The Arctic has always seemed like the perfect place to hide secrets. Thick ice, biting winds, and months of darkness. For years, people believed that during the coldest ice ages, the Arctic Ocean vanished beneath an enormous ice shelf, one as thick as a skyscraper is tall.



That idea has stuck around for decades. A slab of ice, nearly a kilometer deep, covering the entire Arctic? It sounded dramatic. But not every dramatic story survives forever. A new study now shatters this icy myth.



In a study published in the journal Science Advances, scientists explain why this old theory no longer holds up. Their findings suggest something else happened during the last 750,000 years. 



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-climate-will-permanently-change-by-2050-scientists-warn/">Arctic</a>, even in its most brutal days, wasn’t entirely sealed under thick ice. Instead, it had patches of open water. Life kept going. The sea ice came and went with the seasons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-mud-shows-open-arctic-seas">Ancient mud shows open Arctic seas</h2>



The researchers dug deep. They drilled into the seafloor of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-peatlands-are-spreading-as-temperatures-rise/">Arctic</a>-Atlantic gateway and the Nordic Seas. There, buried in the mud, they found tiny fingerprints left by algae.



Some of these algae bloom only in open waters. Others live under seasonal sea ice, the kind that melts and freezes every year. These ancient traces told a clear story.



“Our sediment cores show that marine life was active even during the coldest times,” said Jochen Knies, lead author of the study from <a href="https://en.uit.no" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UiT The Arctic University of Norway</a>, Tromsø. 



“That tells us there must have been light and open water at the surface. You wouldn’t see that if the entire Arctic was locked under a kilometre-thick slab of ice.”



That’s not all they found. A molecule called IP25 showed up again and again in the sediments. This molecule comes from algae that thrive in seasonal sea ice. Its steady presence revealed a world where sea ice wasn’t permanent. It came. It melted. It returned again.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-life-survived-through-ice-ages">Arctic life survived through ice ages</h2>



Sea ice wasn’t the only thing that moved with the seasons. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-grazers-secretly-shape-plant-growth-and-survival/">ocean</a> itself stayed alive. Phytoplankton, the tiny floating plants of the sea, kept growing, even when the cold hit hard.



Biomarkers of phytoplankton like epi brassicasterol and dinosterol showed up consistently in the sediment cores. These tiny clues pointed to a surprising fact. Life did not vanish during glaciations. It slowed down, but it never stopped.



Even during the Last Glacial Maximum, around 21,000 years ago, the sea ice still followed a seasonal rhythm. The same thing happened about 140,000 years ago during an even colder spell.



The Arctic breathed. It froze in winter. It opened in summer. And where light could sneak through, life flourished.



Some giant icebergs also roamed the seas during these cold spells. They were like wandering giants, breaking free from Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. 



The icebergs sometimes got stuck on shallow shelves, leaving deep marks on the seafloor. Yet, these icebergs were visitors, not rulers. They never formed a permanent lid over the entire ocean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-ice-was-not-permanent">Arctic ice was not permanent</h2>



To double-check their findings, the scientists turned to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-meltdown-is-accelerating-global-warming-already-changing-earth-in-unimaginable-ways/">climate</a> models. They used the AWI Earth System Model, a detailed computer simulation of ancient climates.



These simulations showed the same thing the sediments revealed. Even during extreme cold, warm Atlantic waters kept sneaking into the Arctic. This flow of water stopped the ocean from freezing solid.



“The models support what we found in the sediments,” said Knies. “Even during these extreme glaciations, warm Atlantic water still flowed into the Arctic gateway. This helped keep some parts of the ocean from freezing over completely.”



The models also captured the restless movement of sea ice. It spread in winter. It melted back in summer. It drifted along powerful ocean currents like the Transpolar Drift and the Beaufort Gyre.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-glimpse-of-the-arctic-at-its-coldest">A glimpse of the Arctic at its coldest</h2>



There was one chapter in this icy story that stood out. It happened during Marine Isotope Stage 16, about 650,000 years ago. That’s when the biomarkers nearly vanished.



It looked as if the Arctic locked itself down for a brief time. No sign of open water. No hint of seasonal ice. Just endless cold.



This period lines up with the coldest known stretch of the Quaternary period. Carbon dioxide levels dropped to their lowest point, around 180 parts per million. Everything about this time screams extreme cold.



“There may have been short-lived ice shelves in some parts of the Arctic during especially severe cold phases,” said Knies. “But we don’t see any sign of a single, massive ice shelf that covered everything for thousands of years.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giant-ice-shelf-theory-now-disproved">Giant ice shelf theory now disproved</h2>



For years, scientists pointed to strange patterns on the seafloor as proof of an ancient Arctic ice shelf. Deep scours, ridges, and grooves looked like evidence of ice pressing down on the ocean floor.



But this study offers a new explanation. Those marks may have come from huge icebergs drifting through the Arctic. These giants could easily gouge the seafloor during their journeys.



The researchers also stress a crucial difference. Sea ice is not the same as ice shelves. Sea ice forms and melts every year. Ice shelves are thick, massive slabs of ice that grow from glaciers on land.



If the Arctic ever had an ice shelf, it likely existed long ago - perhaps during the Mid Pleistocene transition between 950,000 and 790,000 years ago. Since then, the Arctic has danced between ice and water, never staying frozen solid for long.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-s-past-shows-it-may-survive-future">Arctic’s past shows it may survive future</h2>



This isn’t just a story about ancient ice. It’s also a warning for today. The Arctic is changing fast. The more we understand its past, the better we can predict its future.



“These past patterns help us understand what’s possible in future scenarios,” said Knies. “We need to know how the Arctic behaves under stress and what tipping points to watch for as the Arctic responds to a warming world.”



The Arctic has shown time and again that it doesn’t like to sit still. Even at its coldest, it found ways to stay partly open. It allowed life to hold on.



Today, the Arctic faces a new kind of challenge. Warming is accelerating faster than anything in the past. But this study reminds us that the Arctic has always been more dynamic than we thought. It has never been just a frozen wasteland.



Its icy history tells a story of change, survival, and resilience. The future may still surprise us, just like its hidden past has done.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adu7681" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Arctic Ocean stayed partly open during harsh ice ages

The Arctic has always seemed like the perfect place to hide secrets. Thick ice, biting winds, and months of darkness. For years, people believed that during the coldest ice ages, the Arctic Ocean vanished beneath an enormous ice shelf, one as thick as a skyscraper is tall. That idea has stuck around for decades. A slab of ice, nearly a kilometer deep, covering the entire Arctic? It sounded dramatic. But not every dramatic story survives forever. A new study now shatters this icy myth. In a study...

Living in a polluted city comes with a long list of risks and health issues that have been known for decades… and a new study just added one more. According to recent research involving almost 280,000 women in the United States, living in an area with a high level of fine particles from air pollution may increase a woman’s chance of having dense breasts. Now this is not an aesthetic problem, but a health risk, as increased breast density is a well-known risk factor for breast cancer.

Breast density is measured by mammography, which helps assess the relative amounts of different tissue types in the breast. In breasts with a majority of fatty tissue, it is easier to find abnormalities in the mammogram. Denser breasts have a higher percentage of fibroglandular tissue, which obscures mammography and would make a breast tumor more difficult to see.

They study found that for every one unit increase in fine particle concentration (PM2.5), a woman’s chance of having dense breasts increased by 4 percent. It also found that women with dense breasts were about 20 percent more likely to have experienced exposure to higher concentrations of PM2.5, while women with less dense breasts were 12 percent less likely to have been exposed.

The chemical make up of PM2.5 air pollution is known to include pollutants that have endocrine disrupting properties. The researchers believe that these pollutants could have an effect on breast density by interfering with growth of cells in the breast and increasing the relative amount of fibroglandular tissue. However, it must be noted that causation could not be established by this particular study.

The researchers also looked at the association between ozone exposure and breast density among the same group of women. Surprisingly, they found that for every one unit increase in ozone concentration, there was a 3% lower chance of having dense breasts.

Dr. Lusine Yaghjyan, lead author from the <a href="http://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a>, explains: “We found a positive association between fine particle concentration exposure and breast density but an inverse association between ozone exposure and breast density. This is an intriguing result that warrants further investigation to unpick any possible biological mechanism that might cause ozone exposure to reduce a woman's chance of having dense breasts.”

Both the pollution and ozone factors require further study in order to shine a light on exactly how they influence breast density – especially given what is at stake. Dr. Yaghjyan continued, “Breast density is a well-established and strong breast cancer risk factor so future studies are warranted to determine if the observed associations are causal, which if confirmed may have implications for risk prevention.”]

More information on this study can be found in the open access journal <a href="https://breast-cancer-research.biomedcentral.com/">Breast Cancer Research</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.biomedcentral.com/">BioMed Central</a>

Air pollution may increase risk factors for breast cancer

Living in a polluted city comes with a long list...

The horrifying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/group-epa-waited-seven-months-intervene-flint-water-crisis/">Flint</a> water crisis has led many scientists to take a closer look at what exactly is in our drinking water. Now, new research has shown an abundance of nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers and pet waste is polluting urban water sources. 

A new study from the <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a> is the first to compare urban watershed concentrations of nitrogen in phosphorus, leading to results that can be applied to urban watersheds around the world that experience an influx of excess nutrients.

The researchers – led by Sarah Hobbie, a professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution &amp; Behavior – found that households tend to be the main source of nutrient pollutants in the Twin Cities urban watershed. In particular, household nitrogen fertilizer use is exceeds that of commercial fertilizer use by golf courses, college campuses, and other non-residential locations by a factor of ten. Furthermore, pet waste is the leading source of phosphorus in the seven sub-watersheds of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

The calculated network of streets and storm drains that whisk away water from the landscape to avoid flooding are actually a major factor in this nutrient pollution. Most of the phosphorus that is found in these watersheds is carried away by stormwater that drains into surface waters – such as rivers and lakes – and ends up contributing to pollution and eutrophication.

Unlike phosphorus, nitrogen tends to disperse through a wider array of pathways. Only one-fifth of nitrogen is transported through stormwater into surface water, while the majority ends up being released into the atmosphere or seeping through soil into groundwater.

Hobbie explains, “Not only is this a concern for water resource managers tasked with cleaning up urban pollution, but also urban and downstream residents who depend on clean water for drinking water, recreation and aesthetic value.”

In order to curtail this nutrient pollution, the researchers want to focus on reducing excessive nitrogen fertilizer use and controlling the erosion and excessive pet waste that releases phosphorus into the watershed. Picking up after your dog – or your cat, as some people actually do walk their cats believe it or not – is not just your civic duty for aesthetic reasons. Rather, your pet’s waste has consequences that lead further down stream, no pun intended. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a>

Fertilizers and pet waste could be polluting your drinking water

The horrifying Flint water crisis has led many scientists to...

According to a 2013 <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a> article, one round-trip commercial air flight between New York City and San Francisco creates a carbon dioxide warming effect equivalent to two or three tons of CO2 per on-board person. For comparison sake, the average American generates about 19 tons of CO2 per year. Plane engines also emit carbon monoxide and other pollutants. That’s why engineers have been working to develop a commercially viable electric airplane for some time, and they took another step forward in March. 

That’s when the Extra 330LE earned a record for fasted electric airplane by attaining an airspeed of over 21o miles per hour from an airport in Germany.

The plane, piloted by German tests pilot Walter Extra, actually broke two records last month. In addition to achieving the record speed over a two-mile expanse of sky, it was the first electrically powered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-aircraft-turbulence/">aircraft</a> to tow a glider plane to cruising speed. This followed a December test flight in which the plane with the electric engine set a climbing record by vertically scaling nearly 10,000 feet in less than 4.5 minutes.

All of this was done with a Siemens electric engine that weighed a relatively skimpy 110 pounds. Keep in mind, with the weight challenges of commercial and freight aircraft, lighter is always better.

As impressive as the accomplishments have been, the technology still has a way to go. Siemens said that it’s electric motor puts out 260 kilowatts per hour, enough to lift aircraft weighing two tons. But that’s not enough. Tech developer Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors and an entrepreneur also working on electric aircraft development, has said that the minimal power needs for aircraft is 400kW.

So when will that milestone be reached?

 “By 2030, we expect to see the first planes carrying up to 100 passengers and having a range of about 1,000 kilometers,” said Frank Anton, head of Siemens’ eAircraft division.

--

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/sunday-review/the-biggest-carbon-sin-air-travel.html"> New York Times</a>,<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4385978/Battery-powered-plane-breaks-speed-record-hitting-210mph.html"> Daily Mail</a>

Photo: Jean-Marie Urlacher

Electric airplane engine sets two more air records

According to a 2013 New York Times article, one round-trip...

Below our feet is the Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underground-ocean-beneath-earth/">mantle</a>, a bed of solid rock that actually circulates slowly over millions of years. This slow circulation has led some geologists to assume that any geochemical traces of Earth’s history were wiped away long ago. However, a new study shows that this is not the case. Geologists from the <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">University of Maryland</a> have discovered traces of ancient Earth in volcanic rock that could date back more than 4.5 billion years – all the way to the origins of our planet.

The researchers studied volcanic rock that had recently erupted from volcanoes in Hawaii and Samoa. These rocks contained enlightening geochemical anomalies, which the scientists explain as the “fingerprints” of conditions that were around immediately following the formation of our planet.

The results of the study suggest that some of these volcanic rocks contain compounds that survived just about all of Earth’s history. This has researchers scratching their heads, as they are not quite sure how the Earth’s mantle preserved these anomalies.

Andrea Mundl, a postdoctoral researcher in geology at <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">UMD</a> and the lead author of the study, explains, “We found geochemical signatures that must have been created nearly 4.5 billion years ago. It was especially exciting to find these anomalies in such young rocks. We don't yet know how these signatures survived for so long, but we have some ideas.”

These signatures refer to the distinct ratios of key isotopes of two elements: tungsten and helium. The researchers were able to analyze volcanic rock samples for these rare isotopic ratios of tungsten, which indicated that the volcanic samples contained traces of ancient rock.

“Our tungsten data show that it is very primitive indeed, with the source region most likely forming within the first 50 million years of solar system history,” says Richard Walker, professor of geology at <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">UMD</a> and co-author of the paper.

The research team then compared these findings with analysis of specific ratios of helium isotopes. This data correlated with the tungsten isotopic ratios, indicating that these rocks had not been significantly altered since the formation of Earth.

The authors of this study suggest a few different scenarios that could have led to these tungsten and helium anomalies. They think that the volcanoes might be drawing material from the Earth’s core, or that the rocky outer surface of Earth might have formed in patches, with expansive magma oceans in between. Areas of these magma oceans could have crystallized and sunk to the boundary between the mantle and core, which might have preserved these isotopic signatures.

Mundl admits that “each of these scenarios contain some inconsistencies that we can’t yet explain.” But she believes these findings will only lead to further research that may be able to provide some answers.

More information on this study can be found in the journal Science on April 7, 2017.

[caption id="attachment_255563" align="aligncenter" width="800"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/137370.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-255563" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/137370.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="500" /></a> Credit: USGS/J.P. Eaton[/caption]

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">The University of Maryland</a>

New volcanic rock found to contain Earth’s ancient secrets

Below our feet is the Earth’s mantle, a bed of...

A recent study has shown that the eastern Arctic Ocean is becoming more like the Atlantic Ocean as a result of sea ice melting due to climate change.

In the iceless parts of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/smoke-autumn-wildfires-atlantic-ocean/">Atlantic</a>, the vertical mixing of water is commonplace. However, in the Arctic Ocean there is usually very little vertical overturn. The study found that this Atlantic-type vertical mixing is now becoming more common in the eastern Eurasian Basin of the Arctic.

To make this discovery, scientist Igor Polyakov of the <a href="https://web.iarc.uaf.edu/">International Arctic Research Center</a> used satellite estimates of ice thickness in this Arctic region from between 2013 and 2015, as well as data on ocean conditions during this time period.

Polyakov compared the data to previously published work and found that the eastern part of the Eurasian Basin is evolving a state of weakened stratification. This means that the ocean water is not settling into layers as efficiently, leading to more nutrient mixing. Researchers also found that vertical mixing was increasing as the amount of sea ice was decreasing.

In the last decade, the Arctic Ocean has seen record-breaking losses of sea ice during the summer. In fact, the eastern Eurasian Basin has been almost ice-free at the end of each summer since 2011.

Changes as drastic as these could have significant impacts on other components of the Arctic Ocean ecosystem, as well as affect the ability for the ocean to respond to acidification – a severe consequence of climate change.

It seems like the more scientists look into the effects of climate change, the more disturbing realities are revealed. Hopefully this type of research can unearth some solutions to the many problems we keep discovering.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a>

Climate change causing Arctic to become more like the Atlantic

A recent study has shown that the eastern Arctic Ocean...

For most of us living in the colder regions of the planet, the sight of melting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasas-method-measuring-snowfall/">snow</a> inspires a sense of relief that winter may soon be over. This is almost always followed by a rapid succession of blizzards, but soon enough the snow disappears and spring is sprung.

Unfortunately, a recent study has found that snow in urban areas accumulates a toxic mixture of pollutants from car emissions, which are then released into the environment once the snow melts.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> and <a href="https://www.etsmtl.ca/">École de technologie supérieure</a> in Montreal found that snow can absorb certain “organic pollutants known to be toxic and carcinogenic,” according to Yevgen Nazarenko, a postdoctoral researcher working with Parisa Ariya – professor at McGill’s Department of Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences and Department of Chemistry.

The research team – in collaboration with Professor Patrice Seers’ team at <a href="https://www.etsmtl.ca/">École de technologie supérieure</a> – analyzed how snow absorbs these pollutants from car emissions. They built a frozen glass sphere in the lab and used it to expose snow to engine exhaust in a confined environment. Their results showed that exhaust is affected differently by the cold and snow depending on the type of fuel injection used by the engine.

The scientists also discovered that snow takes up airborne particulate matter and can actually change the concentrations of different nanoparticles, which have been linked to numerous health problems. Surprisingly, they found that colder temperatures and interaction with snow increased the relative presence of smaller nanoparticles in the polluted air above the snow.

Air pollutants can undergo chemical transformations after being absorbed into snow. These transformations may create additional pollutants that have an entirely different toxicity and carcinogenicity. When the snow melts, some of these compounds may be released back into the air while others are released with meltwater.

Nazarenko worries that “These releases could lead to a higher short-term concentration of certain pollutants in the air, soil, and surface water bodies where the meltwater runs to.”

Although these findings are worrisome, it’s important to help expand our knowledge of what is affecting our environment. “Understanding how these pollutants interact with the environment, including snow, is crucial if we are to reduce the hundreds of thousands of premature deaths caused by mild air pollution in North America,” says Ariya, the senior author of the study.

Globally, air pollution is thought to claim as many as 8 million lives per year, a fact that Ariya believes only makes further research more important. Continuing studies such as this will help identify more harmful pollutants and can aid in the optimization of engines, exhaust treatment technologies, and gasoline formulations. 

Hopefully, we’ll soon be able to look at melting snow with that old feeling of relief – that is until the next storm comes.

More information in this study can be found in <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-pollution/">Environmental Pollution</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a>

&nbsp;

Melting snow may release toxic combinations of pollutants

For most of us living in the colder regions of...

Fasten your seatbelts and hold on to your hats; new research suggests that aircraft turbulence may become two or three times more frequent due to increases in climate change.

According to a recent study from the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a> published in <a href="https://link.springer.com/journal/376">Advances in Atmospheric Sciences</a>, climate change actually has an effect on the forces that generate turbulence. Dr. Paul Williams has discovered that increases in climate change generate stronger wind shears within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-internal-jet-stream-core/">jet stream</a>, which can become unstable and are a major cause of turbulence.

A wind shear – for those of us who aren’t pilots or meteorologists – is a difference in wind speed or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere.

This study is the first to examine the future of severe turbulence. It investigated multiple different turbulence strength levels using supercomputer simulations for the atmosphere. These simulations specifically calculated how wintertime transatlantic clear-air turbulence would change at an altitude around 12km when there is twice as much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Many scientists believe atmospheric carbon dioxide is likely to double before the end of this century.

Williams explains, “Our new study paints the most detailed picture yet of how aircraft turbulence will respond to climate change.”

The study found that the average amount of light turbulence in the atmosphere may increase by 59%, with light-to-moderate turbulence increasing by 75%, moderate by 94%, moderate-to-severe by 127%, and severe by 149%.

While an increase in light turbulence may seem like just a minor inconvenience, severe turbulence routinely hospitalizes both air travellers and flight attendants around the world. 

Williams hopes to expand on this research, stating: "My top priority for the future is to investigate other flight routes around the world. We also need to investigate the altitude and seasonal dependence of the changes, and to analyze different climate models and warming scenarios to quantify the uncertainties."

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://english.iap.cas.cn/">Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>

Climate change may cause dangerous increases in aircraft turbulence

Fasten your seatbelts and hold on to your hats; new...

Photosynthesis involves plants taking carbon dioxide out of the air in the process of chemically transforming the sun’s energy into food sources. Researchers also know that, at least at the very limited greenhouse ecosystem level, elevated levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbial-activity-arctic-co2/">CO2</a> spur faster plant growth. But can this small-scale process be replicated at the global level? That’s the big question climate scientists have struggled with: to what extent can photosynthesis in plants be relied on to counteract the CO2 in fossil fuels and rein in climate change?

One model was developed by the <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a>. A team of researchers has now published a study in <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature">Nature</a> that affirmed the work of the IMCC and goes farther – to show that, while plants are taking more CO2 out of the air faster than they did before the Industrial Revolution, they’re not able to keep up with the current pace of CO2 release.

“We've done something new here,” said researcher J. Elliott Campbell, from <a href="http://www.ucmerced.edu/">UC Merced</a>. “Reliable measurements of photosynthesis are typically made at the leaf level. But you can't get the big picture that way, and we need to know what the Earth as a whole is doing and how it has responded through time.”

Starting with previously released research showing that the concentration of carbonyl sulfide in the atmosphere can be used to calculate the level of global photosynthesis, they used various data sources to measure these concentrations and develop a sort of timeline of global photosynthesis.

They found that the amount of global photosynthesis was stable for centuries before the Industrial Revolution. But then it grew rapidly throughout the 20th century, correlating with the elevated CO2 release brought about by fossil fuel use.

“Our new results affirm that the range of models used in the last IPCC assessment did, in fact, include realistic estimates of the sensitivity of global photosynthesis to CO2,” said Joe Berry, from <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/">Carnegie Institution for Science</a>. “It may be tempting to interpret these results as evidence that Earth's dynamics are responding in a way that will naturally stabilize CO2 concentrations and climate. But the real message is that the increase in photosynthesis has not been large enough to compensate for the burning of fossil fuels. Nature's brakes are not up to the job. So now it's up to us to figure out how to reduce the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere.”

-- 

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/index.html"> Nature</a>

Nature’s brakes on climate change not braking fast enough

Photosynthesis involves plants taking carbon dioxide out of the air...

Clean, safe drinking <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/irrigation-groundwater-depletion/">water</a> is in short supply for up to one billion people in the developing world, according to <a href="https://thewaterproject.org/">The Water Project</a>. In addition, climate change is triggering global drought conditions to crisis proportions. And finally, the <a href="http://www.wri.org/">World Resource Institute</a> estimated in 2015 that 33 nations would be particularly water stressed by 20140. These and other water-scarcity statistics underline why the development of an effective and affordable seawater desalination and filtering process is such welcome news.

The technology consists of a graphene-oxide membrane that acts as a sort of water filter at the atomic level. Its atoms of carbon and water only allow water through, and act as a barrier to the larger salt and particulate atoms, resulting in the relatively fast and easy desalination of seawater and filtration of dirty water for safe drinking and irrigation.

The new graphene filter is an improvement over an earlier version, both created by scientists at the <a href="http://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/collaborate/national-graphene-institute/">National Graphene Institute</a> at <a href="http://www.manchester.ac.uk/">The University of Manchester</a> (TUM) in England.

Wealthy nations can develop large and costly desalination plants, but this new technology could lead to the development of smaller and much more affordable filtration plants that could serve the needs of poorer countries. And since the water flow-through occurs quickly while the nano-particles of salt and waste are effectively screened, the graphene filters can accommodate the needs of large plants where huge volumes of water would flow.

“This is the first clear-cut experiment in this regime,” said TUM Professor Rahul Nair, a study participant. “We also demonstrate that there are realistic possibilities to scale up the described approach and mass produce graphene-based membranes with required sieve sizes.”

The study was published today in <a href="http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nnano.2017.21.html">Nature Nanotechnology</a>.

[caption id="attachment_202167" align="aligncenter" width="550"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-04-at-12.13.39-PM.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-202167" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-04-at-12.13.39-PM.png" alt="" width="550" height="378" /></a> Credit: University of Manchester[/caption]

--

Written by <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nnano.2017.21.html"> Nature Nanotechnology</a>,<a href="https://thewaterproject.org/water-scarcity/"> The Water Project</a>,<a href="http://www.wri.org/blog/2015/08/ranking-world%E2%80%99s-most-water-stressed-countries-2040"> World Resource Institute</a>

New nanotech filtration makes seawater affordably drinkable

Clean, safe drinking water is in short supply for up...

Climate scientists and environmentalists have long studied and relayed the many evils of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lake-predict-climate-change/">climate change</a>. But here’s a story about one way in which the changing climate is actually enhancing one part of the environment.

Scientists from the <a href="http://www.sdu.dk/en/">University of Southern Denmark</a> have found that the melt-off of Arctic snow and ice has formed melt ponds that serve as birthplaces for new and valuable organisms.

“The melt ponds can form their own little ecosystem,” said study lead author Heidi Louise Sorensen.

The organisms under study are algae and bacteria that have evolved in the ponds to form a valuable food source to krill and copepods. Those animals in turn feed whales, fish and seals.

Previous studies have shown the capability of these simple life forms to evolve in melt ponds, but it’s never been clearly understood why this effect sometimes takes place and at other times doesn’t. The Danish researchers found answers attributable to climate change in a number of ways.

For instance, nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen spur the development of these simple organisms. They’re driven to the water by such events as dust storms, sea waves, rainfall and the presence of migratory birds, all of which are triggered by climate change.

“Climate change is accompanied by more storms and more precipitation, and we must expect that more nutrients will be released from the surroundings into the melt ponds,” said study participant Ronnie Guld. “These conditions, plus the fact that the distribution of areas of melt ponds is increasing, can contribute to increased productivity in plant and animal life in the Arctic seas.”

In addition, the melting ice allows more nutrients to flow and more sunlight to penetrate deeper into the waters, further spurring algae and bacterial growth.

The study was published in Polar Biology.

--

Written by <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-017-2082-7"> Polar Biology</a>,<a href="http://www.sdu.dk/en/om_sdu/fakulteterne/naturvidenskab/aktuelt/2017_03_23_meltponds"> University of Southern Denmark</a>

Could a rich Arctic food supply be a climate change silver lining?

Climate scientists and environmentalists have long studied and relayed the...

Researchers from <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> and <a href="http://english.pku.edu.cn/">Peking University</a> in Beijing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/winter-pollution-china-worsening/">China</a> have written a paper suggesting that air pollution impacts older males the most, in terms of a loss of logical and verbal reasoning skills.

The researchers tested a total of 25,485 people of both sexes in 2010 and 2014 and found that for those who were 20 and under, there were no statistical difference in math and language test scores. Between age 21 and 60, the test results of males exceeded those of female participants. But in the later years, scores fell considerably for males in the most polluted cities.

The researchers were able to score the difference based on Air Quality Index readings, which grade air pollution levels on a 0-500 scale. For every ten units on the Index, older males lost 2.1 percent in cognitive skills, on average, to females living in the same cities.

“We hypothesize that differences in brain composition may help explain why men appear more sensitive to the negative effects of air pollution,” said study leader Xi Chen of Yale.

The researchers went on the explain that they attributed the greater impact of air pollution on older males on brain structural differences between the genders, making the male more vulnerable to shrinking white and gray matter.

“Contemporaneous and cumulative exposure to air pollution significantly lowers both the verbal and math test scores of survey subjects,” said Chen. “In general, men perform worse than women when exposed to the same dose of air pollution. The gender difference is more salient among the old and less educated in both tests.”

They also found that older males lost more on verbal abilities than on math skills.

China is a nation experiencing a severe air pollution crisis associated with rapid industrialization, so its cities are in much worse air-quality conditions than U.S. cities.

The study was published by <a href="https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/155762/1/GLO_DP_0032.pdfor.">EconStor</a>.

-- 

Written by David Searls, Earth.com staff writer

Source:<a href="https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/155762/1/GLO_DP_0032.pdfor."> EconStor</a>

Air pollution most severely impacts brains of older men

Researchers from Yale University and Peking University in Beijing, China...

One longstanding theory involving biodiversity related to mountain formation is that the new terrains serve as biological hotspots, boosting species diversification. The idea, which is known as the uplift-driven diversification hypothesis, suggests that the new ecosystem triggers the need for species to diversify to meet changing conditions.

Now, study coauthors Rick Ree, the associate curator of botany at <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum in Chicago</a> and Yaowu Xing, a Chinese paleoclimactic patterns scientist associated with the <a href="http://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> have found evidence that supports that hypothesis. South Korea’s <a href="http://www.nie.re.kr/contents/siteMain.do?mu_lang=ENG">National Institute of Ecology</a> was also involved.

The researchers studied and compared species biodiversity in two nearby mountain ranges in China, the Hengduan Mountain and the Himalayas. The reason they selected the two regions is because the Hengduan, at eight million years of age, is much newer than the other range, making a striking contrast between ecosystems.

They conducted DNA sequencing of thousands of plants in both regions to show family relationships between the different species. They also examined <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossilized-damselflies-mating-rituals/">fossil</a> plants to determine the timeline in which different botanical species appeared and branched into new species.

The conclusion they reached is that new species were formed at a faster rate in the younger mountain range than in the older micro-habitat within the Himalayas and Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

 As Ree explained it, “As mountains form, you get different elevations, different substrates exposed, different soil chemistries, different climates. They create lots of little micro-habitats along which species can adapt to local conditions. These changes mean more opportunities for species to diversify and fill new niches.”

The research team’s paper, which was published today in <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences</a>, will give added credence to the uplift-driven diversification hypothesis and provide a mechanism for researchers to study other biodiversity hotspots, and animals as well as plant life.

-- 

Written by David Searls, Earth.com staff writer

Source:<a href="http://www.pnas.org/"> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>

Study shows mountain formation spurs biodiversity

One longstanding theory involving biodiversity related to mountain formation is...

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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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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