For years, scientists believed they had a decent handle on what was melting the ice in West Antarctica. Warmer oceans and stronger winds blowing in from the west - that was the popular theory.



But now, after running climate simulations using local data, researchers have discovered that we might have been looking the wrong way entirely. It’s not the westerly winds causing the biggest trouble - it’s the northerly winds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ice-loss-means-rising-seas">Ice loss means rising seas</h2>



Antarctica holds most of the planet’s freshwater, frozen in a massive sheet of ice that covers an area bigger than the U.S. and Mexico combined. 



That ice isn’t just sitting still. Some of it flows slowly into the ocean, held back by giant floating extensions called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarcticas-melting-ice-shelves-threaten-global-sea-levels/">ice shelves</a>. If the ice sheet in West Antarctica collapses, sea levels around the world could rise by as much as 20 feet.



Even small changes in how fast that ice melts can have huge consequences for coastal cities, global currents, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-prediction-model-is-a-major-breakthrough-in-weather-forecasting/">weather systems</a>. 



That’s why scientists have spent decades trying to understand what’s causing the West Antarctic ice sheet to shrink. It’s been getting smaller since at least the 1940s. But not all the pieces of the puzzle were adding up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-antarctica-s-hidden-winds">Tracking Antarctica’s hidden winds</h2>



The new study was led by researchers at the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington</a> (UW). They weren’t satisfied with the usual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-models-underestimate-sea-ice-melt-and-global-warming/">climate models</a>, which often rely on global data and struggle with the lack of weather stations in Antarctica. So they decided to build something better.



They pulled in proxy data - long-term records preserved in things like ice cores, tree rings, and coral. These natural sources can give clues about past wind and weather patterns, helping fill in the gaps left by satellite data and on-the-ground observations.



“We thought that we were going to support what the climate models showed, which was that the westerly winds were getting stronger near the coast of Antarctica,” said Gemma O’Connor, lead author and a UW postdoctoral researcher. 



“But there was no evidence of westerly winds strengthening in this part of Antarctica.” That finding was odd. If westerly winds weren’t to blame, what was?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-northerly-winds-drive-the-ice-melt">Northerly winds drive the ice melt</h2>



The team used high-resolution simulations to test 30 different wind scenarios. Each run of the model applied a different wind pattern to see what happened to the ice over a five-year stretch. They repeated the process again and again.



One pattern kept showing up: when winds came from the north, ice loss accelerated. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-westerly-winds-are-changing-and-the-consequences-are-unknown/">Westerly winds</a> didn’t do much.



Northerly winds shifted sea ice, closing small open areas in the ice cover known as polynyas. These are basically patches where heat can escape from the ocean into the atmosphere. When the winds closed them off, the ocean held onto more of its heat.



“Sea ice is a really good insulator, it keeps the ocean relatively warm compared to the air,” said Kyle Armour, a UW professor. “When northerly winds close the polynyas, it reduces ocean heat loss, which means warmer waters and more melting of ice shelves below the surface.”



This hidden heating creates a chain reaction. As the warmer water melts the ice shelves from below, freshwater enters the salty sea. That mix causes a difference in density, which pulls even more warm ocean water into the region - speeding up the melt further.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-climate-connection-we-didn-t-expect">A climate connection we didn’t expect</h2>



The big question is: what’s making those northerly winds stronger? Early signs point to climate change. 



Emissions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-reach-another-all-time-high/">greenhouse gases</a> are likely decreasing air pressure over the Amundsen Sea, a region that shapes many of Antarctica’s weather patterns. Lower pressure strengthens the northerly winds - the same ones that are making the melt worse.



“This mechanism provides a connection between West Antarctic ice loss and human-induced climate change, albeit a different mechanism than we previously suspected,” O’Connor said.



This isn’t just a scientific curiosity. It’s a real link between our actions and the future of the world’s ice. If our emissions are playing a role in these winds, then reducing those emissions could slow the melting.



“We know the Earth is warming up on average, but that alone doesn’t explain ice loss in Antarctica,” said Eric Steig, professor of Earth and space sciences at UW. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-northerly-winds-change-the-story">Northerly winds change the story</h2>



For decades, the focus has been on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-westerly-winds-are-changing-and-the-consequences-are-unknown/">westerly winds</a> - the ones that blow from west to east across the Southern Hemisphere. 



Scientists thought they were pushing warm ocean water toward Antarctica and driving the ice to melt faster. But they missed something important.



“I think what Gemma has done is going to lead to a complete revolution in the understanding of what drives Antarctic ice loss,” Armour said. “We had all sorts of theories about the winds that blow from west to east, but the northerly winds weren’t even on our radar. We were off by 90 degrees.”



The lesson here is clear. Climate science is constantly evolving, and even long-standing ideas can be turned on their head. In this case, or rather, on their side.



Understanding which way the wind is blowing - literally - might be one of the keys to protecting the future of Earth’s ice.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01757-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



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Antarctic ice melt traced to an overlooked source

For years, scientists believed they had a decent handle on what was melting the ice in West Antarctica. Warmer oceans and stronger winds blowing in from the west - that was the popular theory. But now, after running climate simulations using local data, researchers have discovered that we might have been looking the wrong way entirely. It’s not the westerly winds causing the biggest trouble - it’s the northerly winds. Ice loss means rising seas Antarctica holds most of the planet’s freshwater, frozen in a massive sheet...

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

Easy ways to adopt a Zero Waste mindset

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

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

Cool roofs help manage heat but may increase air pollution

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

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

Social media is helping communities manage fires

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

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

Humans have already burned through Earth’s resources for 2017

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

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

Mount Sinabung in Indonesia erupts after months of activity

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

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

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

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

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

The first flower on Earth may have looked like this

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

Human-induced and natural earthquakes: not so different after all. There has been a spike in earthquakes in the U.S. recently, particularly in the central part of the country in states like Oklahoma and Kansas. These earthquakes are mostly human-induced and can be traced to wastewater fluid injection in deep wells and often are triggered by oil and gas operations that use those methods. However, studies have shown that fracking itself is not simply the direct cause of the earthquakes. 

The increase in earthquakes now compared to the years before 2000 paints a staggering picture. In Oklahoma the yearly average for earthquakes at a 2.7 magnitude or greater was about two, now that number is in the thousands. In 2015, 4,000 earthquakes were reported, though the numbers dropped to 2,500 in 2016. 

A study from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> in association with colleagues from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> looked at the difference in impact in earthquakes that are “man made” as opposed to earthquakes born from natural causes. 

Yihe Huang, lead author and an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Department of Earth and Sciences, found that there were no measurable differences in ground motions between naturally occurring earthquakes and induced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strike-slip-faults-form-earthquakes/">earthquakes</a>. 

"Our study shows that induced earthquakes and natural earthquakes in the central U.S. are inherently similar, and we can predict the damaging effects of induced earthquakes using the same framework as natural earthquakes," Yihe Huang said. 

This is promising news as it means that earthquakes with non-natural causes can be studied and the resulting damage predicted with the same instruments and methods that seismologist use for all earthquakes. 

In fact, the results of the discovery could mean that ground motion prediction equations, GMPEs, that predict damage from naturally occurring earthquakes can also predict damage from induced earthquakes. 

---

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@eartah.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Human-induced and natural earthquakes: not so different after all

Human-induced and natural earthquakes: not so different after all. There...

Humid heat in South Asia to become deadly this century. With <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-two-degrees-warming/">climate change</a> becoming an increasing reality, certain parts of the world may soon experience conditions that are simply unlivable. In 2015, Pakistan, India, and other parts of South Asia endured the fifth highest recorded heatwave in history and over 3,000 people were killed. 

Scientists predict that by the end of the 21st century, South Asia, which houses one fifth of the world’s population, will see humidity and high temperatures that will could be fatal. 

A study led by Eun-Soon Im from the <a href="http://www.ust.hk/">Hong Kong University of Science and Technology</a> set out to measure “wet-bulb temperature,” which he defined as “the lowest temperature that air can be cool to be evaporating water.” 

By looking at the wet-bulb temperature and human’s capability of cooling off in response to rising heat and humidity, the research team aimed to predict how changing conditions will affect human life. 

The study revolved around two climate scenarios, one that used climate change projections as is, and one that factored in mitigation efforts that were goals pledged by the UN Conference on Climate Change in 2015. 

The research showed that wet-bulb temperatures are expected to rise to 35 degrees celsius, also known as the survivability threshold, over most of the South Asia and even go over in some parts.

The findings using the mitigation scenario predicted that wet-bulb temperatures would still be dangerously high, but luckily not past the survivability threshold. 

These findings prove the vital necessity of creating new strategies to combat climate change and hopefully prevent deadly temperature spikes like the ones predicted to hit South Asia at the end of the 21st Century. 

----

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humid heat in South Asia to become deadly this century

Humid heat in South Asia to become deadly this century....

New inexpensive treatment can quickly remove BPA from water. Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, is a dangerous chemical used in the production of some plastics and epoxy resins. In a breakthrough study, a research team at <a href="http://www.cmu.edu/">Carnegie Mellon University</a> has developed an inexpensive and effective way to remove BPA from water. 

BPA is so widespread that both people and wildlife are commonly exposed to it. Chemist Terrence J. Collins led a team of colleagues in an effort to determine just how much BPA is present in everyday products and water sources. The team also calculated the danger of the chemical. 

The study, published in <a href="http://pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/journal/gc">Green Chemistry</a>, creates a strong argument for the immediate elimination of BPA from water. BPA imitates estrogen and can have a dangerous impact on the body's endocrine system. Previous studies in both animal and human cells have shown that BPA negatively affects brain and nervous system development, growth and metabolism, and reproductivity.

Although BPA-free products such as water bottles and baby bottles began to emerge in 2010, many BPA substitutes are toxic in ways similar to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/billions-tons-plastic-thrown/">BPA</a>.

"BPA replacements have often not been adequately tested despite the fact that testing is easy to do," said Collins.

Over 15 billion pounds of BPA are still produced every year, so tackling the management and cleanup of BPA is no simple task. 

"There is no escape from BPA -- for any living creature," said Collins. "The massive global use of BPA burdens an already overstrained water treatment infrastructure and most BPA water releases simply never reach a water treatment facility. Our approach has high potential to be a much better remediation strategy for BPA-contaminated waste streams."

The researchers created a system which involves a group of catalysts called TAML activators. These small molecules, which imitate oxidizing enzymes, can very effectively break down harmful chemicals in water when mixed with hydrogen peroxide.

The team used the TAML treatment on water containing high levels of BPA at neutral pH, which is the pH typically used for wastewater treatment. 99 percent of the BPA was eliminated from the water in just 30 minutes. 


The study found TAML treatment at this pH caused BPA to assemble into larger units called oligomers, which the researchers determined are not harmful like BPA.Furthermore, it was found that the TAML-treated water did not contain properties that mimicked estrogen. 

When the researchers used the TAML treatment at a pH 11, more than 99.9 percent of BPA was removed within 15 minutes. A pH 8.5 treatment completely eradicated the BPA molecules to the extent that no oligomers were detected. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New inexpensive treatment can quickly remove BPA from water

New inexpensive treatment can quickly remove BPA from water. Bisphenol...

Why are so many North American whales dying off so quickly?. Whale watching is a beloved pastime worldwide. You can find whale watching tours in Washington, Canada, and parts of New England, just to name a few. But, what could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for you and your family could also pose a deadly threat to the endangered whales in those areas.

Surprisingly, whale watching is actually a contributing factor threatening natural habitats of endangered whales like the humpback whale, the sperm whale, and the northern right whale. Boat collisions account for many whale and marine injuries and deaths and collisions with whale watching tours are more common than you might think. 

And with some whale species with populations continuing to drop at an increasing rate, understanding these threats and how to minimize them could mean life or death for the survival of some species. 

The rare North American right whale is an endangered whale with just 500 left worldwide. And recently, several right whales have been found dead in the Gulf St. Lawrence Gulf in Canada. 

So far there have been nine reported <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/investigate-baby-whale-deaths/">deaths</a> of right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in just two months. 

The cause of these deaths are due to several factors including collisions, fishing operations in those areas, and run ins with natural predators. But there is something about this pattern of deaths that is causing alarm in the scientific community. 

Tonya Wimmer, director of the<a href="https://www.marineanimals.ca/"> Marine Animal Response Society</a>, is heading the investigation into these deaths and their increasing numbers. Wimmer and her team will be performing necropsies, or animal autopsies, on some of the right whales that were found dead.

While certain measures have been taken in Canada to halt fishing operations where those right whales preside, Wimmer and her team want to emphasize the need for long term solutions that will help ensure the safety and survival of right whales and other members of the whale family. 

 --

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why are so many North American whales dying off so quickly?

Why are so many North American whales dying off so...

Climate change could facilitate the spread of diseases. New research by the <a href="https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/">University of Liverpool</a> finds that the impact of climate change on how infectious diseases spread and affect populations could be greater than previously thought. This study – published in Scientific Reports, is the first large-scale assessment of the effects of climate on viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens that cause disease in humans or animals in Europe.

The data used in the study was compiled using the Enhanced Infectious Disease Database (EID2), a “Big Data” record that contains over 60 million scientific papers, electronic sources, and textbooks related to infectious diseases.

The researchers used this database to review published literature on 100 human and 100 domestic animal pathogens that have the most significant impact on public health in Europe. Out of the pathogens examined, almost two-thirds were found to be climate-sensitive, the majority of which were discovered to have more than one climate driver – meaning the impact of climate change on them will be even more complex.

"Currently, most models examining climate effects only consider a single or at most two climate drivers, so our results suggest that this should change if we really want to understand future impacts of climate change on health,” says Marie McIntyre, who headed the study for the <a href="https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/">University of Liverpool</a>.

Diseases spread by ticks and other insects were found to be the most sensitive to climate, with diseases transmitted through soil, water, and food following closely behind. Pathogens spread from animals to humans (zoonotic pathogens) were more climate sensitive than those that exclusively affect just humans or animals. Currently, 75% of emerging diseases are zoonotic, which is concerning given how likely they are to be influenced by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alter-lifestyle-fight-climate-change/">climate change</a>.

The results of this study may help policymakers decide which pathogens to focus their attention on given that climate change may increase the change of some diseases emerging or spreading. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change could facilitate the spread of diseases

Climate change could facilitate the spread of diseases. New research...

<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=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invisible-threat-in-urban-air">Invisible threat in urban air</h2>



City dwellers face an unseen danger with every breath. New findings from Emory University researchers suggest that fine particulate matter from <a href="http://earth.com/news/traffic-related-air-pollution-might-increase-alzheimers-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vehicle emissions may significantly elevate the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease</a>. The study examined brain tissue samples from 224 individuals who had confirmed diagnoses and volunteered their brains for scientific research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disturbing-connections-emerge">Disturbing connections emerge</h2>



Scientists analyzed neuritic plaques — protein clusters that characterize Alzheimer's — while mapping each participant's exposure to PM2.5 particles based on residential location and surrounding traffic density. The correlation proved more alarming than anticipated. Individuals experiencing higher pollution exposure showed nearly double the likelihood of elevated plaque accumulation in brain tissue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-matters">Timing matters</h2>



The research team discovered that pollution exposure during the final year before death demonstrated the strongest association with brain changes. This timeline suggests relatively rapid impacts from environmental toxins on neural health. The connection remained robust even after accounting for various demographic and health factors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-vulnerability-patterns">Genetic vulnerability patterns</h2>



Perhaps most concerning, people lacking the APOE gene—which naturally predisposes individuals to Alzheimer's — exhibited more than twice the susceptibility to pollution-related brain damage. Study author Dr. Anke Huels noted this indicates environmental elements like air contamination could trigger the disease in cases where hereditary factors don't explain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health-implications">Public health implications</h2>



These findings, published in <a href="https://www.neurology.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neurology</a>, underscore the critical importance of air quality regulations in urban planning. The research suggests that implementing stricter emission controls and promoting alternative transportation could serve as powerful tools in Alzheimer's prevention.



As cities worldwide grapple with growing traffic congestion and aging populations, this study highlights an urgent need for comprehensive approaches to environmental health that protect both our lungs and our minds.



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Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic...

<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=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



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



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<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=K0DuSr87SHY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-earth-became-a-frozen-wasteland">When Earth became a frozen wasteland</h2>



Imagine Earth as a giant snowball, frozen solid from the North Pole to the equator. This wasn't the plot of a science fiction movie – it was our planet's reality 700 million years ago during an extreme ice age that has puzzled scientists for decades.



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



Australian researchers from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> have finally cracked one of geology's greatest mysteries: what caused the Sturtian glaciation and why it persisted for an unprecedented 57 million years. This period occurred long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, when no complex plants or multicellular animals existed.



Dr. Adriana Dutkiewicz, the study's lead author, describes a world completely unlike today's climate. "Imagine the Earth almost completely frozen over," she explained. "The planet was blanketed in ice from poles to equator, and temperatures plunged."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-combination-of-climate-factors">The combination of climate factors</h2>



The research team discovered that this massive freeze resulted from a "double whammy" of geological events. First, plate tectonic activity reduced volcanic carbon dioxide emissions to historically low levels. Volcanic activity typically releases CO2 into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect that keeps Earth warm.



Simultaneously, weathering of volcanic rocks in what is now Canada actively absorbed atmospheric CO2, further reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. When atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dropped below 200 parts per million – less than half of today's levels – glaciation engulfed the entire planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-climate-implications">Modern climate implications</h2>



Published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a>, this research provides crucial insights into Earth's climate system. While geological climate changes occur over millions of years, the study emphasizes that human-induced climate change is happening at a pace ten times faster than previously observed natural changes, highlighting the urgent need to understand our planet's delicate climate balance.



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What caused the planet's longest ice age

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY 57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists....

<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...

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<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



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.

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



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.

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

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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