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...

According to new research, the length of time it takes for an area to recover from drought depends on factors such as future climate conditions and geographic location. The authors of the study point out that, as droughts become more frequent, ecosystems may not have time to fully recover before being hit with another dry spell.

There are different ways to define drought. From a meteorological perspective, it is defined as a period of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severe-drought-plagues-north-dakota/">less than average precipitation</a>. In agricultural terms, drought occurs when a lack of rainfall weakens crops. From a hydrological point of view, it is when water sources such as lakes and reservoirs begin to dry up.

A research team led by William Anderegg of the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> set out to determine what it takes to recover from all three of these types of drought in different regions of the world. 

“There was a broad presumption that ecosystems and plants recovered almost immediately when the weather got wetter," said Anderegg. "We didn't know what the patterns were globally, including which plants seemed to recover faster or slower and which variables influenced that recovery time."

The team used a tool called the Standardized Precipitation-Evaporation Index to evaluate drought conditions. It combines measurements of temperature, soil moisture, recent rainfall, and the demand of plants for water. 

To evaluate recovery times, the team analyzed global satellite data to measure the rates at which plants convert sunlight into biomass, or gross primary productivity. According to the researchers, drought recovery means an ecosystem fully returns to the level of productivity that it experienced before the drought.

It can take a long time for plants to recuperate  from drought conditions, and sometimes they never recover. Disease and fire caused by drought can leave permanent damage to vegetation. 

The study, published tomorrow in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/">Nature</a>, revealed that climate conditions after a drought have the most influence on recovery time. Wet conditions will accelerate recovery, while dry conditions will slow down progress.

Location affected recovery time as well. Most regions can overcome the impact of the dry spell in less than six months, and some areas need up to a year. The scientists discovered that high-latitude Arctic regions and the tropics of South America and Southeast Asia need as much as two years to recover. 

"That's worrisome because those regions store the largest chunks of carbon in ecosystems across the globe," said Anderegg.

Climate models predict that droughts will become more frequent and last longer. This increases the chance that ecosystems may be hit with new droughts before they have recovered from the previous one. 

"That could have a double whammy effect," explained Anderegg. "A second drought could be harder on an ecosystem and have the potential to push it off a cliff." 

-

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Recovering from drought takes time, some damage permanent

According to new research, the length of time it takes...

The Greater Prairie-chicken was once a common bird in North America, but like many endangered grassland birds, they are becoming more and more of a rarity. Today only small pockets of Greater Prairie-chickens exist in the plains and parts of the Midwest. And recently, there has been a growing concern that wind energy farms might add to the growing list of threats facing the endangered birds.

Wind energy, especially in the Great Plains, is increasing in popularity, and wind energy facilities are popping up all over the place to create a bountiful source of renewable, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wyoming-targets-solar-wind-energy-law/">clean energy</a>. 

A new study published in The Condor: Ornithological Applications, led by Jocelyn Olney Harrison from the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a> in conjunction with her colleagues, finds that wind energy facilities in Nebraska have little to no effect on the Greater Prairie-Chicken nesting grounds. 

The research team studied nesting sites near a small wind energy facility and captured 78 female prairie chickens from different breeding areas spaced at different locations across the facility. They fitted the birds with transmitters and monitored their nests and movements. 

The team discovered that no matter how close a nest was to the wind energy facility, it seemed to have no effect on the bird’s mating and habits overall. Instead, the scientists found that the greatest threats were infrastructure and grazing patterns of animals. 

“We suggest that livestock grazing and other grassland management practices still have the most important regional effects on Greater Prairie-Chickens, but we caution future planners to account for potential negative effects of roads on nest site placement,” said Harrison. 

Further studies will need to be done with a larger scope to see if wind energy facilities have a significant impact on all grassland birds. But the promising findings of this project show that wind energy is not as great a threat as other current practices that lead to habitat loss.

----

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>, Staff Writer 

Photo Credit: L. Powell

Wind energy facilities do not impact endangered grassland birds

The Greater Prairie-chicken was once a common bird in North...

Climate change has increased the risk and severity of droughts, with massive droughts now occurring all over the world, some lasting years. Droughts can damage crops, create a hazard zone for wildfires and kill trees and plant life. 

Vancouver, British Columbia has recently <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/3652201/b-c-wildfires-have-now-scorched-an-area-larger-than-pei/">been blanketed in a foggy gray smog</a> thanks to raging wildfires that have burned almost 3,000 square miles in total. The cause of these fires is still under investigation, but many suspect a link to ongoing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluctuating-sea-temperature-droughts/">drought</a> conditions.

Understanding exactly how droughts impact trees and wildlife and how tree death occurs could help prevent future wildfires and crop failure. 

Recently, researchers set out to understand what exactly what causes trees to die during a drought. A collaborative team of researchers, including lead author Henry Adams from<a href="https://go.okstate.edu/"> Oklahoma State University</a> and 62 other scientists, published their results in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

The team studied and simulated drought conditions and found that tree death was caused by a combination of hydraulic failure and carbon starvation. Carbon starvation occurs when dry trees close their pores, blocking the entry of necessary carbon needed for photosynthesis. Hydraulic failure occurs when the tree becomes unable to move water from its roots to its leaves.

Healthy trees are an important part of the ecosystem as they feed on CO2, and fewer trees due to droughts means more CO2 in the atmosphere and an increase in climate change. 

"Droughts are simultaneously happening over large regions of the globe, affecting forests with very different trees. The discovery of how droughts cause mortality in trees, regardless of the type of tree, allows us to make better regional-scale predictions of droughts' effects on forests,” said the director of the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation’s</a> MacroSystems Biology Program, Liz Blood. 

Understanding exactly how tree death occurs in times of stress, like a drought, could have a positive impact on prevention and preservation of trees and help counter climate change. 

---

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

What actually causes trees to die during droughts

Climate change has increased the risk and severity of droughts,...

Environmental scientists have discovered that burning coal produces microscopic particles of titanium oxide. Known as titanium suboxide nanoparticles, these tiny particles can enter the lungs and possibly the bloodstream.

The particulates are as small as 100 millionths of a meter, according to a research team led by <a href="http://www.science.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech College of Science</a>. When the particles are released, they can travel with air currents locally or even globally.

Virginia Tech Professor of Geosciences Michael F. Hochella Jr. led the study.  

"The problem with these nanoparticles is that there is no easy or practical way to prevent their formation during coal burning," said Hochella. 

He added that most of the nanoparticles would be caught by particle traps in nations with strict regulations such as the United States. However, countries such as Africa, China, and India do not have environmental regulations that prevent coal ash and smoke from invading the air.

The titanium suboxide - known as Magnéli phases - was previously thought to be extremely rare, but the findings of this study suggest that these nanoparticles exist all over the world. Powerful electron microscopes are allowing scientists to study them for the first time in their natural environment. 

The research team located these nanoparticles in ash and gaseous waste emissions from coal plants across the globe, but they were not limited there. The scientists also discovered titanium suboxide nanoparticles on city streets, in soil, in stormwater ponds, and at wastewater treatment plants.

"I could not believe what I had found at the beginning, because they had been reported so extremely rarely in the natural environment," said Yi Yang, a professor at East China Normal University who participated in the study. "It took me several months to confirm their occurrence in coal ash samples."

Nearly all coal contains titanium oxides in one of three mineral forms. When these minerals are burned in the presence of coal, they easily and quickly convert to highly unusual particle forms of titanium oxide. The nanoparticles are then drawn out with the gases that leave the power plant.

If inhaled, the nanoparticles can move deep into the lungs, and can potentially enter into the air sacs that move <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/low-oxygen-early-jurassic-oceans/">oxygen</a> into our bloodstream. Research has indicated that the particles are toxic to human lungs, but it is not yet known to what degree. 

"Future studies will need to very carefully investigate and assess the toxicity of titanium suboxide nanoparticles in the human lung, and this could take years, a sobering thought considering its potential danger," Hochella said.

The study is published in the online journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Burning coal releases potentially dangerous and harmful particles

Environmental scientists have discovered that burning coal produces microscopic particles...

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">The Centers for Disease Control</a> (CDC) predicted that the summer of 2017 would be one of the worst tick seasons ever. With summer nearly half over and tick borne illnesses on the rise, it would seem their predictions were not without merit. Ticks thrive in tall grasses and wooded, leafy areas, and carry several illnesses including Lyme Disease.

According to CDC epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Braden, Lyme disease cases have nearly doubled in recent years compared to the early 2000s. 

This increase in tick populations, as well as mosquitos and other disease carrying pests, are a worldwide problem. The trick is reducing or managing their population levels without adversely affecting vital pollinator insects like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/east-african-honey-bees/">bees</a> and butterflies.

The solution and success of vector-control without harming pollinators in the process can be found by starting local, according to new research performed by entomologists, disease-vector control management experts, and pollinator experts. 

The research has been published in the Journal of Medical Entomology and shows that pest control and pollinator protection can be ensured by a local, community effort during the planning stages before any pest control measures are taken. 

There are vector-control practices that try to protect “nontarget organisms,” but conditions can vary so differently even county to county, coordinating with a pollination expert will ensure that the best measures are taken to ensure the desired result for all parties. 

A 2014 Vector-Borne Disease and Pollinator Protection task force was created by the <a href="http://pollinator.org/nappc/">North American Pollinator Protection Campaign</a> and studied better ways to promote local collaborative efforts among the two worlds. 

"Nobody wants people to get sick unnecessarily, and nobody wants to damage populations of organisms that are important to the functioning of healthy environments," said Dr. Howard Ginsberg, chair of the task force.

Preventing flea, tick, and mosquito borne illnesses can be helped by managing population levels. But this recent research shows how important it is to utilize a collaborative effort on a local level in order to find the best balance between disease and pest control without sacrificing vital pollinators.  

---

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The battle to protect bees while managing ticks and mosquitos

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) predicted that the summer...

As Earth.com <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alter-lifestyle-fight-climate-change/">reported last week</a>, a recent <a href="https://today.yougov.com/">YouGov</a> survey revealed that many individuals agree that climate change is real problem but are unwilling to make even small changes in their day to day life to decrease their own personal carbon footprint. It might seem like a daunting challenge to try and minimize one’s own environmental impact, or perhaps it’s just something we are too lazy to put into action. But there are a few small ways you can reduce your environmental footprint and employ a zero waste mindset in your daily life.

But first, what is zero waste? 

Zero Waste is a trending movement where the goal is to reduce how much waste you bring home and create yourself. The zero waste movement doesn’t eradicate all waste from your life, but it provides ways to drastically reduce plastics and packaging materials. The most dedicated zero wasters often display the amount of trash they accumulate in a year fitting in a small mason jar. 

If most people are unwilling to make even a small change in their day to day to help the environment, going zero waste may seem like a scale up Mount Everest. But don’t give up just yet. Here are few essential tips that may help change your mindset.

1. Know What Exactly You Are Getting Yourself Into

Are you going green, trying to be minimalist, hoping for a zero waste lifestyle, or just want to reduce your personal environmental footprint? Understanding exactly what zero waste means and how to incorporate it into your life is probably the best way to get started. Do some research and find out what will work for you. 

2. Get Inspired

Watching a few video tutorials online, scrolling through Pinterest, and reading some great <a href="https://zerowastehome.com">minimalist blogs</a> might inspire you to get onboard. You’ll be able to see all sides of the spectrum, from those who have <a href="https://www.goingzerowaste.com">great beginner tips</a> to those who are making their own conditioner. 

3. Get Thrifty

One of the easiest ways to incorporate less waste in your life is to try thrift shops. By thrifting for clothes, essential home goods, and even furniture, you are immediately reducing the typical amount of packaging and waste, and keeping those items out of the landfill.

4. Start Small

Bringing your own canvas and reusable bags to the grocery store may sound great in theory, but often they stay crumpled up in your kitchen cabinets because you always forget them. Try moving them to your car and keep them there. 

Also try bringing your own to-go mug to Starbucks or your favorite coffee shop. Many cafes often offer discounts for bringing your own cup, so it’s a double bonus. 

You could even think about getting a french press for your morning coffee routine, as they don’t require any coffee filters and don’t take any longer than your average drip brews.

5. Bulk Up

Many of the foods and household items you use every day are available to purchase in bulk, and for a discounted price. You can even buy or make your own bulk food bags so you don’t have to use the plastic disposable bags available. Bulk is also a great way to get spices and baking supplies that you don’t often run out of, and being able to pick your own amounts is part of the draw. 

The more advanced zero wasters can find ways to bulk up on liquids and oils, but just shopping at a bulk food store and grabbing a few things is a great way to get started. 

6. Shop Local

Avoid the big chain grocery store and try your local farmer’s market. Not only will you be supporting local, often the produce is fresher and cheaper than anything you could get at your basic grocery store. 

7. Compost (if possible)

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to compost. It can be easier in smaller towns and rural areas, so for urban apartment dwellers, composting may be an impossibility. Check out your city's waste removal procedures, be familiar with recycling, and see if they offer composting bins. Minneapolis, Minnesota surprisingly has composting readily available for its residents, so it never hurts to check. 

8. Jar out!

Mason jars are more than just trendy hipster cocktail glasses or canning accessories. The mason jar also serves as a zero waster or minimalist's best friend. They can hold your bulk goods like spices and baking ingredients. You can use a mason jar for your favorite iced coffee or smoothie. You can find handy grab and go recipes with mason jars like overnight oats and take and shake layered salads. They are easy to wash, easy to label, and easy to reuse. 

9. Small changes make a big impact

As much as some zero wasters would have us all making our own deodorant, composting, and not buying any new clothes for a year, the practicality and convenience of which are not always possible for everyone. By making even small changes, such as eating less meat, reducing waste and fuel consumption, and incorporating some healthier habits in our lives, we can minimize our environmental footprint. 

At the end of the day, you have to do what will work for you and your schedule. These are just a few tips to get you started on your own zero waste path. Planet Earth will thank you for it.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Easy ways to adopt a Zero Waste mindset

As Earth.com reported last week, a recent YouGov survey revealed...

Cool roofs are an emerging technology that feature a number of attractive qualities. They consist of highly solar reflective materials and are lighter in color and help regulate roof temperature during heat waves.

Average dark, shingled roofs have been recorded as being 50 degrees hotter than outside temperatures, which can mean sky-high cooling costs and energy bills to keep your house comfortable. But cool roofs only increase a few degrees compared to outside temperatures, which are a major part of their appeal.

Cool roofs can also save up to 15% of energy costs and mitigate the urban <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-heat-islands-climate-change/">heat island</a> effect, where urban areas end up two to five degrees hotter in temperature because dark roofing and dark pavements soak up so much heat and cover such a wide area. 

But a new study from the<a href="http://www.aqmd.gov/"> South Coast Air Quality Management District</a> and the <a href="https://www.usc.edu/">University of Southern California</a> reveals that while they can be beneficial in countering energy costs, they may also adversely harm air quality and increase ozone levels. 

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, details how scientists used air quality computer models and meteorology models to track how cool roofs reflect harmful UV rays and increase air pollution levels. 

However, the researchers involved are in no way calling for a ban of cool roofing materials or technology. 

"While the future, widespread use of certain kinds of cool roofing materials could slightly increase air pollution levels, we in no way want to discourage this technology. This study shows what needs to be done to help cool our cities and avoid increasing ozone levels as an unintended consequence," said the South Coast Air Quality Management District's Executive Officer, Wayne Nastri. 

While the study did show a slight predicted increase in pollution levels with an increased used of cool roofing materials, cool pavements could have a much more adverse impact as they increase in popularity.

The findings prove the need for increased regulation and strategical development to find ways to continue to improve cool roofing materials and hinder their potentially harmful side effects. 

---

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cool roofs help manage heat but may increase air pollution

Cool roofs are an emerging technology that feature a number...

Social media is helping communities manage fires. When people catch a glimpse of fire or see smoke in the air, they often rush to social media to report it. Atmospheric scientists from <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University</a> decided to take advantage of this fact and use Facebook as a resource to help develop new ways to monitor and improve air quality. 

The study, led by research scientist Bonne Ford, found a strong association between the numbers of Facebook posts about visible smoke and the estimates of smoke exposure projected by commonly used methods. Satellite observations, chemical transport models, and surface particulate matter measurements are all tools used to locate areas which are susceptible to harmful smoke. 

"We have monitoring systems, but monitors can be sparse in different places," Ford said. "In our group, we've been trying to combine a whole bunch of methods, models and observations to look at smoke exposure. And we thought, 'it would be really great if people could just tell us when they are exposed to smoke. Well, what about social media?'"

The study showed that Facebook actually provided more accurate locations of smoke than satellite data, which takes pictures of smoke from above Earth. Pierce said that even though satellites can view smoke from above, the data is not always accurate. "Sometimes, the satellites can't tell what altitude the smoke is at," he explained.

The team enlisted the help of research scientist Moira Burke at Facebook for the study. They focused on Facebook users who posted between June and October about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-moisture-predict-wildfires/">wildfire</a> smoke and air quality. The scientists were able to collect data about when and where users posted about smoke without disclosing their identities.

The researchers created daily maps that represented the numbers of Facebook posts and compared them with data maps of standard smoke monitoring systems. They found a strong correlation between the data collected from Facebook and surface monitors, which sense smoke and other particles such as PM2.5 in the air. PM2.5 is of particular concern to scientists due the fact that inhaling it can cause serious health problems.

The scientists hope their research will lead to the development of new methods to assess smoke exposure. They will continue to evaluate whether Facebook data may help improve the efficiency of existing smoke monitoring methods. The study is published in <a href="https://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/">Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Social media is helping communities manage fires

Social media is helping communities manage fires. When people catch...

Earth Overshoot Day marks the point in the year when we have used all of the Earth’s allotted renewable resources for that year. If Earth Overshoot Day happens early, then for the months after we are in “ecological debt.” 

The news came on August 2nd that in just less than 8 months, humans had already reached Earth Overshoot. While this isn’t the first time we’ve maxed out on what our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-guide-saving-planet/">planet</a> has to offer, it does mark the earliest point in any year that we have used up our renewable resources.

The Global Footprint Network said in a statement, “We have used more from nature than our planet can renew in the whole year. This means that in seven months, we emitted more carbon than the oceans and forests can absorb in a year, we caught more fish, felled more trees, harvested more, and consumed more water than the Earth was able to produce in the same period.” 

Environmentalists say that we can all help counter this effect by reducing food waste, eating less meat, and trying to burn less fuel. If we don’t, we risk planetary “bankruptcy.” 

Nicolas Hulot, France’s Minister of Ecological Transition, made a speech on Overshoot Day that explained exactly what was meant by overshoot and debt and why we should be concerned. Hulot explained that if we want to continue to use vital natural resources, then we need to consume them a rate that will allow the Earth to naturally “regenerate” those resources.

We are in debt currently because we have consumed more than the Earth can “regenerate” in this current year. And the debt is adding up. 

But experts say that even small changes in our own personal day to day routines could have a big impact on Overshoot and slowing it down.

If you’re curious about your own personal footprint and impact and want to know if you have an overshoot day yourself, <a href="http://www.footprintnetwork.org/">The Global Footprint Network</a> has an app that lets you calculate your own environmental footprint and resource consumption. 

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By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humans have already burned through Earth’s resources for 2017

Earth Overshoot Day marks the point in the year when...

Mount Sinabung in Indonesia erupts after months of activity. Following several months of volcanic activity, Mount Sinabung in Sumatra, Indonesia erupted on Wednesday, August 3rd, spewing ash almost three miles into the air. It was the volcano's biggest eruption in the past few months. 

Mount Sinabung has been sporadically active since 2010 when it came back to life after being dormant for quite some time. 

There have been no casualties from the Wednesday eruption but <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/bogoslof-volcano-ash-plumes/">hot ash</a> flooded down the mountain as far as nearly 3 miles and into the Labortus River. Students from a nearby elementary school were evacuated and citizens were warned about possible flash floods due to the ash creating a natural dam in the river. 

A spokesperson for the <a href="http://www.ndma.gov.in/">National Disaster Mitigation Agency</a>, Sutupo Purwo Nugroho, has issued a call for face masks and clean water and said that the ash fall directly affected thousands of people across ten different villages. 

Nugroho said a danger zone within 5 miles of the peak needs to avoided by all people in the nearby communities. 

While this eruption was certainly its biggest, officials say Mount Sinabung also experienced nineteen smaller eruptions with lava flows all by mid afternoon on Wednesday. 

Villagers were photographed looking on as huge pyroclastic flows were seen in the background. While no casualties have been reported this year, seven people were killed during an eruption in May 2016.

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By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mount Sinabung in Indonesia erupts after months of activity

Mount Sinabung in Indonesia erupts after months of activity. Following...

Tropical forests are generally believed to have been untapped natural resources before modern industry and agriculture, yet new research has proven otherwise. The first global study of human impact on tropical forests has established that humans started altering tropical forests tens of thousands of years ago.

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.shh.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History</a> and other universities focused their study on three aspects of human influence on tropical forests. These categories include hunting and gathering, small-scale agricultural activities, and large-scale urban development.

Hunter-gatherers performed controlled burns on tropical forests in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humid-heat-south-asia-deadly/">Southeastern Asia</a> at least 45,000 years ago, which is when modern humans first occupied this region. They cleared the woods to create more forest edge environments to attract the plants and animals that they preferred. 

Many scientists believe that such activities led to the extinction of forest megafauna in the Late Pleistocene, around 125,000-12,000 years ago. Large marsupials, forest mastodons, and the giant ground sloth disappeared in this era. The effects of these extinctions on forest density, plant species distribution, plant reproductive mechanisms, and life-cycles of forest stand can still be seen today.

Around 10,000 years ago, early farming of tropical forests led to the domestication of forest plants and animals such as chickens, peppers, sweet potatoes, and mangoes. Farming strategies based on local plants and animals did not result in lasting damage to the tropical forests. 

However, significant soil erosion and forest-burning began as external farming strategies were introduced such as cattle and seed for grazing. The clearing of forests for palm oil plantations also resulted in major ecological changes. 

"These practices, which induce rampant clearance, reduce biodiversity, provoke soil erosion, and render landscapes more susceptible to the outbreak of wildfires, represent some of the greatest dangers facing tropical forests," said co-author Dr. Chris Hunt.

Despite the idea that tropical forests were “green deserts” which were unsuitable for early populations to develop, new technologies have shown that large urban settlements were created in these forest habitats during ancient times. 

"Indeed, extensive settlement networks in the tropical forests of Amazonia, Southeast Asia, and Mesoamerica clearly persisted many times longer than more recent industrial and urban settlements of the modern world have so far been present in these environments," explained lead author Dr. Patrick Roberts.

Some Mayan groups thrived by planting complementary food crops in the forest instead of clearing it. Other groups that cleared out the forests for large crops had less success. The combination of the stress on the environment and climate change led to drastic declines in populations.

The authors of the study, published today in <a href="https://www.nature.com/nplants/">Nature Plants</a>, conclude that an archaeological understanding of the history of tropical forests and their past modification by humans is critical in developing conservation strategies. The researchers recommend an approach that utilizes the knowledge and experience of the native populations that live in tropical forests. 

"Indigenous and traditional peoples - whose ancestors' systems of production and knowledge are slowly being decoded by archaeologists - should be seen as part of the solution and not one of the problems of sustainable tropical forest development," said Roberts.

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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

Humans have been impacting tropical forests for over 45,000 years

Tropical forests are generally believed to have been untapped natural...

When the first flowers appeared on Earth over 140 million years ago, they were all from a single ancestor. In an attempt to uncover more information about the origin and diversification of the flower, a team of scientists were able to assemble an image of what this ancestral flower looked like. 

A meticulous study of 792 species helped the researchers develop an evolutionary tree that connected all living flower species. Their research produced the largest data set of floral traits ever collected, and the experts managed to reconstruct the ancestral flower. 

The primitive flower looked like a water lily with wide petals and protruding pollen spikes.  Hervé Sauquet is an evolutionary biologist from Paris-Sud University and lead author of the study. He explained that it is difficult to draw a comparison between ancient flowers and today's <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/grow-fluorescent-flowers/">flowers</a>.

"All flowering plants have evolved and changed since that ancestor, that's how evolution works," said Sauquet. "So there is no single species or group of species that would have existed some long time ago and still exists today unchanged."

The experts determined that the ancient flower was bisexual and radially symmetrical  with both stamens and carpels, or male and female parts. They had multiple whorls of petal-like organs in sets of threes.

"These results call into question much of what has been thought and taught previously about floral evolution," said study co-author Juerg Schoenenberger. "It has long been assumed that the ancestral flower had all organs arranged in a spiral."

Fossil flowers from the time of the ancestral flower do not exist, which made it difficult for the researchers to estimate the exact features. Another amount of uncertainty lies in the fact that flowering plants, or angiosperms, can be traced back to a common ancestor 310 million years ago. 

"But we don't know yet what that ancestor looked like, nor what happened in between these two ancestors, a period of time some of us like to refer to as a dark tunnel,” said Sauquet.

Flowers, which are the reproductive structures of angiosperms, were not traced back that far.

“The origin of the angiosperm flower remains among the most difficult and most important unresolved topics in evolutionary biology,” said the authors.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>. 

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Hervé Sauquet and Jürg Schönenberger

The first flower on Earth may have looked like this

When the first flowers appeared on Earth over 140 million...

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



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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



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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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