For over a century, oil and gas companies have been pulling carbon out of the ground in the form of fossil fuels. Now, researchers are flipping that idea on its head - by putting carbon back underground. And not just anywhere, but into the very same wells that once helped release it.



This new approach doesn’t rely on fancy tech or sci-fi ideas. Instead, it uses leftovers from farms and forests - like corn stalks and tree trimmings - to create a thick liquid called bio-oil. 



Packed with carbon pulled from the air by plants, bio-oil can then be pumped into abandoned <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/abandoned-oil-wells-could-revolutionize-energy-storage/">oil wells</a> for permanent storage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-oil-wells-meet-new-solutions">Old oil wells meet new solutions</h2>



Across the U.S., there are hundreds of thousands of old oil and gas wells sitting empty. Many of these wells weren’t properly sealed and now pose environmental and safety hazards. 



Plugging the wells costs about $1 million each. At the same time, tons of plant waste is discarded every year, ranging from corn stover in the Midwest to forest debris in the West. This is where researchers at <a href="https://www.iastate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Iowa State University</a> saw a match.



“On the one hand, you have these underutilized waste products. On the other hand, you have abandoned oil wells that need to be plugged. It’s an abundant resource meeting an urgent demand,” said Professor Mark Mba-Wright, who led the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oil-wells-for-carbon-capture">Oil wells for carbon capture</h2>



The process at the center of the research is called fast pyrolysis. It sounds complicated, but the idea is simple: you heat dried plant bits to extremely high temperatures (over 1,000°F) in the absence of oxygen. 



The result is three products - bio-oil, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-is-biochar-and-how-can-it-help-us-mitigate-climate-change-carbon-storage/">biochar</a>, and gas. The bio-oil captures most of the carbon. The gas helps fuel the system. The biochar can be sold to farmers to improve soil.



“One of the innovations here is that you can do <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-capture-technology-faces-uncertainty-despite-heavy-investment/">carbon capture</a> with units the size of a skid loader or a combine. You can start small,” Mba-Wright said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bio-oil-machines-for-the-job">Bio-oil machines for the job</h2>



The team modeled a network of 200 mobile pyrolysis units that could be moved around rural areas to process plant waste on-site. 



Each machine would handle about 10 tons of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellite-view-of-forest-biomass-reveals-hidden-carbon-trends/">biomass</a> daily, producing bio-oil that could be stored in terminals before being transported to empty well sites for injection.



Each unit would cost around $1.3 million to build. According to the study, the system could sequester carbon for about $152 per ton, which makes it cost-competitive with other carbon capture methods. For wood-based materials, the cost could drop closer to $100 per ton.



Filling a single crude oil well requires more than 216,000 gallons of liquid - plenty of space to lock away carbon for good. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-undocumented-oil-wells">Undocumented oil wells</h2>



The researchers estimate that there could be as many as 800,000 undocumented orphaned wells in the U.S., far beyond the 120,000 wells targeted by a $4.7 billion federal cleanup effort passed in 2021.



“The more units they build, the better they would get at building them,” Mba-Wright said. This is thanks to what’s called a “learning rate,” which means that building more machines over time helps lower both production and operating costs.



This isn’t just theory. A San Francisco startup, Charm Industrial, has already started using this method and signed deals with large companies to help them meet climate goals. These companies want carbon-removal credits, and bio-oil injection is emerging as one of the most promising ways to earn them.



"We hear it time and again: after taking a close look among their options, leading carbon-removal buyers find that bio-oil sequestration represents one of the highest-quality and most cost-effective approaches,” said Peter Reinhardt, CEO and co-founder of Charm Industrial.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opportunities-for-carbon-removal">Opportunities for carbon removal </h2>



Charm funded part of the Iowa State study to better understand the technology’s full potential.



“While they were confident about the technology itself, they were looking for some validation of how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountains-both-carbon-sinks-and-carbon-sources/">carbon</a> could be sequestered and how economical the process could be,” Mba-Wright said. “There are a lot of steps involved in getting this to work at scale.”



One important detail is that this method stacks up well against another popular carbon-removal option - direct air capture. That system also removes carbon from the air, but it’s more expensive to build and doesn’t offer the side benefits of using agricultural waste or creating new revenue for rural communities.



“What we’re trying to show here is that carbon removal doesn’t need to be either/or. There are a lot of opportunities,” Mba-Wright said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-win-for-rural-economies">A win for rural economies</h2>



Besides helping the climate, this system could give new life to the rural economy. Farmers could sell their leftover crop waste. Forest managers could get paid to clear wildfire-prone debris. 



Furthermore, small towns could host bio-oil terminals and benefit from new jobs and investments.



"Iowa State’s experts showed that bio-oil sequestration using corn stover can deliver a high-value, durable carbon removal product that outcompetes other technologies, while providing new markets for crop residues and delivering new economic value to the rural economy,” Reinhardt said. 



“As the carbon-removal sector grows, Charm is grateful to work with farm and forest communities to grow this opportunity."



The full study was published in the journal <a href="http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0196890425005047">Energy Conversion and Management</a>.



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Old oil wells are getting a new job - storing carbon

For over a century, oil and gas companies have been pulling carbon out of the ground in the form of fossil fuels. Now, researchers are flipping that idea on its head - by putting carbon back underground. And not just anywhere, but into the very same wells that once helped release it. This new approach doesn’t rely on fancy tech or sci-fi ideas. Instead, it uses leftovers from farms and forests - like corn stalks and tree trimmings - to create a thick liquid called bio-oil. Packed...

Male <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/baboon-ancient-human-speech/">baboons</a> may resort to murder in order to reproduce faster 

Male baboons are so determined to sow their wild oats that they may consider bloodthirsty measures, a new study reveals.

When faced with a group that consists of low numbers of fertile females, male baboons resort to violence – killing infant baboons sired by other males, as well as attacking pregnant females in an attempt to cause them to miscarry. 

This behavior helps ensure that the male will be able to sire its own offspring while preventing successful reproduction by other males in the group. It’s the baboons’ way of trying to “survive and reproduce,” said study author Matthew Zipple of<a href="https://www.duke.edu"> Duke University</a>. 

Male baboons typically engage in this type of violent behavior in situations where they have few opportunities to mate. Low populations of fertile females can be caused by food shortages, among other factors.

"When reproductive opportunities abound, this behavior is less frequent,” Zipple said.

The study was published in the journal<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org"> Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>. It came about after researchers, while looking through baboon census records, noticed an increase in infant deaths shortly after a new male was introduced to the group. The deaths were only limited to infants; the numbers did not reflect similar statistics amongst one- and two-year-old baboons.

While past studies have shown that animals such as <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/study-trophy-hunting-lions-can-save-species/">lions</a>, dolphins, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ticklish-rats-researchers-tickeled-pink/">rodents </a>also commit infanticide, this data helps back theories about why these killings occur. Researchers believe that when a male baboon kills an infant or a fetus, it shortens the time they must wait to mate with the mother.

If a mother baboon gives birth to a baby, it takes at least a year for her to be ready to reproduce again. If that baby dies as a fetus or infant, she can be ready in a mere 41 days.

–

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: Matthew Zipple,<a href="https://www.duke.edu"> Duke University</a>

Male baboons will kill to reproduce faster

Male baboons may resort to murder in order to reproduce...

Some of the world’s favorite celebrities passed away in 2016. Alan Rickman, Muhammad Ali, Carrie Fisher, and Debbie Reynolds were just a few of those we mourned as the year came to a close.

It wasn’t just human celebrities we lost last year, though. Let’s not forget the favorite celebrities of the Animal Kingdom who left us in 2016, too.
<ol>
 	<li><a href="http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/the_slatest/2016/05/30/full_video_shows_harambe_the_gorilla_dragging_child_before_he_was_shot/harambecincinnatizoo.jpg.CROP.promo-xlarge2.jpg">Harambe the gorilla</a></li>
</ol>
The most memorable loss of 2016 was Harambe, who was shot after a toddler fell into his enclosure at the <a href="http://cincinnatizoo.org/">Cincinnati Zoo</a>.

His death sparked grief and outrage, along with some truly strange Internet memes. It also inspired discussions about the ethics of keeping animals in zoos, safe animal handling practices, and conservation of endangered species.

“For people who want to know more about what was going on in Harambe’s head and heart, think about your companion dog, for example. How do they respond when someone trespasses into where they feel safe?” Merc Bekoff wrote in <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/why-was-harambe-the-gorilla-in-a-zoo-in-the-first-place/">Scientific American</a>.
<ol start="2">
 	<li><a href="http://images.csmonitor.com/csmarchives/2009/11/article_photo1_315.jpg?alias=standard_600x400">Courage the turkey</a></li>
</ol>
Courage was the first turkey President Barack Obama ever pardoned, during his first Thanksgiving as president in 2009.

The tom turkey went on to live a long life at the Happiest Place on Earth: Big Thunder Ranch at Disneyland in California.

Courage died just before Thanksgiving – and just after Election Day – in November 2016. The average male turkey lives about two years; Courage was at least 7 when he died of old age.
<ol start="3">
 	<li><a href="https://www.nps.gov/features/yell/slidefile/mammals/wolf/Images/17120.jpg">778M, the last of the Druid wolves</a></li>
</ol>
The Druid wolf pack was once one of the largest and most famous of the wolf packs that made Yellowstone home. 778M, born in 2007, was its last surviving member. He split off from the pack a short time before the other members were wiped out by mange.

“He would fight at the drop of the hat, and he was willing to run right into battle,” Yellowstone biologist Rick McIntyre told the <a href="http://www.mailtribune.com/entertainmentlife/20161211/last-of-druids">Mail Tribune</a>.

He was shot and killed by a hunter outside the park in November.
<ol start="4">
 	<li><a href="http://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/11022015-grizzly-1020x661.jpg">Scarface, the Yellowstone grizzly</a></li>
</ol>
778M wasn’t the only one of Yellowstone’s favorite celebrities to pass away in 2016.

Scarface was 25, old in bear years, but he didn’t die of natural causes. He was killed by a hunter right outside of the park’s northern border in April.

Scarface got his nickname from, well, his scarred face and ragged ear, earned in battle with other bears.

He was a favorite of park visitors – and biologists. With more than 15 captures and releases, he was one of the country’s most studied bears.
<ol start="5">
 	<li><a href="http://img2-azcdn.newser.com/image/1086311-12-20161003102314.jpeg">Toughie, the last of his species</a></li>
</ol>
Toughie was the last Rabb’s fringe-limbed treefrog on Earth.

The frog species was discovered in 2005, just before it was wiped out by habitat loss and disease. The last wild member of the species was heard in 2007.

Toughie was a survivor. He was 12 when he died at the <a href="http://atlantabg.org/">Atlanta Botanical Garden</a> in September, and his species died with him.
<ol start="6">
 	<li><a href="http://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/161230115744-02-pan-pan-china-panda-super-tease.jpg">Pan Pan, the panda patriarch</a></li>
</ol>
Pan Pan broke the mold for pandas. Scientists have struggled to convince pandas to reproduce in captivity.

Pan Pan, on the other hand, is estimated to have more than 130 descendants, a quarter of the population of pandas in captivity. His virility and age – he was the oldest male panda in captivity – earned him the nickname “Panda Grandpa.”

“I think the pandas in captivity and in the zoos will be helpful to educate people about the importance of conservation,” Dr. Jianguo Liu of Michigan State University told <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/12/30/507539383/-panda-grandpa-pan-pan-dies-in-china">NPR</a>.
<ol start="7">
 	<li><a href="http://www.oneindia.com/img/2016/05/tiger-601-30-1464603333.jpg">Machli, the tiger matriarch</a></li>
</ol>
The Bengal tigress called the Queen of Ranthambore was believed to be the oldest in the wild when she died, between 19 and 20 years old.

She was also one of India’s favorite celebrities, due to her role in helping to repopulate the tiger community in <a href="http://www.ranthamborenationalpark.com/">Ranthambore National Park</a>.

“Amongst the 62 tigers of Ranthambore, what made Machli so special was her comfort level with the humans, and how she held lensmen (and women) in awe of her grace,” the park wrote on its website.

The Indian government issued a commemorative stamp in her honor. She passed away from old age on August 18.
<ol start="8">
 	<li><a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1936301.1410453934!/img/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/article_750/bretagne.JPG">Bretagne, the last 9/11 rescue dog</a></li>
</ol>
On Sept. 11, 2001, after a terror attack brought down the World Trade Center, rescuers poured into Ground Zero to try and find survivors. Search-and-rescue dogs like Bretagne also did their part.

But at 16, she had severe arthritis and was showing signs of cancer. The Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department made the tough decision to have her put to sleep in June.

“Some may say that the most a dog could be is a pet. However, to the over 400 members of the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department, Bretagne was a civil servant, a hero and is family,” the department told the <a href="http://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/cyfair/news/article/Firefighters-bid-farewell-to-last-known-9-11-7966974.php">Houston Chronicle</a>.
<ol start="9">
 	<li><a href="http://qatar.com/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/05/scooter-the-siamese-cat.jpg">Scooter, the world’s oldest cat</a></li>
</ol>
Just days after the Guinness Book named 30-year-old Scooter the world’s oldest cat, he died of old age. According to veterinarians, in human years, he would have been 136.

Scooter’s owner credited the Siamese cat’s long life to staying active. He also reportedly traveled with his owner to 45 of the 50 states.
<ol start="10">
 	<li><a href="http://static.lakana.com/media.fox29.com/photo/2016/12/30/african%20lion%20Zenda_1483121592509_2480841_ver1.0.png">Zenda, the oldest lion in the U.S.</a></li>
</ol>
As the year came to a close, the <a href="http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/">Philadelphia Zoo</a> was forced to say goodbye to one of its favorite celebrities, a 25-year-old lion who was loved by her keeper and the zoo’s guests alike.

Zenda was known as a peacemaker – an odd role for a lion.

“She was the one that held everyone together,” Kay Buffamonte, her keeper for 24 years, told <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/real-time/Philadelphia-Zoo-lion-Zenda-dies-Dec-29-2016.html">Philly.com</a>.

After her health rapidly declined, the zoo was forced to make the difficult decision to end her life on Dec. 30, 2016.
<ol start="11">
 	<li><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2017/01/18/Gorilla-Colo-2006-0001-Grahm-S-Jones-Columbus-Zoo-and-Aquarium-large_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwfSVWeZ_vEN7c6bHu2jJnT8.jpg">Colo, America's oldest Gorilla </a></li>
</ol>
Beloved Colo died just earlier this week after leading a long and happy life at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. She died in her sleep overnight less than a month after her 60th birthday. In a statementzoo president Tom Stalf said "Colo touched the hearts of generations of people who came to see her and those that cared for her over her long lifetime, she was an ambassador for gorillas and inspired people to learn more about the critically endangered species and motivated them to protect gorillas in their native habitat."

—

By Kyla Cathey / Earth.com staff writer

&nbsp;

Remembering 10 favorite animal celebrities we lost last year

Some of the world’s favorite celebrities passed away in 2016....

2016 rising temperatures cite it as the hottest year yet! Recent data from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nasa-study-man-made-fires-drought/">NASA</a> and the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/arctic-blast-uk-week/">UK Met Office</a> has climate change experts saying, “I told you so!” While 2015 had been on the record as the hottest year yet, 2016 just surpassed it.

The difference was only 0.07 degrees Celsius, but the increase is significant from a scientific standpoint. 

"2015 has been the warmest year on record up until now, so 2016 has just beaten that and it's beaten that by about 0.1- 0.12 of a degree Celsius, which doesn't seem like a lot, but in terms of the year to year variations it's actually huge,”<a href="http://www.nasa.gov"> NASA</a> scientist Gavin Schmidt said to BBC News. Scientists first started tracking yearly temperatures back in 1880.

Researchers say that the <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/el-nino/">El Niño</a> weather phenomenon was partly to blame for the temperature increase. They calculate that it helped raise temperatures by around 0.2 degrees Celsius.

The rest of the increase, scientists say, was caused by humans and CO2 emissions. Professor Ellie Highwood from the<a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk"> University of Reading</a> says that even if scientists removed the El Niño effect, “we would expect 2015 and 2016 to still be the warmest years we've seen, so a majority of it is coming from global warming and the greenhouse effect.”

Schmidt agrees that increasing levels of greenhouse gasses have helped the 2016 temperatures rise.

Scientists don’t expect the record-breaking temperature increase to continue through 2017, but they do expect it to rank among the top five hottest years ever recorded. Data shows that the Earth is 1 degree warmer than it was before industrial times, and the overall warming trend concerns scientists. They insist that we are moving closer to the 1.5-degree threshold laid out in the Paris climate pact. Only time will tell if the 2016 rising temperatures can hold their current record.

–

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Sources: Gavin Schmidt,<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/"> NASA</a>, UK Met Office, Ellie Highwood,<a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk"> University of Reading</a>

2016 rising temperatures: Data shows it was hottest year yet

2016 rising temperatures cite it as the hottest year yet!...

With the looming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, GOP lawmakers are hoping to roll back key parts of the Endangered Species Act. 

The law, passed almost unanimously by Congress in 1973, has helped to protect endangered and threatened species, as well as their habitats. One of the factors that drove the law forward was the near-extinction of the American bald eagle. After the act went into effect, the eagle population rebounded and was removed from the endangered species list in 2007. The law currently protects wolves and the Canada lynx, among other endangered species.  

Critics of the Endangered Species Act say that it prevents companies from engaging in activities such as drilling and logging. Big industry projects are routinely halted because a population of prairie chickens or protected salmon would be harmed by activities that disturb their habitat. Republicans point to increasing numbers of wolf attacks on livestock as evidence that parts of the law need to be lifted. 

With the GOP in control of both the House and the Senate and Donald Trump preparing to enter the White House, it looks as though Republicans may get their wish. They’d like to remove species such as the sage grouse and gray wolf from the protected list. As for other changes, details are scarce. Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma would like to see a species removed from the list whenever a new one is added. Meanwhile, House Representative Tom McClintock will push to lessen logging restrictions in national forests, which he claims will reduce wildfires. 

Wildlife conservationists are alarmed at any proposed changes to the act. "Any species that gets in the way of a congressional initiative or some kind of development will be clearly at risk,” <a href="http://www.defenders.org">Defenders of Wildlife</a> President Jamie Rappaport Clark told the <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/fronts/HOME?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME">Associated Press</a>.

In the meantime, both sides watch to see what Trump’s stance will be. Although he has voiced frustration with policies that prevent activities such as drilling, environmentalists see a potential friend in Montana Representative Ryan Zinke, Trump’s pick for Interior Secretary. 

--
By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Endangered Species Act is endangered as GOP takes control

With the looming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, GOP lawmakers...

The first verse of “You Are My Sunshine” ends with the plea, “Please don’t take my sunshine away.” People around the world may soon be singing this refrain, according to a new study on the possible impact of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-new-dust-bowl/">climate change</a> on mild weather days around the globe. Some scientists predict that global warming will lessen the amount of perfect weather days seen in certain areas over the next few decades. 

In an article published in the journal <a href="http://link.springer.com/journal/10584">Climatic Change</a>, researchers wrote that places such as Miami, Rio de Janeiro, and Africa will see fewer days of milder weather by the year 2035.

How do scientists define a mild day? Study lead author Karin van der Wiel of <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> and the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> says, “It’s the type of weather where you can go outside and do something fun. It’s not too cold. It’s not too hot. It’s not too humid.” For scientific purposes, mild days feature low humidity and little rain, with temperatures running between 68 and 86 degrees (18 and 30 degrees Celsius).

Most places in the U.S. will lose days of sunshine in the summer, but gain perfect weather days during the rest of the year. Eastern South America, Africa, South Asia and northern Australia will lose almost 40 mild days a year.

According to the study, some cities will stand to gain from the change. Seattle, known for its often rainy and cloudy weather, will gain nine days of mild weather. Meanwhile, Los Angeles, a city with notoriously perfect weather, will get six extra days of mild-climate perfection. 

The study raises concerns about more than having fewer days to plan an outdoor picnic. Marshall Shepherd, a meteorology professor from the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a>, says that this negative trend in weather could harm agricultural production and boost populations of disease-carrying insects.

Other scientists such as Gerald Meehl of the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> feel that the agricultural impact will be limited, but that tourism and “simple human enjoyment” could suffer. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Sources: Karin van der Wiel, <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>

Marshall Shepherd, <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a>

Gerald Meehl, <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a>

Get out the umbrella: study suggests fewer perfect weather days

The first verse of “You Are My Sunshine” ends with...

As scientists continue to observe and study climate change and its causes, one piece of data is heating up the controversy. According to a study published by researchers at the <a href="http://www.umass.edu">University of Massachusetts at Amherst</a>, the Northeastern United States is heating up faster than the rest of the country.

Many climate change claim that the phenomenon is caused by human activity. They warn that to avoid the worst effects associated with climate change, humans must avoid increasing the Earth’s temperature by 2°C. While that number isn’t exact, it’s the threshold that’s been set by some in the scientific community as an indication that global warming has gone too far. Some experts suggest that the number should be lower – somewhere around 1.5°C. 

Unfortunately for the Northeastern United States, they will be the first region to reach that ominous number. Scientists expect the Northeast to warm an alarming 50% faster than the rest of the planet. The news isn’t only bad for northeastern states, however. The study also suggests that the U.S. as a whole will warm faster than the rest of the globe.

What kind of effects do climatologists expect to see as temperatures rise? People in the Northeastern US will likely see winters that are warmer and have increased amounts of precipitation. Because temperatures will be higher, this precipitation will come in the form of rainfall, rather than snow. This means less snowmelt in the hot, dry summer months and an increased risk of droughts. Other areas may see phenomena such as heavy precipitation, increased flooding, and rising sea levels.

Although the debate continues about the cause behind climate change, studies such as this one provide definite data that something concrete is happening. What this means and whether humans can stop it remains to be seen. 

--

By Dawn Henderson, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image: <a href="https://www.giss.nasa.gov/">NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies</a>

Source: <a href="http://www.umass.edu">University of Massachusetts at Amherst</a>

“Is it getting hot in here?” asks Northeastern United States

As scientists continue to observe and study climate change and...

NASA’s “then and now” Earth images reveal planet’s aging process

As people age, their faces change. It seems that the same is true of Mother Earth. In a new series of stunning Earth images, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov">NASA</a> is showing us just how much the planet has changed over the past few decades. 

NASA claims that some of the changes are due to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-new-dust-bowl/">climate change</a>, while others are due to ever-expanding urbanization. The photos reveal differences caused by natural phenomena such as sweeping floodwaters and destructive fires. 

In one set of images, viewers can see the changes that have occurred in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-india-solutions/">New Delhi</a>, India, between 1991 and 2016. Urban expansion there has packed New Delhi’s 16.49 square miles, as India’s capital has grown from 9.4 million to 25 million in the past 25 years.

The images also examine changes in Utah’s Great Salt Lake. Changes in the earth’s surface are expected over time – the current lake is all that remains of Lake Bonneville, a huge body of water that was born during an ice age 30,000 years ago. However, the changes documented in the Great Salt Lake are striking. The lake’s ice cover has shrunk by 70 percent since 1985. This has caused an overall reduction in the lake area, with low water levels becoming the norm.

The Great Salt Lake isn't the only body of water to be affected by changes that have happened over time. Cloudy skies trapping heat over Greenland have accelerated ice melt there, causing increased amounts of meltwater to run off into the seas. This increases sea levels. Although studies are still ongoing to determine the cause of the ice melt, many experts cite climate change as the trigger. 

The NASA images also examined the flux and flow of bodies of water elsewhere in the world. Bolivia’s Lake Poopó dried up, while the Ganges River in India topped its banks and caused catastrophic flooding.

No matter the cause of these changes, NASA’s before and after images of growing centers, rising waters, decreasing ice, and dried up lakes are shocking and fascinating.  

[caption id="attachment_130410" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.46.53-AM.png"><img class="wp-image-130410 size-medium" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.46.53-AM-300x143.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-11-46-53-am" width="300" height="143" /></a> Colorado River[/caption]

<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.47.14-AM.png"><img class="alignright wp-image-130409 size-medium" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.47.14-AM-300x140.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-11-47-14-am" width="300" height="140" /></a>

&nbsp;

[caption id="attachment_130412" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.45.54-AM.png"><img class="wp-image-130412 size-medium" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.45.54-AM-300x142.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-11-45-54-am" width="300" height="142" /></a> Greenland[/caption]

<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.46.02-AM.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-130411" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.46.02-AM-300x144.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-11-46-02-am" width="300" height="144" /></a>

&nbsp;

[caption id="attachment_130414" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.45.25-AM.png"><img class="wp-image-130414 size-medium" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.45.25-AM-300x138.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-11-45-25-am" width="300" height="138" /></a> Great Salt Lake[/caption]

<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.45.36-AM.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-130413" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.45.36-AM-300x137.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-11-45-36-am" width="300" height="137" /></a>

&nbsp;

[caption id="attachment_130416" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.44.55-AM.png"><img class="wp-image-130416 size-medium" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.44.55-AM-300x141.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-11-44-55-am" width="300" height="141" /></a> New Delhi, India[/caption]

<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.45.05-AM.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-130415" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-11.45.05-AM-300x141.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-11-45-05-am" width="300" height="141" /></a>

--

By Dawn Henderson, Earth.com Staff Writer

Credit <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>

Image credit <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>

NASA releases 'then and now' Earth images

NASA’s “then and now” Earth images reveal planet’s aging process...

Reopened Silk Road route swaps horses for trains. Hundreds of years ago, merchants traveled the Silk Road from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/china-ivory-trade-ban/">China</a> to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/european-union-celebrates-paris-agreement-climate-change/">Europe</a>, bringing silk, paper, gunpowder, and various exotic goods to trade. Today, the route is being revived with the introduction of a 7,456-mile train route from China to London. 

China’s East Wind train company is celebrating the debut of its Silk Road route that will run from Yiwu, a manufacturing town in East China, to Great Britain. It will take the train 16 days to complete the journey, and it will bring 34 carriage loaded with goods made in Yiwu.  

The new train route is expected to herald in a new era in trade relations between the UK and China. Goods sent via the train route will travel faster than if they traveled via a container ship. Train shipping is also less expensive than shipping by air. 

The East Wind from Yiwu to London will start out running once a week on a trial basis. East Wind, owned by China’s Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment, also features a route from Madrid to Spain that runs twice a week.

The Silk Road journey has always been a difficult one. It features a route that winds through treacherous mountains, around blazing deserts, and across endless miles of the Russian steppe. Before the advent of wheeled travel, merchants who ventured on the Silk Road had to have a constant supply of fresh horses to complete their journey.

Today’s Silk Road may not require fresh horses, but it does require different trains. The route pushes through Russia, Kazakstan, Belarus, Poland, Belgium, and finally France, all before it arrives in London. Because each country has different rail gauges on its train lines, the same train can’t complete the entire journey.

--

By Dawn Henderson, Earth.com Staff Writer

Reopened Silk Road route swaps horses for trains

Reopened Silk Road route swaps horses for trains. Hundreds of...

A female zebra shark in Australia has confirmed what women everywhere have long suspected: men are overrated. She did this by getting pregnant all by herself.

To be clear, her most recent pregnancy was accomplished solo. Leonie the zebra shark had a male companion from 1999 to 2012, when he was moved to a different tank. During that time, the pair gave birth to a whopping two dozen babies.

After her mate was moved, Leonie didn’t let that deter her from joining the Mommy Club yet again. She surprised her caretakers by giving birth to three baby <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/kiribati-establishes-shark-sanctuary/">sharks</a> in 2016. 

How is this possible? <a href="http://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Brisbane</a> researcher Christine Dudgeon and her colleagues have cycled through a few theories.

At first, they thought perhaps the female zebra shark was able to turn her body into a sperm bank. This would allow her to use her ex’s sperm to fertilize her eggs at will. Upon further investigation, they found that the baby sharks were only carrying one set of DNA – that of their mother. Congratulations, Leonie’s ex: you are not the father!

This means that Leonie had her babies via asexual reproduction. This is quite common in many vertebrate species such as sharks, snakes, Komodo dragons, rays, and turkeys. Where Leonie has scientists baffled is that while asexual reproduction is typical for females who have never had a male partner, it’s virtually unheard of in females who have previously mated with males. 

Animals who move from sexual to asexual reproduction is a phenomenon that will require more study. Researchers like Dudgeon believe that it’s possible that this kind of switch occurs more often than scientists realize; they just didn’t know to look for it before.

--

By Dawn Henderson, Earth.com Staff Writer

Female zebra shark reproduces without a male

A female zebra shark in Australia has confirmed what women...

As the ice crack grows, scientists hurry to move their lab 

Imagine doing work on a research station that’s in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/strong-ocean-waves-antarctic-ice/">Antarctic</a> and situated on top of the ice. Now imagine that your team discovers a large, growing ice crack. And then they discover a second one.

That’s exactly what happened at the Halley VI Research Station this winter. Home to the<a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk"> British Antarctic Survey</a>, the research station is the location where scientists first discovered the hole in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-antarctic-ozone-layer-is-healing/">ozone layer</a>. It does research on climate change, extreme space weather events, and various atmospheric phenomena. 

Scientists were aware of the first fissure and knew that a move was inevitable. It has laid dormant for over 30 years and began opening in 2012. By the next year, the pace had accelerated and the fissure began expanding at an incredible one mile per year. 

The discovery of the second fissure has sped up the moving process. It poses an immediate concern because it has appeared along a route that’s often used to deliver supplies to the base. Scientists are now working to move the research station 14 miles across the Brunt Ice Shelf. If the station stays put, it could slide into a vast chasm in the ice by 2020.

Although there is currently no risk posed to people working at the station, scientists shut it down out of an abundance of precaution. (An excellent idea when working around ice chasms.) They’ll remove all of the people stationed there before the Antarctic winter ends. It runs from March to November.

Thankfully, the Halley VI Research station was meant to be mobile. It can be broken into eight modules and moved with tractors. Director of Operations Tim Stockings says that it was created this way so that it could be moved inland if the need arose.

<a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-10.11.37-AM.png"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-130400" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-10.11.37-AM-300x180.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-10-11-37-am" width="300" height="180" /></a> <a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-10.12.25-AM.png"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-130399" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-10.12.25-AM-300x219.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-01-17-at-10-12-25-am" width="300" height="219" /></a> <a href="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-10.13.02-AM.png"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-130398" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-17-at-10.13.02-AM-300x188.png" alt="Scientists at the Halley VI Research Station in Antarctica have discovered that the station is located on a large, growing ice crack." width="300" height="188" /></a>

--

By Dawn Henderson, Earth.com Staff Writer

Photos: <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a>

Anctarctic scientists fear falling into an ice crack

As the ice crack grows, scientists hurry to move their...

A new bill in Wyoming’s Legislature would penalize electric utilities that sell solar and wind energy to the state’s residents.

<a href="http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2017/Introduced/SF0071.pdf">Senate File No. SF0071</a> would require electric utilities selling power to Wyoming citizens to generate 95 percent of power from “eligible resources” in 2018. By 2019, that would go up to 100 percent.

So what are eligible resources under the proposal?
<ul>
 	<li>Coal</li>
 	<li>Hydroelectric</li>
 	<li>Natural gas</li>
 	<li>Net metering systems like backyard solar or wind projects intended for individual use</li>
 	<li>Nuclear</li>
 	<li>Oil</li>
</ul>
Under the new proposal, electric utilities that generate wind power or solar power would be charged $10 per megawatt hour that they sell to Wyoming customers.

Electric utilities would still be able to generate power from wind and solar, they would just have to sell that energy out-of-state to avoid penalties.

Lawmakers behind the bill called it a way to protect Wyoming’s fossil fuel industries. About 90 percent of Wyoming's power comes from coal, according to the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=WY#tabs-4">U.S. Energy Information Administration</a>. The state – the least populous in the U.S. – accounts for more than 40 percent of the coal mined in the country.

“Our mines are first class and reclamation is second to none. Our air is pristine and wildlife flourishes. Wyoming holds the gold standard when it comes to mining and drilling,” co-sponsor <a href="http://scottclem.com/fossil-fuels/">Rep. Scott Clem</a> wrote on his website. “... These industries have created thousands of jobs.”

But environmental groups have criticized the bill.

“It would be very difficult to implement, difficult to regulate,” attorney Shannon Anderson told the <a href="http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/bill-would-penalize-utilities-for-wind-generated-electricity-for-wyoming/article_363d8812-4a01-5895-809c-36583f22dd0b.html">Billings Gazette</a>. “It goes against longstanding precedent to choose least-cost resources, and it ignores the reality of a multi-state grid.”

Anderson represents the <a href="http://www.powderriverbasin.org/">Powder River Basin Resource Council</a>, an organization that works to preserve rural Wyoming.

Rep. David Miller, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, admitted to <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/12012017/wyoming-coal-wind-energy-solar-energy-climate-change-denial">InsideClimate News</a> that the bill’s chances of passing are low.

Wyoming already has the nation's only tax on wind power, charging $1 per megawatt hour of wind energy produced in the state. <a href="http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2017/Introduced/HB0127.pdf">Another bill</a> introduced this session would increase that tax if passed.

Wyoming could target solar, wind energy with new law

A new bill in Wyoming’s Legislature would penalize electric utilities...

Your world: Instagram California rainstorms. As we <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/catastrophic-drought-california/">reported</a> earlier today, a series of strong California rainstorms have brought much needed rain to the Golden State and eased worries about the ongoing severe drought. While the windy, wet weather was good news for the environment, it was less fun for residents, who in many places endured substantial flooding. For a closer look at first-hand accounts of the California rainstorms, we turned to the best of Instagram.

&nbsp;
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7">
<div style="padding: 8px;">
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div>
<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPREL6oBX6b/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enjoying the flooded park from all the rain we've had!! #huskiesofinstagram #huskyphotography #huskygram_ #californiaflood</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by RAE Rising (@raerising) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-15T01:30:50+00:00">Jan 14, 2017 at 5:30pm PST</time>

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7">
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<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div>
<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPF5mIDADOw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#californiaflooding #worklife #winelandwalnut #redline #thatcurrentthough</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Wineland Walnut Inc. (@winelandwalnut) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-10T17:26:38+00:00">Jan 10, 2017 at 9:26am PST</time>

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<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7">
<div style="padding: 8px;">
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 38.00925925925926% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div>
<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPPr-4nFO7k/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#visitsacramento #visitcalifornia #beautifulsacramento #beautifulcalifornia #sacramento #sacramentoflood #californiaflood #flood #americanriver #americanriverflood #nature #godgivethewestcoastlotsofrain #godgivethewestcoastasuperblizzardstorm #rainbowwarriors #shamanicweathermagic</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Joe Eigo (@joeeigo) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-14T12:40:05+00:00">Jan 14, 2017 at 4:40am PST</time>

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7">
<div style="padding: 8px;">
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div>
<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPOpzBnFmfP/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">That river level 😳 #sacramento #oldsac #californiaflood #californiastorm2017 #californiawinter #wheredidthetreesgo #treesunderwater #floodedriver</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Mizelle Sies (@mizellous) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-14T03:01:45+00:00">Jan 13, 2017 at 7:01pm PST</time>

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7">
<div style="padding: 8px;">
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div>
<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPNhhqzDcvJ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A week ago @taylor_shoeman and I drove over these bridges and he asked if I had ever seen water or if it was just a dried up sandy river bed. Good to know they built these bridges high enough for a reason. The weather here certainly is different from back east, that's for sure. #californiarain #atmosphericriver</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Talia Mobley (@taliaeve) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-13T16:30:14+00:00">Jan 13, 2017 at 8:30am PST</time>

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<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 33.31578947368421% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div>
<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BAOJoMnFPeP/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A driver climbs out of a window of his car after driving into a flooded road in Van Nuys, California on Tuesday. An El Nino-strengthened storm brought widespread rain to drought-stricken California on Tuesday, triggering flooding that clogged roadways, and authorities warned residents about possible mudslides. Gene Blevins, Reuters See more: bit.ly/abs-cbnphotos #elniño #californiaflooding</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by ABS-CBN News (@abscbnnews) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2016-01-07T02:29:45+00:00">Jan 6, 2016 at 6:29pm PST</time>

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<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 62.5% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div>
<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPOVDDggSB2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Never seen the water this high before #CaliforniaFlooding #towerbridge</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Ryan Duggan (@duggan_r) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-14T00:00:27+00:00">Jan 13, 2017 at 4:00pm PST</time>

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<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPCQPcwjRWT/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This flooded vineyard sign said, "irrigated with reclaimed water. Do not drink." So I stopped #kayaking down the street to take in some fresh water from the sky. #sebastopol #sebastopolflood #californiaflood #roadclosure</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Janel Healy (@janelmarie1121) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-09T07:27:33+00:00">Jan 8, 2017 at 11:27pm PST</time>

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<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPOgVNxDiwD/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Today is not a beach day - - - - #summerhomepark #californiaflood #flood #sonomacounty #insonoma #forestville #January2017</a>
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Your world: Instagram California rainstorms

Your world: Instagram California rainstorms. As we reported earlier today,...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

<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://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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