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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Invention turns 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...

The element lithium (Li) was discovered in the 1800s, and has since been used in a variety of ways – including as a medication in psychiatric treatments and as a component of nuclear weapons. However, in the age of laptops, cell phones, and electric cars, lithium-ion batteries are now an everyday necessity for the developed world – and demand continues to rise.

A vast majority of the lithium used in making lithium-ion batteries comes from Chile and Australia, where they are mined from brine deposits in high-altitude salt flats and from pegmatite deposits respectively. But a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a> now says that there may be a new method for extracting lithium here in the United States. Researchers believe that there are significant deposits of lithium in the remnants of supervolcanoes across the U.S.

When supervolcanoes erupt, they produce hundreds to thousands of cubic kilometers of magma. Once the smoke has cleared, they remain as enormous holes in the ground, known as calderas. These holes often fill up with water and form lakes – such as Crater Lake in Oregon. Over long periods of time – often tens of thousands of years – lithium leaches from the remains of the volcano into the water. The lithium then becomes concentrated in a clay called hectorite.

“The caldera is the ideal depositional basin for all this lithium,” says lead author Thomas Benson, a recent PhD graduate at <a href="https://earth.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>. “We’ve had a gold rush, so we know how, why and where gold occurs, but we never had a lithium rush. The demand for lithium has outpaced the scientific understanding of the resource, so it’s essential for the fundamental science behind these resources to catch up.”

The study shows how researchers have found a way to identify which supervolcanoes contain the most abundant sources of lithium. They analyzed tiny bits of magma trapped in crystals that grew within the magma chamber – which allows them to access the original concentrations of lithium and other elements prior to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanoes-erupt-next/">eruption</a>.

In taking samples at sites everywhere from Oregon to Mexico, they found that lithium concentrations were widely varied relative to the tectonic setting of the supervolcano. 

“If you have a lot of magma erupting, it doesn’t have to have as much lithium in it to produce something that is worthy of economic interest as we previously thought,” explains Gail Mahood, professor of geological sciences at <a href="https://earth.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>. “You don’t need extraordinarily high concentrations of lithium in the magma to form lithium deposits and reserves.”

While analyzing the samples for other elements, the researchers came across trace elements that expressed a useful correlation with lithium concentration, allowing them to use these elements as a proxy for finding lithium concentration.

All of this work may eventually help the United States build its own lithium supply, allowing us to become more energy-independent as the developed world moves more towards electric cars.

“We’re going to have to use electric vehicles and large storage batteries to decrease our carbon footprint,” Mahood said. “It’s important to identify lithium resources in the U.S. so that our supply does not rely on single companies or countries in a way that makes us subject to economic or political manipulation.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Supervolcanoes could be the future of electric energy

The element lithium (Li) was discovered in the 1800s, and...

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a> have located almost 100 previously undiscovered volcanoes in Antarctica. The experts analyzed ice-penetrating radar data to measure the volcanic range, which varies in height from 100 to 3,850 meters.

The massive volcanic region, found in an area known as the West Antarctic Rift System, may be the largest on Earth. Experts say it is comparable to the densest known concentration of volcanic peaks in East Africa.

The study was proposed by Max Van Wyk de Vries, a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences. 

“Antarctica remains among the least studied areas of the globe, and as a young scientist I was excited to learn about something new and not well understood,” said Van Wyk de Vries. “After examining existing data on West Antarctica, I began discovering traces of volcanism. Naturally I looked into it further, which led to this discovery of almost 100 volcanoes under the ice sheet."

The research team remotely searched for hidden peaks of basalt rock underneath the ice sheet. They were able to examine the shape of the land below the ice using information from ice-penetrating radar. These measurements were compared with data from aerial surveys and satellite records.

The scientists found 91 peaks spanning 3,500 kilometers from Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf to the Antarctic Peninsula. The highest peak of the range is as tall as Eiger, an iconic mountain in Switzerland.

The findings of this unprecedented study will help scientists understand how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanoes-erupt-next/">volcanoes</a> can impact long-term changes in Antarctica's ice sheet. Researchers may also gain more insight into how the continent has fluctuated during past climate changes.

The research, published in the <a href="http://sp.lyellcollection.org/">Geological Society Special Publications</a> series, does not indicate whether the volcanoes are active but suggests that seismic monitoring may be necessary in the region. Scientists say that the disappearance of Antarctica's ice may be a precursor to more frequent volcanic activity, which can result from warming temperatures.

Dr. Robert Bingham is a professor at the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences.

“It is fascinating to uncover an extensive range of volcanoes in this relatively unexplored continent,” said Dr. Bingham. “Better understanding of volcanic activity could shed light on their impact on Antarctica's ice in the past, present and future, and on other rift systems around the world."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth’s most massive volcanic range sits under Antarctica

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh have located almost 100...

We know so much about solar eclipses today that science can tell us to the minute when a single location, say, Lincoln Beach Oregon, will reach the point of totality on August 21. For the layman, the moon will appear to totally block the sun except its bedazzling corona to viewers in this Northwest U.S. city at 9:05am PDT, kicking off the Great American Eclipse. 

But let’s go back in time. How do you think your foreparents accepted this not-so-rare phenomenon? If you think they had a hard time with it, you’re right. 

Can you blame them? Imagine that you strolled out one fine evening and found three moons in a clear sky. That’s how terrifying <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/causes-eclipse-rare/">sudden midnight</a> seemed to the uninitiated. It was the sign of the apocalypse. A portent of death. A horrifying event.

Although…there was that time it stopped a battle. Here are a few historical highlights of solar eclipses.

Solar Shame

In 1375 BC, the northern Syrian port city of Ugarit experienced an eclipse that was described in the written record this way: “On the day of the new moon, in the month of Hiyar, the Sun was put to shame, and went down in the daytime, with Mars in attendance.”

Battle Interruptus

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus tells us that a solar eclipse interrupted a raging battle between the Lydians and the Medes in 585 BC. To the warriors, it was a sign that they were on the wrong track in life and they immediately ended the battle and declared a lasting truce. Or something like that.

The problem is, Herodotus said that the eclipse happened in the middle of the day, whereas scientists now know that it happened near sundown. But as the newspaper editor in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance famously stated, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” 

Religious Portends

In the Christian faith, the gospels state that, upon the death of Jesus Christ, the sky was darkened for hours. Or…science says that a total eclipse happened over the region in 29 AD and that a longer, four-minute occurrence took place in 33AD. 

The Koran holds that an eclipse preceded the birth of Mohammed and another marked the death of his son, Ibrahim. 

Hideous Darkness

King Henry I of England died, as royals have a tendency to do. But this particular death, in 1133 AD, coincided with a total eclipse. Or, as historians of the day referred to it, a “hideous darkness” that descended upon them. Naturally, chaos and civil war followed. 

Go West, Young Scientists

America was feeling pretty good about itself and its place in scientific study as the solar eclipse of 1878 neared. At this point, we could predict such happenings, and a veritable who’s who of science and exploration headed west to witness it. This included Thomas Edison, trying out one of his few failed inventions, astronomer Samuel Langley, for whom the NASA Langley Research Center is named, and Vassar College astronomer professor Maria Mitchell, who had the audacity to bring along a gaggle of female astronomers. 

Respected astronomer James Craig Watson also joined the curious, out to prove, in the absence the sun, the previously hidden planet Vulcan. Alas, no Vulcan. It would take Star Trek producer Gene Rodenberry another near century to discover Spock’s home planet. 

Live long and prosper, Earthlings. And, if you get a chance, don’t miss the Great American Eclipse.

--

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The importance of solar eclipses throughout history

We know so much about solar eclipses today that science...

Environmentalists trying to implement greener community farming practices sometimes face tension and obstacles due to differing opinions on how much conservation should be prioritized. 

First-time farmers and traditional family farmers may disagree on everything from the best sustainable practices to religious ideologies, and bridging the gap between these two types of farmers might seem like an impossible task.

But research led by Ruth Stamper, a doctoral candidate from the <a href="https://www.ku.edu/">University of Kansas</a>, shows promising tactics that could help mediate this divide, produce sustainable local agriculture, and foster stronger community engagement. 

Stamper talked to farmers in Missouri and Kansas about working to create sustainable local agriculture and found it be a powerful meditative tool within the farming community. 

The farmers she spoke to voiced a common goal of wanting to create or enhance sustainable local food systems and this helped bring together <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severe-drought-plagues-north-dakota/">farmers</a> with differing views.

“They were coming together to build these local food networks, to educate and produce consumers for their products. They shared practices and how they were educating themselves, creating this space where they are building relationships that haven't necessarily developed before,” said Stamper. 

Religious differences were found to be one of the biggest dividers within local farming communities, as long time family farmers were surveyed as holding conservative Christian values and seemingly leery of neighboring farmers who presented themselves as progressive environmentalists or members of the LGBT community. 

"The local farmers all have the same kind of end goal in mind, even though they were coming from two different ideologies," said Stamper. 

Because local community efforts to produce sustainable agricultural practices are an important part of combating climate change, finding ways to bridge ideological disparities will be key in creating greener communities. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Local food systems bridge the political divide, help conservation

Environmentalists trying to implement greener community farming practices sometimes face...

Climate skeptics are often considered either incapable or unwilling to grasp the reality of climate change. But now, an ongoing study is providing other explanations for why some people still deny climate change.

Jacob Lipsman is a <a href="https://www.ku.edu/">University of Kansas</a> doctoral student in Sociology. His research is exposing economic, social, and cultural influences that may cause communities and individuals to deny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/report-reveals-climate-change-us/">climate change</a>.

"The most obvious example of this is the instance of an individual who works for an industry, such as in oil and gas production, that may be negatively impacted by regulatory policy," said Lipsman. "This also functions on the community level; for instance, in Southeast Louisiana, oil and gas represents a disproportionate source of revenue for coastal parishes."

Climate change has already had an undeniable impact on Louisiana. The state has lost over 1,800 square miles of land to coastal erosion, an area equivalent to the size of Delaware.

"This land loss has major impacts on communities both directly in terms of increased flood vulnerability and indirectly through potentially decreased economic productivity," said Lipsman.

Lipsman investigated Plaquemines and St. Bernard, two Louisiana parishes adjacent to the mouth of the Mississippi River. He surveyed residents to understand their views on environmental threats. Lipsman examined any links between these perspectives and local actions taken to address coastal restoration issues in the region.

So far, the study has revealed that residents of the parishes have exceptional environmental awareness despite widespread disbelief of climate change. For example, Louisiana's Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast is getting major local support in Southeast Louisiana. This $50 billion dollar plan will encompass hydrologic restoration and shoreline protection, among other projects.

Lipsman will present early findings of his research today at the annual meeting of the <a href="http://www.asanet.org/">American Sociological Association</a> in Montreal. He believes this study could help bridge the gap between climate change believers and non-believers. 

"If an individual or a community is resistant to the idea of climate change for economic or social reasons, climate advocates will not be able to effectively communicate with these individuals about climate change simply by presenting more data," explained Lipsman. "By better understanding the processes of climate change denial, climate advocates will be better equipped to have an effective dialogue with individuals and communities that are skeptical of these ideas."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Getting through to those who still deny climate change

Climate skeptics are often considered either incapable or unwilling to...

For some time, it has largely been accepted in the scientific community that the Earth was formed from two types of stony meteors: CI chondrites and enstatite chondrites. These meteors would have originated in the asteroid belt billions of years ago and melded together to help form the core and mantle of the Earth. But now, new research is casting doubt on the formation and chemical composition of the planet due to new evidence on the distribution of zinc in the Earth’s core.

The study was conducted by researchers at the <a href="http://www.ipgp.fr/en">Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris</a> (IPGP) and presented at the Goldschmidt Geochemistry Conference. 

The researchers melted iron and silicate compounds that contained zinc and sulphur at high temperatures and pressures to simulate the conditions that were present during the Earth’s formation.

The pressures and temperatures used were similar to pressures needed to synthesize diamonds and temperatures close to those recorded on the sun. The team found that the zinc was distributed through the core and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tectonic-plates-earths-mantle/">mantle</a> differently than assumed. 

“We found that under conditions similar to those estimated when the Earth formed, Zn has a tendency to be distributed between the core and mantle differently than we had thought, i.e. there will be a significant amount of it bound up in the Earth's core. Based on previous models, if we can place more Zn in the core, then by association you place more S in the core as well, much more in fact than most current observations suggest,” said Brandon Mahan a member of the project and researcher from the IPGP.

This means that the Earth may not have been formed from CI chondrites and enstatite chondrites, but instead from CH chondrites. 

“...CH chondrites -- much like the Earth -- have a very complex formation history which has given them features from both extremes of hot and cold. If our results are valid, this indicates that the building blocks of the Earth may be a bit more exotic than we thought,” added Mahan. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Research raises new questions on how the Earth was formed

For some time, it has largely been accepted in the...

Emissions from cars, factories, and cigarettes have been shown to cause many adverse health effects, including causing respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic issues. Residents of areas with high concentrations of pollution, like in urban China, are more susceptible to the impacts of air pollution than in other parts of the world and are working to find ways to lessen the effect.

A recent study looked at increased exposure to air pollution and its impact on health and found that air purifiers successfully reduced the negative effects caused by pollutants. 

A team of researchers from the <a href="http://www.fudan.edu.cn/en/">Fudan University in Shanghai</a>, China examined 55 college students and found that high levels of air pollution created and exacerbated cardiovascular and metabolic issues in otherwise healthy young people.

The researchers also wanted to study the impacts that air purifiers had on the test subjects and gave them alternative treatments of sham and real air purification systems in their dorm rooms. 

“Levels of stress hormones, systolic blood pressure, and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation were significantly lower when using real air purifiers,” Haidong Kan, lead author and Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Fudan said. 

The research, which was published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation, tested blood serum and urine as the individuals were exposed to increasing levels of fine particulate matter found in vehicle <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-co2-emissions-mean-protein-deficiency-millions/">emissions</a>. The results found increasing levels of stress hormones and notable changes in blood serum metabolites after exposure to the pollution. 

Because previous studies have suggested that fine particulate matter could adversely impact metabolic functions, this study used metabolomics, a method that determines how our body metabolizes glucose and amino acids. 

The study also found that real air purifiers were effective methods of reducing the negative impacts of the increased exposure to PM2.5. 

The study was fairly limited, but was the first to tackle the exact link between air pollution and cardiovascular health. Further studies will need to be completed using this research on a larger, global scale to help confirm just how air purifiers can help reduce the harmful effects of air pollution. 

---

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution causes cardiovascular disease, but purifiers help

Emissions from cars, factories, and cigarettes have been shown to...

Wind turbines kill hundreds of thousands of birds and bats each year, but scientists have struck on a possible solution: military tech that allows soldiers to see at night could help flying creatures avoid death.

According to <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320713003522">a 2013 study</a>, anywhere from 140,000 to 328,000 birds are killed by wind turbines each year in the U.S. alone. The turbines that generate clean wind power are, along with white nose syndrome, the greatest cause of bat mortality worldwide, a <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mam.12064/epdf">2016 global review</a> of bat deaths showed. 

To give birds and bats a better chance, scientists at the Department of Energy's <a href="https://www.pnnl.gov/">Pacific Northwest National Laboratory</a> are examining uses for thermal imaging – used in military tech like night vision goggles. Thermal imaging captures light on the infrared spectrum, invisible to the naked eye.

The lab has developed ThermalTracker, software that can use thermal imaging to track where bats and birds fly in areas that are being considered for offshore wind farms.

"ThermalTracker can help developers and regulators make informed decisions about siting and operating offshore wind projects," said Dr. Shari Matzner, the engineer leading the development of ThermalTracker. "We need scientific tools like this to better understand how offshore wind turbines can coexist with birds and bats."

Projects planned for locations where ThermalTracker picks up a lot of bird and bat activity can be modified or moved, the researchers said.

The new software is being tested by biologists and ornithologists from the <a href="http://www.briloon.org/">Biodiversity Research Institute</a> this summer, as they undertake field research in Maine. 

Offshore wind farms could potentially generate far more electricity than wind turbine installations elsewhere. Offshore wind farms are already used throughout Europe, and coastal states are beginning to take advantage of the cheap, plentiful source of power.

ThermalTracker is one of several projects U.S. researchers have taken on to try and minimize the impact of offshore wind farms on birds, bats and other flying creatures.

Biodiversity Institute researchers will provide detailed reports on the software to the DOE developers so that they can refine the software.

"This is an extraordinary collaboration between technology developers, engineers and wildlife biologists who are working together on cutting-edge technology," said Wing Goodale, deputy director of Biodiversity Research Institute. 

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: <a href="https://www.pnnl.gov/">Pacific Northwest National Laboratory</a>

Military tech could protect bats and birds from wind turbines

Wind turbines kill hundreds of thousands of birds and bats...

The <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">NOAA</a> (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) have issued an update on their predictions for the 2017 hurricane season. On an August 9th press conference,  Dr. Gerry Bell, lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at the NOAA’s <a href="http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/">Climate Prediction Center</a>, discussed these new predictions. 

Earlier in May, Bell and his team predicted an active hurricane season, but now it looks like the rest of hurricane season will be more active than previously thought. 2017 is slated to be the most active hurricane season since 2010, with 14 to 19 major storms, of which 5 to 9 could turn into hurricanes. 

This increased activity is caused by warming in the Atlantic Ocean and a lack of developing El Nino conditions, which can help decrease <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/buffer-zone-intense-hurricanes/">hurricane</a> activity. 

In May, Bell and his team predicted a 45% chance that 2017’s hurricane season would be above-normal, and in the August update that number increased to 60%. Although the number of hurricanes from the May predictions has not changed, the number of major storms, originally thought to be between 11 and 17 has increased to between 14 and 19. 

Dr. Bell stated that the predicted outlook makes no claims or projections about hurricane landfall, those predictions are only possible with mapping the storm’s weather pattern and trajectory while it's happening. 

These new predictions mean that people who live in areas where hurricanes are a norm should continue to be diligent in following recommended safety precautions, and be alert for evacuation orders and changes in the weather. 

 “As we enter the height of hurricane season, it’s important for everyone to know who issues evacuation orders in their community, heed the warnings, update their insurance and have a preparedness plan,” said Brock Long, a FEMA Administrator. 

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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

2017 Atlantic hurricane season even more active than expected

The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) have issued an...

The <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">NOAA</a> State of the Climate report is published annually by the <a href="https://www.ametsoc.org/">American Meteorological Society</a> as part of their monthly journal, the <a href="https://www.ametsoc.org/ams/index.cfm/publications/bulletin-of-the-american-meteorological-society-bams/">Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society</a>. According to the latest report, 2016 marks the hottest year on record, breaking 2015’s record high temperatures. 

The State of the Climate report is a worldwide collaboration of scientists from almost 60 countries led by the NOAA’s <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/">National Centers for Environmental Information</a>. The report is meant to track and record the effects of climate change including rising temperatures, increased <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-thawing-permafrost/">greenhouse gas emissions</a>, unusual weather phenomena, and receding sea ice coverage on a yearly basis. 

The report showed some unsettling statistics for 2016 including record high global temperatures for the third consecutive year in a row in 137 years of recorded temperatures. Temperature increases were found to range from .81 to 1.01 degrees Fahrenheit. 

This small increase was shown to have devastating consequences, with some countries experiencing deadly heat waves. A week-long heat wave in India resulted in a water crisis and 300 fatalities. 

Greenhouse gas emissions also reached record levels with a concentration of 402.9 parts per million, 3.5 parts per million more compared to the emissions recorded in 2015. 

According to the report, “In 2016, the dominant greenhouse gases released into Earth’s atmosphere—carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide— continued to increase and reach new record highs.” 

The State of the Climate report also noted overall higher ocean temperatures and stated that the average global sea level was at an all time high, having risen a little over 3 inches since 1993. 

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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

NOAA report confirms 2016 as the hottest year on record

The NOAA State of the Climate report is published annually...

In the 1980s, while the rest of the United States was experiencing steadily rising temperatures, the southeast appeared to actually be cooling down. This cooling effect had previously baffled scientists, until efforts to clean the atmosphere of air pollution resulted in an increase in southeastern temperatures, aligning with other regions affected by climate change. These warming holes are caused by heavy pockets of airborne pollutants and aerosols that successfully mask rising temperatures.

Heavy concentrations of pollutants essentially stop sunlight from reaching the ground and increase cloud coverage, which reflect sun rays away from the Earth. But when the EPA enacted regulations to reduce aerosols pollution, heavily polluted and smoggy areas in the Southeast saw resumed rising temperatures.

The research was conducted by a team of scientists from <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> and the <a href="http://www.caltech.edu/">California Institute of Technology</a>, with lead author Dr. Mike Tosca. The researchers used satellite data that measured aerosol pollutants and also looked at surface temperature weather maps. 

The researchers found that when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-deaths-climate-changes/">aerosol pollution</a> decreased by about 20 percent from 2000 - 2015, a temperature spike of almost 1 degree Celsius was recorded. These findings show strong evidence that pollutants mask the effects of climate change and can cause warming holes in certain areas of the world where high concentrations of airborne aerosols are present. 

Because temperatures increased so quickly in the Southeast with improved air quality, this could mean that areas with high concentrations of airborne pollutants like India and China could be faced with even higher temperatures if they reduce aerosol emissions. 

Quickly rising temperatures due to warming holes could foreshadow disastrous consequences, with parts of Asia already predicted to be unlivable due to extreme heat by the year 2100. 

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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

Warming holes: When air pollution masks rising temperatures

In the 1980s, while the rest of the United States...

This week, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/07/climate/climate-change-drastic-warming-trump.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&amp;action=click&amp;contentCollection=climate&amp;region=rank&amp;module=package&amp;version=highlights&amp;contentPlacement=1&amp;pgtype=sectionfront">New York Times</a> obtained a leaked report by scientists at 13 federal agencies detailing the effects of climate change. The expansive report details hard evidence of human-induced climate and examines how each region of the United States will be affected.

The report had actually been uploaded to a nonprofit internet archive and was available to the public in January of this year, but was not widely read or heard of until the New York Times broke the story. Scientists fear the report will be dismissed by the Trump administration due to its lack of interest in scientific fact supporting climate change. 

The head of the EPA, Scott Pruitt, who was appointed by Trump, is likely unwilling to concede to the report’s findings that rising CO2 emissions caused by human activity are a primary contributor to climate change. 

The report projects that average <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-waves-increase-mortality-rates/">temperatures</a> will rise as much as almost 2 degrees Celsius this century, and have already risen 1.18 degrees across 48 states compared to the early 1900s. And, as climate change science shows, a few degrees can have devastating consequences. 

No part of the country has been untouched by climate change, as rising temperatures, heavy bouts of precipitation, and heat waves all have connections to man-made climate change and are only projected to be worse. 

In the midwest, extreme rainfall has risen 9 percent in comparison to the early 20th century, and could rise to 20% if carbon emissions remain unchecked. 

In the northeast, the average annual temperature has already risen 1.37 degrees, and is expected to rise another 9.11 degrees by the end of the century.

In the northwest, temperatures have already gone up 1.51 degrees, and are expected to increase by another 8.51 degrees this century.

In the southeast, extreme rain has already increased by 8 percent, and is expected to increase another 21 percent by the end of the century.

In the southwest, extreme rainfall is expected to increase by 20 percent, and temperatures will rise by 8.65 degrees.

The report demonstrates how cutting carbon emissions emissions nation and worldwide is crucial to countering the growing impact of climate change. 

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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

Report reveals how climate change will affect each part of the US

This week, the New York Times obtained a leaked report...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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



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...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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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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