Shower water carries more than suds. Every shampoo rinse sends long‑chain chemicals from our bathrooms into rivers where they can cling to the bodies of small aquatic animals.



A research team led by Hans Sanderson of <a href="http://Aarhus University https://g.co/kgs/wGFv7P9">Aarhus University</a> tracked what those ingredients do once they leave the drain, focusing on a class called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166445X24003485?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polyquaternium conditioners</a> that make hair feel smooth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-shampoos-tame-frizz">How shampoos tame frizz</h2>



Hair carries a natural negative charge, and damaged strands hold even more. Manufacturers add <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166248108701168" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">positively charged polymers</a> so those long molecules wrap around each fiber and neutralize static, leaving a sleek finish.



The most common sub‑group, polyquaterniums, numbers more than 25,000 variations. Together they support a <a href="https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/polyquaternium-market-107659" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">market valued</a> at about $0.12 billion in 2024 and projected to grow steadily over the next decade.



Each molecule is huge by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ocean-animals-connect-countries-and-continents/">chemical</a> standards, so toxicology screens once assumed they were harmless to wildlife because they cannot slip through cell membranes. Sanderson’s team asked whether sticking on the outside of a creature could matter just as much.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shampoo-harms-tiny-aquatic-animals">Shampoo harms tiny aquatic animals </h2>



Freshwater ponds and lakes are full of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2042/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">daphnia</a>, tiny crustaceans <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Shampoo-animals.jpg">sometimes called water fleas</a>. They filter algae and bacteria, purify water, and form a primary food source for many small fish.



Because daphnia propel themselves with rhythmic strokes of their antennae, any extra drag can slow them down. 



The Aarhus experiments showed that a film of conditioner polymers glued to the animals’ shells, halving their swimming speed and hindering feeding.



“We have conducted the first study in the world to investigate this. The substances do not penetrate the animals’ cells, but rather stick to the surface of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-environment-day-2025-plastic-pollution-is-choking-our-planet/">animal</a>,” explained Sanderson. 



“This physically affects the animal, making it unable to move as well, and it impairs its ability to ingest food,” continued Sanderson.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shampoo-s-charge-makes-animals-vulnerable">Shampoo's charge makes animals vulnerable</h2>



The researchers ran complementary tests on two standard laboratory species, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2042/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Daphnia magna</a> and <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/483833-Ceriodaphnia-dubia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ceriodaphnia dubia</a>, using three <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166445X24003485" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polyquaterniums</a> of different designs. 



The team found toxicity thresholds as low as 0.05 mg per liter for the most highly charged polymer, while the same molecule with a lower charge was 400‑fold less toxic.



The pattern was consistent regardless of molecular weight. That result shifts regulatory focus from size to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/charge-density" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">charge density</a>, a parameter rarely documented on shampoo labels.



Organic matter in natural water, such as dissolved humic acids, partially blunts the polymers’ stickiness. Yet even moderate concentrations still impaired reproduction and growth during 21‑day chronic tests with both daphnia species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-shampoo-chemicals-move-to-animals">How shampoo chemicals move to animals</h2>



Wastewater plants intentionally add the same <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.macromol.3c01223" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cationic polymers</a> as a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/flocculant" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flocculant</a> to clump particles together for easier removal. Ironically, what helps strip other pollutants out of sewage can persist in the resulting sludge or treated effluent.



If facilities discharge more than the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-impacting-marine-life-more-than-we-realized/">ecosystem</a> can buffer, sensitive invertebrates pay the price. Because daphnia sit near the base of the food web, their decline can ripple upward and reduce fish recruitment.



Laboratory work measured polymer levels that killed half a daphnia population within 48 hours at phone‑screen brightness‑level concentrations. Field monitoring remains limited, so nobody knows how often small streams approach those doses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-call-for-smarter-safety-tests">Call for smarter safety tests</h2>



European agencies already demand hazard labels for chemicals that penetrate cells, but large polymers still slip through many guidelines. 



The European Commission is reviewing <a href="https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/chemicals/chemicals-legislation_en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polymer assessment rules</a> under its CLP and <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/chemicals/reach-regulation_en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">REACH regulations</a>, with updates expected this year.



The researchers argue that future protocols must mimic real‑world water containing organic carbon, rather than the ultra‑clean test media used today. 



They also recommend including movement and feeding endpoints, not just mortality, when assessing ecological risk.



Softening agents may never fully disappear from consumer goods. However, incremental tweaks, lower charge density, biodegradable side chains, or safer alternatives like amino‑based conditioners could cut harm dramatically. 



Manufacturers have incentives to act before formal limits arrive, because production lines adapt faster than legislation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-shampoo-s-harm-to-animals">Reducing shampoo’s harm to animals</h2>



Reading an ingredient list will often reveal polyquaterniums by number, for example polyquaternium‑10 or ‑7. Lower single‑digit numbers usually carry higher charge density, although the label alone cannot quantify risk.



Choosing rinse‑off products certified for low aquatic toxicity is one stopgap, though Sanderson notes that even ecolabel formulations sometimes rely on the same chemistry. 



Reducing dosage helps too; a quarter‑sized blob of shampoo cleans most medium‑length hair, and conditioner is unnecessary every wash for many people.



Small behavior shifts add up because each bottle skipped prevents thousands of gallons of rinse water from picking up extra polymers over its retail life. 



Until wastewater infrastructure and regulations catch up, prevention at the source remains the surest shield for freshwater communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toward-a-balanced-bathroom-shelf">Toward a balanced bathroom shelf</h2>



The story of sticky hair conditioners underscores a broader lesson in polymer safety. Size alone cannot protect wildlife if surface charge lets molecules hijack essential behaviors like swimming and feeding. 



Daphnia, though invisible from a shower stall, signal the health of entire lakes and streams. When their numbers fall, algae blooms can surge, water clarity drops, and fish lose a key snack.



Scientists now have lab tools to screen thousands of conditioning agents quickly, ranking them by how strongly they glue onto living surfaces. 



Policy makers can use that knowledge to set practical discharge limits, while industry chemists re‑engineer formulas for performance without collateral damage.



Every shampoo rinse cycle connects personal routine to planetary processes, affecting animals too. Balancing clean hair with clean water and protecting animals is no longer guesswork; the data are in view, and the solutions are within reach.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166445X24003485" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aquatic Toxicology</a>.



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Chemicals in shampoos and soaps are infiltrating rivers and killing aquatic life

Shower water carries more than suds. Every shampoo rinse sends long‑chain chemicals from our bathrooms into rivers where they can cling to the bodies of small aquatic animals. A research team led by Hans Sanderson of Aarhus University tracked what those ingredients do once they leave the drain, focusing on a class called polyquaternium conditioners that make hair feel smooth. How shampoos tame frizz Hair carries a natural negative charge, and damaged strands hold even more. Manufacturers add positively charged polymers so those long molecules wrap around...

Among the many limited resources that are dwindling on our planet, it seems like the resource of our own willpower can now be added to that list – figuratively speaking of course. But there may be a scientific answer to why you have such a hard time resisting that end-of-the-day <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/men-harder-quitting-drinking/">drink</a> or midnight snack. Researchers from <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/">Texas A&amp;M University</a> say they have found the “strongest evidence yet” that willpower is a limited resource, and gets used up as we go about our day.

 In a set of two experiments, the scientists found that attempting to resist temptation early in the day leads us to have less self-control at night. This is an effect known as “ego-depletion.”

The first experiment consisted of 657 students either writing for five minutes about a recent trip, or writing about a trip without using the letters “A” or “N” – a task that requires more self-control. After this written part, participants completed one of two versions of the Stroop task. This means that they either had to name the ink color of color-denoting words (like the word “green” written in red ink) or the ink color of emotional or neutral words. Obviously, ignoring the meaning of color words and focusing on the ink color took more self-control.

The results showed that participants who had done the more difficult version of the writing task responded just as fast, but made more mistakes on the Stroop tasks than the control group. “This pattern represents unambiguous evidence for poorer attention control under ego depletion,” says lead researcher Dr. Katie Garrison.

In the second experiment, 350 participants completed either one of the two writing tasks, followed by the Attention Network Test. This test requires the taker to repeatedly indicate the direction of arrows on a computer screen while simultaneously ignoring the direction of other, distracting arrows. The results of this second experiment showed that participants who completed the more difficult writing task also made more errors on the Attention Network Test.

Both of these findings are consistent with the researchers’ ego depletion theory, although the reasons behind why ego depletion occurs are still undiscovered. The researchers look to further explore the factors behind the phenomenon, saying, “The evidence for an ego-depletion effect on attention control reported here should encourage explorations into mechanisms driving the effect.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Self-control may be limited, and depletes as your day goes on

Among the many limited resources that are dwindling on our...

In the next couple of decades, the United States is expected to have more days with extreme heat, more frequent and persistent heat waves, and longer growing seasons. The demand for resources such as water and energy will rise substantially. Researchers at the <a href="http://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> have developed high-resolution climate models to help local officials anticipate these increasing needs.

The scientists set out to demonstrate how modeling that uses increased resolution gives more accurate future climate projections. Models that rely on spatial resolution are acceptable when looking hundreds of years into the future, but they are unable to account for local atmospheric events.

"Our new models work at a spatial resolution of 12 km, allowing us to examine localized changes in the climate system across the continental U.S.," said study co-author Donald Wuebbles. "It is the difference between being able to resolve something as small as Champaign County versus the entire state of Illinois - it's a big improvement."


For their investigation, the researchers considered two future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-thawing-permafrost/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> scenarios. One condition represented the current rate of emissions, while the other showed fossil fuel consumption that is significantly reduced by the end of the century.

The team generated future data for both scenarios over the next two decades and compared it with historical data from 1995 to 2004.

"One of the most alarming findings in our business-as-usual projection shows that by late-century the southeastern U.S. will experience maximum summer temperatures every other day that used to occur only once every 20 days," said co-author Zach Zobel.

The study revealed that other regions of the country will experience significant changes in temperature as well, yet not as severe.

"The Midwest could see large unusual heat events, like the 1995 Chicago heat wave, which killed more than 800 people, become more common and perhaps even occur as many as five times per year by the end of the century," said Wuebbles. "Heat waves increase the mortality rate within the Midwest and the Northeast because people in these densely populated regions are not accustomed to coping with that kind of heat that frequently."

The researchers explained that the extreme temperatures are likely to cause significant changes in crops and in the ecosystem.

"The concept of global climate change can be somewhat abstract, and people want to know how these projected changes are going to affect them, in their community," said Wuebbles. "Our models are helping answer those questions, and that is what separates our work from the larger, global-scale studies."

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)2328-4277/">Earth's Future</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New models show extreme weather conditions for the U.S.

In the next couple of decades, the United States is...

Research from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> reveals that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/snowpack-atop-the-sierra-nevada-mountains/">Sierra Nevada mountains</a> grew almost an inch taller after losing water from rocks in extreme drought conditions from 2011 to 2015. The total amount of water lost during the record-breaking drought was 10.8 cubic miles, or 45 times the amount of water consumed by Los Angeles in a year.

Study lead author Donald Argus is a research scientist at NASA's<a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/"> Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> in Pasadena, California. Argus says the findings of the analysis indicate that “the solid Earth has a greater capacity to store water than previously thought.”

Heavy snowfall and rain in 2016 and 2017 have helped the mountains begin to recuperate, and they have recovered about half the amount of water that was lost. According to the researchers, the mountains have shrunk back down in height by almost half an inch. 

The research team took advantage of 1,300 GPS stations located across the Sierra Nevada mountains which were installed to monitor tectonic motion in active faults and volcanoes throughout in the region. These receivers can detect elevation change within a few millimeters.

Using advanced processing methods on data from the GPS stations, the team was able to calculate the amount of height gained by the mountains. The researchers determined that the amount of water lost from fractured mountain rock during the drought and then gained back during heavy precipitation is underestimated by hydrology models.

Study co-author Jay Famiglietti said that the results of the study answered some questions for hydrologists.

"One of the major unknowns in mountain hydrology is what happens below the soil,” said Famiglietti. “How much snowmelt percolates through fractured rock straight downward into the core of the mountain? This is one of the key topics that we addressed in our study."

Famiglietti explained that approach used in this study will enable hydrologists to further investigate uncertainties about groundwater in the mountains. 

"What does the water table look like within mountain ranges? Is there a significant amount of groundwater stored within mountains? We just don't have answers yet, and this study identities a set of new tools to help us get them."

The study is published in the <a href="http://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/jgr/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)2169-9356/">Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth</a>. Argus is presenting the research at the 2017 American Geophysical Union fall meeting in New Orleans.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The Sierra Nevada Mountains grew taller from extreme drought

Research from NASA reveals that the Sierra Nevada mountains grew...

With a strength of 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale, Chile’s Valdivia earthquake of 1960 still ranks as strongest earthquake ever measured. An estimated 1,600 people were killed by both the earthquake and its subsequent tsunami.

The same section of the Chilean subduction zone collided again in December of 2016. This earthquake did not have nearly the intensity of the 1960 quake, yet scientists are intrigued by the fact that the earthquakes occurred in the same place.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.geomar.de/en/">GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel</a> and the <a href="http://www.uchile.cl/">Universidad de Chile</a> have determined that the 2016 quake was a result of energy that had been building since before the earthquake of 1960.

"So, the 1960 quake, despite its immense strength, must have left some strain in the underground, " explained study lead author Dr. Dietrich Lange.

Chile is a hotspot for earthquakes because the Nazca plate, a tectonic plate which moves eastwards with a rate of 6.6 cm per year, collides with the South American plate off the Chilean coast. The Nazca plate is submerged below the South American plate, and the pressure building up between the two plates is eventually released in the form of an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/west-coast-earthquake-warning/">earthquake</a>.

During this kind of earthquake, the pressure is released within minutes. For example, the plates shifted by more than 30 meters in the 1960 earthquake. Land was violently shifted up or down several meters, fundamentally changing the Chilean landscape. 

"The scale of the slip also gives information about the accumulated energy between the two plates," said Dr. Lange.

By collecting data on the speed of the Nazca plate, learning more about the subduction zone, and taking into account the 56 years between the two quakes, the research team managed to calculate the accumulated energy of the 2016 earthquake. They estimated its theoretical slip to be about 3.4 meters. However, the analysis of seismic data and GPS surveys produced a slip estimate of more than 4.5 meters.

"The strain must have had accumulated for more than 56 years. It is older than the last earthquake in the same region," concluded Dr. Lange.

Recent research has produced similar results in other subduction zones as well. The current study suggests that more than one seismic cycle must be considered when performing risk assessment in areas prone to earthquakes.

"The energy can be greater than that resulting from the usual calculations, which can, for example, have an impact on recommendations for earthquake-proof construction," said Dr. Lange.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/gji">Geophysical Journal International</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why Chile is so prone to severe earthquakes

With a strength of 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale,...

When you think about the greenest places on Earth, you might think of lush <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-wildfires-climate-change/">forests</a> in northern California or Alaska. Vast stretches of forest cover both the east and west coasts, with particularly dense forests along the Great Lakes region.

The Eastern Deciduous Forest stretches from Florida to Canada, covers 26 states and spans ten different forest regions. On the west coast, there are similar vast stretches of forest that run from California to Canada.

The Earth is packed with dense greenery, but this isn’t readily apparent without a topographic map that highlights forest cover. 

But now, a geographer has turned U.S. topography into works of art with forest cover maps showcasing the rich, green forests spanning the country.

Robert Szucs is a geographer and Geographic Information System (GIS) analyst with a love of maps who was inspired to showcase his work and studies by transforming it into posters. Szucs sells his work on his <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/grasshoppergeography">Etsy page</a>.  

One of Szucs’ creations shows long stretches of forest cover both on the East and West coast, with dense forests along the Great Lakes region. Running down the middle of the states is a black blank slate where desert and plains make up most of the land.

Szucs also has maps of the intricate river basins in the US and maps from all over the world including Germany, Italy, Sweden (one of the greenest in the collection), and population density heat maps of Europe and the US. 

To create the forest cover maps and photographs, Szucs uses an open-source Geographic Information System (GIS). GIS is a computer system designed to show the spatial relations of objects and formations on the Earth’s surface. GIS can show multiple layers like road maps and forests on a single layer. 

Scuzs then uses specific editing software to manipulate the images to create a specific effect or highlight particular layers. His work shows how varied and vast the Earth’s topographic natural makeup is, with swaths of forest and desert and rich veiny river systems. 

The crossover between geography and art makes Szucs’ work accessible to a wide audience and beautifully displays the ingenuity of the artist. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: <a href="https://imgur.com/gallery/npcjr">Robert Szucs </a>

Geographer creates stunning map of U.S. forests

When you think about the greenest places on Earth, you...

It has been long believed that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet is much more resilient than the ice cover of West Antarctica and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-melting-impacts-global-ocean/">Greenland</a>, but new research has revealed that the ice sheet is actually much less stable than was previously thought.

The East Antarctic Ice Sheet, which stores more water than any other ice sheet on the planet, holds enough water to raise sea levels by an estimated 174 feet. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> and the <a href="http://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a> collected geophysical and geological data for an unprecedented survey of East Antarctica's Sabrina Coast. 

They ultimately discovered that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet has a long history of expanding and shrinking, which means that ice cover in this area could make a substantial contribution to sea level rise as global temperatures rise.

In fact, the glaciers in this region may be particularly vulnerable due of their location in the Aurora Basin, a region of East Antarctica that mostly lies below sea level.

Study co-author Sean Gulick said the research revealed that glaciers from the Aurora Basin have been stable only for the past few million years.

"It turns out that for much of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet's history, it was not the commonly perceived large stable ice sheet with only minor changes in size over millions of years," said Gulick. "Rather, we have evidence for a very dynamic ice sheet that grew and shrank significantly between glacial and interglacial periods. There were also often long intervals of open water along the Sabrina Coast, with limited glacial influence."

According to the analysis, ice advanced from the Aurora Basin and retreated back again at least 11 times during the first 20 million years of the ice sheet's history. 

Researchers also discovered that the ice sheet was previously much more wet than it is today, with meltwater from the surface flowing into a network of channels underneath the ice. This phenomenon occurred when atmospheric temperatures and CO2 levels were similar to what they are today.

"We shouldn't view this as one ice sheet that suddenly grew to its present size, but rather one that was a transient ice sheet that expanded every couple million years or so," said Gulick.

Approximately 6 million years ago, the East Antarctic Ice Sheet stopped producing large volumes of meltwater when it expanded and stabilized. The researchers warn that global warming could cause the East Antarctic glaciers to start melting, making the ice sheet unstable again.

Study co-lead author Amelia Shevenell said that the warm ocean water currently melting East Antarctica's largest glacier, the Totten Glacier, could be an early warning of things to come.

"A lot of what we are seeing right now in the coastal regions is that warming ocean waters are melting Antarctica's glaciers and ice shelves, but this process may just be the beginning," said Shevenell. "Once you have that combination of ocean heat and atmospheric heat -- which are related -- that's when the ice sheet could really experience dramatic ice mass loss."

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/">Nature</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: Sean Gulick/University of Texas at Austin

East Antarctic Ice Sheet is less stable than previously thought

It has been long believed that the East Antarctic Ice...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/image/hurricane-harvey-floods-interstate/">Hurricane Harvey</a> devastated regions of Southeast Texas earlier this year, killing 82 people and causing nearly $200 billion in damage. A new study has found that climate change made the catastrophic storm three times as likely to happen and escalated Harvey's rainfall by 15 percent.

A growing collection of research has linked global warming to an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as storms, floods, drought, and wildfires.

Experts at the World Weather Attribution (WWA) explain that while manmade climate change was not the direct cause of Hurricane Harvey, global warming tripled the odds that the hurricane would hit Houston and surrounding areas with such intensity. 

To examine how climate change may have affected the strength of the hurricane, the WWA researchers used climate models and historical rainfall records. Dr. Geert Jan van Oldenborgh of the <a href="https://www.knmi.nl/over-het-knmi/about">Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute</a> is the study's lead author.

“This multi-method analysis confirms that heavy rainfall events are increasing substantially across the Gulf Coast region because of human interference with our climate system,” explained Dr. Oldenborgh. “It was very a rare event - they were very unlucky.”


Hurricane Harvey lingered over Southeastern Texas for days, dumping over 40 inches of rain in just four days. The findings of the study suggest that global warming increased these rainfall totals by 15 percent.

Researchers at the American Meteorological Society (AMS) conducted their own investigation into “how human-caused climate change may have affected the strength and likelihood of individual extreme events.

They examined over 20 weather disasters that occurred in 2016, including record heat in the Arctic and a marine heat wave off the coast of Alaska.

The AMS researchers concluded that the majority of these catastrophic weather events can be at least partially blamed on climate change. The scientists find, for the first time in their series of studies, that some of these extreme weather events were simply not possible in a pre-industrial climate.

Jeff Rosenfeld is the editor-in-chief of a special report from the AMS, entitled “Explaining Extreme Events from a Climate Perspective.”

"This report marks a fundamental change," said Rosenfeld. “For years scientists have known humans are changing the risk of some extremes. But finding multiple extreme events that weren’t even possible without human influence makes clear that we're experiencing new weather, because we've made a new climate.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists confirm Hurricane Harvey made worse by global warming

Hurricane Harvey devastated regions of Southeast Texas earlier this year,...

Residential areas and urban development may be having a bigger impact on the aquatic ecosystems than previously realized. It’s been known that agricultural and economic developments have caused habitat degradation and decreased <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-oxygen-levels/">biodiversity</a>, however, new research has shown that residential land is transforming the food chain in ponds. 

A new study has found that more and more animals and plants in suburban ponds are getting their nutrients from human waste. 

The study was conducted by researchers from <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University </a>and <a href="https://www.pdx.edu/">Portland State University</a> and published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 

The study complements previous Yale research that focuses on how fertilizers and human populations affect suburban ponds. 

For the study, the researchers examined 18 different ponds in Connecticut and found that most of the animals on the food chain acquired nitrogen, an important nutrient for both plants and animals, from septic wastewater. 

Not only did the results show that animals in suburban ponds got the majority of their nitrogen from human waste, but also that septic wastewater was fundamentally changing the nature of the food web. 

Wood frog tadpoles, for example, changed their diet from fallen leaves to algae in suburban ponds. 

“It suggests that tadpoles and other pond organisms are made up of human waste," said Meredith Holgerson, a member of the research team. 

Even though the researchers note that to the outside eye, the ponds seem to be in good condition,  the study proves the kind of impact suburban development has on the ecosystem. 

“Our study highlights that, by choosing to live in and landscape particular places, human neighborhoods are creating fundamentally unique ecosystems by changing how water and food move around, and even what kind of food is available,” said Max Lambert, the study’s co-author. “Suburban animals behave, look, and function differently because of this.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Septic wastewater is transforming suburban pond ecosystems

Residential areas and urban development may be having a bigger...

When magma makes its way to the surface, either via a gentle eruption which results in a steady flow or an explosive eruption that causes immense columns of ash and debris, it becomes lava. 

Rhyolitic, basaltic, and andesitic are the three different types of magma and are all characterized by their chemical compositions and differ in temperature, viscosity, and chemical makeup. 

For example, rhyolitic magmas have the lowest temperatures but an extremely high gas content, making them easily volatile and more likely to form major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-glaciers-volcano-eruptions/">eruptions</a>. 

Now, new research has shown that minuscule changes in the chemistry of magma is all it takes to turn an effusive eruption into an explosive one. 

Some lava flows and eruptions are so mild that they serve as tourists attractions, and yet most people think of giant plumes of ash and smoke with pyroclastic flows when they think about volcano eruptions. 

A recent study, led by Dr. Danilo Di Genova from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/earthsciences/">University of Bristol's School of Earth Sciences</a>, examines how chemical composition changes in rhyolitic magma triggers transitions from effusive to explosive eruptions. 

For the study, Di Genova and his team of researchers used thermodynamic modeling and analyzed compositional data from the global volcanic record to identify the tipping point of rhyolitic magma. 

This tipping point is referred to as the flow-discontinuity by the researchers. 

“The identified flow-discontinuity can be crossed by small compositional changes in rhyolitic magmas and can be induced by crystallization, assimilation, magma replenishment or mixing,” said Dr. Di Genova. 

This is the first time that research has shown how such small changes within magma can be the deciding factor in what kind of eruption ensues. 

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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: Jorge Nauto

Magma tipping point determines how explosive an eruption can be

When magma makes its way to the surface, either via...

The <a href="http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/Report-Card">2017 Arctic Report Card</a> has revealed that the current decline of sea ice in the Arctic is unprecedented in the last 1,450 years. Experts also found that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-arctic-sea-ice-changing-whale-migration-patterns/">Arctic</a> is warming at a pace that is nearly double the rest of the planet, and this region has not experienced this rate of warming in at least 2,000 years.

The findings are the result of a collaboration of 85 scientists from 12 countries. The experts say that this year's Arctic air temperatures are the second warmest they have been since 1900. They also determined that the sea ice cover is thinner, and the thicker ice that is able to withstand the summer season is now down to 21 percent. This is less than half of the “multiyear" ice of 1985, which made up 45 percent of the Arctic ice cover.

The report, which was made public on Tuesday at this year's meeting of the <a href="https://sites.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union</a> in New Orleans, has been published annually by the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA) since 2006. Jeremy Mathis is the director of NOAA’s Arctic Research Program.

“The changes that are happening in the Arctic will not stay in the Arctic,” Mathis said at the meeting. "These changes will impact all of our lives. They will mean living with more extreme weather events, paying higher food prices and dealing with the impacts of climate refugees."

According to Mathis, the Arctic is going through "the most unprecedented transition in human history,” and the conditions will likely never return to the way they were before. The changing environment will accelerate sea level rise and increase the frequency of extreme weather events.

Mathis explained, "Greenland ice sheet melting has the potential to trigger catastrophic sea level rise, while the overall warming that is occurring in the Arctic can disrupt the jet stream, which drives our weather patterns and contributes to extreme weather events.”

The warning places new emphasis on the urgent need for the Trump administration to stop rolling back climate regulations.

“Like the Climate Science Special Report released in November, the Arctic Report Card is completely at odds with the policies and statements of the Trump administration, which continues to question the reality of human caused climate change,” said Phil Duffy, president of the Woods Hole Research Center. “The Report Card dispassionately documents an array of striking changes in the Arctic environment, which it attributes to increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.”

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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

Warming temperatures are dangerously transforming the Arctic

The 2017 Arctic Report Card has revealed that the current...

A new study links higher levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-birth-defects/">air pollution</a> to bad behavior in teenagers. Researchers say that this serves as a reminder of the importance of clean air and the need for more plants and trees in urban areas.

Diana Younan from the <a href="https://keck.usc.edu/">Keck School of Medicine of USC</a> is the lead author of the study. She explains that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can be extremely harmful to health.

"These tiny, toxic particles creep into your body, affecting your lungs and your heart," said Younan. "Studies are beginning to show exposure to various air pollutants also causes inflammation in the brain. PM2.5 is particularly harmful to developing brains because it can damage brain structure and neural networks and, as our study suggests, influence adolescent behaviors."

The study, which was focused on 682 children in Los Angeles, followed the subjects for nine years beginning when they were 9 years old. Parents reported every few years regarding if their child had engaged in various delinquent behaviors, including lying, cheating, truancy, stealing, vandalism, arson, or substance abuse. 
The research team used 25 air quality monitors to measure daily air pollution in Southern California from 2000 to 2014. Mathematical models enabled the team to calculate the ambient PM2.5 levels outside of the home of each participant. 

Overall, 75 percent of the individuals examined for the study breathed ambient air pollution that exceeded the federal recommended levels. Some areas had nearly double the levels of PM2.5 which are deemed safe.

The results of the study indicated that ambient air pollution increased delinquent behavior among the young adults. The negative effects were found to be worsened by poor parent-child relationships and also by mental stress among the parents.

"Previous studies by others have shown that early exposure to lead disrupts brain development and increases aggressive behavior and juvenile delinquency," explained Younan. "It's possible that growing up in places with unhealthy levels of small particles outdoors may have similar negative behavioral outcomes, though more research is needed to confirm this.”


The researchers determined that neighborhoods near freeways and those lacking in foliage experience higher levels of ambient air pollution. 

"Poor people, unfortunately, are more likely to live in urban areas in less than ideal neighborhoods," said Younan. "Many affordable housing developments are built near freeways. Living so close to freeways causes health problems such as asthma and, perhaps, alters teenagers' brain structures so that they are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior."

The study, which is published in the <a href="http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/abn/">Journal of Abnormal Psychology</a>, also revealed that PM2.5 pollution and crime rates in Southern California have both been on the decline. 

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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

Air pollution linked the bad behavior in teens

A new study links higher levels of air pollution to...

As hydraulic fracturing, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/links-fracking-drinking-water-pollution/">fracking</a>, becomes more widely used across the United States, concerns are growing about the potential health and environmental consequences that may follow. New research reveals that there are health risks for babies born to mothers living within 2 miles of a hydraulic fracturing site.

The researchers found that mothers living within half of a mile from a drilling site were 25 percent more likely to give birth to an infant born at a low birth weight. This condition leaves babies at a greater risk of infant mortality, ADHD, asthma, lower test scores, and lower lifetime earnings.

Study co-author Janet M. Currie is a professor of Economics and Public Affairs at the <a href="http://wws.princeton.edu/">Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs</a>.

"Given the growing evidence that pollution affects babies in utero, it should not be surprising that fracking, which is a heavy industrial activity, has negative effects on infants," said Currie. 

The research team analyzed records from over 1.1 million births in Pennsylvania between 2004 and 2013. They compared the outcomes of babies born to mothers living near a hydraulic fracturing site to those living farther away, taking into account when fracking began at specific sites.

The study revealed that mothers living within .6 miles of a fracking site were 25 percent more likely to have babies born under 5.5 pounds, which is considered low birth weight. This risk decreased by about half to one-third for women who resided between half a mile and 2 miles from a drilling site, while infants born to mothers living beyond 2 miles from a fracking site showed little to no impacts.

"As local and state policymakers decide whether to allow hydraulic fracturing in their communities, it is crucial that they carefully examine the costs and benefits, including the potential impacts from pollution," said study co-author Michael Greenstone. "This study provides the strongest large-scale evidence of a link between the pollution that stems from hydraulic fracturing activities and our health, specifically the health of babies."

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fracking sites found to negatively impact health of newborns

As hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, becomes more widely used across...

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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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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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