A new study of frontline employees in Arizona reveals that firefighters carry the greatest load of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their blood, while health care personnel also show moderate but notable elevations. The findings point to unseen hazards in everyday work gear and environments.



The investigation, led by scientists at the <a href="https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona Health Sciences</a>, compared blood samples from nearly 2,000 adults in firefighting, health care, and other essential occupations to learn how job duties shape chemical exposure.



PFAS are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-filtration-system-removes-forever-chemicals-from-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human-made compounds</a> prized for stain, water, and flame resistance. They coat cookware, clothing, carpets, packaging, and industrial foams. Because their molecular bonds are hard to break, the chemicals linger in air, soil, and water for decades and build up in living tissues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-firefighters-exposure-to-forever-chemicals">Firefighters' exposure to forever chemicals</h2>



The researchers measured serum PFAS concentrations in 280 firefighters, 787 health care workers, and 734 employees from other trades. Blood was collected between 2018 and 2021. 



For most workers, PFAS totals declined by six to 17 percent each year, yet measurable levels remained in every group by the study’s end. Firefighters topped the charts for several compounds, including PFHxS, Sm-PFOS, n-PFOS, and PFHpS. 



Health care workers ranked second overall and showed higher odds of two PFAS - Sb-PFOA and PFDoA - when compared with peers in other fields. They also had modest rises in PFHpS and PFUnA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-previous-research"><a></a>Clues from previous research</h2>



Study senior author Kate Ellingson is an associate professor at the <a href="https://publichealth.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health</a>.



“Our study reinforces previous research showing elevated PFAS levels among firefighters and suggests that health care workers may have unique sources of PFAS exposure as well,” said Ellingson.



“Our findings underscore the need to understand occupational exposure pathways for PFAS among different types of workers.”



Firefighters have long been flagged for exposure because their protective clothing and the foams used to quench fuel fires contain PFAS. 



Less is known about how nurses, surgeons, or technicians come into contact with the chemicals. Single-use gowns, surgical masks, sterile wraps, and even X-ray film may contribute, but few studies have investigated those items.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-linked-to-forever-chemicals">Health risks linked to forever chemicals </h2>



Study co-author Jeff Burgess is the director of the <a href="https://publichealth.arizona.edu/about/centers-institutes/center-firefighter-health-collaborative-research" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research</a>.



“Almost all adults in the U.S. have detectable levels of certain PFAS, and people in occupations with more frequent exposure to PFAS-containing materials have been shown to exhibit higher serum concentrations of some PFAS,” said Burgess. 



“Research into occupational exposure to PFAS is vital to reduce the health risks associated with PFAS, including but not limited to increases in rates of certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-in-tap-water-increase-cancer-risk-by-up-to-33/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancers</a>, increases in cholesterol levels, lower antibody response to certain immunizations, and increased rates of certain adverse reproductive outcomes.”



Although scientists are still mapping dose-response relationships, mounting evidence ties long-term PFAS exposure to thyroid dysfunction, immune suppression, and reproductive harm, as well as kidney, prostate, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-link-between-elephant-testicle-temperature-and-cancer-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testicular cancers</a>. That makes the new data especially relevant for workers who already confront other job-related dangers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pfas-in-health-care-settings">PFAS in health care settings</h2>



“To date, PFAS exposure in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-space-agencies-can-help-address-healthcare-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health care</a> settings has not been widely studied, and the potential sources of exposure remain unclear,” Ellingson said. He also noted that single-use surgical masks, surgical gowns, and X-ray film could be potential sources of PFAS exposure.



“Therefore, it’s important to further examine specific exposure routes and health consequences for firefighters and health care workers.”



The researchers suggest that manufacturers, hospitals, and fire departments audit supply chains to identify products treated with PFAS. Substituting safer materials where possible - and improving decontamination practices when replacement is not feasible - could lower cumulative dose.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-avoiding-pfas-exposure">Avoiding PFAS exposure</h2>



Many PFAS formulas have been phased out in the United States, yet older stockpiles and imported goods keep the chemicals in circulation. 



The authors call for expanded monitoring of occupational exposures, stronger regulation of PFAS in consumer products and more public funding for exposure-reduction programs.



They also urge longitudinal studies to track how changing equipment or policies alters blood levels over time. Because PFAS can stay in the body for years, measuring declines after interventions will help pinpoint which strategies work best.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-exposure-beyond-firefighters">Chemical exposure beyond firefighters </h2>



The Arizona results echo national surveys showing widespread but uneven PFAS contamination. They also highlight chemical exposure gaps: firefighters remain the most researched group, while other frontline roles - from paramedics to factory workers - receive far less attention.



By bringing health care personnel into the spotlight, the new study widens the search for hidden chemical risks at work. As communities push to remove PFAS from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-droughts-could-quadruple-by-2100-harming-water-supplies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water supplies</a> and household goods, understanding workplace exposures becomes equally urgent.



The current findings provide a starting map - and a reminder that protecting those who protect the rest of us means looking beyond the obvious dangers of heat, smoke, and infection to the quieter threat of “forever chemicals.”



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00753-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Exposure Science &amp; Environmental Epidemiology</a>.



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Firefighters face elevated exposure to forever chemicals

A new study of frontline employees in Arizona reveals that firefighters carry the greatest load of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their blood, while health care personnel also show moderate but notable elevations. The findings point to unseen hazards in everyday work gear and environments. The investigation, led by scientists at the University of Arizona Health Sciences, compared blood samples from nearly 2,000 adults in firefighting, health care, and other essential occupations to learn how job duties shape chemical exposure. PFAS are human-made compounds prized for...

The impacts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a> are being felt in increasing severity across the globe. But there is often debate regarding whether certain conditions or events are actually caused by a warming climate, or are simply coincidental.

A gardener, for example, might notice that their flowers are blooming earlier and earlier each spring, but can such observations be counted as scientific evidence?

But now, a new study from <a href="https://www.usu.edu/">Utah State University,</a> led by Dr. Will Pearse, has provided a statistical tool that measures the value of observational data in proving the impact of climate change on plants.

Pearse was motivated to use observations as a way to prove the impacts of the climate change from comments his mother made about her flower garden. 

“My mum reports her snowdrops are blooming earlier each spring in her English garden, said Pearse. “Are her observations, like those of thousands of citizen scientists across the world, indicating unpredictability in temperature, precipitation, and other weather patterns?” 

Using observations from “citizen scientists” dating back hundreds of years, Pearse discovered that plant phenology, or how plants are influenced by the changing seasons, has been altered by climate change. 

For the study, Pearse and his colleagues created a statistical estimator that measured phenological change using hundreds of observations and writings as data. Even Henry David Thoreau's writings about plants during his time proved useful in the study. 

The researchers also examined a continuous record from preserved plant specimens dating back more than 200 years in the past. 

"Using this estimator, and providing three case studies, we demonstrate a method to resolve an ongoing debate about the relative timings of the onset and cessation of flowering that allows us to reliably place modern observations within the context of a vast wealth of historical data,” said Pearse. 

The results of the statistical estimator show that increased greenhouse gas emissions are in fact changing the phenology of plants. 

Pearse’s work also makes a powerful case for the “casual observer,” or citizen scientist, and how those observations can be useful in scientific studies.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Even casual observation of plants reveals climate change impact

The impacts of climate change are being felt in increasing...

Environmental issues such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollution-chinas-solar-energy/">air pollution</a> and climate change are becoming increasingly serious public health risks. A new analysis has found that air pollution is responsible for 10.7 million cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) each year due to the inhalation of fine particulate matter.

Benjamin Bowe of the <a href="https://www.stlouis.va.gov/services/Clinical_Epidemiology_Center.asp">Clinical Epidemiology Center </a>collaborated with other experts to estimate the burden of chronic kidney disease attributable to air pollution. Epidemiologic measurements showed that the global burden varies greatly by geography, with higher values seen in Central America and South Asia.

"Air pollution might at least partially explain the rise in incidence of CKD of unknown origin in many geographies around the world, and the rise in Mesoamerican nephropathy in Mexico and Central America," said Bowe.

While studies have linked exposure to fine particulate matter with cardiovascular disease and stroke for some time, the association between air pollution and chronic kidney disease is a fairly recent development which was previously described by Bowe and his team.

A <a href="http://m.jasn.asnjournals.org/content/early/2017/09/21/ASN.2017030253.full">study</a> from NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency found that exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution levels considered to be “safe" still increases the risk of chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease is a condition in which kidney function is gradually lost over the course of several years. While there is no cure, treatment is aimed at slowing the process of the disease. Chronic kidney disease often goes undetected and undiagnosed because symptoms are not very noticeable until the disease has advanced.

The research by Bowe’s team will be presented at the <a href="https://www.asn-online.org/">American Society of Nephrology</a> (ASN) Kidney Week 2017 in New Orleans.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution causes 10 million cases of kidney disease per year

Environmental issues such as air pollution and climate change are...

Infants stolen from their mothers. Apes drugged and beaten until they learn tricks that will entertain tourists. These are scenes from the illegal ape trade, and journalists from the New York Times have been working with those who track smugglers to shed new light on the crime.

Wildlife smuggling has become an extremely profitable black market trade, and not just when it comes to apes. Countries throughout the world have struggled to crack down on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elephants-missing-poached/">elephant poaching</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pangolin-worlds-trafficked-mammal/">pangolin trafficking</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/conservation-efforts-species-2016/">tiger hunting</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/concerns-reptiles-amphibians-pets/">exotic pet practices</a> that are harmful to both the animals and public health.

Wildlife smuggling and poaching have skyrocketed in recent years, according to the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/">World Wildlife Fund</a>. 

“Today, it is the fifth most profitable illicit trade in the world, estimated at up to $10 billion annually,” the WWF wrote.

The trade in apes like chimpanzees and orangutans makes up part of this industry, and the ape trade is proving to be much larger than anyone expected. When a <a href="https://www.cites.org/">CITES</a>-operated database launched earlier this year, researchers discovered a widespread problem. 

A single ape trade network that went undetected for over a decade had trafficked more than 1,800 of the creatures, the <a href="http://www.un-grasp.org/">Great Ape Survival Partnership</a> reported. More than 90 percent of the busts recorded in 23 countries had never been entered in international smuggling databases.

Animal smugglers are competing with the likes of drug cartels and weapons dealers, but unlike dealing in drugs and guns, wildlife smuggling is low-risk, according to the WWF.

It’s a comparison journalist Jeffrey Gettleman heard as well.

“The way they do business makes the Mafia look like amateurs,” ape trafficking sleuth Daniel Stiles told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/world/africa/ape-trafficking-bonobos-orangutans.html?partner=IFTTT">New York Times</a> writer in his exposé about the trade.

Gettleman shadowed Stiles as he used <a href="https://www.instagram.com/?hl=en">Instagram</a> and other social media to track down potential poachers selling live ape infants. Some of the apes are sold as pets; most end up in circuses or zoos that train the animals – often using brutal methods – to perform tricks in an attempt to drum up business, Stiles said.

Stiles isn’t just a self-styled detective. He was the lead author of a 2013 report published by the United Nations about the ape trade.

Speaking to Stiles and other experts, Gettleman learned that the infants are much easier to smuggle than the strong adults, and poachers often wipe out entire family groups of chimps, gorillas, gibbons or orangutans to steal the infants. 

Thanks to corruption among officials and loose regulations at certain ports, a pipeline has developed to sneak infant apes out of central Africa and southeast Asia and into the hands of collectors, the New York Times reported. 

The apes are often drugged or beaten and forced to learn how to play drums, smoke cigarettes, fight each other, or perform other tricks to entertain tourists. One was kept as a hotel mascot – until he escaped and was shot by police.

Most of the apes rescued from these lives require rehabilitation before they can be reintroduced to the wild.

Often the infant apes are sold for thousands of dollars – or as much as $250,000, in the case of gorillas – to their final owner. But the people who catch the babies often earn very little for them. One poacher told Gettleman he was paid about $10 per infant bonobo he caught alive. 

“In Boende, a small town up another tributary of the Congo River, three hunters were recently caught with bonobo carcasses and sentenced to several years in a stifling colonial-era prison. The men said they were simply trying to feed their families by selling bonobo meat,” Gettleman wrote.

Gettleman followed along with Stiles as he worked with Thai police and arranged to meet with a suspected ape smuggler in Bangkok. In the end, two baby orangutans were rescued – but the smuggler escaped. 

“But for every successful bust, wildlife specialists say, five to 10 other animals slip through. And for every smuggled ape, several more may have been killed in the process,” Gettleman wrote.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Journalist sheds light on horrors of illegal ape trade

Infants stolen from their mothers. Apes drugged and beaten until...

On Friday the Trump administration released a disturbing new scientific <a href="https://science2017.globalchange.gov/">report</a> affirming that humans are in fact driving climate change. 
"It's extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century," said the National Climate Assessment. 
According to the report, sea levels could rise by as much as 8 feet by the year 2100, and global temperatures have risen by 1.8 degrees since 1900.
"For the warming over the last century, there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence,” the report added.
According to the research, the global sea level has risen by 7 to 8 inches since 1900, and almost half of that has occurred since 1993. In addition, the rate of daily tidal flooding is increasing in more than 25 different U.S. coastal cities. Heatwaves and forest fires have also become more and more common and will continue to increase in frequency.

For the first time in 3 million years, global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration has passed 400 parts per million. According to the report, the only solution is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide.

In addition, earlier spring has caused reduce snowpack, which has already begun to affect U.S. water sources.

The release of the National Climate Assessment is mandated by law and stands in severe contrast to the policies of the Trump Administration. As we reported, the administration has already repealed the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pruitt-clean-power-plan/">Clean Power Plan</a> and withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement. While campaigning for president, Donald Trump repeatedly claimed that climate change was a myth.

The <a href="https://science2017.globalchange.gov">Climate Science Special Report</a> is the first volume of a federally mandated climate assessment, which is constructed every four years. Hundreds of the country's top scientists analyzed data from over 1,500 scientific studies to prepare the report.

The report ends with a haunting warning: "Climate models are more likely to underestimate than to overestimate the amount of long-term future change." 

Former Vice President Al Gore reacted on Twitter, adding, "if the Administration won't listen and if the federal govt. won’t act, states, cities, businesses, investors, and citizens will."

The report, which was approved by the White House Office of Science and Technology, does not make any recommendations for policy change. It does include for the first time, however, a list of “surprise” climate-related changes that may occur such as worldwide shifts in major climate patterns and simultaneous extreme weather events that could have catastrophic effects on a global scale.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a> and <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writers

Government report: Humans are driving climate change

On Friday the Trump administration released a disturbing new scientific...

Satellite data has revealed that the hole in Earth’s ozone layer over Antarctica is now the smallest it has been in almost 30 years. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> and <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">NOAA</a> collaborate to monitor the status of the hole in the ozone each year.

According to NASA, the ozone hole reached its peak extent on September 11, spanning an area about two and a half times the size of the United States, or 7.6 million square miles. The ozone hole then diminished throughout the rest of September and into October. In addition, NOAA measurements showed the least amount of ozone depletion over Antarctica since 1988.

Paul A. Newman is a chief scientist for Earth Sciences at NASA's <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">Goddard Space Flight Center</a> in Greenbelt, Maryland.

"The Antarctic ozone hole was exceptionally weak this year," said Newman. "This is what we would expect to see given the weather conditions in the Antarctic stratosphere."

The smaller ozone hole was primarily influenced by a warmer Antarctic vortex, the stratospheric low pressure system above Antarctica. The scientists explained that the warmer conditions helped minimize the formation and persistence of clouds which lead to the chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone. These conditions are similar to those found in the Arctic, where ozone depletion is much less severe.

Warmer stratospheric temperatures also limited the growth of the ozone hole in 2016. It peaked at 8.9 million square miles, which was 2 million square miles less than in 2015. Since 1991, the average maximum ozone hole has been around 10 million square miles.

Despite the warmer stratospheric conditions which have reduced ozone depletion over the past two years, the current ozone hole area is still large due to high levels of ozone-depleting substances like chlorine and bromine. The scientists said that the reduction of the ozone hole over the last two years is due to natural variability and is not a sign of rapid recovery.

The Antarctic <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/antarctic-ozone-hole-heal/">ozone hole</a> was first detected in 1985. The hole forms during the Southern Hemisphere's late winter as the sun reacts with man-made, chemically active forms of chlorine and bromine. These reactions destroy ozone molecules.

In 1987, international leaders signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to begin regulating ozone-depleting compounds. The ozone hole over Antarctica is expected to gradually diminish as chlorofluorocarbons, chlorine-containing compounds which were once frequently used as refrigerants, continue to decline. Scientists predict that the Antarctic ozone hole will return back to 1980 levels by around 2070.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Image Credit: NASA/NASA Ozone Watch/Katy Mersmann

Ozone hole over Antarctica is the smallest it has been since 1988

Satellite data has revealed that the hole in Earth’s ozone...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2017-active-hurricane-season/">2017 hurricane season</a> has been one of the most active and devastating to ever hit the Caribbean and Latin America. Homes were destroyed, lives have been lost, and many in Puerto Rico are still without power.

Now, researchers working to understand how the risks of coastal living can be mitigated during natural disasters and extreme weather.

A new study, conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">University of Santa Cruz </a>and the <a href="https://web.unican.es/en/Pages/default.aspx">University of Cantabria</a> in Spain, examined hotspots of coastal risks in the Caribbean and Latin America. 

The study measures the impacts of coastal hazards based on the population, infrastructure, what resources are in danger, and other social and ecological factors. 

The researchers identified variables related to coastal dangers, geography, and socioeconomic vulnerability and combined them into a Comparative Coastal Risk Index. 

This index, along with machine learning clustering techniques, allowed the researchers to isolate those areas most at risk, which can then hopefully inform future policies.

The results showed that natural disasters disproportionately affect those people in poverty who lack the resources to prepare for major weather events and who tend to cluster in coastal high-risk areas. 

Some of the areas most at risk according to the study are the coastal province of El Oro in Ecuador, Sinaloa in Mexico, and Usulután in El Salvador. 

“We found that more than 500,000 people in Latin America and the Caribbean are living in areas where coastal hazards and poverty converge,” said Juliano Calil, the study’s lead author. These are communities where scarce critical resources are consistently placed in hazard-prone areas, further exacerbating the impacts of coastal hazards.” 

To reduce the risks associated with coastal hotspots, the researchers note that policymakers have to do more than simply improve coastline infrastructure. 

“Risks reduction and coastal adaptation efforts should not focus exclusively on developing coastal defenses. They must also consider better policies related to urban development, zoning, agriculture and land conservation practices, as well as on improving socioeconomic conditions,” said Calil. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

The Caribbean coastal areas most at risk

The 2017 hurricane season has been one of the most...

Most of us tend to think of deserts as hot and sandy landscapes. But a desert is actually any land region that receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of precipitation a year. Such low levels of rain, snow, mist, or fog lead to hostile living conditions for plants and animals. These barren landscapes can be subtropical–with hot summers and cool to mild winters, or polar, characterized by cool summers and very cold winters. <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> has assembled the 1o largest deserts in the world.

&nbsp;

GREAT BASIN DESERT 

190,000 square miles (492,000 square kilometers)

This cold winter desert is the largest in the United States. It lies between the Rocky Mountains to the east, the Sierra Nevada range to the west, and the Sonoran and Mojave deserts to the south. 

&nbsp;

SYRIAN DESERT

200,000 square miles (520,000 square kilometers)

This subtropical desert covers parts of Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia in Western Asia. The primarily flat rocky landscape was created by the lava flows of volcanic eruptions. 

&nbsp;

PATAGONIAN DESERT 

200,000 square miles (620,ooo square kilometers)

This cold winter desert runs through Argentina but extends into parts of Chile. It is a relatively windy desert with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Andes Mountains to the west.

&nbsp;

GREAT VICTORIA DESERT

220,000 square miles (647,000 square kilometers)

This subtropical desert is the largest in Australia. It extends from the Gawler Ranges of South Australia to the Eastern Goldfields region in Western Australia and experiences about 15 to 20 thunderstorms a year.

&nbsp;

KALAHARI DESERT 

360,000 square miles (900,000 square kilometers)

This subtropical savanna in southern Africa extends from Angola, Botswana, and Namibia into South Africa. It is covered with red sand.

&nbsp;

GOBI DESERT 

500,000 square miles (1,000,000 square kilometers)

This cold winter desert runs from the northwestern and northern regions of China down to the south of Mongolia. It doesn’t get much rain since the Himalayas block the rain clouds from the Indian Ocean, resulting in a rocky topography rather than a sandy one.

&nbsp;

ARABIAN DESERT 

900,000 square miles (2,330,000 square kilometers)

This subtropical desert in western Asia covers territories in Yemen, the Persian Gulf, Oman, Jordan, and Iraq. The largest continuous body of sand in the world–referred to as the “Empty Quarter”–lies at its center. It gets very little rain.

&nbsp;

SAHARA DESERT

3,500,000 square miles (9,000,000 square kilometers)

The largest ‘hot desert’ on earth occupies most of North Africa, reaching into territories of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara. It is primarily comprised of large rocky stretches of land covered with sand dunes. The central area is “hyper-arid” and no vegetation grows there due to the fact that it gets no precipitation.  

&nbsp;

ARCTIC DESERT

5,400,000 square miles (13,985,000 square kilometers)

This cold winter desert reaches into Alaska, Canada, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-glaciers-risk-melting/">Greenland</a>, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and Finland. The icy region is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As global warming continues to shrink the Arctic ice cover, global weather patterns are expected to be affected. 

&nbsp;

ANTARCTICA 

5,500,000 square miles (14,000,000 square kilometers)

The most extreme–driest, windiest, coldest, and with the highest average elevation–continent on earth is located at the South Pole. About 98% of the fifth largest continent on the planet is covered by ice. It is also the last region to be colonized by humans, with only about 1,100 people (mostly in research stations) living on the entire continent today.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Darryl Joseph</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The 10 largest deserts in the world

Most of us tend to think of deserts as hot...

From the California drought and wildfires to the string of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-harvey-worst-hurricanes/">hurricanes</a> that devastated Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean, 2017 has been full of extreme weather events. While politicians argue over environmental policy, climate change is set to bring even more extreme weather in the years to come.

Two recent reports by the <a href="http://www.nationalacademies.org/">National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine</a> examine disaster readiness and discuss measures that would improve both emergency response systems and the public’s ability to respond and react in the face of a disaster.

The research outline two different categories: the systems used to alert the public during or before an event, and social and behavioral factors.

The researchers argue that improving alert and warning systems is a must, especially because there are so many facets of technology, like social media platforms, that aren’t fully utilized for emergency warning purposes.

Gaining a better understanding of social and behavioral factors can enhance how severe weather events are prepared for and discussed, possibly improving evacuation protocols and infrastructure, among other disaster readiness situations.

The first report focuses on emergency alert and warning systems. Early warning systems like Wireless Emergency Alerts and the Integrated Public Alert Warning System need to match the rapid advances in being made technology.

However, researchers note that any advances made in early warning systems should also take into account social and behavioral sciences.

Facebook, Google, and other social media platforms could be maximized to help inform the public of a disaster, and utilizing private companies and social media will expand the government’s potential to reach more people.  

Another way modern advances in technology could improve alert and warning systems is through improved geotargeting, which could more accurately pinpoint the location of individuals in danger. 

The second report discusses the need for weather enterprises to include social and behavioral sciences to improve weather predicting technologies.

“Weather forecasts and warnings are being made with greater accuracy, geographic specificity, and lead time, which allow people and communities to take appropriate protective measures,” said the report. “As recent hazardous weather events have illustrated, social and behavioral factors -- including people's contexts, experiences, knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes -- shape responses to weather risks.”

The new research has outlined specific steps that the government and public safety official can integrate to better prepare communities for severe weather events. Whether or not the suggestions will be applied, however, remains to be seen.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

More extreme weather events will require improving public safety

From the California drought and wildfires to the string of...

The sun has always been crucial to keeping Earth’s lakes clean and safe. That’s because ultraviolet (UV) sunlight acts as a natural disinfectant, penetrating down into bodies of water and killing harmful pathogens.

But this effect is dampened when organic matter runoff builds up in bodies of water, which is happening at an increased rate due to climate change. 

Now, a new study has found that increased organic matter runoff in lakes and rivers clouds the water and hinders the sun's ability to disinfect harmful waterborne pathogens. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the<a href="http://www.rpi.edu/"> Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute</a> and the <a href="https://www.miamioh.edu/">Miami University in Ohio</a>, and published in the journal Scientific Reports.  

“Water clarity is dropping in many regions due to factors such as browning, and this research demonstrates that this change is likely decreasing natural disinfection of potentially harmful pathogens," said Kevin Rose, the Frederic R. Kolleck Career Development Chair in Freshwater Ecology at Rensselaer.

Harmful waterborne pathogens are responsible for making 12 to 19 million people sick every year, and without the natural disinfecting potential of UV rays, those numbers could increase.  

For the study, the researchers gathered and analyzed water samples from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salt-lakes-drying/">lakes</a> all around the world, including in New Zealand and Wisconsin. 

In order to measure the impact of UV radiation on pathogens, the researchers first tested each sample to see how much light was absorbed by the organic matter. 

This helped the research team determine how much UV radiation could penetrate the bodies of water and kill pathogens, also known as the “solar inactivation potential” (SIP). 

The results showed that the disinfecting potential of UV radiation in water has significantly decreased over the years because of an increase in organic matter runoff. 

For example, after a heavy rainfall where the Manitowoc River flows into Lake Michigan, an increase in organic matter caused the SIP or disinfecting ability of UV rays to drop by 22 percent. 

The study shows how climate change is impacting the world’s water sources and serves as a warning of how our ponds and lakes could be compromised.

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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

Climate change could cause lakes to fill with dangerous diseases

The sun has always been crucial to keeping Earth’s lakes...

New <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> images of Greenland’s coast have revealed that 2 to 4 times as many glaciers are at risk of melting due than previously thought. 

The new maps, created using data from NASA's Ocean Melting Greenland (OMG) campaign, give a much more extensive portrayal of the seafloor and bedrock beneath the glaciers along <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-melting-impacts-global-ocean/">Greenland’s</a> coast.

Researchers from over 30 institutions, including NASA and the <a href="https://uci.edu/">University of California, Irvine</a>, published some of the most comprehensive topographic maps of the ice sheets along Greenland’s coast.

The researchers also used data from NASA’s IceBridge airborne surveys, which measure ice sheet depth, to create BedMachine, a comprehensive map of Greenland's seabed topography and glacial bathymetry. 

Bathymetry refers to the shape and depth of underwater areas, which in this case means the depth and mass of submerged glaciers. 

The numerous data sources gave the researchers a much more accurate measurement of Greenland’s coast. 

The new maps show that climate change has put even more glaciers at risk of accelerated melting. This is because 2 to 4 times more oceanfront glaciers have depths reaching 600 feet deeper compared to earlier maps.  

Glaciers at those depths are exposed to water at least 6 to 8 degrees warmer than the water above because deep down the water comes from sources further south. 

The warmer water at lower depths means faster melting of glaciers in those areas. 

According to the research, the glaciers could cause sea level to rise by 24 feet if they melted completely. 

“These results suggest that Greenland's ice is more threatened by changing climate than we had anticipated,” said Josh Willis from <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> at the<a href="http://www.caltech.edu/"> California Institute of Technology</a> and the principal investigator for OMG.

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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

Image Credit: NASA/UCI

New images of Greenland show more glaciers at risk of melting

New NASA images of Greenland’s coast have revealed that 2...

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As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-bleaching-havoc-hawaiian/">we’ve reported</a>, climate change has wreaked havoc on coral reefs around the world, with warmer waters sparking coral bleaching events that have devastated entire ecosystems.

In addition to climate change, habitat degradation and commercial fishing operations have also caused coral populations to dwindle considerably. Researchers are especially concerned with how coral will survive amid warming ocean waters. 

But a new study of tabletop corals in the Cook Islands has found that corals might be able to adapt to warming waters, but certainly not at the current rapid pace that climate change has set. In order for the corals to stand a chance, greenhouse gas emissions will need to be reduced. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis </a>and published in the journal, Nature Advances. 

Researchers discovered that tabletop coral in the Cook Islands are predisposed to tolerate heat, but only to a certain degree.

“These corals aren't going to adapt at an unlimited rate. Keeping these reefs around requires curbing emissions,” said Rachael Bay, the study’s lead author. 

For the study, the researchers first identified genes in tabletop corals that make them tolerant to heat. 

Next, the researchers ran computer simulations to see how the coral would adapt to climate change based on projections of global warming and greenhouse gases. 

The simulations showed that tabletop coral could survive in moderate and mild scenarios where temperatures rise, and emissions rapidly decline by 2040. 

But if climate change continues unmitigated, then the coral would not be able to adapt quickly enough and would die off as a species. 

The researchers plan to study different species next to see if other corals would have similar capabilities. 

Understanding how coral will adapt to a changing climate is especially important given their vital role in marine ecosystems.  If emissions are reduced, coral species may be able to withstand the rising temperatures. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Image Credit: Rachael Bay/UC Davis

Corals may be able to adapt to climate change under one condition

As we’ve reported, climate change has wreaked havoc on coral...

The edges of forests – where the woods meet human habitats – have long been known to have an impact on the species that live within them. But this effect may extend further than previously thought.

In the largest-ever analysis of arboreal vertebrate species, involving over 1,600 species on five continents, researchers found that 46 percent are attracted to the edges of forests and 39 percent avoid these edges. That last number is a cause of concern for many scientists, as forest areas are commonly divided into smaller and smaller areas, increasing the prevalence of forest edge habitats. This puts species that prefer deep woods at an increased threat of extinction.

Previous studies have shown that fragmentation of the world’s forests is affecting both animal extinctions and biodiversity. It is believed that roughly half of the world’s forested acres are now within 500 meters of the edge of a road, pasture, or other non-forest land use. 

This particular study gathered data on animal abundance from a range of mostly tropical landscapes, which ranged from open non-forested habitats to forest edges and deep within remote jungles. Studies involving deep forest habitats are rather rare, as these areas can be extremely difficult to reach.

Overall, the data clearly showed that the edges of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-dwellers-brain-health/">forests</a> have a significant effect on many species. "There are few remaining areas where you don't have intrusions into the forests, such as roads and other activities,” says Adam Hadley, a research associate at <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> and co-author of the paper. “Maybe we should consider not putting roads into them. It may be valuable just to keep them as remote as possible. There aren't that many left.”

This study was the first of its kind to document universal patterns across so many species of animals. It’s results point to the fact that we need to increase conservation efforts in large areas of forestland in order to prevent them from being divided into smaller fragments. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Forest edges leave species around the world at risk

The edges of forests – where the woods meet human...

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



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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



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



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.

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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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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