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A new survey of North Sea waters has revealed that several shark and ray species move through Dutch offshore wind farms and may even use them as shelter.



By reading traces of DNA suspended in seawater, scientists from <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wageningen University &amp; Research</a> have shown that these high-tech energy sites could also play an unexpected part in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-conservation-credit-system-could-reduce-costs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine conservation</a>. 



The research provides new evidence that renewable-energy structures can interact with marine life in complex ways - sometimes for the better.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sharks-and-rays-at-wind-farms">Sharks and rays at wind farms</h2>



The team collected 436 water samples inside and around four wind-farm zones: Borssele, Hollandse Kust Zuid, Luchterduinen, and Gemini. Each sample was filtered in the lab for fragments of genetic material shed by passing animals. The method, known as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-fishing-helps-scientists-survey-marine-life-in-the-deep-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental DNA</a> or eDNA, is sensitive enough to confirm a species’ presence without nets or hooks.



“We're trying to understand whether these animals are actually using the wind farms as habitat, or whether they're being displaced by them,” said lead author Annemiek Hermans, a PhD candidate at Wageningen University &amp; Research.



Five elasmobranchs - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-sharks-face-growing-threats-despite-conservation-efforts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sharks</a> and rays - left a clear genetic signature at wind farms. Thornback rays appeared most often and in three of the four farms throughout the year.



Starry smooth-hound sharks and blonde rays showed up in multiple seasons. Basking sharks, famous for their long migrations, were detected in Hollandse Kust Zuid during winter, hinting at cold-season routes previously unknown in Dutch waters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reading-the-water-for-clues">Reading the water for clues</h2>



“It's like finding a fingerprint in the water,” Hermans explained. “Even if you don't see the shark, the DNA tells you it's been there.”



Because the technique is quick and does not disturb wildlife, it opens new doors for large-scale monitoring in rough offshore conditions. It also lets scientists compare many sites over time, revealing patterns that traditional surveys might miss.



The study drew on earlier data gathered by <a href="https://www.therichnorthsea.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Rich North Sea program</a>, then added fresh fieldwork to paint a broader picture. By merging datasets, the researchers confirmed that sharks and rays are not just skirting the turbine fields - they are moving through them in measurable numbers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turbines-sharks-and-rays-find-shelter">Turbines: Sharks and rays find shelter</h2>



Turbine safety zones ban bottom-trawling and other gear that gouges the seabed. Those restrictions give benthic habitats a break from constant disturbance, allowing worms, shellfish and small fish to rebound. Such changes create richer feeding grounds and hiding spots for predators higher up the food web.



“We must tread carefully,” Hermans cautioned. “If we start allowing bottom trawling in these areas, we risk losing the very protection these zones may offer.”



Vulnerable elasmobranchs, which mature slowly and lay few eggs, could benefit most from these inadvertent sanctuaries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wind-farms-influence-sharks-and-rays">Wind farms influence sharks and rays</h2>



The findings arrive just as the European Union rolls out the Nature Restoration Law and updates its Habitats Directive.



Policymakers face a delicate task: scaling up <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tapping-into-the-natural-power-of-plants-for-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">renewable energy</a> without harming the ecosystems they hope to safeguard. Evidence that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/offshore-wind-farms-threaten-marine-life-hotspots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wind farms</a> can double as conservation assets offers a rare chance for a “win-win” approach.



The six-year <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en/project/elasmopower-1.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ElasmoPower project</a>, under which this study falls, also looks at how electromagnetic fields from subsea power cables might influence shark and ray behavior.



Future work will blend lab trials with camera arrays, sensors, and more eDNA sampling to see whether the animals linger, feed, or breed inside turbine clusters - or simply pass through.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-north-sea-wildlife"><a></a>Next steps for North Sea wildlife</h2>



Using non-invasive genetics, the team now has a baseline for tracking seasonal movements and long-term trends. Repeating the survey in different years and depths could reveal whether the number of elasmobranchs rises as benthic life recovers beneath turbine blades.



The same approach might be applied to other protected species, guiding spatial plans that place turbines where they help rather than harm.



For now, the study demonstrates that wind farms are more than power plants. They are new structures in a busy sea, shaping habitats in ways still being mapped. Whether those changes become a net gain for threatened sharks and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-rays-were-more-diverse-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rays</a> will depend on careful management - and on keeping the trawls out.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beneath-the-waves">Beneath the waves</h2>



The North Sea is a crowded stage of shipping lanes, fishing grounds and growing energy grids. Environmental DNA offers a swift, animal-friendly way to see how each new addition affects life below the surface.



In this case it has been shown that, under the right rules, rows of spinning turbines might turn into corridors of relative calm for some of the ocean’s most ancient fish.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107671" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean &amp; Coastal Management</a>.



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Offshore wind farms are now habitats for sharks and rays

A new survey of North Sea waters has revealed that several shark and ray species move through Dutch offshore wind farms and may even use them as shelter. By reading traces of DNA suspended in seawater, scientists from Wageningen University &amp; Research have shown that these high-tech energy sites could also play an unexpected part in marine conservation. The research provides new evidence that renewable-energy structures can interact with marine life in complex ways - sometimes for the better. Sharks and rays at wind farms The team...

Summer is officially here and the temperatures outside aren’t the only thing that’s heating up. Climate change continues to be an increasingly heated political topic, especially after the Trump administration has made it clear that the planet is not on their priorities list. If you’ve missed any of the headlines, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> has your back. Here is our 2017 mid-year environmental rundown.

The biggest headline of the year so far is of course President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris Climate Agreement</a>. Over the course of his presidential campaign, Trump promised again and again to exit the agreement within the first 100 days of his presidency. 

Although he didn’t quite hit his own deadline, he did manage to make major changes to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The new EPA Administrator, Scott Pruitt, caused an uproar after saying that he does not believe that carbon dioxide is a major cause of global warming. 

“I would not agree that [CO2] is a primary contributor to the global warming that we see,” Scott Pruitt told CNBC’s Joe Kernen.

While <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/republican-party-denial-climate-change/">Republicans</a> in Congress insist on questioning the validity of the global scientific community’s<a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/"> consensus</a> on the dire effects of climate change, the fact that Americans are experiencing record-breaking heat is indisputable. In California’s central valley and pockets of the southwest, rising temperatures have even proven <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/extreme-heat-southwestern-us/">deadly</a>. 

With July 4th around the corner, America’s independence is set to be celebrated across the country with barbecues, trips to the beach or the park for family picnics, and of course, with a night sky exploding with fireworks. It’s the most American of holidays, so it might be worth taking a look at how our various traditions commemorating our freedom are expected to impact the issue of climate change worldwide.

Last July 4th, Bobby Magill writing for<a href="http://www.climatecentral.org/news/what-holiday-road-trip-means-for-climate-20489"> climatecentral.org</a> estimated that a record breaking 36 million Americans were expected to take road trips for the July 4th holiday weekend, helping carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles in the U.S. surpass carbon pollution from electric power plants for the first time since 1979. Magill said that lower gas prices were in part responsible for all the driving Americans are doing these days. 

“Cheap gasoline has made it easier for people to ditch electric vehicles and fuel-efficient cars and buy larger, less efficient vehicles instead.”

John DeCicco, a research professor at the University of Michigan Energy Institute, <a href="http://www.climatecentral.org/news/what-holiday-road-trip-means-for-climate-20489">added</a>, “The trend toward higher transportation emissions shows that to address climate change, the government needs to both boost fuel efficiency standards and think beyond them by developing new fuels and technology that would reduce carbon emissions from vehicle tailpipes.” 

That is looking very unlikely, given that this week has been deemed “Energy Week” by Trump. Timothy Cama of <a href="http://thehill.com/">The Hill</a> writes, “The Energy Week events are likely to focus on Trump’s policies since taking office, which have centered on removing barriers to the use and production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal. That has mostly been through repealing regulations from the Obama administration limiting carbon dioxide emissions, regulating mountaintop removal mining, extending the reach of federal water regulations and more.” So there’s that.

And what about the fireworks? According to<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/07/04/how-do-4th-of-july-fireworks-impact-the-environment/%2325e8c4bd4e3f"> Forbes Magazine</a>, “The July 4th fireworks probably contribute to less than 0.01% of global anthropogenic atmospheric pollution on that one day. But they do release a lot of junk in local areas.” In the scheme of things, that actually seems far less detrimental than one would have expected. 

There’s some other good news from this year as well. After years of severe drought, an unusually wet winter brought some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/catastrophic-drought-california/">relief</a> to California and much of the southwest. Northern California and Nevada are now even considered drought-free.

As we round the mid-year point, there's no telling what the rest of 2017 has in store for the planet. What we can tell you, though, is to keep it locked to <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> for all the latest news about the environment and the planet. We’ll keep you informed as the rest of the year unfolds.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Darryl Joseph</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Earth.com presents: A 2017 mid-year environmental rundown

Summer is officially here and the temperatures outside aren’t the...

Despite their use in hundreds of products for decades, PCBs were banned by the U.S. Congress in 1979 after being deemed a persistent organic pollutant that is extremely toxic to the environment. Researchers have determined that many children are exposed to these harmful chemicals inside schools.

Commercial production of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, started in 1929 and continued for around 50 years. The man-made chemicals were resistant to acids, bases, and heat, and were ideal for use in plant and building materials. 

PCBs made their way into rivers and streams in the form of industrial waste during the time they were widely used. This led to one of the most expensive environmental clean-ups in U.S. history. Even though PCBs are no longer produced in the United States, they continue to appear in new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-paint-hydrogen-water-vapor/">paint</a> and other materials as a byproduct, or in old buildings that contain materials made with the compounds. 

PCBs also remain in soil and water and are consumed by animals. This means that humans consume PCBs in certain foods. Exposure to PCBs can also occur through inhalation and skin contact. Regardless of the method of exposure, PCBs can lead to developmental issues and serious health problems such as cancer. 

The greatest risk is for children who are still in physical and mental stages of development. Because of this, researchers from the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a> set out to determine the amount of PCBs children are exposed to in schools. 

The team tested the air inside and outside of six schools. Four of these schools had outdoor air quality influenced by a waterway that is a known source of airborne PCBs. Despite that fact, the analysis found the PCB levels were significantly higher inside the schools than outside. The findings of the study also indicated that both old and new sources of PCBs were present in the schools. 

The amount of PCBs found inside the schools were up to 194 nanograms per cubic meter, which is below the amount considered to be an action level by the Environmental Protection Agency. Nonetheless, the researchers say the potential for cumulative damage is still alarming, particularly for children who are also exposed to PCBs in their diets.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a>

Children may be exposed to these harmful chemicals in schools

Despite their use in hundreds of products for decades, PCBs...

Satellite measurements and mathematical methods are helping scientists predict volcanic eruptions, according to a new study.

Modern satellite technologies, similar to GPS, can now track shifting magma and flows beneath the earth's surface. Geoscientists are beginning to decipher what this reveals about what's happening underground, as well as what is likely to happen in the future, the study said.

"We're the first to have developed a strategy using data assimilation to successfully forecast the evolution of magma overpressures beneath a volcano using combined ground deformation datasets measured by Global Navigation Satellite System (more commonly known as GPS) and satellite radar data," saids Mary Grace Bato, lead author of the study and a researcher at the <a href="https://www.ucad.sn/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=1936:2016-07-27-15-26-38&amp;catid=136:communiques&amp;Itemid=315">Institut des Sciences de la Terre</a> in France.

Bato and her collaborators are among the first to test whether data assimilation, a method used to incorporate new measurements with a dynamical model, can also be applied in volcano studies to make sense of the satellite data.

Meteorologists have long used a similar technique to integrate atmospheric and oceanic measurements with dynamical models, allowing them to forecast the weather. Climate researchers have also used the same method to estimate the long-term evolution of the climate due to carbon emissions. But volcanologists are just beginning to explore whether the technique can also be used to forecast volcanic eruptions.

"The amount of satellite and ground-based geodetic data (i.e. GPS data) has tremendously increased recently," said Bato. "The challenge is how to use these data efficiently and how to integrate them with models in order to have a deeper understanding of what occurs beneath the volcano and what drives the eruption so that we can determine near-real-time and accurate predictions of volcanic unrest."

Geoscientists still need to improve current volcanic models before they can be widely applied to real-life <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-aerosols-cool-climate/">volcanoes</a>, Bato said.

"We foresee a future where daily or even hourly volcanic forecasts will be possible--just like any other weather bulletin," added Bato.

The study is published in <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feart.2017.00048/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>.

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feart.2017.00048/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>

How satellites can help predict volcanic eruptions

Satellite measurements and mathematical methods are helping scientists predict volcanic...

Federal wildlife officials Monday approved California governor Jerry Brown’s $16 billion proposal to re-engineer California's north-south water system.

The plan calls for construction of two giant tunnels to carry <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/norcal-nevada-persistent-drought/">Northern California</a> water to the south, even though much about the project remains undetermined.

The <a href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/">National Marine Fisheries Service</a> and <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a> Monday found that the project would not mean extinction for endangered and threatened native species of salmon and other fish.

The project would tap part of the flow of California's largest river, the Sacramento, and change the way the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley, and Southern California get their water from the West Coast's largest estuary.

The tunnels would both be four stories high and 35 miles long, marking California's most ambitious water project since the 1950s and 1960s. It was then that Brown's father, the late Gov. Pat Brown, helped oversee building of the pumps, dams, and aqueducts that move water from the green north to the more arid south.

Tunnell supporters say they are needed to modernize and secure water deliveries from the delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, now done by aging pumps that pull the rivers and the fish in them off-course.

Brown did not comment Monday, though his resources secretary cheered the ruling.

Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the massive Los Angeles-area water agency that is one of the project's biggest proponents, called Monday's decision a milestone.

"For too long California's water supplies have been at risk and subject to cutbacks," Kightlinger said.

Project opponents say they fear water extractions through the tunnels could doom towns and farms in California's historic Delta and more than a dozen dwindling native species that depend on the waterway.

They accused federal wildlife and fisheries agencies of clearing the project while key details of how it would operate aren't yet determined, including how much water the tunnels could take from the Sacramento.

"They're asking people to commit to pay for a project that they won't know for years in the future how it will be operated and how much water can go through it," said Bill Jennings of the California Sportsfishing Protection Alliance. "It was breathtaking in its audacity."

Monday's decision moves Brown's project ahead to a decision by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees many of the country's big water projects. David Murillo, the bureau's regional director, indicated to reporters Monday that decision was months or more away.

Among the issues Murillo said had yet to be resolved: concerns voiced earlier this month from a large group of Northern and Central California water agencies that wouldn't get water from the tunnels and don't want any part of the project.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GIANT_CALIFORNIA_TUNNELS_CAOL-?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-06-26-15-56-57">AP</a>

Huge California water project approved by fed wildlife officials

Federal wildlife officials Monday approved California governor Jerry Brown’s $16...

In the 1980s, long-lived chlorine chemical species such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) caused depletion of the Earth’s stratospheric ozone layer – most significantly affecting the Antarctic. However, after the UN Montreal protocol was introduced in 1987, ozone-depleting substances began to be regulated and the stratospheric ozone began to recover. It was projected to return to pre-1980 levels in the second half of this century. 

Unfortunately, recent increases in dichloromethane – a short-lived, ozone-depleting substance which the Montreal protocol does not regulate – may be contributing to ozone loss and delaying the recovery of Antarctic ozone levels by 5-30 years.

The study, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, was lead by Ryan Hossaini of the Lancaster Environment Centre at <a href="http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a>. 

“Dichloromethane is a man-made ozone-depleting chemical that has a range of industrial applications,” explains Hossaini. “Unlike CFCs and similar long-lived gases that are responsible for most ozone depletion, dichloromethane has a short atmospheric lifetime, so it has not been controlled by the Montreal Protocol.”

Due to increased production in the last decade, the atmospheric concentration of dichloromethane has risen. Hossaini and his team used a global chemical transport model to analyze the sensitivity of future stratospheric chlorine and ozone levels to increased atmospheric dichloromethane. They also examined measurements of dichloromethane in the atmosphere from the past two decades, provided by the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA).

“The increases observed for dichloromethane from our measurements are striking and unexpected; concentrations had been decreasing slowly in the late 1990s, but since the early 2000s have increased by about a factor of two at sites throughout the globe,” says study co-author Stephen Montzka of the NOAA. The researchers aren’t sure what is contributing to this growth. But they believe it may be due to increased use of the chemical as a solvent replacing other long-lived chemicals that were phased out.

At the current rate, continued dichloromethane increases could delay ozone recovery over <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-nino-ice-melt-antarctica/">Antarctica</a> by 30 years. However, if dichloromethane concentrations stay at their current levels, the delay in recovery would only be about 5 years.

Hossaini stresses the importance of continued research in this area, saying, “We should be mindful to the growing threat to stratospheric ozone posed by dichloromethane and similar chemicals not controlled by the Montreal Protocol. There is work to be done to better understand and quantify their main sources to the atmosphere.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a>

Unregulated chemicals might delay Antarctic ozone recovery

In the 1980s, long-lived chlorine chemical species such as chlorofluorocarbons...

In 2014, Ornithologist Miguel A. Gomez Garza was visiting a secluded part of the Yucatan Peninsula when he noticed parrots with color patterns that stood out as unique. The bird expert's discovery has led to the validation of a new parrot species, the Blue-winged Amazon.

A genetic evaluation revealed that the species evolved from A. albifrons, or the White-fronted parrot, around 120,000 years ago. At this time, the Blue-winged Amazon parrots had developed features that distinguished them from their ancestors. 

The most distinctive feature of the Blue-winged Amazon is it loud, repetitive call. The duration of syllables used for its vocalization is significantly longer than those of other Amazon parrot species.  Sharp sounds made by the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genes-determine-music-songbirds/">birds</a> are more similar to the call of Accipiters than to those of other parrots. 

While the new species is named for its blue covert feathers, an exclusive green crown truly sets it apart from other Amazon parrots. Blue-winged Amazon parrots live in small flocks that typically consist of 12 or less individuals. Mates and their offspring usually stick together, and have unique family features. 

The Blue-winged Amazon lives in the same area of the Yucatan Peninsula as the White-fronted Amazon and the Yucatan Amazon, but it does not crossbreed with them. All members of the genus Amazona are herbivores that eat seeds, fruit, flowers, and leaves.

The description of the newly-named Amazona gomezgarzai is published today in the open-access journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a>. The classification of the Blue-winged Amazon as a new species is based on its shape, color pattern, call, and behavior. The study highlights the similarities and differences of these features compared to other Amazon parrot species. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a>

Image Credit: Tony Silva

New Yucatan parrot species named the Blue-winged Amazon

In 2014, Ornithologist Miguel A. Gomez Garza was visiting a...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-bleaching-havoc-hawaiian/">we’ve reported</a> here at <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>, coral bleaching events triggered by global warming have been wreaking havoc on reefs worldwide. When the water temperature rises, it causes coral to release algae from their inner tissue as a response to the environmental stress. But without the algae, the corals starve and die off. Coral bleaching has already <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-barrier-reef-coral-loss-worse/">killed</a> 28% of shallow water coral in the Great Barrier Reef and now targets a new victim: the Florida Keys. 

According to a new report from the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/business/environment/florida-reef/?utm_term=.c80502b95ea1&amp;wpisrc=nl_heads-draw6&amp;wpmm=1">Washington Post</a>, coral decay caused by global warming poses a direct threat to the economy of the Florida Keys. This is because the local economy is based on tourism, diving, and fishing that require healthy and diverse coral reefs.

The Florida Keys themselves actually developed from an ancient coral archipelago and contain numerous marinas and seafood restaurants. Tourism, a key pillar in the local economy, is driven by diving and snorkelling activities based around the natural beauty of the surrounding coral reefs.

According to the report, 3.5 million tourists visit the Florida Keys each year. Tourism accounts for 54% of all jobs and contributes $2.7 billion to the local economy, according to Monroe County.

Damaged and decaying reefs are not only less of an attraction of divers, but also negatively impact marine life and biodiversity. The increase of algae in the water drives away fish populations, which in turn, negatively impacts the fishing industry and seafood restaurants. 

Coral reefs in the area suffered traumatic bleaching events in 2014 and 2015, and scientists expect that by 2020, yearly bleaching events will be a regular occurrence.

Although the Keys have spent millions of dollars to protect the waters from pollution and human waste, the Washington Post feature points out that coral bleaching caused by global warming cannot be battled on a local level. 

-

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/business/environment/florida-reef/?utm_term=.c80502b95ea1&amp;wpisrc=nl_heads-draw6&amp;wpmm=1">Washington Post</a>

How global warming could devastate the Florida Keys economy

As we’ve reported here at Earth.com, coral bleaching events triggered...

The Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone (ETSZ) is the second-most active natural seismic zone in the central and eastern United States. It stretches from northeastern Alabama to southwestern Virginia.

During historic times, the ETSZ has not been the site of any <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/slow-earthquakes-tsunami-generation/">earthquakes</a> larger than magnitude 4.8. However, a recent study has found evidence that shows this area may have been responsible for magnitude 6 or greater earthquakes within the past 25,000 years.

Randel Cox of the <a href="http://www.memphis.edu/">University of Memphis</a> and his colleagues determined this by searching for signs of ancient earthquakes below the waterline of Douglas Lake – a body of water created in 1943 by the Tennessee Valley Authority through manipulation of the French Broad River. In the winter, the water level of the lake is reduced to accommodate for snowmelt. This exposed river sediments and other signs of past seismic activity, which the researchers were able to analyze.

The research team uncovered clay-filled fractures at two separate sites on the lake. These fractures are evidence of soil liquefactions and polished rock shear fractures called slickenlines, which are indicative of at least three past earthquakes in this region. One site in particular showed signs of a significant earthquake in the past, possible of magnitude 6 or higher.

Through further analysis, the researchers were able to place the ages of these earthquakes between 25,000 and 15,000 years.

“I think we’ve got a pretty good case that this is related to active faulting, and that it does demonstrate that at least in periods of time in the past there have been strong earthquakes in the ETSZ,” says Cox. However, at this point they don’t have enough data to know whether these earthquakes are still possible in the area, or whether they were just specific to that period.

The Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone region contains multiple nuclear power plans and hydroelectric dams, as well as major population centers such as Knoxville and Chattanooga. If large magnitude earthquakes are possible in this part of the country, it’s important for researchers to know as much as possible so these areas can be properly prepared.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.seismosoc.org/">Seismological Society of America</a>

Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone caused big prehistoric earthquakes

The Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone (ETSZ) is the second-most active...

Efforts to predict future rates of climate change should include monitoring changes to the amount of wetlands in regions where permafrost is thawing, said a new study.

Permafrost -- frozen ground -- holds huge amounts of carbon which may be released into the atmosphere as the climate warms and the soils thaw. It is “critically important” to know where thaw is taking place and how much carbon is being exposed, the authors said.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-island-nations-climate-change/">Climate change</a> warms northern high latitudes faster than elsewhere on Earth, which triggers permafrost to thaw. The release of permafrost carbon to the atmosphere could accelerate rates of climate change, with some estimates suggesting that potential rates of release could rival those from tropical deforestation.

If even a small proportion of the carbon is released in the form of methane, a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, then the feedback becomes even more significant, the authors said.

The new study, published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>, measured rates of methane production from thawing peatlands in the boreal region of northern Canada.

Contrary to expectations, the study demonstrated that very little of the methane released was derived from the decomposition of ancient plant material that was previously stored in permafrost.

In fact the researchers, from the<a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/"> University of Exeter</a>, <a href="http://www.sussex.ac.uk/">University of Sussex</a>, <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield</a>, <a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a> and other institutions in the United Kingdom and Canada observed that the large amounts of methane being produced resulted from the decomposition of new organic matter derived from the vegetation that colonized these wetlands after permafrost thawed.

"We have found the effects of permafrost thaw on methane release from northern peatlands may be driven more by changes in the extent of wetlands, than by methane produced from the decomposition of the previously-frozen organic matter itself,” Dr Iain Hartley, from the University of Exeter. “We need to improve our abilities to monitor and predict future changes in wetland extent."

Worldwide, permafrost peatlands store approximately 20 percent of the total permafrost carbon stock which is predicted to thaw this century. The rate at which frozen organic soils could potentially decompose is up to five times greater than for frozen mineral soils, and peats are disproportionately likely to be waterlogged following thaw, the very conditions that promote methane release, the study said.

“Thaw is linked to rising temperatures, but, because vegetation and soils insulate permafrost, predictions also have to take account of climate change effects on vegetation,” said Mathew Williams of the University of Edinburgh. “Our research now has to address these complex interactions."

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter </a>

Melting permafrost can help predict rate of climate change

Efforts to predict future rates of climate change should include...

Growing plants in vinegar or spraying them with vinegar can help them survive droughts, according to a new study.

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.riken.jp/en/research/labs/csrs/">IKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science</a> set out to explain why  mutant versions of the plant Arabidopsis have strong drought tolerance.

These plants have a mutation to an enzyme called HDA6 (histone deacetylase6). The first goal of the study was to determine exactly how the mutation allows the plants to grow normally in severe and extended conditions without water.

Initial testing in normal Arabidopsis under stress during drought conditions showed that genomic-wide expression of hda6 was linked to activation of the biological pathway that produces acetate, the main component of vinegar.

The mutated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-plants-can-hear-running-water/">plants</a> produced larger amounts of acetate under the same conditions, the researchers found.

The results predicted that increasing the amount of acetate in plants could help them survive drought. The team tested this hypothesis by comparing plants sprayed with acetic acid compared to those grown normally. They found that after 14 days more than 7 percent of the plants treated with acetic acid had survived, while virtually all other plants had died.

They also found that drought tolerance also increased in rice, wheat, and maize when the plants were grown in optimal acetic acid concentrations.

“Although transgenic technologies can be used to create plants that are more tolerant to drought, we must also develop simple and less expensive technologies because genetically modified plants are not available in all countries,” said Jong-Myong Kim, one of the leaders of the study. “ We expect that external application of acetate to plants will be a useful, simple, and less expensive way to enhance drought tolerance in a variety of plants."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nplants/">Nature Plants</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.riken.jp/en/research/labs/csrs/">IKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science </a>

Image Credit: Riken

How vinegar can help plants survive droughts

Growing plants in vinegar or spraying them with vinegar can...

There’s no way to allow deep-sea mining without at least some loss of biodiversity in the ocean depths, according to a group of 15 scientists, economists and legal scholars from around the world.

"The extraction of nonrenewable resources always includes tradeoffs," said Dr. Linwood Pendleton of the <a href="https://www-iuem.univ-brest.fr/en/home">European Institute of Marine Studies</a>. "A serious trade-off for deep-sea mining will be an unavoidable loss of biodiversity, including many species that have yet to be discovered."

Pendleton, who also teaches at <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a>, and 14 others co-wrote a letter describing their concerns that will be published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geoscience</a> today. 

In the letter, they call on the International Seabed Authority to recognized the risks posed by deep-sea mining. They also ask the ISA to create a guide of standards and safeguards and use it to educate countries on the effects deep-sea mining has on ocean ecosystems.

They also urged for more extensive study of ocean ecosystems so that scientists can gain a better understanding of life under the sea before it is further altered by human activity.

"There is tremendous uncertainty about ecological responses to deep-sea mining," said oceanographer Dr. Cindy L. Van Dover of Duke University, another of the letter’s authors. "Responsible mining needs to rely on environmental management actions that will protect deep-sea biodiversity and not on actions that are unproven or unreasonable."

It’s important to take steps now, before deep-sea mining becomes an extensive industry, the scientists said. While there were only six major contracts for deep-sea mineral exploration in 2001, a full 27 projects will be underway by the end of this year, the scientists wrote.

Plans should be in place to mitigate any losses or disturbances to undersea ecosystems, they said.

Mining supporters have suggested that companies can help to restore coastal ecosystems to offset loss, but the scientists are concerned about deep-sea ecosystems, not coastal ones.

"The argument that you can compensate for the loss of biological diversity in the deep sea with gains in diversity elsewhere is so ambiguous as to be scientifically meaningless," said oceanographer Dr. Craig Smith of the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawai'i, Manoa</a>.

The authors of the correspondence include experts from the United States, France, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia and Poland.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image Source: <a href="http://explore.noaa.gov/">NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research</a>

Deep-sea mining will bring inevitable loss of biodiversity, experts say

There’s no way to allow deep-sea mining without at least...

Ask any city dweller what noise shatters the calm most often, and after the obvious choice – sirens – many will point to the car horn. 

A team of researchers led by Dr. Myungjin Bae of <a href="http://www.ssu.ac.kr/web/eng/home">Soongsil University</a> doesn’t think it has to be that way. They set out to build a better car horn, convinced they could develop an attention-grabbing sound that isn’t so stress-inducing – and doesn’t create as much noise pollution in cities.

"The sound of [a car horn] heard outside the car of the driver is uncomfortable because it is too loud to the people around him," Bae said in a press release. "In our study we used the existing historic Klaxon sound source, but made some modification concerning its volume and rhythm with duration time by adding a power controller. Our new Klaxon sound can immediately alert the pedestrians of the danger while also reducing the unpleasantness and stress of the sound.”

The researchers struck on the friendly honking sound for their car horn by using the Mean Option Score, the same measure of voice and call quality used by telephone services.

The team created a study where subjects listened to several horn sounds, then ranked them based on qualities like loudness and the amount of stress they caused. They used a five-point scoring scale that ranged from bad to excellent.

The horns were based off of the historic Klaxon sound, the “aa-oo-gah” noise popular in older cars. The new horn, as chosen by the test listeners, uses the same sound, but it has been modified so it’s less stress-inducing without removing its attention-grabbing properties.

"Everyone can live more comfortably without hearing any annoying noise from the streets," Bae said.

The new car horn sound will be presented today at <a href="http://acousticalsociety.org/content/acoustics-17-boston">Acoustics ‘17 Boston</a>, the 173rd meeting of the Acoustical Society of America.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Team takes a shot at building a better car horn

Ask any city dweller what noise shatters the calm most...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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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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