Natural,Environment,Climate-neutral,Long-term,Emissions,Strategy,Net,Zero,2050,Carbon

Balancing cleaner air with rising incomes is not a luxury question for developing countries. It is a real-world, and real-life, policy problem that shapes health, jobs, and the future of their cities.



A new <a href="https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0217590825500304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> lays out when zero emissions can go hand in hand with steady <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-will-cut-world-gdp-by-a-staggering-40-percent-if-nothing-changes/">growth</a>, even when governments rely on foreign aid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zero-emissions-and-economic-growth">Zero emissions and economic growth</h2>



The work comes from <a href="https://tus.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/hideo-noda" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hideo Noda</a> at the Tokyo University of Science (<a href="https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TUS</a>) with coauthor Fengqi Fang, a Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration from the Graduate School of Business Administration at TUS. 



The team builds a simple but testable way to check if a country can hit zero net <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-trade-is-fueling-a-dangerous-rise-in-methane-emissions/">emissions</a> while its economy keeps expanding.



They also verify the model numerically using real world style parameters so it is not just a chalkboard exercise. 



The paper connects theory to a specific United Nations target on decoupling growth from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5c-is-almost-certainly-out-of-reach/">environmental damage</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zero-emissions-models">Zero emissions models</h2>



First, the authors define a zero-emissions <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/net-zero-coalition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">policy</a> as keeping net pollution at zero at every point in time, by matching abatement to emissions. That requires money, technology, and clear rules to assign who pays.



They run two versions of the economy. 



One is a public goods <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/stantcheva/files/lecture8.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> where government services like roads or schools lift private production for everyone at once, a standard growth <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/261726" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> introduced by Robert Barro in 1990. 



The second adds <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-will-climate-change-hit-hardest-global-index-reveals-vulnerability/">congestion</a>, where more people share the same public services so the boost per person shrinks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-minimum-income-rule">Minimum income rule</h2>



The key test is whether gross domestic product (<a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GDP</a>) per capita rises above a minimum income threshold so a country can fully clean what it emits. 



The authors call this the kindergarten rule level of abatement, as in: “clean-up what you make dirty.”



"Following the Kindergarten rule means implementing zero emission technologies in either finite time or asymptotically," noted M. Scott Taylor and William Brock in their related <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w9597" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>. 



This frame anchors the new threshold concept for developing countries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aid-supports-clean-income-growth">Aid supports clean income growth</h2>



Many low income governments fund services with official development assistance (<a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/policy-issues/official-development-assistance-oda.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ODA</a>), so the model lets outside aid pay for both cleaning and public services. 



That design reflects classic work showing how aid aimed at productive public services can shift long run growth.



In related <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304387806000290" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">theory</a>, flexible labor and aid tied to public capital influence the path of output and welfare. The new paper extends this logic to pollution control that must be paid for every year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-income-threshold">Changing income threshold</h2>



The threshold depends on clean technology, population size, and how much aid is fixed to environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/expanding-oil-and-gas-fields-threaten-global-climate-goals/">uses</a>. Better abatement technology lowers the income bar because each dollar of cleanup removes more pollution.



Population matters differently across the two models. In the public goods case, a larger labor force can raise growth because services scale with the economy, while in the congestion case that scale effect drops out as services get diluted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taxes-and-zero-emissions-targets">Taxes and zero emissions targets</h2>



The model also looks at tax policy, focusing on a labor income tax that finances services. 



There is a tax rate that maximizes the growth of income per person, and under both models governments can reach the needed income threshold in finite time if they choose that growth maximizing rate.



Public services that complement private capital are the link. When governments tax and spend on those services efficiently, private firms produce more and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-economies-can-grow-while-cutting-emissions/">economy climbs</a> to the income level that makes full abatement feasible.



"Both models indicate that implementing the zero-emissions policy is compatible with sustainable economic growth," wrote Noda. 



They also show the kindergarten rule threshold is higher with congestion than without it, so crowding of public services slows the crossing.



"We call this threshold the kindergarten rule level of pollution abatement in terms of GDP per capita," wrote Noda. The result gives policymakers a clear income target, not just a slogan about decoupling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-growth-and-sdgs">Income growth and SDGs</h2>



Target 8.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (<a href="https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SDGs</a>) asks countries to decouple growth from environmental degradation. 



The authors argue their framework helps explain when that is possible in practice, and how policy levers change the timing.



The UN defines the <a href="https://metadata.un.org/sdg/8.4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">target</a> as improving resource efficiency and decoupling growth from environmental harm through 2030. The paper’s threshold view fits that mandate with a concrete yardstick.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-results-still-matter">Why results still matter</h2>



Earlier <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652621009112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> in the same research stream focused on developed, innovation-driven economies and showed that zero emissions could be achieved alongside continued growth. 



That study examined whether sustained economic expansion could occur while also maintaining <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-net-zero-world-will-require-75-trillion-of-investment-and-1-billion-electric-cars/">zero net pollution emissions</a>.



The new paper shows the same compatibility can hold in aid dependent settings where innovation is not the main growth engine. 



That extension fills a real gap, because many low income countries face tighter fiscal and technological limits.



Build or buy cleaner technology so the threshold falls. Treat tied aid for environmental programs as a growth tool and not just a cost center.



Set tax policy to raise the growth rate of income per person, then sustain it long enough to pass the threshold. Guard against congestion by scaling services with population, so gains are not diluted.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0217590825500304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Singapore Economic Review</a>.



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Net-zero emissions and rising income levels can both be achieved simultaneously

Balancing cleaner air with rising incomes is not a luxury question for developing countries. It is a real-world, and real-life, policy problem that shapes health, jobs, and the future of their cities. A new study lays out when zero emissions can go hand in hand with steady growth, even when governments rely on foreign aid. Zero emissions and economic growth The work comes from Hideo Noda at the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) with coauthor Fengqi Fang, a Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration from the Graduate School...

Climate change will cause a major shift in the patterns of electricity consumption in Europe, according to a team of scientists from the United States and Germany. A higher demand for air conditioning will put more pressure on power grids that are already strained.

The researchers used hourly electricity usage data from 35 countries in Europe. These countries are all connected by the world's largest synchronous electrical grid. The research team investigated how changes in climate could influence the intensity of peak load events and overall power usage.

The study revealed that if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainfall-carbon-emissions-soil-microbes/">carbon emissions</a> continue at the current rate, the highest demand for European power will shift from countries like Sweden or Norway to countries like Portugal or Spain, and in most countries the annual peak load will shift from winter to summer by the end of the century.

Leonie Wenz from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/pik-frontpage">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> is the lead author of the study. He explained that the patterns of electricity consumption turned out to be very similar across all of the European countries that were examined. 

"We use this common characteristic as a basis for estimating future electricity consumption under climate change - that is beyond the current temperature range,” said Wenz. “That way, those European countries that are already experiencing very hot temperatures today serve as examples for the future of cooler countries.”

Co-author Max Auffhammer from the University of California, Berkeley, said that
“quantifying the connection between heat and human behavior is at the frontier of climate change research.”

“There now is ample evidence that when it's hot outside, air quality suffers, people are more stressed, aggressive, violent and less productive, mortality and crime rates rise,” said Auffhammer. “All sectors of the economy are affected by thermal stress, from the residential to the commercial, agricultural to the industrial sector.” 

Auffhammer explained that the automatic way that humans respond to high outdoor temperatures is to cool their indoor environments, which requires the consumption of large amounts of electricity. 

“This increased demand for air conditioning will put pressure on electricity grids when it is hot outside and generation and transmission infrastructure are already strained," he added.

The study, published in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, revealed that overall electricity consumption of Europe will not be affected by climate change, but the shift in seasonal and spatial usage will create major challenges.

"This will have important ramifications for the transmission infrastructure, peak-generating capacity and storage requirements - to adapt to the warming that is already unavoidable due to past greenhouse gas emissions,” said co-author Anders Levermann. “The easiest way to limit the impacts of climate change remains to keep the Paris climate guardrail, that is to limit the temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change will transform electricity usage in Europe

Climate change will cause a major shift in the patterns...

Scientists have long studied coral to understand how they grow their bony, calcium carbonate skeletal covering and how they respond to external threats. As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-bleaching-havoc-hawaiian/">we’ve reported</a>, coral bleaching caused by warming waters has wreaked havoc on reefs worldwide. But increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has also led to ocean acidification, where the pH of seawater decreases to dangerous levels.

Now, a new study has revealed that coral is amazingly resilient when it comes to forming its skeletal outer layer, growing at a faster rate and in larger chunks than was previously thought. The discovery also suggests that coral may be more resistant to ocean acidification.

Previous studies have led researchers to be divided on how the coral skeleton formed. Either the coral used a calcium-rich fluid and slowly added to its outer structure one molecule at a time, or the coral harvested seawater and turned it into a concentrated liquid that was used to form the outer layer, again, one molecule at a time. 

Pupa Gilbert, a professor of physics at the <a href="http://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a>, along with colleagues from the <a href="http://www.haifa.ac.il/index.php/en/home-eng">University of Haifa </a>and the<a href="http://www.lbl.gov/"> Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a>, discovered through advanced image mapping technology that the coral skeleton formed much faster and in larger pieces, rather than molecule by molecule. 

The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and outlines an exciting new way to map coral growth that Pupa created called component mapping. She used high-energy light from the Advanced Light Source at Berkeley Lab to discern different minerals. Gilbert and her team then created a pixel map to create an image of the formation of the coral skeleton for the specific species Stylophora pistillata, also known as hood coral. 

Through Gilbert’s component mapping, the researchers were able to see that some of the particles formed were about 400 billionths of a meter across, much larger than a single molecule or calcium carbonate group. 

The growing threats that endanger coral and coral reefs make research like Gilbert’s vital to understanding how the coral survives and thrives. One exciting result of Gilbert’s study is that coral may not be as susceptible to acidifying ocean water as previously thought. 

The study did just focus on one species of coral, but Gilbert has high hopes that her results will transfer to other coral species. 

“If this mode of formation is verified in other species of coral, then it could be a more general mechanism, and that would enable us to predict that corals will actually form just as well in acidifying oceans,” said Gilbert.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Coral proving to be resilient against ocean acidification

Scientists have long studied coral to understand how they grow...

Hurricane Harvey brought biblical rain and flooding to southeastern Texas this past weekend, and it seems to be settling in for a while.

The catastrophic flooding is already the worst in the area’s recorded history, news outlets reported on Sunday. Much of the southeastern part of the state got more than 20 inches of rain over Saturday and Sunday, with some locations receiving more than 30 inches of water. 

The Houston/Galveston office of the <a href="http://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a> recorded rainfall of more than 24 inches in 24 hours, the office <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSHouston/status/901782033197916161">tweeted</a> early on Sunday morning.

The city was expecting another 3 inches per hour overnight on Sunday evening. 

Several deaths were reported in the Houston area. In one case, a woman and child on Interstate 10 were presumed dead, but rescuers were unable to reach the location where they were stranded, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez <a href="https://twitter.com/SheriffEd_HCSO/status/901711132917993478">tweeted</a>. The full number of fatalities was unlikely to be known for several days.

More than 6.5 million people live in the region.

The NWS is forecasting continued major flooding in the coming days, beyond the feet of water that submerged parts of Houston and the surrounding area on Sunday.

Several local officials and the NWS were tweeting out advice to those trapped by floodwaters.

“Have reports of people getting into attic to escape floodwater,” Chief Art Acevedo of the Houston Police Department <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtAcevedo/status/901723767537324032">tweeted</a>. “Do not do so unless you have an ax or means to break through onto your roof.”

“Do not go into your attic. Rescuers from air can't see you. Get to high ground, mark your roof,” the U.S. Coast Guard <a href="https://twitter.com/USCGHeartland/status/901884015338287109">tweeted</a>.

They also asked people to stay off the road.

“Never drive or walk into flood waters,” NWS <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/901971958379708416">said</a>.

Anyone with water in their home or business should also turn off their electric and gas, Acevedo said.

The rainfall has already broken records for the month of August, and although Hurricane Harvey was downgraded to a tropical storm on Sunday, it seemed likely to linger, dumping even more water. The flood threat had spread to southern Louisiana as of Sunday evening.

The hurricane also spawned tornado warnings on Sunday evening for several areas around Houston.

“This event is unprecedented and all impacts are unknown and beyond anything experienced. Follow orders from officials to ensure safety,” the NWS <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/901832717070983169">tweeted</a>.

The storm is likely to remain at tropical storm strength through Wednesday, the NWS said. Meteorologists at multiple forecasting websites were predicting rainfall through Friday.

Not all of the news was bad. Gonzalez shared stories of rescues on his <a href="https://twitter.com/sheriffed_hcso?lang=en">Twitter account</a>. Among those taken to safety were a Vietnam veteran with muscular dystrophy and his three cats, a pregnant woman who had gone into labor, and a man who’d been stranded in 8-foot water for several hours. 

When he put out a call for anyone with a boat who could help, several citizens reached out and offered their assistance.

Houston police rescued more than 1,200 people, Acevedo said. The Coast Guard also reported hundreds of rescues.

President Donald Trump was expected to visit Houston soon, possibly on Tuesday news outlets reported.

“I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety,” Trump said on his <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/901791391130554370">official Twitter account</a>.
<h3>How to help</h3>
Several organizations are collecting donations to help those displaced by Hurricane Harvey. 

Anyone with a boat in the Houston area may call 713-881-3100 to find out how they can volunteer or loan the boat for rescue operations. 

Those eligible to donate blood in the Houston area can donate at the <a href="https://southtexasblood.org/">South Texas Blood and Tissue Center</a>.

The following organizations are taking monetary donations to help Hurricane Harvey victims:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.redcross.org/">American Red Cross</a>, 1-800-733-2767</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/">Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services</a>, 1-800-725-2769</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.portlight.org/">Portlight</a>, 800-626-4959</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.texasdiaperbank.org/">Texas Diaper Bank</a>, 210-731-8118</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.savethechildren.org/">Save the Children</a></li>
</ul>
The <a href="http://www.houstonfoodbank.org/">Houston Food Bank</a>, <a href="http://www.galvestoncountyfoodbank.org/">Galveston County Food Bank</a> and <a href="http://www.foodbankcc.com/">Corpus Christi Food Bank</a> are all accepting online donations.

<a href="https://www.austinpetsalive.org/">Austin Pets Alive!</a> has also been helping shelters in the path of Hurricane Harvey to get shelter animals to safety.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Hurricane Harvey slams Texas, with more rain on the way

Hurricane Harvey brought biblical rain and flooding to southeastern Texas...

Sometimes the consequences of climate changing and a warming environment may not be very obvious. In this case, they may be hiding out of sight, inside the bark of the trees within our forests. A new study has found that over the next few decades, increases in winter temperatures caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-facilitate-spread-diseases/">climate change</a> could significantly extend the range of the southern pine beetle, which is one of the planet’s most aggressive tree-killing insects. The southern pine beetle’s range used to be from Central America to the southeastern United States, but in roughly the last decade they have begun to show up in northern forests of the Northeast and New England.

The range of this insect is generally curtailed by annual extreme temperature lows. However, these lows are rising a lot faster than average temperatures, which could result in the beetle’s spreading faster than previously predicted. The study’s authors predict increases in annual minimum air temperatures of 6.3 to 13.5 degrees Fahrenheit across the northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada by 2050 to 2070.

What are the consequences of this spread? “We could see loss of biodiversity and iconic regional forests,” says Corey Lesk, lead author and a graduate student at <a href="http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a>. “There would be damage to tourism and forestry industries in already struggling rural areas.” Infested forests may also be at risk to dry out and burn, causing property loss and even loss of life, as well as emitting large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

The researchers predict that by 2020, the southern pine beetle will have an established territory that extends up the Atlantic coast and into Nova Scotia. They further predict that by 2080, suitable climates for the beetle could extend to 71 percent of red pines and 48 percent of jack pines, which stretch across more than 270,000 square miles of the northeastern United States and southern Canada.

In the southeastern United States, pine beetle infestation have cost an estimated $100 million per year in timber losses from 1990 through 2004, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

It should be noted that although the researchers incorporated 27 different global climate models in their study, the paper did not address some uncertainties. For example, the possibility that cold extremes could change more dramatically than climate models suggest, which may occur if atmospheric circulation patterns or snow cover shift in unpredictable ways. Another question is how these beetles will respond to droughts or heat waves, as well as new predators.

In the southeast, land managers have already been using adaptive strategies to combat the spread of these beetles – with limited success. These strategies include thinning of forests where tree density is high, and removal of infested trees. If the southern pine beetle’s range continues to grow, northern forests may have to adapt these strategies as well – and hope that they work.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Kevin Krajick/Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Climate change could drive deadly beetles to northern forests

Sometimes the consequences of climate changing and a warming environment...

Earthquakes can be sudden and terrifying, causing massive amounts of damage. But it’s often the earthquake aftermath – tsunamis, fire, flooding, landslides and more – that is the most devastating, a new study shows.

Researchers from the Geophysical Institute at the <a href="https://www.kit.edu/english/">Karlsruhe Institute of Technology</a> looked at 100 disastrous quakes between 1900 and the present day, including the calamitous 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, 1923 Great Kanto earthquake, 1960 Chile earthquake, 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, 2005 Kashmir earthquake, and 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. 

Secondary disasters in the earthquake aftermath are responsible for a vast number of quake-related deaths, the scientists said.

“Earthquakes have caused over 2.3 million fatalities since 1900 in 2,233 fatal events, with many of these coming through large, infrequent events,” the researchers wrote in their study, published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2017.00030">Frontiers in Built Environment</a>. “In fact, since 1900, 59% of these fatalities have occurred in just 10 events.”

They found that the most destructive earthquakes – and those with the largest loss of life – are often followed by one or more “secondary disasters.” Tsunamis, fires, soil liquefaction, landslides, fault ruptures, flooding and other disasters in an earthquake aftermath can add hundreds or thousands of casualties and millions of dollars of damage, the researchers discovered.

They also examined what they called “tertiary effects,” such as epidemics or starvation caused by infrastructure damage, flooding or other primary and secondary quake-related disasters.

“Tertiary effects could include cascading effects such as the primary effect of an earthquake causing a secondary effect in the form of a tsunami which damages a nuclear power plant, and then a nuclear disaster develops,” they wrote.

Some of the secondary disasters – tsunami and fire, for example – are more likely to contribute to loss of life. Others, such as landslides, are more often financial disasters.

“Quite often for smaller events, landslides deliver a great amount of the clean-up cost, and indeed sectoral losses. Infrastructure, such as roads, is particularly vulnerable to landslides and secondary effects, often causing much of the damage,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers hope that their analysis can help develop better predictive models of what to expect in an earthquake aftermath. 

“As improved models for secondary effects of earthquakes continue to be created and better collection of loss statistics occur, the reanalysis of historic events should allow for scenario-based current and future effects of potential earthquake secondary effect cascading events to be analyzed, but also a potential check of the historical impacts,” they wrote.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Photo credit: Arnold Genthe, April 1906

Earthquake aftermath can cause more devastation than the quake itself

Earthquakes can be sudden and terrifying, causing massive amounts of...

Access to safe drinking water is a worldwide issue, and efforts to ensure clean water for everyone are especially thwarted when aquifers and groundwater are found to contain high levels of dangerous contaminants. 

Much attention has been paid to testing arsenic levels in groundwater, and those numbers are heavily monitored by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA). The EPA and<a href="http://www.who.int/"> World Health Organization</a> (WHO) work to make sure that arsenic levels are kept below 10 parts per billion, as anything above those levels is deemed unsafe for human consumption. 

But now, a new study from the <a href="http://www.ucr.edu/">University of California-Riverside</a> tested groundwater wells in the US and Asia to see if manganese levels were at all a cause for concern, and if they should be as heavily monitored as arsenic by the EPA. Currently, the EPA does not list manganese as a contaminant on their National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, but manganese is toxic in large amounts. 

Samantha Ying from the University of California-Riverside College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences led the study that looked at manganese levels in 16,000 wells in Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and the Glacial Aquifer which runs through many northern states in the US. 

The researchers collected data from the wells by testing different levels of depth, or depth stratification. Ying and her colleagues discovered that manganese levels in many of the wells were above the WHO’s recommended amount. 

One particularly interesting finding was that at deeper levels, the amounts of arsenic increased, but manganese levels were higher at shallower depths. Factoring in both arsenic and manganese levels combined, the number of contaminated wells by WHO standards increased drastically.

For example, 9.3 percent of wells that connect to the Glacial Aquifer are contaminated with arsenic, if you include manganese levels, the percent of contaminated wells is 16.4%. 

In the Yangtze River Basin in China, 19% of the wells are contaminated with arsenic, but that number skyrockets to 88% when you include manganese levels. 

Excluding the testing of manganese levels, which has been linked to neurological disorders, could be detrimental to the health and well-being of the populations that depend on well-water that has only been deemed safe considering arsenic levels. 

“Due to increasing knowledge on the detrimental impact of manganese on human health, particularly on children, manganese levels in these sources should be monitored more closely and governments should consider introducing manganese drinking water standards,” said Ying.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Unsafe levels of manganese found in major drinking water sources

Access to safe drinking water is a worldwide issue, and...

“Read the documents. Go ahead, you really should.” These are first words in a <a href="http://www.exxonmobilperspectives.com/2015/10/21/when-it-comes-to-climate-change-read-the-documents/">statement </a>published by former Exxon Mobil VP Ken Cohen in October 2015. The oil and gas giant was trying to combat allegations that they had covered up the findings of their extensive research into climate change to protect their financial position and stop any government meddling. 

Kohen claims that they had done nothing of the sort, that their public stance on climate change completely agreed with their scientists’ findings. Instead, Kohen accused journalists who had discovered evidence to the contrary of “cherry picking.”

Following the link in Cohen’s published <a href="http://corporate.exxonmobil.com/en/shareholder-archive/supporting-materials">statement</a>, you will see a compiled collection of pdfs, letters, memos and presentations. 

In Cohen’s case, you should be careful what you wish for, because the challenge he posed to the public was accepted by <a href="http://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard</a> researchers Geoffrey Supran and Naomi Oreskes. Supran and Oreskes ended up collecting data from nearly 200 Exxon Mobil documents and papers by Exxon scientists. 

The researchers then compared and analyzed these documents with Exxon’s public position on climate change through advertisements in the New York Times. 

The study found proof that Exxon Mobil purposely mislead the public on climate change to avert any government restrictions that would be costly to their company. The researchers found scientific data from Exxon that discuss the very real consequences of burning fossil fuels and adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

But the researchers also point out that Exxon’s public position was one of doubt and opposition to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-lakes-consistent/">climate change</a> science. For example, one 1997 article from Exxon Mobil states, “'Let's face it: The science of climate change is too uncertain to mandate a plan of action that could plunge economies into turmoil.” 

The Harvard study claims that the company has been purposely misleading the public since the 1980s. If Mobil’s advertisements had reflected a more honest comparison to their scientific findings. they might have boosted public and government support for accepting the negative effects of climate change.

Currently the company is standing fixed in their position that there was no malice or misinformation on their part, and claims this study, like the reporting previously, is false and an egregious display of inaccurate and preposterous allegations. 

Exxon Mobil’s internal documents and scientific studies are still available on their website, so you can still, as Cohen suggested, “read all of these documents and make up your own mind.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

ExxonMobil misled the public on climate change for decades

“Read the documents. Go ahead, you really should.” These are...

A new study may have solved the mystery of why fish are becoming smaller. The research found that fish could shrink by as much as 30 percent if ocean temperatures rise two degrees Celsius, which is predicted to happen by the middle of this century.

Many scientists have suggested that fish are shrinking due to rising ocean temperatures, but they could not explain the connection. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> have a hypothesis that sheds new light on this phenomenon.

“Fish, as cold-blooded animals, cannot regulate their own body temperatures,” said co-author Dr.William Cheung. “When their waters get warmer, their metabolism accelerates and they need more oxygen to sustain their body functions. There is a point where the gills cannot supply enough oxygen for a larger body, so the fish just stops growing larger.”

Lead author Dr. Daniel Pauly explained that as fish get older they need more oxygen to support a bigger body mass. The gills, however, do not grow as quickly as the rest of the body. This biological rule, which Dr. Pauly refers to as the “gill-oxygen limitation theory,” confirms that fish will continue to shrink with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-trees-weapon-climate-change/">climate change</a>.

Making matters worse, the amount of oxygen in the ocean decreases as temperatures warm up. Fish will have access to less oxygen at a time when they require more due to increased metabolism rates. 

“As the oceans warm up, their bodies will do so as well,” explained co-author William Cheung “Higher temperature within the scope that the fish can tolerate generally increases the rate of biochemical reactions in the fish’s body and thus increases their body metabolic rate.”

Bluefin tuna and sharks will be among the species that are impacted the most. For example, Atlantic bluefin tuna are expected to decrease in size up to 30 percent with a rise in ocean temperatures by two degrees Celsius.

The researchers say that shrinking fish will affect fisheries production and disrupt marine ecosystems. They explain that reducing carbon emissions is the best solution to this problem.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change causing fish to shrink in size

A new study may have solved the mystery of why...

On June 1, 2017, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">announced</a> that the United States would be withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. Why was this such earth-shaking and bewildering news to most Americans? Well, the Paris Agreement – also known as the Paris Climate Accord – is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that aims to resolve issues with greenhouse gas emissions and climate change as a whole. One of the key parts of the agreement is an acknowledgement of the need to keep global warming below 1.5°C above preindustrial levels in order to avoid catastrophic consequences.

Roughly 71 percent of Americans support the Paris Agreement, which begs the question: why did Trump decide to withdraw? 

The <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/">Center for Biological Diversity</a> is attempting to answer that exact question, submitting Freedom of Information Act requests on August 23rd in an effort to obtain public records from three federal agencies that may help to show why the Trump administration made this decision. 

Requests were sent to the Department of State, EPA, and Office of Management and Budget, seeking all reports and memoranda that the administration used to make the decision to withdraw. This also includes any related emails, telephone logs, and notes from meetings involving Trump, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, and other administration officials.

“We need to know if Trump put any real thought at all into this profoundly dangerous decision,” says Clare Lakewood, a staff attorney at the Center. “Withdrawing from the Paris agreement isolated America by highlighting this administration’s reckless contempt for our planet’s future. Americans have a right to learn how Trump officials were influenced by scientific ignorance and fossil fuel industry lobbyists.”

The next United Nations Climate Change Conference will take place in Germany in November. In the meantime, any information that shows how such a shocking decision was made would be welcome to many American citizens.

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Group challenges reasons for Paris Agreement withdrawal

On June 1, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that the...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/still-deny-climate-change/">climate change</a> continues to drastically affect air temperatures, weather patterns, sea levels, salinity, forests, and water resources, one type of natural resource seems to remain stubbornly unaffected. According to a new study led by Samantha Oliver, a graduate student from <a href="https://limnology.wisc.edu/">UW-Madison's Center for Limnology</a>, lakes have stayed surprisingly consistent despite all of the other rapid environmental changes. 

Oliver and her team collected data on nearly 3,000 lakes in the US from 1990 to 2011 to analyze changes in water quality, algal growth, and nutrient levels in plants. The researchers found that the water quality of the lakes was pretty neutral throughout the years, despite a warming planet and many growing economies. 

“Despite large environmental change and management efforts over recent decades, water quality of lakes in the Midwest and Northeast U.S. has not overwhelmingly degraded or improved,” said the study. 

Oliver and the researchers make a point to state that the study doesn’t necessarily conclude that the lakes analyzed weren’t completely unaffected climate change, as there were still trends in algal growths with blooms occurring in some lakes more frequently. Instead, Oliver discusses that the study could have two possible conclusions depending on your viewpoint. 

On the one hand, the fact that the majority of the lakes studied were not widely adversely changed through the years could point to successful efforts of the $3.5 billion dollars the US spends each year on hindering algae growth. On the other hand, with so much money being spent annually, you might expect to see a more positive trend in the lakes instead of having no real changes recorded in water quality. 

“It’s a glass half full, glass half empty thing. Some people say, 'Whoa, the management must really be doing something,' and the other half of them say, 'That's really depressing, our management hasn't done anything. We need to do so much more,” said Oliver.

One thing Oliver is certain of is that if any change is going to happen, starting locally just simply won’t cut it. Oliver used the Gulf of Mexico’s Dead Zone as an example. The Dead Zone was caused by fertilizer runoff from the Mississippi in the Midwest, which is why so many environmentalists urge local farmers and governments to take action. Oliver counters this theory by arguing that the problems are happening on a global scale and need a global mindset to fix them. 

“While we like to focus on 'our' particular lake or stream, each one is different. How the whole population of lakes and streams, and ultimately, the Gulf of Mexico will respond to things like climate change or government policies can only be figured out by looking at the bigger picture of the thousands of lakes and rivers across the U.S,” said Oliver. 

Oliver’s study raises important questions about the effectiveness of government programs and spending to hinder adverse environmental problems, and will hopefully encourage further global efforts.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

As climate change alters the environment, lakes stay consistent

As climate change continues to drastically affect air temperatures, weather...

A groundbreaking new film exposes how human activities are pushing marine ecosystems to the point of no return. Filmmaker Julia Barnes captured underwater images all over the world to show that Earth’s oceans are in a state of emergency for the documentary <a href="http://www.seaoflifemovie.com/">Sea Of Life</a>.

Barnes points out that the ocean is home to 80 percent of all life on the planet and it provides most of the oxygen that we need to survive. “It is the heart and lungs of our planet, and it is in trouble,” says Barnes.

50 percent of the world's coral reefs have become a casualty of climate change, and they are predicted to go extinct. Barnes had difficulty finding a healthy coral reef to film, and so she turned to experts in Australia to find out why the “world's most biologically diverse ecosystems" are vanishing.

Sea of Life examines how some species of corals are sensitive to changes such as light and temperature, and they start bleaching as a response. But there are more resilient species of corals which are not as sensitive to light and temperature, and they are now dying as well. The experts say this is due to ocean acidification.

Massive amounts of carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean are causing significant changes in the water known as ocean acidification. According to the film, the chemistry of the ocean is changing 10 times faster than it has at any time in the last 50 million years. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the ocean has become 30 percent more acidic.

For as many as four decades, the oceans will continue to become more acidic from Co2 that has already been emitted. Rob Stewart, creator of the documentary Revolution which inspired Barnes’ mission, explains that we not only need to slow down carbon emissions but also pull existing carbon out of the atmosphere. 

Marine life is suffering as a result of fishing pressure as well. The documentary states that all species of large fish have been depleted by 90 percent. Out of all the top predators in the ocean, 87 percent are in a state of decline, and over a third of these declining populations have collapsed.

Sea of Life reveals that bluefin tuna are down by 96 percent and are still being fished. Because they are so rare, there are tuna worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and fishermen have become even more relentless to capture them. 

Climate campaigners insist that industrialized fishing must be stopped. Many people also blame the livestock industry for contributing to the devastation of marine populations due to the fact that oceans are being strip-mined to feed non-human animals. Currently, more fish are consumed by pigs than by sharks.

“There's this illusion still, it goes way back, that the ocean is so big and so vast that nothing we can do can harm it,” explains Dr. Sylvia Earle. She says that we are now seeing firsthand that “the ocean is not to big to fail, and if it does so do we.”

Many scientists believe that we are in the middle of Earth’s sixth mass extinction, which is an event where more than half of the planet's species are lost. The current event is referred to as The Anthropocene, or the age of the humans, because it has been triggered by human activities. We will lose half of the species on Earth by 2100 at the current rate of industry.

Despite the bleak forecast, ocean conservationist Fabien Cousteau says that the story doesn't have to end sadly. Cousteau suggests that if we give nature time to heal, new life can emerge. “Although the world of the oceans has changed quite drastically over the last few decades, it can change for the better over the next few decades,” says Cousteau.

Barnes also remains optimistic. “We have an opportunity right now to tackle the biggest problem the world has ever faced, and I think we are going to do it,” says Barnes. “Every living thing on Earth is in jeopardy, every species we love, every ecosystem we depend on. Now that we know what's going on it is our duty not just to do something, but to do everything in our power to turn things around.”

Sea of Life is available to <a href="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/seaoflife">rent or buy</a> now.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth.com movie review: Sea of Life

A groundbreaking new film exposes how human activities are pushing...

Oil, gas, and fracking wells are a huge contributor to methane emissions, second only to the cattle industry. According to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">EPA</a>, in 2015, oil and gas operations contributed to 29 percent of the United States’ methane emissions overall. There are millions of active wells worldwide that are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-cardiovascular-disease/">polluting the air</a>, contaminating the soil, affecting ground water, and in turn, heavily impacting populations that live in close proximity to them. 

A new study from researchers at the <a href="https://www.psehealthyenergy.org/">PSE Healthy Energy Institute</a>, <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>, and<a href="https://www.hmc.edu/"> Harvey Mudd College</a>, is the first of its kind to closely track and record how many people live within a harmful distance of active oil and gas wells, along with the health risks associated with those conditions. The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, discovered that an estimated 17.6 million people live within one mile of an active oil or gas well in the United States.

Living that close to oil operations puts people at higher risk of cancers, increased asthma and respiratory problems, heart and neurological problems, and there is a higher likelihood of being hospitalized. The research also found that living within a mile of oil and gas wells can create adverse birth defects, smaller babies, and a higher risk of preterm births. 

The study aimed to target the pollution caused by oil and gas wells and its effects on the health of those residents within close proximity to operations. 

“Our study was specifically designed to determine how many Americans have increased health risks from potential exposure to pollutants emitted from oil and gas development,” said Eliza Czolowski, lead author of the study. 

Czolowski and her colleagues also found that the type of the drilling or oil production did not matter, as both fracking (a method of extracting oil and gas by using highly pressurized sand, water and chemicals) and conventional oil and gas wells generate the same pollutants.

This innovative and expansive study shows the costly ramifications of living in close proximity to active oil and gas wells. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Millions who live near oil and gas wells exposed to pollutants

Oil, gas, and fracking wells are a huge contributor to...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-monitoring-networks">Scientific monitoring networks</h2>



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.



The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.



The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.



The full study was recently published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.



Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.



Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents". In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively. MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.



MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization. The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.



Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.



A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.



This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.



PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.



In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.



As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.



The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.



For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.



The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.



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MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a>



Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.



The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-global-food-security">Implications for global food security</h2>



The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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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

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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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

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

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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

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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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