It is no secret that some lifestyles demand more resources than others. But recent climate findings highlight how individuals with vast wealth have exerted a larger influence on global warming and temperature shifts than previously realized.



In a 2025 <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02325-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a>, the world’s wealthiest 10% are reported to have caused two-thirds of observed global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming</a> since 1990. 



This work was led by lead author Sarah Schöngart, an alumna of the 2024 Young Scientists Summer Program, who is currently associated with <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a>, and published by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (<a href="https://iiasa.ac.at" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IIASA</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wealthy-emitters-drive-climate-warming">Wealthy emitters drive climate warming</h2>



Scientists indicate that the top 1% of high-income earners contributed 26 times the global average to monthly 1-in-100-year heat extremes worldwide, and 17 times more to intense drought <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a> in the Amazon region.&nbsp;



“We found that wealthy emitters play a major role in driving climate extremes, which provides strong support for climate policies that target the reduction of their emissions,” explained Schöngart at the end of her remarks.



Researchers also noticed that emissions from the richest 10% in major economies, such as the United States and China, caused a two- to threefold increase in dangerous heat conditions across vulnerable tropical areas. 



These hotspots include Southeast Asia, southern Africa, and other regions with limited resources to handle amplified environmental stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consequences-for-vulnerable-regions">Consequences for vulnerable regions</h2>



“Addressing this imbalance is crucial for fair and effective climate action,” says coauthor <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/staff/carl-schleussner" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carl-Friedrich Schleussner</a>, who leads the Integrated Climate Impacts Research Group at IIASA. 



Communities in zones already prone to high temperatures and scarce rainfall are dealing with more frequent hazards linked to wealth-driven pollution.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Experts</a> have underscored how nations or groups with historically low <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a> often face disproportionate impacts. Scientists note that these areas experience higher chances of weather disasters, yet have fewer means to respond or rebuild.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finances-fuel-climate-warming">Finances fuel climate warming</h2>



Several analysts believe that climate discussions should not only focus on personal consumption but also on the massive financial investments of wealthy individuals. 



When these investments support high-emission ventures, the world sees greater rises in heat extremes and drought occurrences.



Groups like the <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations Environment Programme</a> have called for policy measures that redirect funds to cleaner solutions. 



Advocates argue that this could help reduce future harm while encouraging fair contributions from top earners who have the greatest capacity to shift investments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rebalancing-climate-responsibility">Rebalancing climate responsibility</h2>



Income-based emission studies raise questions about how to share the costs of adaptation and recovery. 



Observers suggest that policies aimed at rebalancing responsibility might also improve public acceptance of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-impacting-earths-rotation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> strategies, since people often want to see genuine efforts toward equity in carbon reduction.



“If everyone had emitted like the bottom 50% of the global population, the world would have seen minimal additional warming since 1990,” says Schleussner. 



This observation hints that tailored policies targeting disproportionate emissions could produce meaningful changes.



Scientists stress that tackling climate threats involves more than quick technical fixes. 



Those with higher incomes often have greater capacity to choose low-carbon lifestyles or to fund transformational climate solutions, making their role especially crucial in reducing warming trends.



Researchers emphasize that individuals in affluent groups have a unique chance to spark large-scale shifts. 



That could entail demanding cleaner supply chains, backing renewable energy, or encouraging sustainable investment portfolios, all of which can shape future climate outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-warming-inequality">Global warming inequality</h2>



The study estimates that the top 10% of earners contributed 6.5 times more to global warming than the average person, while the top 1% contributed 20 times more. 



For the top 0.1%, the figure skyrockets to 76 times the global average - an eye-opening statistic that illustrates how a small share of the population has driven a large share of climate disruption.



If everyone had emitted like the top 10%, global temperatures would have risen nearly 3°F (1.6°C) more since 1990. But if everyone had lived like the bottom 50%, there would have been almost no additional warming at all. 



That contrast highlights how the burden of global warming cannot be pinned on “humanity” in general - it’s coming from a concentrated source.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



Climate experts believe that ongoing conversations about carbon taxes and financial regulations might incorporate these findings for more equitable action. 



Some advocate for measures that hold top emitters accountable and support the communities that are most affected by intensifying weather events.



Others propose progressive policy instruments that reflect actual emissions contributions. 



Policymakers are increasingly exploring how to ensure elite pollution is addressed, while resources for adaptation and recovery become more accessible in low-income nations.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02325-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Climate Change</a>.



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Wealthy elite responsible for vast majority of global climate warming

It is no secret that some lifestyles demand more resources than others. But recent climate findings highlight how individuals with vast wealth have exerted a larger influence on global warming and temperature shifts than previously realized. In a 2025 analysis, the world’s wealthiest 10% are reported to have caused two-thirds of observed global warming since 1990. This work was led by lead author Sarah Schöngart, an alumna of the 2024 Young Scientists Summer Program, who is currently associated with ETH Zurich, and published by the International Institute...

The <a href="https://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a> (WMO) has released a list of the world’s most deadly extreme weather events, from a tropical cyclone that killed an estimated 300,000 people in Bangladesh, to a lightning-caused oil tank fire in Egypt that killed 69 people.

"Knowing exactly how bad various types of weather have been in the past has been an integral part of preparing for the future," said Randy Cerveny, an <a href="http://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> Professor of Geographical Science and Urban Planning and Chief Rapporteur of Climate and Weather Extremes for WMO. "This type of extreme (mortality totals) provides a very useful set of baseline numbers against which future disasters can be compared.”

The numbers can also help dispel incorrect beliefs about weather disasters, said Cerveny.

"For example, I have often heard since 2005 that Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest tropical cyclone/hurricane to have ever occurred,” he said. “While Katrina was bad (more than 2,000 died), it pales in comparison to the tropical cyclone that hit the area of present-day Bangladesh in 1970, that killed an estimated 300,000 people."

Cerveny convened an international WMO committee of 19 experts that conducted an in-depth investigation of mortality records for five specific weather-related events. The committee found:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">The most deaths associated with a tropical cyclone were an estimated 300,000 people killed directly as result of the passage of a tropical cyclone through Bangladesh (then  East Pakistan) on Nov. 12-13, 1970.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">The deadliest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-tornadoes-southeast-louisiana/">tornado</a> killed 1,300 people on April 26, 1989 in the Manikganj district of Bangladesh. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">The deadliest indirect strike from lightning killed 469 people when lightning caused an oil tank fire in Dronka, Egypt, on Nov. 2, 1994.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">The worst single lightning strike killed 21 people in a hut in Manyika Tribal Trust Lands in Zimbabwe (at the time of incident, Rhodesia) on Dec. 23, 1975.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">The worst hail storm killed 246 people near Moradabad, India, on April 30, 1888, with hailstones as large as "goose eggs and oranges and cricket balls."</li>
</ul>
Detailed knowledge of these extreme weather events "confirm our continuing responsibilities to not only forecast and monitor weather and climate but to utilize that information to save lives around the world so disasters of these types are lessened or even eliminated in the future,” Cerveny said.

--

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.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a>

WMO releases list of the deadliest weather events

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a list of...

When plants decompose, organic carbon that was created through the process of photosynthesis returns to the Earth's atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Rivers help remove carbon-containing plant debris and flush it into the ocean. An emerging study finds that man-made dams have a large impact on this carbon exchange, an impact that is also making a global contribution to climate change. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a> set out to observe the fate of organic carbon traveling in the world's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-learn-how-greenhouse-gases-enter-streams-and-rivers/">rivers</a>. They also wanted to analyze how much dams disrupt the flow of these organic materials. The study, which is published in Nature Communications, reveals that 20 percent of the organic carbon moving downstream is trapped by man-made dam reservoirs. 

The team used a new model for their research that linked the movement of organic carbon in the river with physical characteristics of the dam, such as water flow and the size of the reservoir. The model allowed the experts to examine the impact of over 70 percent of the world's reservoirs by volume. 

Philippe Van Cappellen is a professor in the University of Waterloo's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the study's co-author. He explained, "With the model used in this study, we can better quantify and predict how dams affect carbon exchanges on a global scale.”

There are 70,000 large dams in the world. This level of interference in the natural progression of rivers causes  considerable environmental changes. Over the next 15 years, 90 percent of the Earth’s rivers will contain at least one dam. Despite the influence that these reservoirs have on the planet's carbon exchange, they are barely depicted in climate change models. 

"Dams don't just have local environmental impacts. It's clear they play a key role in the global carbon cycle and therefore the Earth's climate,” said Van Cappellen. “For more accurate climate predictions, we need to better understand the impact of reservoirs."

--

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://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a>

How man-made dams affect climate change globally

When plants decompose, organic carbon that was created through the...

Land height could be a "game changer" in explaining why temperatures are rising much faster in the Arctic compared to the Antarctic, a new study says.

A possible cause for the accelerated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/idea-tackle-arctic-ice-melt/">Arctic</a> warming is the melting of the region's sea ice, which reduces the icy, bright area that can reflect sunlight back out into space. This results in more solar radiation being absorbed by the dark Arctic waters, said the study, published in <a href="http://www.earth-system-dynamics.net/">Earth System Dynamics</a>. 

But that may not be the only contributing factor, the study said.

Scientists believe this is an important contribution to warming in the region, but land height could be another.

With an average elevation of about 2,500 m, Antarctica is the highest continent on Earth, due to a thick layer of ice covering the bedrock. Antarctica also has high mountains, such as Mount Vinson, which rises almost 4,900 m above sea level.

"I thought that land height could be a game changer that might help explain why the Arctic has thus far warmed faster than Antarctica," said Marc Salzmann, a researcher at the Institute for Meteorology, <a href="http://www.uni-leipzig.de/en.html">University of Leipzig </a>in Germany.

Salzmann used a computer model of the Earth system to find out how the climate would react to a doubling of the atmospheric carbon-dioxide concentration. He also ran the same experiment in a flat-Antarctica world, where he artificially decreased the land height over the entire southern continent to one metre, similar to the surface height in the Arctic.

The experiments showed that if Antarctica's land height is reduced, temperatures in the region respond more strongly to a rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases over the continent, contributing to an increase in Antarctic warming.

In the real world, Antarctica’s elevation over centuries could be reduced as ice melts from warmer temperatures due to increased greenhouse-gas emissions, the study said. This, in turn, would contribute to even more warming as Antarctica loses the height advantage.

--

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.earth-system-dynamics.net/">Earth System Dynamics</a>

Land height could explain slower warming in Antarctica

Land height could be a "game changer" in explaining why...

Beaver dams may help lower stream temperatures, helping cold-water fish such salmon and trout, a new study says.

Although previous research has suggested that beaver dams raise stream temperatures, the study by Nicholas Weber from <a href="http://ecologicalresearch.net/">Eco-Logical Research, Inc., USA</a> and colleagues found the opposite. They monitored water temperatures along 34 kilometers of the John Day River in Oregon over eight years and assessed the impact of artificial beaver dams on water temperature along four reaches of Bridge Creek.

Juvenile steelhead salmon in Bridge Creek experience extreme stress at about 25°C, and the researchers found that maximum daily temperatures in much of the study stream exceed this temperature for much of the summer.

But temperatures rarely exceeded 25°C after the proliferation of beaver dams, possibly because they dams help moderate temperatures both by increasing water storage and encouraging surface water and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-monsoon-patterns-india/">groundwater</a> exchange. Beavers and salmon were once more abundant and widely distributed in North America, and beaver dams could help mitigate the thermal degradation that can threaten sensitive species, according to the study published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.  

“Beaver are often considered a keystone species, and their propensity to build dams plays an integral role in maintaining biodiversity and enhancing aquatic processes that benefit an array of aquatic and terrestrial organisms,” Weber said. 

Increasingly, beavers and artificial beaver dams are being used as low- cost tools in stream and river restoration efforts, Weber added.

The new study demonstrates that beaver dams could also be used to lower stream temperatures,  mitigating “thermal degradation that can threaten sensitive species,” Weber said.

[caption id="attachment_450650" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/140260.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-450650" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/140260-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Credit: Weber et al., 2017[/caption]

--

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://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>

Image Credit: Weber et al., 2017

Beaver dams may protect cold-water fish from warming temperatures

Beaver dams may help lower stream temperatures, helping cold-water fish...

The Earth Day Network has launched a campaign called <a href="http://www.earthday.org/take-action/">Billion Acts of Green</a> to spark interest in pursuing environmentally-friendly practices. With a total of 2,023,369,586 green acts recorded in the campaign so far, Earth Day Network is well on its way to reaching a goal of 3 billion acts by their 50th anniversary in 2020.

Recycling, reusing, repurposing, and reducing are all activities we should participate in daily. A great way to get children to become environmentally responsible is to demonstrate these types of activities and get them involved. The following are some fun ways that families can create their own acts of green.

&nbsp;

Plant a vegetable garden

Plants are great for the environment because they take carbon dioxide out of the air and put oxygen back into it. A vegetable garden also saves money and encourages healthier eating.Tending a garden is a fun and easy way to get the whole family outside together. Let each member of the family choose a vegetable he or she wants to plant. Reap the benefits of your garden year after year. 

Recycle

Recycling reduces waste and the harmful effects of waste. Recycling with your children can be a very rewarding experience - you will gain a sense of pride for doing this good deed together while earning extra money. Set up recycling bins at your house, church, or even at the local ballpark and collect the bags regularly. Sell the cans and bottles and use the money for fun family outings.

Repurpose furniture 

Got old furniture laying around taking up space? Use it for fun repurposing projects you can do with your family.  Turn an old bookshelf into a sandbox, or transform a skateboard into a tree swing. For these and more fun upcycling projects check out <a href="https://www.google.com/amp/www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/craft-ideas/gmp3657/kids-trash-to-treasure-crafts/">15 Trash-to-Treasure Crafts That'll Entertain Your Kids for Less</a>.

Watch <a href="http://storyofstuff.org/">The Story of Stuff</a>  together

What started as a brief, educational movie is now a full-blown movement. Watch the video and visit the website for ideas on how to help create a healthier world. Each member of your family can propose a resolution for the household. You can even put a reward in place for the family member who implements the most successful solution.

Collect rain in a barrel

Creating a rain barrel with your family is a simple yet practical way to conserve water. Use your recycled rain to water plants and trees in your yard, or use it to wash your cars. Fill up a baby pool or or build a bird bath. Flush toilets with the rain water, or filter it for drinking.

Simplify your life

Designate days that you can enjoy peace and quiet together. Long summer days are perfect for this. Open the curtains and let natural light into your home. Challenge your family to go an entire day without using lights and excess electricity. Unplug all the electronics and distractions in your lives. Plan a picnic in the backyard for dinner. 

&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-guide-saving-planet/">Earth Day</a> may be April 22nd but every day is a chance to help make the planet a healthier place to live.

Just a few small resolutions can help you and your family develop planet-friendly habits that last a lifetime. When you get your children involved in helping to preserve the environment, you double and triple your own efforts, while bonding with the most important people in your life. 

--

Original Feature By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth.com Presents: Fun ways for families to do an Act of Green

The Earth Day Network has launched a campaign called Billion...

In a world as complicated as ours is today, few things are rarely 100% good – and it seems like planting trees may now exist in that gray area as well.

In urban areas, the presence of trees is a good way to break up the dreariness of city life and concrete buildings. It’s also common knowledge that trees consume carbon dioxide and release oxygen, both good things for our continued existence. Prior research has shown the benefits of urban vegetation to include everything from controlling storm water to storing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-creatures-carbon-impact/">carbon</a>.

However, new research in the ACS Journal <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a> has found that during heat waves, urban vegetation can actually increase air pollution levels and ozone formation.

Trees and other plants have been known to release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can interact with other compounds and increase air pollution. Furthermore, in hot conditions, plants are known to release higher levels of VOCs. Researcher Galina Churkina and her colleagues were interested in how heat waves in urban areas might affect the contribution of trees to city air pollution.

In their study, the researchers used computer models to compare air pollution concentrations in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan area in Germany for the summer of 2006 to the summer of 2014. In 2006, there was a significant heat wave, while in 2014 Germany experienced more typical temperatures.

The results of the simulation found that in the summer of 2006, VOCs from urban vegetation contributed about 6 to 20 percent of ozone formation. During the heat wave of 2014, this contribution drastically increased to as much as 60 percent.

So what does this mean? Should we stop planting trees in our cities, or maybe cut down some of the existing vegetation? Not so fast. The researchers think that we should continue our tree-planting efforts, while also looking to reduce vehicular traffic. Emissions from vehicles are a major source of nitrogen oxides, which react with VOCs and form ozone. 

Continued research in this area could help inform city officials on how to maximize their efforts for sustainable, healthy cities.

--

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://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">American Chemical Society</a>

Urban trees can actually increase ozone levels during heat waves

In a world as complicated as ours is today, few...

They’ve been referred to as the “pandas of the sea,” as they are both incredibly cute and also severely endangered. Vaquitas are porpoises that, according to the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/">World Wildlife Fund</a> (WWF), are the world’s most threatened marine animal with only 30 of them left.

Vaquitas are found in Mexico’s Gulf of California but have been devastated by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tech-solutions-emerge-fight-overfishing/">illegal fishing</a>. Their population has dropped by a shocking 90% since 2011, prompting the WWF to urge lawmakers to take action.

Too often, vaquitas get caught in fishing nets called gillnets, which are used to trap other fish such as totoaba, whose bladders are considered a Chinese delicacy. Though a two-year ban on gillnets was put into law, that ban is set to expire soon. The WWF has called on the Mexican government to extend the ban indefinitely, or else vaquitas could go extinct by the end of 2017.

“We need the public's help now to motivate the Mexican government to act to protect the species and the World Heritage site that provides home to the vaquita,” said Chris Gee, Head of Campaigns for the WWF UK. 

“The last hope for the species is the Mexican government immediately putting in place and properly enforcing a permanent ban on gillnets. This will also help safeguard this precious World Heritage site and the livelihoods of the local people who depend on it.”

--

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.worldwildlife.org/">World Wildlife Fund</a>

Image Credit: Greenpeace, Marcelo Otero

Pandas of the sea: vaquitas could go extinct this year

They’ve been referred to as the “pandas of the sea,”...

An asteroid that hit the Gulf of Mexico 66 million years ago, wiping out dinosaurs, “could not have hit a worse place on Earth,” the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39922998">BBC</a> reported in a documentary about scientists who drilled into the impact crater.

The researchers recovered rocks from under the Gulf of Mexico that were hit by the asteroid.

The shallow Gulf caused massive volumes of sulphur (from the mineral gypsum) to be injected into the atmosphere, extending the "global winter" period that followed the immediate firestorm, the BBC said. 

"This is where we get to the great irony of the story – because in the end it wasn’t the size of the asteroid, the scale of blast, or even its global reach that made dinosaurs extinct – it was where the impact happened," said Ben Garrod, presenter of  “The Day The Dinosaurs Died.” 

If the asteroid had instead hit the deeper Atlantic or Pacific oceans, there would have been far less vaporized rock, including gypsum, the BBC said. 

"The cloud would have been less dense and sunlight could still have reached the planet’s surface, meaning what happened next might have been avoided,” Garrod said. “In this cold, dark world, food ran out of the oceans within a week and shortly after on land. With nothing to eat anywhere on the planet, the mighty dinosaurs stood little chance of survival." 

Much of the crater is now buried offshore. Scientists on a drill rig last year off Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, recovered rock cores 1,300 meters beneath the Gulf. The lowest sections of this material were from a feature within the crater called the peak ring.

Through analyzing the crater, the research team aims to trace how the asteroid impact played out and how it altered the environment.

Scientists know the energy that went into making the crater when the asteroid struck is equivalent to 10 billion Hiroshima A-bombs, the story said.

On the day of the impact, there was a massive death of creatures, the BBC said, citing a quarry in New Jersey where 25,000 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-footprints-recovery-extinction/">fossils</a> have been recovered.

"All these fossils occur in a layer no more than 10 cm thick," palaeontologist Ken Lacovara told the BBC. "They died suddenly and were buried quickly. It tells us this is a moment in geological time. That's days, weeks, maybe months. But this is not thousands of years; it's not hundreds of thousands of years. This is essentially an instantaneous event."

--

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.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39922998">BBC</a>

Asteroid that killed dinosaurs struck the “worst possible place”

An asteroid that hit the Gulf of Mexico 66 million...

Inefficient testing, inadequate maintenance and other factors cause cars, trucks and buses worldwide to emit 4.6 million tons more harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) than standards allow, according to a new study.

Excess emissions lead to 38,000 premature deaths annually worldwide, 1,100 of those in the United States, according to the published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature">Nature</a>.

The research reveals “major inconsistencies” between what vehicles emit during testing and what they emit in the real world. This problem is far worse than in 2015, when regulators discovered Volkswagen had been fitting millions of new diesel cars with "defeat devices" to show lower emissions during testing.

"A lot of attention has been paid to defeat devices, but our work emphasizes the existence of a much larger problem," said Daven Henze, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> and a coauthor of the study. "It shows that in addition to tightening emissions standards, we need to be attaining the standards that already exist in real-world driving conditions."

The researchers analyzed 30 other studies of vehicle emissions under real-world driving conditions in 11 major vehicle markets representing 80 percent of new diesel vehicle sales in 2015.

They found that diesel vehicles emitted 13.1 million tons of NOx, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and other health problems. Had the emissions met standards, the vehicles would have emitted closer to 8.6 million tons of NOx.

Heavy-duty vehicles, such as commercial trucks and buses, were by far the largest contributor worldwide, accounting for 76 percent of the total excess NOx <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/epa-fiat-violating-clean-air-act/">emissions</a>.

China suffers the greatest health impact with 31,400 deaths annually attributed to diesel NOx pollution, with 10,700 of those deaths linked to excess NOx emissions beyond certification limits, the study said.

The study projects that by 2040, 183,600 people will die prematurely each year due to diesel vehicle NOx emissions unless governments act.

"The consequences of excess diesel NOx emissions for public health are striking," said Susan Anenberg, co-lead author of the study and co-founder of Environmental Health Analytics LLC.

--

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.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>

Vehicle emissions found to be worse on the road than in testing

Inefficient testing, inadequate maintenance and other factors cause cars, trucks...

According to the 2017 State Of The Air report released by the <a href="http://www.lung.org/">American Lung Association</a>, there are over 130 million Americans living in polluted cities with unhealthy air. The report is based on ozone and particulate pollution levels. Both types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/summer-air-conditioning-pollution/">air pollution</a> pose significant health risks, including asthma, lung cancer, heart attacks, and premature death. 

Janice Nolen is the lead author of the State of the Air report. Nolen explained that when particle air pollution declines in a city, the death rates drop in that city as well. 

Emissions from cars and trucks have become a big part of our country's pollution problem for the last four or five decades. Drought is also a major contributor to air pollution. The dust and wildfires that result from drought trap particulates in the air. Industrial processes pump toxic gases into the air as well.

Despite significant improvement in air pollution levels over the last few years, many areas in the country still have a long way to go. The State of the Air report ranks cities according to ozone pollution, the number of days with high particle pollution, and year-round particle pollution levels. The following is a list of the top five most polluted cities due to the presence of year-round particle pollution.

1. Fresno

Due in large part to diesel exhaust and pesticides, Fresno leads the country in air pollution levels. Fine particulate matter is the leading cause of pollution here during the winter months. Geography is also to blame for Fresno’s pollution issues. 

Out of the top ten most polluted cities, five are located in California's Central Valley. This area has experienced years of drought that many scientists believe is the result of climate change. The valley is also exposed to toxic gases from oil rigs. Making the situation worse, the Central Valley is surrounded by mountains on three sides that keep the air pollution from escaping. Nearly 100,000 residents of Fresno have been diagnosed with asthma.

2. Bakersfield

Emissions from oil refineries, agriculture, rail freight, and traffic make Bakersfield one of the most polluted cities in America. Located in California's Central Valley, the surrounding mountains keep the toxic air from escaping. The 2016 State of the Air report ranked Bakersfield the number one worst city for both short-term and year-round particle pollution, and the second-worst for ozone pollution. Over a tenth of the residents here suffer from asthma.

3. Visalia

An overwhelming amount of wildfires contribute to the bad air quality in Visalia. In 2008 alone, there were over 3,000 wildfires here. Located in the Sierra Foothills, the air is stopped by the mountains and cannot escape. Lack of wind and rain exacerbate the problem. This area ranks in the top three of every bad air quality category measured by the American Lung Association. Approximately one out of every 12 people living in Visalia have asthma.

4. Modesto

Emissions from cars and industrial agriculture contribute to the poor air quality in Modesto. Exhaust from Route 99, a major thoroughfare, floods the city. Modesto is also located California's Central Valley, where geography offers no assistance in removing air pollution. Nearly one-tenth of the population here suffers from asthma and 25,000 residents have been diagnosed with COPD.

5. Los Angeles

Despite the fact that Los Angeles produced its lowest pollution levels since the State of the Air report began in 2000, this city still ranks high on the most-polluted list. The biggest problem here is auto emissions. In fact, Los Angeles leads the nation in harmful ozone pollution that results from traffic. Another issue for L.A. is a temperature inversion layer that forms a ceiling over the city, leaving the air stagnant and pollution trapped. Over 1.6 million residents of Los Angeles suffer from asthma.

It is everyone's responsibility to reduce air pollution. Easy things you can do to help out include conserving energy and keeping your car maintained. For more ideas on what you can do to improve air quality check out <a href="http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/41-super-easy-ways-to-stop-air-pollution.php">41 Super Easy Ways to Stop Air Pollution</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

America’s most polluted cities

According to the 2017 State Of The Air report released...

Southern Italy’s Campi Flegrei volcano has been restless for the better part of the last century, and the buildup of energy has led to several periods of seismic activity. Now, a new study suggests the next eruption of Campi Flegrei may occur sooner than previously thought.

The study comes from researchers at <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> (UCL) and the Vesuvius Observatory in Naples, and was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Since 1950, Campi Flegrei has experienced several two-year periods of unrest occurring in the 1950s, 1970s, and 1980s, which resulted in small earthquakes and ground uplift. A similar pattern of activity occurred over the course of a century 500 years ago, leading up to a big <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/violent-eruption-mount-etna/">eruption</a> in 1538. 

It had been previously believed that the energy required to cause an eruption was lost after each period of unrest. But now, scientists have learned that the activity does in fact have a cumulative effect that makes the volcano more likely to erupt.

"By studying how the ground is cracking and moving at Campi Flegrei, we think it may be approaching a critical stage where further unrest will increase the possibility of an eruption, and it's imperative that the authorities are prepared for this," said Dr. Christopher Kilburn, Director of the UCL Hazard Centre.

"We don't know when or if this long-term unrest will lead to an eruption, but Campi Flegrei is following a trend we've seen when testing our model on other volcanoes, including Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, El Hierro in the Canary Islands, and Soufriere Hills on Montserrat in the Caribbean. We are getting closer to forecasting eruptions at volcanoes that have been quiet for generations by using detailed physical models to understand how the preceding unrest develops."

Campi Flegrei spans over 100 square kilometers just west of Naples and is the closest active volcano to London. So far, the periods unrest over the last 67 years have already caused significant disruption. The port of Pozzuoli has been particularly affected, where the ground uplift has shifted the port more than 3 meters out of the sea. 

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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.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>

Southern Italy’s Campi Flegrei volcano could erupt soon

Southern Italy’s Campi Flegrei volcano has been restless for the...

Forests and woodlands about 60 percent of the size of Australia have recently been identified, increasing the known amount of global forest cover by about 9 percent, according to a new study published in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

The study, by researchers from 14 organizations around the world, as part of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Global Forest Survey, looked at so-called “drylands.” The lands, which make up 40 percent of the earth’s surface, receive much less water in precipitation than they lose through evaporation.

The drylands are located mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, around the Mediterranean, central India, coastal Australia, western South America, northeastern Brazil, northern Colombia and Venezuela, and northern parts of the boreal forests in Canada and Russia. Drylands contain 45 percent more forest than reported in previous surveys, which used older, low-resolution satellite image, the authors wrote on the website, <a href="https://theconversation.com/found-lost-forests-covering-an-area-two-thirds-the-size-of-australia-77550">The Conversation</a>.

The findings will dramatically improve the accuracy of models used to calculate how much carbon is stored in Earth’s landscapes, the authors wrote.

“This will help calculate the carbon budgets by which countries can measure their progress towards the targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol and its successor, the Paris Agreement."

Drylands – which make up about 40 percent of Earth’s land surface – have more capacity to support trees and forests than we previously believed.

“We have a unique chance to combat climate change by conserving these previously unappreciated forests,” the authors wrote.

Drylands contain some of the most threatened, yet disregarded, ecosystems, many of which face pressure from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-grizzly-bears/">climate change</a> and human activity.

“Climate change will cause many of these regions to become hotter and even drier, while human expansion could degrade these landscapes yet further,” they wrote. “Considering the potential of dryland forests to stave off desertification and to fight climate change by storing carbon, it will be crucial to keep monitoring the health of these forests, now that we know they are there.”

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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="https://theconversation.com/found-lost-forests-covering-an-area-two-thirds-the-size-of-australia-77550">The Conversation</a>

Image Credit: TERN Ausplots

Previously unknown dryland forests discovered across the globe

Forests and woodlands about 60 percent of the size of...

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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