Forests have always been symbols of resilience and endurance. Towering trees stand tall for centuries, forming ecosystems that nurture countless species. They inspire awe, acting as natural archives of Earth’s long history. Yet, today’s rapidly shifting climate is testing this strength like never before.



Scientists now warn that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traditional-forest-farming-is-an-overlooked-climate-solution/">forests</a> might struggle to keep pace with the speed of current climate change. This concern isn’t new, but recent research puts into perspective just how slow forest responses can be.



Long before industrial activities fueled modern warming, forests adapted gradually to changes. Over thousands of years, tree populations shifted according to cooling and warming periods. 



During glacial advances, they migrated southward, following milder climates. When the Earth warmed again, they moved north. This dance of migration was a slow process, unfolding over centuries.



But today, the world faces climate shifts at an alarming rate. Forests are locked in place, unable to shift swiftly enough.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-struggle-with-climate-change">Forests struggle with climate change</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/creating-forests-cant-realistically-cancel-out-fossil-fuel-emissions/">Trees</a> cannot migrate quickly. They grow slowly, and their seeds disperse over limited distances, despite help from wind and animals. Mature trees may live for hundreds of years, meaning populations shift at a glacial pace.



Current climate change, driven by human activities, is happening faster than many forests can adapt. This creates a worrying gap between the pace of warming and the ability of forests to respond.



A recent study published in the journal Science has brought this issue into sharper focus. Led by David Fastovich, a postdoctoral researcher at <a href="https://www.syracuse.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Syracuse University</a>, the study provides concrete evidence of how slowly forests react to climate changes.



Fastovich works in the Paleoclimate Dynamics Lab under Tripti Bhattacharya, the Thonis Family Professor of Paleoclimate Dynamics. Their team examined pollen records from lake sediments, revealing tree population shifts over hundreds of thousands of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-adjusting-to-climate-shifts">Forests adjusting to climate shifts</h2>



The study focused on mapping the time required for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protecting-forests-helps-birds-and-humans-in-many-ways/">forests</a> to adjust to climate shifts. Some of the sediment cores analyzed date back up to 600,000 years, capturing long-term changes in forest composition.



“We’ve known these time lags have existed, but no one could put a firm number on them,” said Fastovich. 



“We can intuit how long a tree lives. We can count the rings on a tree and estimate from there. But now we know that after one to two centuries, very close to how long a tree lives on average, entire forest ecosystems begin to turnover as trees die and are replaced in response to climate.”



The results emphasize the deep disconnect between the rapid pace of modern climate change and the natural rhythms of forest migration and replacement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revealing-forest-patterns">Revealing forest patterns</h2>



To study these long-term changes, the researchers turned to spectral analysis. This statistical method is common in physics and engineering. It allowed the team to compare the relationship between tree populations and climate shifts across varying time scales, from decades to millennia.



The analysis focused on three key aspects: migration patterns, tree mortality, and disturbances like forest fires. By observing these factors together, the team uncovered how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-carbon-credits-are-failing-so-what-needs-to-change/">forests</a> change over both short and long timescales.



Spectral analysis provided a way to create a unified view of forest dynamics. This approach helped bridge the gap between different disciplines that study forests.



“This gives us a common language for people who observe forest change, ecologists, paleoecologists and paleobiologists, to talk to one another about those changes no matter if we study forests on annual or millennial timescales,” said Fastovich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-shift-but-bigger-changes-emerge">Forests shift but bigger changes emerge</h2>



The research showed that, over the span of a few years or decades, forests change slowly. Small adjustments occur gradually, often unnoticed in the short term. However, significant changes begin to emerge over longer periods.



After about eight centuries, the study found that forest shifts tend to grow more dramatic. These larger changes often align with natural fluctuations in the planet’s climate.



“With this new technique, we can think about ecological processes on any timescale and how they are connected,” said Fastovich. “We can understand how dispersal and population changes interact and cause a forest to change from decades to centuries, and even longer timescales. That hasn’t been done before.”



This insight shows that while forests may appear stable, they are slowly shifting in response to deeper climate rhythms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-need-for-human-help">Urgent need for human help</h2>



One of the study’s most important findings points to the need for human intervention. Forests are unlikely to adjust fast enough on their own to survive the rapid pace of modern warming.



One promising approach is assisted migration. This method involves deliberately planting tree species from warmer climates into cooler regions. The goal is to help forests adapt by jumpstarting their natural migration processes.



Fastovich emphasized that this kind of intervention is far from simple. Forest adaptation is a slow, complicated process that demands careful, long-term planning.



“There’s a mismatch between the timescales at which forests naturally change to what’s happening today with climate change,” said Fastovich. 



“Population-level changes aren’t going to be fast enough to keep the forests that we care about around. Assisted migration is one tool of many to keep cherished forests around for longer.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reminder-of-the-challenges-ahead">Reminder of the challenges ahead</h2>



The research serves as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead. Forests are not static. They are ancient, slow-moving communities shaped by time and climate. While their changes might seem imperceptible over a human lifespan, they remain in constant motion.



Now, humanity must make tough choices. Without careful action, many forests may not survive the speed of climate change. 



The tools we choose, whether assisted migration, conservation efforts, or other interventions, will shape the forests of the future. Their survival depends not only on nature’s resilience but also on human responsibility.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr6700" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Forests are lagging centuries behind in climate adaptation

Forests have always been symbols of resilience and endurance. Towering trees stand tall for centuries, forming ecosystems that nurture countless species. They inspire awe, acting as natural archives of Earth’s long history. Yet, today’s rapidly shifting climate is testing this strength like never before. Scientists now warn that forests might struggle to keep pace with the speed of current climate change. This concern isn’t new, but recent research puts into perspective just how slow forest responses can be. Long before industrial activities fueled modern warming, forests adapted...

The current political landscape has caused such a torrent of controversy and tension that one might assume there is very little that can sway either <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/repeal-failed-universal-coverage/">side of the aisle</a>. But a new study has examined how election voter turnout is affected by different environmental conditions and how they impact political views, behavior, and change.

Hot weather has previously been linked to rising tempers, political rebellion, and riots. But according to the new research from the Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology at <a href="https://www.ugent.be/en">Ghent University</a> in Belgium, warm weather has also been found to cause a bump in voter turnout as well. 

"We found that increases in state-level temperatures from one election to another are related to increases in state-level voter turnout, and increases in votes for the incumbent party," said Jasper Van Assche, the study’s lead author. 

Van Assche collected voter information from all 50 states between the years of 1960 to 2016 and compared that to the recorded temperature highs during those times when voting occurred for presidential elections. The researchers discovered that for every increase of 10 degrees Celsius, voter turnout increased by a little over one percent. 

Higher temperatures also played a role in party preference and were a strong motivator for voting for the incumbent party. 

Van Assche postulates that the 2000 election between Al Gore and future president George W. Bush might have had a different outcome if the temperatures were just 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit higher. If that had been the case, Florida would have gone to Gore as he was part of the incumbent party, which would have won him the presidency.

The study also considered other external factors that affect voter turnout and found that temperature’s impact was a singular cause not related to any other factor. 

“There is a large amount of research on voter behavior, but little attention has been paid to the seemingly illogical factors that can influence the way people vote. Future studies could expand our understanding by tapping into smaller levels of analyses (e.g., cities or counties) or by including emotions (such as anger) which might explain some of the effects,” said Van Assche.

The idea that something as small as a few degrees of temperature could have rewritten the course of history merits much further research into the impact of weather conditions on voter turnout. Factoring in temperature may even become valuable in predicting election outcomes.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Weather and temperature can change election outcomes

The current political landscape has caused such a torrent of...

The consequences of climate change are numerous and wide-ranging, but part of what makes it so hard for scientists to fully determine what these consequences might be is how one change affects another. This leads to confusing and intricate domino-effect situations, where the effects of climate change can actually be amplified even further. Now, a recent study by the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>, has found that climate change and habitat conversion to agriculture are combining to homogenize nature. 

This means that as these changes increase, some species within certain ecosystems become more prominent while others die off.

Up until this point, little has been known about how species respond to both stressors: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-trees-weapon-climate-change/">climate change</a> and conversion to agriculture. The study’s authors surveyed birds and plants at 120 site in northwest Costa Rica. These sites included rainforests, dry forests, and farmland.

This survey was done to determine how habitat conversion and droughts induced by climate change affect tropical wildlife. The results showed that different bird species thrive in drier versus wetter areas of the forests. However, in farmlands, birds that also lived in dry forests were found everywhere – even in the wettest areas.

“Across Central and South America, we are seeing large areas being converted from native forest to agriculture, and droughts are becoming more frequent,” says Daniel Karp, lead author and assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology. “Both of these global pressures are favoring the same species and threatening the same species. This means we may be losing biodiversity faster than we previously thought when we were studying climate change and habitat conversion individually.”

The authors point out that some of the most vulnerable birds at the study sites were those found in wet forests. The birds found at agricultural sites were more similar to those found in the dry forest, which has less of a tree canopy and more grass cover. “Now that we know this, we know what to focus on from a conservation perspective,” Karp says.

Some possible solutions to this issue do exist. In order to help retain high levels of biodiversity, land managers should look to protect areas of wetter forests. Conservation efforts should also be more focused on wet-forest species – such as tanagers, manakins, and woodcreepers – which are more sensitive to habitat conversion and climate change. Furthermore, if private landowners are incentivized to protect wet regions of their land, it could help balance biodiversity as well as food production.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change and habitat conversion eat away at biodiversity

The consequences of climate change are numerous and wide-ranging, but...

A group of long-term climate campaigners in New Zealand has launched a global initiative to plant trees in response to what they consider to be the ignorance of President Donald Trump on climate science. The organizers have named their campaign Trump Forest, which has received 120,000 pledges since March of this year.

The project allows people to plant trees locally or support forest restoration projects in Madagascar, Haiti, Ethiopia, and Nepal. 450 people around the world have signed up, planting 15,000 trees in the first month alone.

The founders claim they would need to offset the equivalent of 650 megatons of Co2 by 2025 to counteract Trump’s actions regarding climate change. To do this, they estimate a need for more than 100 billion new trees, which is enough to cover an area the size of Kentucky.

According to President Trump, he left the Paris Climate Agreement because it would cost jobs and hurt the U.S. economy while benefiting other countries. The president is also challenging climate regulations put in place by his predecessor, Barack Obama. 

The organizers of Trump Forest say there is a global sense of frustration with the president's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">climate change policies</a>.

Adrien Taylor, a co-founder of Trump Forest, told the BBC, “We've met some of the people on the front lines of climate change in Bangladesh, Mongolia and in other countries, and we found it extremely upsetting that Mr Trump's ignorance is so profound so we started to do something about it. Only a small percentage of the world voted him in, but we all have to deal with the consequences of his climate ignorance."

The goal to plant over 100 billion new trees over the next 8 years may be a huge undertaking, but the founders of Trump Forest say it can be done.

Co-founder Dr. Daniel Price told the BBC, "We want to plant a global forest that will offset all of the emissions that the Trump administration puts in the atmosphere. It sounds a bit ridiculous but it is completely feasible.” 

The organizers of the campaign said they have received "a bit of hate mail" from Trump supporters. There are also mixed emotions about the name of the project, as it sounds like a tribute to the president. 

Dr. Price told the BBC, "All we're trying to do is pick up the slack he has created and do the work for him so if he wants to take ownership of this forest just like Trump vodka and Trump Tower, we would welcome that; the phone line is open. So, Mr President, if you are reading this..."

Mr. Taylor added that, "We kind of want him to love the forest, this is his forest after all. We would love it if he tweeted about it.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global forest project aims to offset Trump emissions

A group of long-term climate campaigners in New Zealand has...

New research has revealed that tropical trees continue to accumulate high rates of carbon into old age. In fact, these trees build up the majority of their carbon storage toward the end of their lives.

Trees play a critical role in helping offset the progression of climate change by taking carbon out of the air and storing it. While older trees are generally thought to have had a long life of carbon accumulation, a lack of data from individual trees makes it impossible to accurately calculate the amount of carbon stockpiled by a single tree in its lifetime.

Tree ring data enables researchers to estimate the growth of a tree by measuring the distance between rings found on the tree trunk. Each of these rings was formed when the growth of a tree was stalled out by changes in the climate. Seasonal changes in the tropics, for example, can temporarily halt the growth of trees.

Michael Köhl of the <a href="https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en.html">Universität Hamburg, Germany</a>, led a team of experts in examining the carbon accumulation of tropical trees over the course of their lifetimes. In order to do this, the team investigated 61 trees that grew naturally in the Suriname Rainforest. The trees ranged from 84 to 255 years old and belonged to three different species. 

The team analyzed the growth patterns of the trees and then calculated the size of each tree above the ground based on its rings. This data was used to measure how much carbon each tree had accumulated over the course of its life.

The researchers determined that the growth and carbon accumulation rates of these tropical trees had significantly more variation throughout their lifetimes compared to trees in managed forests. The tropical forest trees were also found to maintain high <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/converts-carbon-dioxide-no-byproducts/">carbon</a> accumulation rates toward the end of their lives, collecting 39-50 percent of their total carbon stock in the last quarter of their lives.  

The experts confirmed the theory that older trees generally store more carbon than younger trees. They suggest that a forest’s ability to store carbon is improved with the longevity of its trees. These findings, published in the open-access journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>, may help to promote the conservation of old-growth tropical forests.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tropical trees are a valuable weapon against climate change

New research has revealed that tropical trees continue to accumulate...

Giant larvaceans are zooplankton which resemble small tadpoles. These free-floating sea creatures are able to filter a range of plastic particles and discard them through their fecal matter in the form of sinking pellets.

Because microplastics are small enough for aquatic animals to ingest, they are a big threat to marine ecosystems. Research suggests that giant larvaceans and other filter feeders are invaluable in their ability to rapidly remove this type of pollution from the water and send it to the ocean floor. Giant larvaceans construct transparent structures known as "mucus houses" to live in, and filter ocean water particles from inside.

Kakani Katija is a bioengineer at the <a href="http://www.mbari.org/">Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute</a> and contributing author for the <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">American Association For The Advancement of Science</a> (AAAS). Katija and her colleagues set out to observe giant larvaceans in Monterey Bay, California, to get a closer look at microplastic ingestion. The scientists were particularly fascinated with the ingestion process of these plankton because their feeding filters exclude particles of the same size range as microplastics. 

Using a remotely operated vehicle to distribute microplastics into the ocean, the team investigated whether the giant larvaceans consumed the particles. Researchers discovered that the majority of the larvaceans did, in fact, ingest the microplastics. The tiny particles also stuck to the mucus houses, which sink to the seafloor when they are discarded.

The scientists pointed out that larvaceans are probably not consuming a large amount of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/billions-tons-plastic-thrown/">plastic</a> in the ocean due to the fact that microplastics float closer to the surface than larvaceans are usually found. According to the authors of the study, further research is needed in order to better understand the overall effects of microplastics on marine ecosystems.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why is there plastic on the ocean floor?

Giant larvaceans are zooplankton which resemble small tadpoles. These free-floating...

Solar panels provide access to virtually unlimited clean energy, yet this renewable resource is not utilized anywhere close to its potential. There are many reasons for this, including the expense and limited selection of solar panels. Experts are working to replace the traditional black and blue panels with green, red, and white colors that may be more enticing to home and building owners.

Researchers have developed a technique to imprint solar panels with silicon nanopatterns which cast out green light. The loss of absorbed green light only reduces the effectiveness of the panels by approximately 10 percent.

"Some people say 'why would you make solar cells less efficient?' But we can make solar cells beautiful without losing too much efficiency," said lead author Verena Neder. "The new method to change the color of the panels is not only easy to apply but also attractive as an architectural design element and has the potential to widen their use."


Previous research on solar cells has been mainly focused on increasing the efficiency of panels and reducing the cost. The solar panels currently available on the market can convert up to 22 percent of sunlight into usable energy. The colored solar panels that are available are not nearly as effective due to the dyes and reflective coatings that give them their color.

For the current study, researchers used soft-print lithography to create green <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kentucky-coal-mining-museum-solar/">solar panels</a> that maintain most of their efficiency. This process stamps a heavy concentration of silicon nanocylinders onto the cell surfaces. At about 100 nanometers wide, each nanocylinder has an electromagnetic vibrancy that scatters a particular wavelength of light. The nanocylinders can be adjusted to alter the color of the solar cell.

"In principle, this technique is easily scalable for fabrication technology," said senior author Albert Polman. "You can use a rubber stamp the size of a solar panel that in one step, can print the whole panel full of these little, exactly defined nanoparticles."

The solar panels enhanced with nanopatterns appeared green from almost any angle, which is a huge improvement on colored panels that are currently on the market. The nanopatterns may also make it possible to stack several layers of cells which are developed to absorb different parts of the spectrum. This design could improve the efficiency of solar panels to more than 30 percent.

The study, which is published this week <a href="http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/apl">Applied Physics Letters</a>, will continue with the development of imprints for red and blue solar cells. The creation of green, red, and blue solar cells may ultimately enable the researchers to develop white solar panels.

"You have to combine different nanoparticles, and if they get very close to each other they can interact and that will affect the color," said Polman. "Going to white is a really big step."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Green solar panels make clean energy more aesthetically appealing

Solar panels provide access to virtually unlimited clean energy, yet...

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

Supervolcanoes could be the future of electric energy

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

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

Earth’s most massive volcanic range sits under Antarctica

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

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

The importance of solar eclipses throughout history

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

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

Local food systems bridge the political divide, help conservation

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

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

Getting through to those who still deny climate change

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

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

Research raises new questions on how the Earth was formed

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

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 



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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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

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

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

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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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