breeding behaviors in our mountain ecosystems,” McGrann explains. “Mountains are particularly sensitive because temperature and precipitation interact in complex ways on mountains.”

In the first comprehensive assessment of songbird occupancy in a 40,000 square kilometer region of northern California, the researchers identified the precise dates of peak vocal activity for eight songbird species. Furthermore, this strategy proved to be a feasible method of tracking changes in the timing of songbirds’ vocal activity for years to come. “Our technique should allow us to track shifts in elevation, changes in the state of the population, and changes in breeding behaviors in response to climate change over the next ten to twenty years,” says McGrann.

Overall, this study was able to detect differences in timing of nesting among bird species through analyzing the peak date of singing gathered from automated recorders. <a href="http://www.berkeley.edu/">UC Berkeley</a>’s Steve Beissinger, an expert on avian phenology who was uninvolved in the study, states “Their results support recent findings of a five to twelve day shift forward in the timing of peak singing by California birds in the nearby Sierra Nevada and coastal ranges in response to climate change.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: M. McGrann

Climate change to upset songbird migration and reproduction

Climate change has far-reaching effects that involve more than just...

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced new goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making New York a global leader in the battle against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-removed-websites/">climate change.</a>

According to the mayor, New York City will divest five billion dollars of city pension funds from the fossil fuel industry.

“This city is standing up and saying, ‘We’re going to take our own actions to protect our own people,’” the mayor said.

De Blasio also discussed a city lawsuit against five oil companies: Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and Royal Dutch Shell.

The who's who of “big oil” are accused of willingly hiding the fact that fossil fuels are a major contributor of global warming and keeping any scientific findings away from the public. 

The lawsuit, which has been compared to similar lawsuits brought against tobacco companies years ago will take time, and there is concern that it is a largely futile endeavor.

The oil companies themselves say that the lawsuit won’t do anything actually to help solve the climate change crisis, but those in favor are more hopeful that it will strike at the heart of the fossil fuel industry. 

New York City is looking for reparations to the tune of billions meant to repay the money spent on damages caused by climate change, such as the flooding from Hurricane Sandy. 

Time will tell if de Blasio will follow through on his plans for combating climate change and if the lawsuits against oil companies will be successful. If the oil companies are asked to shell out money, it could create new, unprecedented demands for renewable energies in the United States. 

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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

New York City announces plans to divest from fossil fuels

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced new...

The One-Straw Revolution isn’t, at face value, a book about what most would consider environmentalism.  However, The One-Straw Revolution through example shows an almost ideal way of living with the land in an environmentally friendly way. 

If you focus on yourself as an individual within a greater community (not only a community of people but of plants, fungi, other animals, etc.) you naturally tend towards an environmentally friendly way of living.  For example, The One-Straw Revolution talks about ‘do nothing’ farming, and initially it seems like this way of farming is for the ease of the farmer.  Do nothing agriculture may be easier than traditional forms of farming but it’s much more than that.  Do nothing agriculture is admitting that natural systems are closer to harmony and balance within a greater ecological community than an agriculture system of a human unilaterally exerting ‘control’.  This way of thinking and living is the epitome of the high tech ways of living we embrace now and more so are developing.  Crops with a host of pesticides, herbicides, artificial fertilizers and automated watering systems now have even their genes edited by human control.

I say all of this to define at the outset of this article what ‘living small’ means to me. Someone can live on 10,000 acres of land and be living smaller than someone living in a 400 square foot apartment with no lawn.  I define living small as a matter of which resources we use but also how we use them and the extent to which others may also use.  

For instance, living on 10,000 acres of undeveloped land allows use by many other organisms than living in a sterile apartment treated for any sort of ‘pests’.  Likewise, ‘do nothing’ farming allows for more use by other organisms of the same land than does traditional or high tech agriculture.  Doing anything always incurs cost.  If you eat, it costs something to the environment; that cost is paid back through waste which may nourish other organisms and inevitably your own body which through decomposition again becomes parts of other organisms.  Doing anything risks damaging the environment or other organisms, the key to less damage is less doing.  This idea is counter intuitive to many westerners, even or perhaps especially those exposed to the hyperactive Teddy Roosevelt school of doing and taking the mistakes as they come.  There have been many mistakes in mainstream conservation when doing nothing was better than doing something.  Examples that spring immediately to mind are Mariana Crows and Kaibab Deer.  

Kaibab deer of the Kaibab Plateau of Arizona are a unique population, wishing for them to be protected the U.S. government initiated an intense management and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-water-conservation-benefits/">conservation</a> plan.  Predators of the deer were killed off and hunting of the deer themselves was outlawed.  For a short time the deer population boomed.  After the boom in deer numbers came a hard crash.  Quickly deer numbers grew too large to be supported by the plant life available and the deer in turn starved in masses.  Predators it turns out can in their own way help a prey species or at least keep them from the slow agonizing death of starvation.

The Hawaiian Crow is another example of hubris on the part of those who would protect a wild animal.  Crows were endangered and to learn more and hopefully implement a conservation plan, monitoring ensued.  Cameras were set up at crow nests to record the bird’s behavior on public land.  There was a local rancher who refused to allow research on her land saying the bird is best left alone.  In the end, the rancher was right.  The cameras scared the crows, causing many to abandon their nests due to the noise of the now antiquated recording devices.  The crows left alone on the ranch fared much better in the long run, being more successful in rearing young.  

I believe the two examples along with others can be applied not only to science or environmentalism but to our daily lives.  The more we do, the more unintended consequences we incur.  Part of the problem is thinking deeply about what doing more or less, living bigger or smaller means.  Doing more for yourself and requiring less from businesses, the government or other organizations means doing less.  Living on a hundred acres that you cultivate is living smaller than living in a hundred square foot apartment where you buy all your food from a grocery store.  Likewise, when you do purchase, purchasing truly local items can help, buying not from a local business but a local producer or grower for instance.  

As a rule of thumb, the simpler your lifestyle, the less extravagant and the more you take personal responsibility for all you use, the better.  It’s about being humble and admitting you are part of a greater community as much as it is about self-sufficiency.  Self-sufficiency is really an illusion, you always depend on others: other plants, fungi, animals, people, bacteria, the sun, etc.  Living simply means working with the seasons, with the environment and surrendering a little, not unilaterally imposing your will on everything around you.  It’s about simple observing and just being a part of a whole instead of consuming the whole to merely feed a part.        

--         

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner,</a> <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

What it really means to be living small

The One-Straw Revolution isn’t, at face value, a book about...

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 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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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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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



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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