Marine,Biodiversity,Above,Healthy,Coral,Reef,In,The,Coral,Triangle

When thinking about fossils, we often picture dinosaurs. But reefs can also hold an ancient history. Tiny fish bones and shark scales also become fossils in these habitats, quietly preserving the story of ancient oceans.



A striking study from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (<a href="https://stri.si.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">STRI</a>) has now revealed how humans disrupted Caribbean reefs in the past.



Scientists analyzed fossilized coral reefs from Panama’s Bocas del Toro and the Dominican Republic. These reefs, exposed and well-preserved, date back 7,000 years. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-changed-reef-fish-communities">Humans changed reef fish communities </h2>



The researchers compared the fossilized reefs with nearby living <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-hidden-hotspot-where-soft-corals-are-thriving/">reefs</a> to reveal how overfishing changed fish communities.



In the ancient reef sediments, the team found thousands of fossilized otoliths (fish ear bones) and dermal denticles (shark scales).



These fossils gave clues to species composition and size. The results show a massive shift in predator-prey dynamics, unlike anything seen before.



One of the most alarming findings was a 75% drop in shark numbers. These top predators once played a key role in maintaining reef balance. As their numbers fell, populations of prey fish surged. They doubled in abundance and increased 17% in size.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-predator-release-effect">The predator release effect</h2>



The study offers hard evidence for the “predator release effect.” Scientists had long predicted this outcome, but they lacked solid prehistoric data to prove it. 



Now, the fossils confirm what models once assumed: removing predators lets prey populations explode.



Meanwhile, fish targeted by humans, like larger groupers and snappers, became 22% smaller. This shrinking trend matches what we observe today. 



Overfishing seems to have pushed these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-temperature-swings-boost-coral-reef-resilience/">species</a> toward early maturity and smaller size.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-fish-stay-the-same">Some fish stay the same</h2>



Remains from tiny cryptobenthic reef fishes, which live in coral crevices, told a different story. Their size and abundance remained unchanged over thousands of years.



Despite fishing and upheaval above them, these reef dwellers stayed stable. Their resilience surprised the researchers.



“The stability of these fish shows remarkable resistance to external pressures,” noted the researchers. Even as top predators vanished and fishing intensified, these hidden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-reef-awareness-day-2025-bringing-corals-back-to-life/">species</a> kept going, unchanged.



To measure these shifts, the scientists examined 807 shark denticles and 5,724 otoliths. They also studied coral branches for bite marks left by damselfish. 



Fossil and modern samples showed that damselfish now bite more often - likely because they face fewer predators.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-bones-reveal-big-reef-changes">Fish bones reveal big reef changes</h2>



Otoliths grow in layers like tree rings. This allows scientists to estimate the age and size of fish at time of death. By comparing fossil otoliths with modern ones, researchers could track size changes across millennia.



Dermal denticles, the scale-like structures on shark skin, helped identify shark presence. These tiny features tell a big story: as shark numbers decreased, populations of prey species expanded.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/coral-reefs_fish-otoliths_credit-Erin-Dillon_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/coral-reefs_fish-otoliths_credit-Erin-Dillon_1s.webp" alt="Fish otoliths — the calcium carbonate structures found in fishes' inner ears — from human harvested fish, prey fish (those eaten by predatory fish) and reef-sheltered fish (also known as cryptobentic fish) found in 7000 year-old fossilized Caribbean reefs from Panama and the Dominican Republic. Credit: Erin Dillon" class="wp-image-1976075"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fish otoliths - the calcium carbonate structures found in fishes' inner ears - from human harvested fish, prey fish (those eaten by predatory fish) and reef-sheltered fish (also known as cryptobentic fish) found in 7000 year-old fossilized Caribbean reefs from Panama and the Dominican Republic. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Erin Dillon</figcaption></figure>



Bite marks from damselfish also gave insights. These aggressive little fish defend territories and leave distinct marks. More bites today means more damselfish - again pointing to the effects of predator loss.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-reef-fish-history-with-fossils">Tracing reef fish history with fossils</h2>



This fossil evidence gives scientists a rare and valuable baseline. It shows how Caribbean reef fish communities looked before human fishing began to alter their structure. 



Without such deep-time context, conservation efforts often rely on incomplete or recent data that miss the full picture of ecological change.



Now, researchers and reef managers can clearly see which parts of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-coral-collapse-may-help-save-the-great-barrier-reef/">reef</a> ecosystem shifted due to human influence - and which components, like tiny reef-sheltered fish, remained stable across millennia.



“This study demonstrates the power of the fossil record for future conservation,” the researchers stated. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-impacts-of-human-activity">Long-term impacts of human activity</h2>



These 7,000-year-old fossils give us a clearer view of the long-term impacts of human activity on reef food webs, fish sizes, and predator-prey dynamics.



They also help identify which reef species and relationships are most at risk from continued pressure. 



By looking back in time through the fossil record, scientists gain crucial insight to guide better decisions in reef conservation, fishing policies, and biodiversity management today.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/-m5uNoWKIgo
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Discovering and studying prehistoric coral reefs on dry land.</figcaption></figure>



The research was a collaboration among top institutions including the&nbsp;Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), the&nbsp;Marine Science Institute at the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Texas, Austin</a>, and the&nbsp;Center for Biodiversity Outcomes at <a href="https://www.asu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arizona State University</a>.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2503986122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Fossils reveal how humans completely changed Caribbean reef ecosystems

When thinking about fossils, we often picture dinosaurs. But reefs can also hold an ancient history. Tiny fish bones and shark scales also become fossils in these habitats, quietly preserving the story of ancient oceans. A striking study from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) has now revealed how humans disrupted Caribbean reefs in the past. Scientists analyzed fossilized coral reefs from Panama’s Bocas del Toro and the Dominican Republic. These reefs, exposed and well-preserved, date back 7,000 years. Humans changed reef fish communities The researchers compared...

By now, it’s a well-known fact that cows are a major contributor of methane emissions in the atmosphere. But now, a surprising new study has found that clams and worms in the Baltic also emit vast quantities of methane, even comparable to that of 20,000 dairy cows. 

The study was conducted by researchers from<a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/"> Cardiff University</a> and <a href="http://www.su.se/english/">Stockholm University</a> and published in the journal Scientific Reports. 

The researchers found that ocean clams and worms release <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-measured-reported/">methane</a> and nitrous oxide from bacteria in their guts. The sheer amount of greenhouse gases emitted by these seemingly innocuous creatures has a far more significant impact on global climate change than previously considered. 

“These small yet very abundant animals may play an important, but so far neglected, role in regulating the emissions of greenhouse gases in the sea,” said Dr. Stefano Bonaglia, the lead author from Stockholm University. 

Methane is 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide in terms of warming potential, which is why methane emissions from animals are such a cause for concern. 

For the study, the researchers collected sediment samples and analyzed trace gas, isotopes, and molecules from the Baltic worms and clams. 

After careful analysis, the researchers found that 10 percent of the total emissions may be due to clams and worms.

The amount of methane the clams emit is comparable to 20,000 dairy cows, or put another way, as much as 10 percent of the entire Welsh dairy cow population. 

“What is puzzling is that the Baltic Sea makes up only about 0.1% of Earth's oceans, implying that globally, apparently harmless bivalve animals at the bottom of the world's oceans may, in fact, be contributing ridiculous amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere that is unaccounted for,” said Dr Ernest Chi Fru, from Cardiff University's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences and co-author of the study. 

The neglected source of greenhouse gas emissions could impact future policies regarding shellfish farming.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Clams and worms emit shockingly high amounts of methane

By now, it’s a well-known fact that cows are a...

Scott Pruitt, the head of the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>, has announced that the Trump Administration will formally move to repeal the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pruitt-clean-power-plan/">Clean Power Plan</a> and continue dismantling any Obama-era environmental protections. This, despite a historic string of devastating hurricanes that have ravaged Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and much of the Caribbean.

While the Trump Administration insists that these last months of devastating storms is not the time to discuss the very real consequences of climate change, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> takes a look at 10 of the deadliest storms in US history.

Hurricane Audrey of 1957 was a Category 3 storm that hit Texas and Louisiana leaving at least 416 dead and 147 million dollars in damage. 

The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane is reportedly the most intense storm to hit the United States with winds of up to 185 miles per hour. He Category 5 hurricane affected the Florida Keys, Southwest and North Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia, leaving 423 fatalities. 

The Great New England Hurricane, also known as the 1938 New England Hurricane and the Long Island Express, was a Category 5 storm that formed near the coast of Africa. With 682 to 800 direct fatalities, it was one the deadliest and most destructive storms to hit Long Island and New England.

The 1881 Georgia Hurricane was a Category 2 that killed at least 700 from St Simons Island to Savannah Georgia. It was the fifth of a series of seven tropical cyclones that spanned from the  beginning of August to late September of that year. 

The 1919 Florida Keys Hurricane, also known as the 1919 Key West Hurricane or the Atlantic-Gulf Hurricane, was a Category 4 that left 772 dead. The storm ripped through the Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico.

The 1893 Sea Islands Hurricane hit Savanna, Georgia before slamming into South Carolina. The Category 3 storm left an estimated 1000 to 2000 dead–mostly from storm surge, which is a tsunami-like flood associated with tropical cyclones. 

The Great October Storm of 1893, also known as the Caminada Hurricane, was a Category 4. It hit the island of Cheniere Caminada off the coast of Louisiana, killing 1,100 to 2,000 and wiping the entire community off the map save for a single damaged home.

Hurricane Katrina was a Category 3 that hit New Orleans’ Ninth Ward District as well as parts of Mississippi in August of 2005. 1,200 people perished and the storm caused $108 billion in damages.

The Okeechobee Hurricane, also known as the San Felipe Segundo hurricane of 1928, was a Category 5 that made landfall near West Palm Beach, particularly ravaging the area near Lake Okeechobee. The deadliest storm to hit the North Atlantic basin on record, the tropical cyclone killed an estimated 4,000 people.

The Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was a Category 4 that destroyed 3,600 homes in Galveston, Texas. The island city reportedly saw winds up to 145 miles per hour and 8,000 to 12,000 people lost their lives in the deadliest U.S. hurricane/natural disaster in history. 

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By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Darryl Joseph</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The 10 deadliest storms in U.S. history

Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, has...

Data from the <a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/">European Environmental Agency</a> (EEA) shows that air pollution is responsible for over 500,000 premature deaths each year across Europe, despite the fact that conditions are slowly improving. 

Authors of the EEA’s current analysis write, “Air pollution is the single largest environmental health risk in Europe and disease burden resulting from air pollution is substantial.”

The report, “<a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2017">Air Quality In Europe-2017</a>,” reveals that heart disease and stroke are the most common causes of such premature deaths, followed by lung cancer and lung diseases. 

The <a href="https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/agencies/eea_en">EEA</a> is used as a major information source for evaluating, developing, and implementing environmental policy. Research is gathered from the agency's massive Eionet environment observation network made up of 300 stations across Europe combined with an additional 90 specialized institutions.

The latest document from the EEA says that 520,400 premature deaths across 41 European countries were the result of air pollutants generated by the burning of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/japan-china-fossil-fuel-sea-floor/">fossil fuels</a> in 2014. This figure was down a little compared to 2013, when 550,000 deaths were caused by air pollution.

Overall, 80 percent of these deaths were directly linked to the inhalation of microscopic particulate matter. Data from EEA observation stations shows that 82 percent of Europe's urban population was exposed to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in 2015, which dropped from 85 percent in 2013.

Other sources of poor air quality which contributed to the alarming number the premature deaths in Europe include nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone from vehicle emissions.

The number of cases of lung cancer among European non-smokers has doubled in the last decade as a result of air pollution exposure. At this rate, the number of non-smoker deaths from lung cancer will surpass those among nicotine users in the next ten years.

Respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and other cancers have also been directly linked to unsafe pollution levels in Europe. In addition, negative health impacts on fertility, pregnancy, newborns, and children have been reported. 

The EEA’s latest publication, which is an updated analysis of air quality in Europe from 2000-2015, suggests that conditions are improving but that the rate of improvement needs to gain momentum.

The authors of the report conclude, “Reduced emissions have improved air quality in Europe, and, for a number of pollutants, exceedances of European standards are rare. However, substantial challenges remain and considerable impacts on human health and on the environment persist.”

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution in Europe causes 500,000 premature deaths per year

Data from the European Environmental Agency (EEA) shows that air...

This week, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-california-wine-country/">wildfires</a> have ravaged northern California’s wine country, killing at least 24 people and releasing billowing clouds of smoke into the sky. But how exactly does smoke from wildfires impact the atmosphere and the effects of climate change?

According to a new study, brown carbon aerosol often emitted by wildfires may not have as drastic an impact on global warming as previously thought.

Aerosol scientists from <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a> in St. Louis have discovered that brown carbon loses its ability to store light and in turn, its warming effect over time. 

The longer that brown smoke stays in the atmosphere, the more it turns into light, scattering, white smoke. 

“Our study casts doubts on the warming implications of brown carbon. If this life cycle analysis is not taken into account, climate models could very well give rise to overestimated values of warming due to these aerosols,” said Rajan Chakrabarty, one of the lead researchers of the study. 

To study brown carbon aerosol, the researchers burned peatland fuels from different regions in Alaska in a contained combustion chamber. This allowed the researchers to monitor the smoke, noting the changes in chemical composition over several days. 

Chakrabarty and Williams also exposed the smoke plumes to ultraviolet radiation and ozone to mimic the effects of smoke in the atmosphere. 

The researchers noted that as the days went on, the smoke changed color from muddy brown to light grey and white, weakening it’s light absorption properties. 

“If the particles always stayed brown, they would continue to contribute to warming because they absorb more radiation. If after a few days in the atmosphere they turn white, they'll start contributing to cooling by scattering more radiation,” said Brent Williams, Director of the Washington University Climate Change Program. 

Understanding how brown carbon affects the atmosphere is crucial, as wildfires are only predicted to increase in the coming years due to the changing climate. 

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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

How does smoke from wildfires affect the atmosphere?

This week, wildfires have ravaged northern California’s wine country, killing...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> have revealed a new threat to the ozone layer. Substances which were not previously considered capable of persisting long enough to reach the stratosphere are now being discovered in large atmospheric concentrations.

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty that was signed in 1987 to begin the process of phasing out the production of chemicals that were destroying the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/ozone-layer-new-sensor/">ozone layer</a>. According to this new study, however, there are increasing emissions of substances not regulated by the treaty that are threatening the ozone’s recovery.

Lead author David Oram explained that the harmful substances were not believed to be damaging because they were "generally thought to be too short-lived to reach the stratosphere in large quantities.”

Emissions from countries like China can be particularly damaging to the ozone due to the fact that cold-air surges in East Asia can quickly carry air pollution into the tropics. Airborne substances in this region of the world can reach the ozone layer before dissipating and while they are still capable of causing damage.

One of the dangerous chemicals identified by the research team is dichloromethane, a substance with many uses including the production of pharmaceuticals. Although the amount of dichloromethane in the atmosphere decreased in the 1990s and early 2000s, the researchers found that it has become about 60 percent more abundant over the past decade. 

"This was a major surprise to the scientific community and we were keen to discover the cause of this sudden increase," said Oram. "We expected that the new emissions could be coming from the developing world, where industrialization has been increasing rapidly.” 

The team measured air pollution in East Asia in an effort to determine where the increase in dichloromethane was originating from and whether or not it could affect the ozone layer.

"Our estimates suggest that China may be responsible for around 50-60% of current global emissions [of dichloromethane], with other Asian countries, including India, likely to be significant emitters as well," said Oram.

Another ozone-depleting chemical detected in large quantities by the team is dichloroethane, a substance used in making PVC. China is the largest producer of PVC and its production has increased tremendously over the last two decades. The researchers were shocked to find the prevalence of dichloroethane in the atmosphere because it is “highly toxic" and also a “valuable commodity.”

Oram concluded, "We are highlighting a gap in the Montreal Protocol that may need to be addressed in the future, particularly if atmospheric concentrations continue to rise.”

The study is published today in <a href="https://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/">Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics</a>, a journal of the <a href="https://www.egu.eu/">European Geosciences Union</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A dangerous new threat to the ozone layer

Researchers from the University of East Anglia have revealed a...

When we think of underdeveloped or developing countries moving to the next step, it usually comes along with the processes of industrialization and agricultural growth – particularly in the Western world.  However, a new study published in <a href="https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/">Ecology and Society</a> attempts to flip this ideology on its head. 

Ashwin Ravikumar, an environmental social scientists at <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">The Field Museum</a>, and his colleagues believed that governments have been too quick to dismiss indigenous peoples’ traditional ways of life, and the well being that they create. In many cases, these communities are living a high quality of life through managing their natural resources in a sustainable fashion as a result of traditional hunting, fishing, and small-scale agriculture.

This study details an assets-based approach to conservation. “Rather than fixating on what they lack, we focus on the assets they already have, especially their skills in managing local resources. We create spaces for local communities to think about what choices make the most sense for them,” says Ravikumar.

The researchers worked with rural communities in the Peruvian Amazon, determining that the local populations are able to meet their basic needs through a diverse collection of subsistence activities. These include hunting, fishing, and farming – which over centuries have developed sophisticated natural resource management systems that help protect the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/illegal-activity-brazilian-amazon/">rainforest ecosystem</a>.

For these indigenous people, “well-being” isn’t defined by owning cars or TVs. “When they talk about well-being, they do talk about money,” says Ravikumar. “But they always include basic needs and natural resources, like having a healthy forest, since forests can be of cultural and spiritual importance.” The indigenous people in the study do rely on money for things such as transportation, but their environment covers most basic needs like food, water, and shelter. 

Through working closely with the people in these communities, the project hopes to lead to the implementation of a conservation plan that complements their existing practices. “We build strong relationships with these communities through a combination of direct work with them on the ground and cataloging how they use traditional knowledge to manage natural resources in an ecosystem,” explains Ravikumar.

Aiding and understanding how these communities sustain themselves will help researchers such as Ravikumar work more efficiently to help them organize politically to gain support from both government and non-government allies, which will help them in the future. In the past, the indigenous people have been exploited by commercial industries as well as their own government. Through this new approach, hopefully their future will be brighter than their past.

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Redefining conservation to help exploited indigenous communities

When we think of underdeveloped or developing countries moving to...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> may offer up some hope for a strategy in preventing climate change. The answer? Herbivores. That’s right; researchers believe that plant-eating species may be a key factor in helping certain ecosystems survive global warming.

In their study, the researchers created mini-marine ecosystems on the shore of Ruckle Park on British Columbia’s Salt Spring Island. These ecosystems were built on hard plastic plates, allowing the temperature to be controlled. Limpets, an established herbivore species, were allowed on some plates, while they were made absent on others. 

They were studying life in the intertidal zone, which is the area of the shore between low and high tide. Generally, it contains ecosystems consisting of starfish, mussels, anemones, seaweed, and barnacles. The interesting aspect of these intertidal ecosystems is that they experience huge temperature fluctuations as the tides go in and out – sometimes as much as 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. This means that the species in the intertidal zone must cope with significant temperature variation every day. 

“These creatures are already living at their physiological limits, so a two-degree change – a conservative prediction of the warming expected over the next 80 years or so – can make a big difference,” said Kordas. “When heat waves come through B.C. and the Pacific Northwest, we see mass mortality of numerous intertidal species.”

Surprisingly, the researchers found that certain communities in the intertidal zone could survive even in the warmest summer temperatures – but only if limpets were present in their ecosystem. 

According to Christopher Harley, senior author of the study and a professor of zoology at <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">UBC</a>, consumers such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-otters-dolphins-smartest/">sea otters</a> and starfish like limpets, and these species are very important in maintaining biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems. Losing these species may destabilize ecosystems, so if we’re able to better protect species such as limpets, it may help make ecosystems more resilient.

“We should be thinking of ways to reduce our negative effects on the natural environment and these results show that if we do basic conservation and management, it can make a big difference in terms of how ecosystems will weather climate change,” says Harley.

Who would’ve thought that something so small could be so important to keeping complicated ecosystems intact?

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Herbivores could protect ecosystems from climate change

A new study from the University of British Columbia may...

For the past several days, intense wildfires have burned through eight counties in Northern California's wine country, prompting Governor Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency.

Thus far, the fires have scorched over 170,000 acres of land, and 670 people have been reported missing. California Highway Patrol has already rescued 50 people from mountain tops as the fires began to close in.

Firefighters are working to investigate the cause, but the fires were undoubtedly exacerbated by the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/santa-ana-wind-event-over-california/">Santa Ana Winds</a>, or “Los Diablos” (devil winds), which create peak fire conditions by quickly moving hot, dry air across California. 

At one time over the weekend, more than 25 different fires blazed across Northern California. More than 44 people were rescued by helicopter, and according to Sonoma County Officials, and more than 100 calls have been made to report possible missing persons. 

As of Wednesday afternoon, the death toll had risen to 21 people, and the fires have destroyed over 1000 homes and business. Cal Fire has also issued new evacuation orders for residents in Calistoga and Santa Rosa.

Though winds have died down, firefighters ares still working to contain the blazes.

Federal funds were immediately allocated to help the state in its recovery efforts and those displaced by fires.

Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park neighborhood was perhaps one of the hardest hit areas as whole street blocks were engulfed.

Even though critical conditions in Northern California are dying down, there is a fear that the fires will move south. 

Thick smoke has also caused dangerously poor air quality in the area, and some residents have been hospitalized for respiratory irritation.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

21 dead as wildfires ravage Northern California’s wine country

For the past several days, intense wildfires have burned through...

According to the <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/">National Hurricane Center</a>, yet another tropical storm has formed in the Atlantic Ocean and is now about 860 miles west-southwest of the Azores Islands on Monday, October 9th. 

The tropical storm, named Ophelia, has yet to pose any threat to land, but marks the 15th storm in an unusually overactive 2017 hurricane season. 

According to <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/09/us/tropical-storm-ophelia/index.html">CNN</a>, Ophelia is forecasted to become a hurricane by Friday, making it the 10th hurricane this year. 

This <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-tropical-storm-in-june-record-heat-in-the-atlantic-could-make-it-happen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hurricane season</a> has been catastrophic to parts of the Caribbean, Texas, and Florida, and is now becoming record-breaking, matching only a few seasons in the late 1800s. 

Of the fifteen storms this season, five have been major hurricanes, and three of those were at Category 5. 

According to experts, this season has been especially active due to the perfect conditions falling into place at the right time. 

“What’s making this season so busy is a combination of timing and luck,” Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the <a href="http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/">University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science</a>, told the <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricane/article177950476.html">Miami Herald</a>.

The lack of shear winds, or buffeting and competing winds, that can break up a hurricane’s forceful trajectory, helped create the major wind speeds. 

The warm temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico drove Hurricane Harvey to create record-breaking precipitation. According to McNoldy, the storms avoided the mountainous Caribbean islands that would also have buffered their potency.

Back in May, the<a href="http://www.noaa.gov/"> National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration</a> predicted a more-active-than-normal hurricane season.

“The last time storms intensified into ten consecutive hurricanes was in 1878, 1886 and 1893, although without satellites it's possible some storms in between were missed,” Phil Klotzbach, a<a href="https://www.colostate.edu/"> Colorado State University </a>meteorologist, told the <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricane/article177950476.html">Miami Herald</a>.

Meteorologists and scientists note that the Atlantic hurricane season isn’t over yet, with the month of October still to go. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

2017 to become the most active hurricane season in centuries

According to the National Hurricane Center, yet another tropical storm...

As one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest is an invaluable tool for global climate regulation. Despite an increase in protection over the last few decades, illegal activities continue to strip the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indigenous-amazon-rainforest-dwellers/">forest</a> of its assets. A new study used law enforcement data from 2010 to 2015 to gain insight into where the illegal use of natural resources is taking place.

4,243 police reports of illegal activities in this protected region were evaluated and mapped. The majority of the registered illegal activities related to the suppression and degradation of vegetation, closely followed by illegal fishing and hunting activities. These incidents generated over 220 million dollars in fines.

The researchers tested several theories on factors that could predict the occurrence of illegal activities in protected areas. These factors included the type of management category, the age of reserve, population density, and accessibility. The team found that population density and accessibility are the strongest predictors of frequent illegal activities in preserved regions. 

Even though Brazil has been a global leader in the use of remote sensing to detect large-scale ecological changes in tropical forests, many disturbances happen "under the canopy" and remain largely undetected and poorly understood. There is not enough funding available to conduct the investigations that are needed on the ground to help prevent these illegal activities.

Study co-author Erico Kauano works for the Brazilian agency that is responsible for the management of federally protected areas.

"Our paper demonstrates that illegal activities within protected areas are still pervasive across the region and that much more work is required to understand their causes and find ways to prevent them," said Kauano. "We hope that our article can highlight the urgency to shift the flow of the resources dedicated to forest conservation, from the well-maintained offices in cities far away from the actual problems to the frontlines where the fate of the tropical forests is going to be decided in the next decades.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Illegal activity in the Brazilian Amazon stays mostly undetected

As one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet,...

Methane emissions are not considered to be as harmful to human health as those from carbon dioxide because they do not persist as long in the atmosphere. However, methane is <a href="https://www.edf.org/methane-other-important-greenhouse-gas">84 times</a> as potent as carbon dioxide for approximately 20 years after it is released. Because of its potency, countries are making efforts to reduce methane emissions to help curb global warming.

There is an increasing sense of urgency for countries to accurately calculate their greenhouse gas emissions, particularly due to the Paris Agreement. In one of the largest independent studies of its kind, experts at the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> set out to quantify methane emissions from India using observations of methane concentration in the country's atmosphere.

The main purpose for the research was to provide an independent assessment of emissions that could be compared to what has been reported by India to the United Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and to demonstrate the value of this independent check.

The evaluation combined observations from the surface, from an aircraft, and from a satellite that measures methane concentrations globally from space. 

The analysis revealed that that there has been little growth in India's methane emissions over the last few years and that reports from the country's officials have been accurate.

These findings are in sharp contrast to other countries. In China, for example, calculations of greenhouse gas emissions are steadily rising. In the United States, huge discrepancies have been found between the rate of emissions being reported and the estimates of emissions implied from atmospheric observations.

Dr. Anita Ganesan from the University of Bristol's School of Geographical Sciences is the lead author of the study.

"Methane emissions in inventories are highly uncertain due to the complexity of the sources that emit it,” said Dr. Ganesan. “It is not uncommon for countries to report methane emissions with an uncertainty that is as large as the emissions themselves. By using a variety of approaches, we can narrow that uncertainty."

The team will use the techniques developed for this research to examine other tropical regions, whose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/agriculture-higher-methane-emissions/">methane</a> emissions are poorly understood. The study is published today in <a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Methane emissions are often not measured or reported accurately

Methane emissions are not considered to be as harmful to...

Today, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pruitt-clean-power-plan/">announced the repeal</a> of the Clean Power Plan as a clear nod of support to the flailing coal mining industry. While the landmark legislation aimed to curb greenhouse gases, manage climate change, and improve public health, Pruitt argues it was an overreach by the federal government and devastating to the coal industry. Now, a new study has found that the events that created much of the world’s coal that we use today nearly caused global glaciation millions of years ago.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the US Academy of Sciences, documents a scientific first for the researchers who were able to show how the world was very nearly turned into a giant snowball 300 million years ago. 

Coal forms when plant matter turns into peat, layers of soggy, decaying organic plant matter which later hardens into coal. Most of the world’s coal that we use today was created hundreds of millions of years ago during the Carboniferous and the Permian periods. 

During the Carboniferous period, swamp conditions were perfect for the creation of peat, and as many trees died, they sank to the bottom of the swamps. 

All of the carbon dioxide the trees had absorbed was buried in the swamps, and as a result, levels of atmospheric CO2 were significantly lower than normal, causing a major cooling effect that almost pushed the Earth into a “snowball state.”

“This illustrates the enormous dimension of the coal issue,” said Georg Feulner, lead author of the study from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/pik-frontpage">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>. “The amount of CO2 stored in Earth's coal reserves was once big enough to push our climate out of balance. When released by burning the coal, the CO2 is again destabilizing the Earth system.” 

Feulner used computer simulations to model what the Earth was like during the Carboniferous and Permian periods. The study also estimated temperatures based on ancient soil samples and fossils and showed drastic fluctuations. 

At one point, CO2 concentrations were below 100 parts per million which is harrowing considering global glaciation occurs below 40 parts per million. 

The findings reveal how much of an impact coal has and had on our planet, causing both major warming and cooling. 

Rapid climate changes were a part of Earth’s early history. But with the amount of fossil fuels burned today, many scientists fear that, unless something is done to keep CO2 concentrations down, the effects will be irreversible. 

“We should definitely keep CO2 levels in the atmosphere below 450 parts per million to keep our climate stable, and ideally much lower than that. Raising the amount of greenhouse gases beyond that limit means pushing ourselves out of the safe operating space of Earth,” said Feulner. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

300 million years ago, coal almost turned the Earth to ice

Today, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt announced the repeal of the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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