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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

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

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

Soil reclamation is a method of recovering the natural balance of soil. After the installation of natural gas wells, for example, soil reclamation efforts are key in to bringing the soil back to a restored state of health. An extensive study on soil reclamation in Wyoming has shown that the effectiveness of reclamation is often obstructed by salt-affected soils, weed invasions, and slow plant establishment.

Jay Norton is a researcher in Soil Science, Agronomy, and Environmental Sciences at the <a href="http://www.uwyo.edu/">University of Wyoming</a>. Norton has been analyzing soil reclamation at three Wyoming production areas, including nine natural gas drilling sites, over seven years. 

The study revealed that organic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/survey-americans-support-carbon-tax/">carbon</a> returned to pre-disturbance level in approximately eight years at the site where the soil carbon content was most abundant before drilling started. In more dry and saline sites, however, organic carbon remained lower than pre-disturbance levels in the same time frame. 

Next, Norton will examine the conditions needed to re-establish native vegetation at the sites, which may be influenced by climate.

Norton’s soil restoration research will be presented at the <a href="https://www.acsmeetings.org/">Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future</a> annual meeting in Tampa, Florida, as "Soil Changes Before, During, and After Natural Gas.” This important topic will be addressed at the convention on Monday, October 23rd. 

The meeting is sponsored by the <a href="https://www.agronomy.org/">American Society of Agronomy</a>, Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

It takes years for soil to return to normal at gas drilling sites

Soil reclamation is a method of recovering the natural balance...

Known as The Great Oxidation Event, the Earth’s atmosphere was filled with oxygen over a period of just 200 million years. This, according to new research published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Before The Great Oxidation, the Earth had no free oxygen, or oxygen that wasn’t bound to other elements. 

Scientists have long wondered how the Earth could have oxidized so drastically in so little a time frame, and now geologists from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> (UBC) have found a probable answer. 

Small pockets of free oxygen began to pop up around three billion years ago, but UBC researchers Matthijs Smit and Klaus Mezger believe the Great Oxidation Event occurred because of the evolution of the earth’s continental crust. 

The changing composition of continental rocks suddenly gave way to large quantities of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-deoxygenation-history-repeating/">oxygen</a> that was just waiting for the right conditions.

“Oxygenation was waiting to happen. All it may have needed was for the continents to mature,” said Smit.

Smit and Mezger felt that the composition of continental rocks, which they knew had changed during the same time as The Great Oxidation, might be linked to oxygen filling the atmosphere. 

The researchers gathered data from geological records, looking at shales and igneous rocks dating as far back as billions of years. 

Early earth’s continental rocks were rich in magnesium and low in silica. The rocks also contained olivine, a mineral that when in contact with water consumes oxygen and locks it up. 

As the continental crust changed over the years, its composition evolved to exclude olivine. Since the olivine wasn't around to consume all the oxygen, the oceans became saturated and oxygen was free to fill the atmosphere. This in turn allowed an abundance of life to thrive on the planet. 

"It really appears to have been the starting point for life diversification as we know it. After that change, the Earth became much more habitable and suitable for the evolution of complex life, but that needed some trigger mechanism, and that's what we may have found,” said Smit. 

The researchers still aren’t sure exactly what caused the composition of the earth’s continental crust to shift, a question that will require further research to answer. But Smit and Mezger have helped shed light on how the Earth’s geological makeup evolved to allow human life to exist.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com,</a> Staff Writer

How Earth’s atmosphere first filled with oxygen

Known as The Great Oxidation Event, the Earth’s atmosphere was...

Millions of tons of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-tap-water-contains-plastics/">plastic</a> particles are buried in the oceans every year as a result of human activities. Researchers have determined that the best strategy to eradicate some of this pollution may be to appeal to the public's love of the sea. 

Scientists are exploring ways to slow down the amount of plastic pollution that is accumulating in the ocean. They are searching for strategies to recover the health of our seas, and striving to protect all of the human benefits associated with healthy oceans.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a> and the <a href="https://www.surrey.ac.uk/">University of Surrey</a> looked at the history of how public pressure can lead to policy change. For example, public opposition led to bans on the use of microbeads in cosmetics and helped place restrictions on single-use plastic bags.

The researchers say that these types of public efforts are steps in the right direction, but they are not addressing the underlying issues. Their report, published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/">Nature Human Behaviour</a>, explains that there needs to be a more unified and interdisciplinary approach.

Dr. Sabine Pahl is an associate professor of Psychology and lead author of the report.

"The public's love of the coast is obvious, so it stands to reason that they would play a role in preserving its future,” said Dr. Pahl. “Plastic pollution is a problem for all in society and while there are solutions out there, they must be socially acceptable as well as economically and technically viable. We need to work together across disciplines and sectors to build on the strength of humans to facilitate change."

The authors of the report conducted previous studies which revealed the negative impact of marine litter on coastal environments. As a result of the current study, they compare ocean plastic pollution to other environmental threats like marine litter, where the symptoms occur some distance away from land-based causes.

"From previous research we know that people appreciate and value the importance of the ocean and see marine litter as a global problem,” said co-author Dr. Kayleigh Wyles. “Yet, the challenge is connecting the dots. So many of our behaviors and decisions contribute to this problem, but at those particular points of time, we often don't think of how they can impact the environment.” 

Dr. Wyles added, “Using behavioral sciences to understand drivers of human behavior will therefore help support ongoing initiatives that can look to clean up our environments."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People’s love for the ocean could help reduce plastic pollution

Millions of tons of plastic particles are buried in the...

Europe has twice as many diesel vehicles as the rest of the world combined, and it could be taking a bigger toll on public health than previously believed.

A team of researchers from the <a href="http://www.iiasa.ac.at/">International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis</a> in Austria, <a href="http://www.chalmers.se/en">Chalmers University of Technology</a> in Sweden and the <a href="https://www.met.no/en">Norwegian Meteorological Institute</a> have conducted a new study to find out how the air pollution produced by diesel vehicles in Europe may contribute to the annual pollution-related deaths on the continent. 

They found that emissions from diesel cars, trucks, buses and other vehicles may be linked to as many as 10,000 premature deaths per year. Half of those deaths may have been prevented if laboratory testing of diesel vehicle emissions had been accurate, the scientists said.

“Modern engine controls have been optimized by manufacturers for the specific laboratory testing but underperform in real-driving,” the scientists said, referring to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vehicle-emissions-worse-testing/">earlier research on diesel emissions</a>.

About 425,000 deaths in Europe are linked to air pollution each year, the researchers said in a press release. The vast majority of those deaths – about 90 percent – stem from cardiovascular or respiratory diseases linked to nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide, abbreviated NOx, the scientists said.

The problem is exacerbated by Europe’s large number of diesel cars, trucks and other automobiles. Diesel vehicles have been found to produce up to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrogen-oxide-diesel-car/">10 times more NOx than buses</a> despite being substantially smaller.

"If diesel car emissions were as low as petrol car emissions, three quarters or about 7,500 premature deaths could have been avoided," said Dr. Jens Borken-Kleefeld, a transportation expert for the IIASA.

The vast majority of the premature deaths are in France, Germany and Italy, the researchers said. However, due to other types of air pollution and other environmental factors, the risk per capita is much higher in northern Italy, they said.

The study will be published in the journal <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/erl">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Are diesel vehicles causing thousands of deaths in Europe?

Europe has twice as many diesel vehicles as the rest...

Research has found that many people who deny climate change are weary of how environmental regulations would negatively impact them financially, particularly in the oil and coal sectors. But a recent study has found that not addressing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-reduce-coffee/">climate change</a> as a major catalyst for severe weather will end up costing 5 times more. 

The study, titled Project Metropolis, examined Santos, a coastal city in Sao Paulo, and defined the minimum costs the city would have to factor in to prepare for rising sea levels due to climate change. 

Project Metropolis estimated that Santos would have to pay around 300 million (Brazil Real Equals) in renovations to be better prepared for climate change. Conversely, not doing anything to adapt to warming temperatures could cost the city billions. 

Researchers also note that there are other sectors besides real estate, like health and education, that would be greatly impacted by climate change

The team also examined a wide range of climate change research and predictions to get a more detailed understanding of the costs. The model looked at rising sea levels, tides, predicted rises in storm surges, extreme weather events, and coastal flooding. 

There is no question that sea levels will rise, it’s simply a matter of how high. 

“We identified two possible scenarios for the city. One is more realistic, with sea levels rising by 0.36 cm per year. The other is the worst-case scenario, with sea levels rising by 0.45 cm per year,” said Celia Regina de Gouveia Souza, a researcher at the <a href="http://www.igc.usp.br/">Geologic Institute (IG) of the Sao Paulo State. </a>

Once the researchers had an accurate estimation of rising sea levels and the costs of climate change, they presented their findings to the general public and local government. The people of Santos opted to implement changes to hinder the effects of climate change. 

“The measures chosen by the public were quite adequate. We hope the project will continue under the aegis of the local authorities with ongoing popular participation. If so, the worst-case scenario is much less likely to materialize," said Luci Hidalgo Nunes, a researcher at <a href="http://www.unicamp.br/unicamp/">The University of Campinas </a>

Project Metropolis is an innovative approach to affecting climate change. Not only does it create a dialogue among the public and policymakers, but the research inconclusively presents the costly ramifications that the city and people would face if no changes were adopted. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>, Staff Writer

The severe cost of not acting on climate change

Research has found that many people who deny climate change...

Fall is in the air, and it is the perfect time of year to enjoy the great outdoors. According to the <a href="https://www.rvda.org/RVDA/Media/News_Releases/2017_News_Releases/March_2017/Camping.aspx">2017 North American Camping Report</a>, 75 million households in the United States are active campers. Half of those families say they plan to <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/insomnia-cure-camping/">camp</a> more this year. 

Whether you are an experienced camper or just someone that looks forward to pitching a tent every now and then, it is simple to get outside and enjoy the beauty of nature. The following is a list of the 8 most amazing places to camp in the United States.

Glacier National Park 

Located in Montana on the US/Canada border, this park features more than a million acres, including mountains that began forming 170 million years ago. Featuring 130 named lakes, over 1,000 different species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals, this is one of the prime locations in the country to experience life outside.

Acadia National Park

With its 17 million acres of forest, 6,000 lakes and ponds, and 32,000 miles of rivers and streams, Maine has an abundance of biodiversity. Located on Mount Desert Island, this park encompasses everything the state has to offer including Cadillac Mountain, an incredible hiking spot that towers over the site at 1,530 feet.

Little Tybee Island

Just a short boat ride south of Tybee Island, Georgia, this is the perfect spot to sleep under the stars. The island has a number of endangered species of birds, rich salt marshes, and natural dunes. This wildlife reserve is twice the size of Tybee, yet completely uninhabited.

Shenandoah National Park

This breathtaking site in Virginia is only a short drive from Washington D.C. that features over 500 miles of hiking trails with access to gorgeous waterfalls and stunning views. One of the most popular trails is a nine-mile hike to Old Rag Mountain, which sits high in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Badlands National Park  

Known for an abundance of fossil mammals, this historic area of South Dakota offers a number of great camping sites. The terrain is rugged and not the easiest to navigate, but the experience is well worth the extra effort. The Badlands are said to have the largest fossil accumulation from the Eocene and Oligocene Epochs.

Yosemite National Park

This park, located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, is known for its ancient sequoia trees, granite cliffs, clear streams and an incredible amount of biodiversity. Yosemite features 13 campgrounds, and the site is so iconic that it was key in the concept of national parks. 

Crater Lake National Park

Located in Oregon among the Cascade Mountain Range, this is the site of incredible volcanic formations, including Crater Lake. This lake is the deepest in the United States and is also said to be the cleanest and most pure lake in the country. The park has two developed campgrounds.

Pisgah National Forest  

This enchanted forest is known as the Land of the Waterfalls. It encompasses 500,000 acres of the Appalachian Mountains just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. Mile-high peaks offer majestic views and campers can enjoy rock climbing, backpacking, and fishing.

Ludington State Park

Located in western Michigan, Ludington State Park spans 5,300 acres and just last year celebrated its 80th birthday. Known as the most popular state park in Michigan, Ludington attracts a large number of tourists due to its widely diverse attractions, which include hiking, fishing, biking, boating, swimming, and sledding.

Arches National Park

Located in eastern Utah next to the Colorado River, Arches National Park contains over 2,000 natural sandstone arches across 76,000 acres. The majestic beauty and vibrant orange and red colors make the park a favorite for those most familiar with the southwestern United States. Although climbing on the named arches is strictly prohibited, climbing is allowed in other parts of the park, along with hiking and camping. Arches is also a popular destination for astronomers, thanks to its uniquely clear skies.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The 10 best camping sites in the United States

Fall is in the air, and it is the perfect...

Experts have determined that one-third of Asia’s glacier ice will vanish by the end of the century regardless of the 1.5-degree Celsius global warming target established in Paris. These mountain glaciers contribute to the water supply of millions of people, and losing this amount of glacier mass will have an enormous impact.

Researchers from the Netherlands set out to determine what would happen to the mountain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/montana-glaciers-quickly-disappearing/">glaciers</a> in Asia if global warming exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. Their investigation revealed that climate change at the current rate could diminish the glacier ice by two-thirds.

“These projections have potentially serious consequences for regional water management and mountain communities,” said the researchers. The authors of the study also warned that the 1.5 -degree Celsius goal “is extremely ambitious and is projected by only a small number of climate models.” 

Philip Kraaijenbrink is a geographer at the <a href="https://www.uu.nl/en">University of Utrecht</a> who led the study.

“In regions where glacier melt water is an important part of the river flow, the retreating glaciers can become a problem,” said Kraaijenbrink. He explained that there are many people depending on rivers such as the Indus and Ganges that originate high in the Asian mountains.

“In these basins, the river water is used for irrigation of cropland, drinking water and for hydropower dams,” said Kraaijenbrink.

Comparisons of over 100 climate simulations showed that Asia's mountain glaciers often experience temperatures warming at a higher rate than the global average. With the exception of the Kunlun Mountains in China, all of the mountain glaciers examined in the study were losing mass.

The study revealed that the disappearance of glacier ice is nearly proportionate to the amount of warming in this region, with some exceptions. 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

One-third of Asia’s glacier ice will disappear this century

Experts have determined that one-third of Asia’s glacier ice will...

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

A new study from the <a href="http://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> has found that older fish are rapidly depleting due to overfishing.

Older fish are an important part of the ecosystem, similar to older <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-trees-weapon-climate-change/">trees</a>, because fish who have aged longer might occupy a different geographical area, might try a different food source, and may become a more dominant predator in some cases. 

“More age complexity among species can contribute to the overall stability of a community. If you trim away that diversity, you're probably reducing the marine food web's ability to buffer against change,” said Lewis Barnett, lead author and a UW postdoctoral researcher at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and the <a href="http://jisao.washington.edu/">Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean</a>.

Older fish also help keep the food chain fresh and can reproduce more over their lifetime. 

“I think of old fish as an insurance policy -- they get you through those periods of bad reproduction by consistently producing eggs,” said Trevor Branch, co-author and a UW associate professor. 

Fishing operations  have regulations on the volume of fish they can catch, but don’t have any regulations on age or size. As a result, most fish aren’t allowed to go through a natural life cycle. The longer a fish lives, the more likely it will be caught. 

There also certain environmental factors at play, like disease and pollution, that can contribute to the decrease in older fish. 

The researchers gathered data from commercial and recreational fisheries that detailed the status of changing fish populations over the years. The results show that of the 63 populations of fish analyzed, the proportions of fish in the older age brackets had declined from 79 percent to 97 percent. 

The surprising results will hopefully help dictate future policy for fisheries and fishing operations. 

The researchers suggested several methods for changing fishing operations to help balance out fish populations, including barring fish of a certain size or age from being caught and closing off certain areas to fishing permanently. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Victoria O'Connell

Older fish are rapidly disappearing due to overfishing

A new study from the University of Washington has found...

More and more studies are showing that access to safe, natural environments improves the overall health of children including heart health, mental health, weight management, and stress management. A new concept has emerged from this research that is known as a green schoolyard.

Stephen Pont is the medical director at <a href="https://www.dellchildrens.net/">Dell Children's Texas Center</a> and an assistant professor of Pediatrics at <a href="https://dellmed.utexas.edu/">UT-Austin Dell Medical School</a>.

"Green schoolyards can include outdoor classrooms, native gardens, storm water capture, traditional play equipment, vegetable gardens, trails, trees and more," said Dr. Pont. "And outside of school time, these schoolyards can be open for the surrounding community to use, benefitting everyone."

Green schoolyards offer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deportation-fears-american-children/">children</a> a healthy outdoor environment as part of their daily lives. Green schoolyards also provide value to the entire community by promoting improved health and higher rates of community and family engagement. 

Richard Louv is a co-founder of the <a href="http://www.childrenandnature.org/">Children &amp; Nature Network</a>.

"Too many children have no access to quality school grounds. In many neighborhoods, the standard play space is a barren asphalt playground or a concrete slab surrounded by chain link fence--a completely unsuitable environment for children's play,” said Louv.

In collaboration with the Children &amp; Nature Network and the <a href="http://www.nlc.org/">National League of Cities</a>, five cities have implemented green schoolyards as a result of the research. The study authors have documented green schoolyard advantages such as improved academic outcomes, physical activity, and mental health.

"So many physicians and health professionals choose to spend their free time in nature, but we often forget that nature can be a powerful health intervention for our patients, both for the prevention and improvement of many medical conditions," said Dr. Pont. "We should all be champions for kids and families getting more Vitamin N."

The research will be presented September 16th at the <a href="https://www.aap.org/">American Academy of Pediatrics</a> National Conference &amp; Exhibition in Chicago. The concept will be presented as, "Green Schoolyards Support Healthy Bodies, Minds and Communities.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Green schoolyards improve mental and physical health of kids

More and more studies are showing that access to safe,...

Researchers have discovered that tectonic plates are weaker than what has been believed for many years. The scientists explained that previous studies have “drastically overestimated” their strength due to misinterpretations of rock strength in the lab.

Study co-author Lars Hansen is an associate professor of Rock and Mineral Physics at <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">Oxford University</a>.

“The strength of tectonic plates has been a major target of research for the past four decades,” said Hansen. “For plate tectonics to work, plates must be able to break to form new plate boundaries.” 

Dr. Hansen said that scientists have put a lot of work into measuring the strength of key rocks that make up <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tectonic-plates-earths-mantle/">tectonic plates</a>.

“Unfortunately, those estimates of rock strength have been significantly greater than the apparent strength of plates as observed on Earth,” said Dr. Hansen. “Thus, there is a fundamental lack of understanding of how plates can actually break to form new boundaries.”

For the current study, the research team used a technique known as “nanoindentation” to more accurately match the strength of the lab rocks to those found in the natural world. The nanoindentation experiments showed how the rocks that make up tectonic plates are weak enough to break and form new plate boundaries.

Dr. Hansen explained that the variability among previous calculations of rock strength “is a result of a special length-scale within the rocks - that is, the strength depends on the volume of material being tested. To determine this we used nanoindentation experiments in which a microscopic diamond stylus is pressed into the surface of an olivine crystal. These experiments reveal that the strength of the crystal depends on the size of the indentation.”

According to Dr. Hansen, the measured strength of the rocks increases as the size of the crystals decreases. Previous studies used synthetic rocks with crystal sizes much smaller than crystals found in nature, and so the tectonic plates were estimated to be much stronger than they actually are.

'This result has implications beyond forming tectonic plate boundaries,” said Dr. Hansen. “Better predictions of the strength of rocks under these conditions will help inform us on many dynamic processes in plates. For instance, we now know that the evolution of stresses on earthquake-generating faults likely depends on the size of the individual crystals that make up the rocks involved. In addition, flexing of plates under the weight of volcanoes or large ice sheets, a process intimately linked to sea level on Earth, will also ultimately depend on crystal size.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tectonic plates are even less stable than we thought

Researchers have discovered that tectonic plates are weaker than what...

People of color are exposed to more nitrogen dioxide pollution than whites in the United States. And now, research from the <a href="http://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> has found that little progress was made in lessening the gap between 2000 and 2010.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/image/gas-flaring-creates-nitrogen-dioxide-and-black-carbon-pollution/">Nitrogen dioxide</a> (NO2) is emitted from vehicle exhaust, power plants, and off-road equipment. It is one of six principal air pollutants monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency. NO2 has been linked to asthma and increased risk of respiratory problems and heart disease.

A nationwide study was launched to investigate how much people are exposed to NO2 based on the neighborhoods where they live. The researchers estimated the outdoor concentrations of NO2 in both 2000 and 2010. The results showed a larger imbalance in NO2 exposure by race and ethnicity than by income, age, or education. 

For their study, the researchers developed a model that is the first of its kind to combine satellite and regulatory measurements with land use data in order to predict pollution at a neighborhood level. Measured in parts per billion, or ppb, average annual NO2 exposure decreased from 17.6 to 10.7 ppb for nonwhite populations, and from 12.6 to 7.8 ppb for white populations between 2000 and 2010. 

Despite this significant drop, the gap in exposure among races narrowed by very little. Nonwhites were exposed to 40 percent more of the pollutant in 2000, which only dropped to 37 percent by 2010. In addition, concentrations of NO2 in neighborhoods with the highest numbers of nonwhite residents were 2.5 times higher in 2000. This value increased to 2.7 times higher by 2010.

The experts estimated that 5,000 premature deaths from heart disease among the nonwhite group would have been prevented if people of color had breathed the lower NO2 levels experienced by whites in 2010.

"The finding that shocks us is that when it comes to how much NO2 a person breathes, it's still race that matters," said senior author Julian Marshall. "At any income level -- low to medium to high -- there's a persistent gap by race, which is completely indefensible. It says a lot about how segregated neighborhoods still are and how things are segregated.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People of color in the U.S. are exposed to far more air pollution

People of color are exposed to more nitrogen dioxide pollution...

According to a new study, the key to most accurately measuring global warming is actually by studying the ocean. 

The study, authored by researchers from all over the world, was published in AGU’s EOS journal and details an efficient and accurate way of measuring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-mercury-arctic-soil/">global warming</a> by focusing on sea levels and ocean heat. 

Understanding climate change has a lot to do in part with calculating the Earth’s Energy Imbalance, or EEI. 

The EEI helps determine how fast the Earth is heating up or storing heat. The measurement calculates the difference between incoming solar radiation and outgoing longwave thermal radiation. The EEI has drastically increased over the years, and this imbalance is directly caused by anthropogenic activities. 

Instead of using the mean global surface temperature to measure how quickly the Earth is storing heat, the new research shows the oceans provide a more accurate representation. 

Why? Because more than 90% of the extra heat caused by trapped greenhouse gasses ends up in the oceans. This extra buildup is causing ocean warming and sea levels to rise.

According to the study, sea level rise and changes in ocean heat content should be the primary measurements of global warming. Advancements made in ocean monitoring technology can now calculate current conditions and also accurately reconstruct the historical ocean temperature. 

The past few years have been the warmest on record, and according to the latest estimates, the top ten warmest years for the ocean all occurred after 2006. 

The ocean heat content has increased by 30.4×1022 Joules since 1960. To put this in perspective, the increase in ocean heat content since 1992 is nearly 2000 times total the net generation of electricity by the U.S. utility companies in 2015. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ocean data is the most accurate way to measure global warming

According to a new study, the key to most accurately...

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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



---



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.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Saturn,-,High,Resolution,3d,Images,Presents,Planets,Of,The

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

News coming your way