For something you can’t see with the naked eye, algae sure know how to shake things up. Around 14,000 years ago, microscopic Antarctic algae helped slow down global warming by pulling huge amounts of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.



Scientists just figured out how they did it - and why the same process that once helped cool the planet could play a critical role in shaping the future of our climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antarctic-algae-changed-the-climate">Antarctic Algae changed the climate</h2>



Back then, Earth was gradually warming after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/">last ice age</a>. However, something unusual occurred in the Southern Hemisphere: the warming paused. 



This period, referred to as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-co2-will-cause-rapid-climate-change-in-the-tropical-andes/">Antarctic Cold Reversal</a>, was a time when sea ice expanded quickly in winter and melted quickly in spring. That spring melt converted the Southern Ocean into a super buffet for a particular type of algae, Phaeocystis.



These tiny ocean plants went wild. They multiplied, and in doing so, they pulled vast quantities of carbon dioxide - one of the primary drivers of global warming - out of the atmosphere and stored it away in the sea.



Here’s the twist: until now, we had no idea <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-ice-loss-alters-the-color-of-ocean-light-and-life-struggles-to-adapt/">Phaeocystis</a> even played a role. Scientists couldn’t find any trace of them in the usual fossil records. 



Now, thanks to a new method that recovers ancient DNA from the ocean floor, researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany have filled in this crucial missing piece of the climate puzzle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unlocking-antarctica-s-hidden-record">Unlocking Antarctica’s hidden record</h2>



The team studied a sediment core taken from nearly 2,000 feet deep in the Bransfield Strait, just off the Antarctic Peninsula. Layer by layer, this core preserves snapshots of ocean history going back 14,000 years.



By analyzing the ancient DNA trapped in that sediment, the scientists found genetic fingerprints of Phaeocystis during the cold reversal period. No one had ever identified these algae in the past using standard geochemical methods.



“Our study shows that these algal blooms contributed to a significant reduction in global atmospheric CO2 levels during a climatically important transition phase characterized by high sea ice extent,” said Josefine Friederike Weiß from the <a href="https://www.awi.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alfred Wegener Institute</a>, lead author of the study.



They also measured something else: a high ratio of barium to iron in the sediment. That ratio is tied to how much organic material - like dead algae - sinks to the seafloor. In this case, the data pointed to intense algal growth during times of heavy spring melt.



“The further the sea ice expands in winter, the larger the area in spring where nutrient-rich meltwater enters the surface sea - and therefore the zone where Phaeocystis algae find ideal growth conditions. As a result, greater sea ice extent leads directly to a larger region with high algal productivity.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-today-s-melting-ice-is-a-warning">Why today’s melting ice is a warning</h2>



The same Phaeocystis algae that once helped cool the world are now struggling to survive. With <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rapid-antarctic-sea-ice-loss-is-causing-severe-storms-around-the-world/">Antarctic sea ice</a> declining at a record rate, the conditions that previously drove these algae blooms are vanishing.



That’s not just bad news for the algae. These blooms power entire food webs. They feed tiny animals, which feed fish, which in turn feed everything from squid to seals. If Phaeocystis disappears, the whole system could unravel.



Even worse, these algae are really good at one specific job: getting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-ocean-holds-carbon-hidden-mechanisms-revealed/">carbon</a> to sink deep into the ocean. Losing them could mean more carbon sticks around in the atmosphere, heating the planet faster.



And there’s another concern. Phaeocystis releases a gas called dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which helps form clouds. More clouds mean more sunlight bounces back into space. Fewer algae mean fewer clouds. That’s one more way climate change could end up feeding on itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antarctic-algae-holds-future-lessons">Antarctic algae holds future lessons</h2>



The study shows why scientists must look beyond conventional methods. By combining geological tools with DNA analysis, researchers are creating a more accurate picture of how the ocean shapes our climate - and how it might respond in the future.



The research also highlights a larger trend in climate science. For years, scientists focused mainly on ice cores and chemical markers.



Now, by analyzing the genetic material of ancient microbes, we can see what species were doing during pivotal climate events - and what those behaviors could mean for us today.



This is important because forecasting future climate change isn’t only about tracking temperature or carbon levels. It’s about understanding the living systems that help regulate them - such as the algae and the seas they inhabit.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01761-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



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Antarctic algae that once cooled Earth are now disappearing

For something you can’t see with the naked eye, algae sure know how to shake things up. Around 14,000 years ago, microscopic Antarctic algae helped slow down global warming by pulling huge amounts of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Scientists just figured out how they did it - and why the same process that once helped cool the planet could play a critical role in shaping the future of our climate. Antarctic Algae changed the climate Back then, Earth was gradually warming after the last ice...

A team of researchers  from George Washington University has published a paper in Current Biology that details their discovery of a new species of dinosaur, which could explain why birds have beaks but no teeth. The dinosaur, Limusaurus inextricabilis, was discovered in the Xinjiang province of China. The team studied 19 skeletons that were found in an ancient “death pit,” where they had become stuck in mud and were unable to escape.

The dinosaurs ranged in age from babies to adults, exhibiting a pattern of tooth loss over time. This age range was important to the researchers for two reasons, as Dr. James Clark outlines, “First, it’s very rare to find a growth series from baby to adult dinosaurs. Second, this unusually dramatic change in anatomy suggests there was a big shift in Limusaurus inextricabilis diet from adolescence to adulthood.”

The baby skeleton had small, sharp teeth, while the adult skeletons had no teeth at all and did not appear to grow another set as adults. This may indicate that the young Limusaurus were carnivores or omnivores, while the adults were herbivores. Generally, a change in tooth structure or loss of teeth is indicative of a diet change as well. The chemical makeup of the dinosaurs’ bones also supports the team’s theory of a diet change between babies and adults.

Limusaurus is a part of the theropod group of dinosaurs, which are the evolutionary ancestors of birds. Scientists believe that these fossils may help show how theropods such as birds lost their teeth, initially going through anatomical changes during development from infancy to adulthood.

Josef Stiegler, a co-author on the paper, reiterates the importance of these fossil findings, “For most dinosaur species we have few specimens and a very incomplete understanding of their developmental biology. The large sample size of Limusaurus allowed us to use several lines of evidence including the morphology, microstructure, and stable isotopic composition of the fossil bones to understand development and dietary changes in this animal.”

[caption id="attachment_128002" align="aligncenter" width="750"]<img class="size-full wp-image-128002" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Limusaurus-inextricabilis-GWU.jpg" alt="Limusaurus inextricabilis fossil. Credit: GWU" width="750" height="301" /> Limusaurus inextricabilis fossil. Credit: GWU[/caption]

---

Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz/<a href="http://www.gwu.edu">George Washington University</a>

Limusaurus inextricabilis: Strange new dinosaur species lost their teeth as adults

A team of researchers  from George Washington University has published...

The Bear River Watershed Conservation Area was established Thursday, covering a total of 7,000-square-miles in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. This project has been in the public planning stages for years and included an environmental assessment, with the initial plan having been completed in 2013.

Officials at the <a href="http://www.usfws.gov">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services </a>say that this is part of a plan to protect wildlife habitat by buying perpetual conservation easements from private landowners. These easements will help preserve agricultural lands that are being increasingly converted into residential developments. In the process, the wildlife that uses these lands will be protected from habitat destruction.

This conservation area includes national wildlife refuges in each of the three Western states, as well as the 500-mile Bear River that flows into the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. The Bear River begins in the Uinta Mountains in Utah and flows north into Wyoming before turning into Idaho and flowing south back into Utah. This river is unique in that it has no outlet to the ocean and it ends its winding 500-mile path just a mere 60 miles from where it originates.

This conservation effort is important, as the Bear River watershed is an integral ecosystem for migrating birds traveling over the Central and Pacific flyways. It also links migratory routes for elk, pronghorn, and other mammals.

Conservation easements such as this one generally allow traditional activities such as livestock grazing and haying, but prohibit subdivisions or conservation of the native grassland into land for crops. This land stays under private ownership, with public access being controlled by the landowner.

Fish and Wildlife reported that it received a 30-acre conservation easement donation back in June in Box Elder County, Utah. After review and approval of the donation, a notice was posted in the Federal Register formally announcing the establishment of the Bear River Watershed conservation area.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services says that they had received wide interest in the conservation area prior to its formation. Bob Barrett, project leader and manager of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge for Fish and Wildlife in Utah, noted, “The sense of good land stewardship is widely shared in all three states.”

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Bear River Watershed Conservation Area established in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming

The Bear River Watershed Conservation Area was established Thursday, covering...

A study published in Current Biology finds that baby reef fish may have an internal magnetic ‘compass” that can direct them home at night when there is no sun or stars to guide them.

Professor Mike Kingsford of <a href="https://www.jcu.edu.au/">James Cook University</a> collaborated with colleagues in Germany to discover how baby Cardinal fish are able to find their home reef in the darkness of night. During this study, the researchers set up an isolated magnetic field that they could manipulate in order to observe how the fish reacted.

Professor Kingsford noted, “Normally, baby reef fish orientated to the southeast, but when we altered the magnetic field clockwise by 120 degrees, there was a significant change in the direction the fish swam. They all turned further west, thinking they were still on track to their destination.”

Their results showed that fish larvae can use a magnetic sense to point them in the direction of home. Previous research done by this team has shown that these fish begin a “homing process” when they get closer to their target, relying on odor, sounds, and landmarks to find their home reef.

Other studies have shown that birds, marine mammals, sharks, and boney fish have a similar internal compass. However, this most recent study is the first clear indication that baby reef fish use magnetic senses to orient themselves at night.

Reef fish hatch from eggs into larvae and then disperse for days to months out in the ocean before finding another reef or returning home. It is believed that once they find a reef, they generally stay there for the rest of their lives.

Professor Kingsford elaborated, “The study tells us these baby fish actually have brains. They know where they are going and are strong swimmers. As a result, they have some control over the reef they end up on. It’s not just about being led by the currents.”

He thinks that this knowledge can be used further down the road to develop more accurate models of where fish larvae go, which can be used determine the best method for protecting and maintaining sustainable fish stocks.

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Baby reef fish use an internal magnetic compass to find their way home

A study published in Current Biology finds that baby reef...

In its final weeks, the Obama administration is turning its attention to oil pipeline safety. A 176,000-gallon spill in North Dakota earlier this month rekindled pipeline safety concerns.

A proposal by the U.S. Department of Transportation is intended to help prevent future accidents in the 200,000 miles of pipeline across the country. These pipelines carry crude, gasoline, and other hazardous liquids.

While advocates say the oil pipeline safety legislation is long overdue, critics say the new rule would cost pipeline companies too much to comply. Others believe the rule will be shot down by the Trump administration regardless of the outcome.

If approved, pipeline owners would be forced to repair traces of corrosion and microscopic cracks immediately. Currently, the companies are allowed to monitor minor issues and schedule repairs when needed.

<a href="http://www.aopl.org/">Association of Oil Pipelines</a> Vice President John Stoody said that this new repair criteria "has the potential to distract us away from higher-priority safety issues."

Representatives of the pipeline industry estimate compliance with the new oil pipeline safety rule would cost companies over $600 million a year. This is almost 30 times the cost estimated by the government.

In a cost-benefit analysis, the <a href="http://www.pi.ac.ae/">Petroleum Institute</a> criticized the proposal, calling it a "significant expansion of regulatory oversight."

Drafting of this rule began after a pipeline accident in Michigan resulted in one million gallons of oil in the Kalamazoo River. Over the last ten years, thousands of oil pipeline accidents have caused over $2.5 billion in damages in the United States.

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Credit: Earth.com author Chrissy Sexton

Oil pipeline safety faces uncertain future under Trump

In its final weeks, the Obama administration is turning its...

Millions of people use global roads every day to get to work, school, home, and everywhere else on the planet. But what people don’t realize is while these global roads are helping those on Earth, they’re harming the planet itself.

A recent study published in <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/journals">Science journal</a> has found roads around the world have broken the planet into about 600,000 pieces – even the areas without any roads at all.

“About 80 percent of Earth’s terrestrial surface remains roadless, but this area is fragmented into [about] 600,000 patches, more than half of which are [less than] [.4 square mile],” according to the study.

Only seven percent of those areas are larger than 37 square miles.

Researchers who conducted the study found roads are “rapidly contributing to habitat degradation and species loss,” because the damage roads can cause extends about one kilometer from where the road physically lies.

The areas in need of protection are lacking in just that, researchers said, with only nine percent of the areas – the ones seen as “valuable” – having protection.

“In many cases [the valuable roadless areas] represent remaining tracks of extensive functional ecosystems, and are of key significance to ecological processes, such as regulating the hydrological cycle and the climate,” Pierre Ibisch, lead author of the study, told DailyMail.

Ibisch and his research team used datasets OpenStreetMap and gROADS, along with 282 publications that assess roads. The data encompassed information from 22 million miles of roads around the world – the best information available, even though the set is incomplete, researchers said.

The findings showed 600,000 fragments of land that had been separated by existing roads.

Roads can also cause problems within the surrounding ecosystems, like an interruption of gene flow in animals, an increase in pests, water contamination and soil erosion, researchers said.

Roads can also cause what researchers called “contagious development:” when existing roads inspires the construction of more roads.

“As roads continue to expand, there is an urgent need for a global strategy for the effective conservation, restoration, and monitoring of roadless areas and the ecosystems they comprise,” Ibisch said. “We urge governments to avoid the costly building of roads in remote areas, which would be ecologically disastrous.”

[caption id="attachment_127955" align="aligncenter" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-127955" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/earth-roads2.jpg" alt="Image credit: Pierre Ibisch" width="750" height="345" /> Image credit: Pierre Ibisch[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_127956" align="aligncenter" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-127956" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/earth-roads.jpg" alt="Image credit: Pierre Ibisch" width="750" height="291" /> Image credit: Pierre Ibisch[/caption]

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Credit: Earth.com author Laura Porecca

Global roads have fragmented the planet into 600,000 pieces

Millions of people use global roads every day to get...

Sustainable, green energy sources like solar electricity and wind farms have experienced great growth in recent years with the support of President Barack Obama and other government players.

Supporters of green energy are trying to remain hopeful of a sustainable future despite President-elect Trump’s favoring of fossil fuel emissions and oil fracking, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Green energy producers also remain optimistic of their future because of their positive effects on the planet and the economy.

“We’re looking forward to competing with other energy sources as a low-cost option,” Tom Kimbis, interim president of the <a href="http://www.seia.org/">Solar Energy Industries Association</a>, told AP.

The sustainable energy industry has seen great success as a low-cost resource for many, resulting in the closing of coal plants throughout the nation. Using wind turbines and solar panels for energy instead of coal creates revenue and jobs.

Obama is accredited with increasing the success of green resources because of his creation of thousands of jobs within the industry, said Gina McCarthy, outgoing head of the <a href="http://www.epa.gov">Environmental Protection Agency</a>.

“The train to a global clean-energy future has already left the station,” McCarthy told AP last month. “We can choose to get on board – to lead – or we can choose to be left behind, to stand stubbornly.”

Trump’s presidential campaign was outwardly fossil fuel-friendly. The President-elect also vowed on the campaign trail to revive the coal industry and open up drilling for oil in the Atlantic Ocean. To combat this, Obama signed executive orders preventing oil and gas leasing in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

Trump also discredited green resources by deeming solar energy an “unproven technology” and wind power a “very, very poor source of energy,” according to AP.

The President-elect’s Cabinet selections share similar views on energy resources, with ex-Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke strongly supporting the fossil fuel industry. This has caused concern for environmentalists, but has not shaken their stance.

Tom Kiernan, chief executive of the American Wind Energy Association, referred to wind power as a “mainstream energy source.” Nathanael Greene, director of renewable policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said “impeding process toward a cleaner future, on the basis of ignorance or ideology, makes no sense.”

“An unstoppable shift to a cleaner energy economy is underway,” Kiernan said.

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Credit: Earth.com author Laura Porecca

Green energy supporters stand strong in the face of Trump’s future

Sustainable, green energy sources like solar electricity and wind farms...

Scientist have discovered that climate change affects microbial biodiversity most strongly in natural and nutritious environments. This means that these environments are most prone to future changes in temperatures.

The study results were published in the highly-acclaimed journal Nature Communications.

Based on a broad geographical scale, we know very little about the specific impacts of climate change and human activity, such as nutrient enrichment of waterways. Researchers from the Department of Geosciences and Geography at the <a href="http://www.helsinki.fi/university/">University of Helsinki</a>, the Finnish Environment Institute, the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, and Chinese Academy of Sciences have studied hundreds of microcosms in mountainous regions. The study involved aid from natural temperature gradients and the modification of enrichment levels in field tests.

The results indicate that bacteria in elevated tropical areas are similar to those in arctic areas. “As a result of changes in temperature and aquatic enrichment, significant alterations occur in the microcosms, and as the enrichment increases, biodiversity reduces,” says Associate Professor Janne Soininen.

Species are adaptable to severe conditions are in danger

Experiments in mountainous regions indicate that knowing the difference between effects of temperature variations and aquatic nutrient enrichment can help us understand the possible effects of climate change on microbial biodiversity in different environments.

For example, severe less nutritious waters in the north are extremely prone to temperature variations, and species that have adapted to the cold will decline as the climate warms up. The good news is that biodiversity has a chance to improve at first as the climate warms up. Species that thrive in warmer areas increase until biodiversity again starts to decline when the temperature continues to rise.

Another significant finding in this research was that, like plants and animals, different species of bacteria clearly live at different levels of elevation, and the bacteria in high mountain areas in the tropics are similar to bacteria in arctic areas, due to the similar cold climate.

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Credit: Earth.com author John Thomas

Microbial biodiversity is impacted by climate change in different ways

Scientist have discovered that climate change affects microbial biodiversity most...

A recent study finds that extreme drought conditions could lead to events as destructive as the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. This comes as a surprise considering the advances in technology and agriculture over the last 80 years. The study also concludes that rising temperatures will ultimately result in crop damage more devastating than that of the Dust Bowl era, regardless of precipitation levels.

During their analysis, research scientists Michael Glotter and Joshua Elliott of the <a href="http://www.uchicago.edu">University of Chicago</a> simulated the catastrophic weather events of the 1930s. The goal was to project the impact climate change may have on maize, soy, and wheat crops. The team set out to determine whether or not an extreme drought today could result in the desolation of the Dust Bowl.

“We expected to find the system much more resilient because 30 percent of production is now irrigated in the United States, and because we’ve abandoned corn production in more severely drought-stricken places such as Oklahoma and west Texas,” said Elliott. “But we found the opposite: The system was just as sensitive to drought and heat as it was in the 1930s.”

The Dust Bowl was caused by three different droughts that happened between 1930 and 1936. Wheat yields declined by as much as 32 percent. Throughout the Great Plains states, land lost its value and millions of people were displaced.

Agricultural practices have changed dramatically over the last eight decades. Focus has been placed on higher yields, while there has been much less focus on resistance to severe weather such as extreme heat or drought conditions. For this reason, the study projects a 30 percent decline in wheat yield, as well as a 40 percent loss of maize and soy yields in an event on the scale of the 1936 drought.

“Technology has evolved to make yields as high as possible in normal years. But as extreme events become more frequent and severe, we may have to reframe how we breed crops and select for variance and resilience, not just for average yield,” said Glotter.

To make matters worse, the study also reveals the catastrophic effect that rising temperatures may have on crops. The research shows that a jump in average temperatures by only four degrees will double the destruction witnessed in the drought of 1936. In this scenario, the crop yield will be reduced by as much as 80 percent. Considering this climate change may become reality by the middle of the century, new agricultural techniques must be adopted. New strains of crops must be developed that are both heat-resistant and drought-resistant.

“Reducing emissions will be critical to avoiding some of the worst damages from extreme weather in a changing climate,” Glotter stated. “But even in the best case scenarios, climate change is expected to alter the severity and frequency of future droughts. Understanding the interactions of weather extremes and a changing agricultural system is therefore critical to effectively prepare for and respond to the next Dust Bowl.”

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Credit: Earth.com author Chrissy Sexton

Climate change could lead to a new Dust Bowl despite technological advances

A recent study finds that extreme drought conditions could lead...

Researchers led by the <a href="http://www.manchester.ac.uk/">University of Manchester</a> examined the remains of volcanic eruptions to help predict the behavior of future volcanic eruptions. Based on the findings of this study, a model was developed to inform civil defense agencies of ways to prepare for the impact of volcanic activity. This research may also provide insight for lawmakers to create a plan for dealing with a volcano crisis.

Mike Burton, a professor of volcanology, led a team of experts from Manchester and Italy to analyze the 2001 eruption of Mt. Etna, which is the tallest active volcano in Europe. The study was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and the European Research Council.

The team combined modelling and observations of the 2001 event during their research. The study examined how basalt magmas erupt. This magma rises so quickly during a volcanic eruption that crystals do not have time to form. They “calculated the growth rate of crystals during ascent,” which Burton explained is “a key parameter in modelling future eruptions."

Gas and aerosol inhalation resulting from volcanic eruptions in Iceland are an official threat to the UK. This makes forecasting future volcanic episodes particularly important to the region.

“Studying how these magmas erupts will put us in a better position to judge impacts and will help policy-makers during crises,” explained Professor Burton.

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Credit: Earth.com author Chrissy Sexton

Scientists develop new model to predict volcanic eruptions

Researchers led by the University of Manchester examined the remains...

A recently discovered tropical fish species,  Tosanoides obama, has been named after President Barack Obama.

Scientists from the <a href="http://www.bishopmuseum.org">Bishop Museum</a>, the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)</a> and the <a href="http://www.marineexploration.org">Association for Marine Exploration</a> published the official description of the coral reef fish today.

The fish, given the scientific name Tosanoides obama, is named in honor of the president due to his work in expanding the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the Hawaiian marine park where the fish was discovered.

"We decided to name this fish after President Obama to recognize his efforts to protect and preserve the natural environment, including the expansion of Papahānaumokuākea," said Richard Pyle, Bishop Museum scientist and lead author of the study.

Obama expanded the marine park in August at the requests of Hawaiian scientists, conservationists and Sen. Brian Schatz. Papahānaumokuākea is the largest protected marine area on the planet, at 582,578 square miles.

Members of NOAA discovered and collected the fish in Papahānaumokuākea during a dive at Kure Atoll, the highest latitude coral atoll in the world.

The fish, a kind of basslet, is small, pink and yellow. The males’ dorsal fins have a spot near the tail with blue edges and a red and yellow striped center, which inspired the name, Pyle said.

“The spot on the males is reminiscent of President Obama's campaign logo," he said. "It seemed especially appropriate for a fish named in honor of the president."

The fish is extra special because it is endemic to Papahānaumokuākea, meaning it can’t be found anywhere else on Earth, said NOAA scientist Randall Kosaki,

The Tosanoides genus holds two other species in the tropical northwestern Pacific Ocean. Basslets are often found in coral reefs, and are also popular in saltwater aquariums.

Obama first saw the fish named after him in September when ocean explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle gave him a photograph. The exchange can be seen on an upcoming National Geographic special “Sea of Hope,” set to air Jan. 15, 2017.

The announcement of the Tosanoides obama follows the naming of the Prognathodes basabei, a new species of butterflyfish, which occurred earlier this year.

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Credit: Earth.com author Laura Porecca

Tosanoides obama : New fish species named after President Barack Obama

A recently discovered tropical fish species,  Tosanoides obama, has been...

Migrating raptors often fly toward wind turbines at offshore wind farms, potentially causing death

Offshore wind farms wind farms pose life-threatening risks to birds of prey, according to a study published today in Biology Letters.

The birds, or raptors – including buzzards, falcons and sparrowhawks – are known to avoid flying over open water, researchers said. Instead, these kinds of birds prefer to fly near potential places to land.

This tendency poses the risk of the turbines’ spinning blades killing the birds.

“[This] is probably that birds of prey are quite afraid of flying over open water,” Henrik Skov, an author of the study, told Daily Mail. “For a raptor, it looks less risky to fly towards a wind farm than to fly over open water.”

Raptors generally prefer to migrate across narrow bodies of water because they alternate between soaring and gliding, Daily Mail reported. They often “strictly avoid” crossing larger areas of open water.

Researchers conducted the study by monitoring birds’ migration during autumn 2010 and 2011 in Denmark, through laser range finders and radar. Birds of prey showed the greatest attraction to the offshore wind farms during times of strong winds.

The monitoring took place at the Rodsand II wind farm in the Baltic Sea.

When the migrations were compared against areas with and without wind farms, overall results showed the birds flew toward the offshore wind farms 49 percent of the time, according to the study, and flew toward the areas without farms 40 percent of the time.

“All raptor species displayed a significant attraction behavior towards a wind farm,” according to the study.

Sea birds, on the other hand, do not show this tendency.

Birds like sea gulls are unafraid of open waters, and are therefore not attracted to the turbines, Daily Mail reported.

“Sea birds … don’t experience the open water as being so hostile,” Skov said.

The study has brought attention to the issue of how wind farms affect wildlife, said the <a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/">Royal Society for Protection of Birds</a>, an English bird protection charity. Each wind farm should be assessed for any potential risks toward wildlife, they said, to ensure animal safety.

“While we need to generate more electricity through renewable sources, this must be delivered in harmony with nature,” said the RSPB spokesperson.

The wind farm industry responded with the promise to aim toward preserving wildlife.

The spokesperson told Daily Mail the industry as a whole puts a great effort into keeping animals and the environment safe and clean before and after constructing a farm.

“We will continue to do our utmost to ensure that wind farms and conservation go hand in hand,” the spokesperson said.

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Credit: Earth.com author Laura Porecca/<a href="http://www.au.dk/en/">Aarhus University</a>

Offshore wind farms pose a risk to birds of prey

Migrating raptors often fly toward wind turbines at offshore wind...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the binational Jaguar Recovery Team have joined forces and drafted a jaguar recovery plan, which is currently a “near threatened” species. This plan will allow agencies and organizations in the U.S. and Mexico to streamline their efforts to stop the population decline of these big cats.

The jaguar’s population has been severely depleted, especially in parts of Mexico and the United States. The major factors of this population decline are loss of habitat, direct killing of the species, and depletion of prey. Although the draft plan sets goals for improving the species’ status throughout its entire 19-country range, the plan mainly focuses on northwest Mexico and the southwest United States.

Two extensive jaguar recovery units – the Pan-American Recovery Unit and the Northwestern Recovery Unit – will focus on the areas from eastern Mexico to northern Argentina and from western Mexico to the southwest United States respectively.

However, jaguar reintroductions will not be occurring in the United States, as the binational recovery team will be instead focusing on efforts to sustain habitat, eliminate poaching, and improve social acceptance of the jaguar. This way, the population can most effectively rebound and contribute to the rest of the species’ recovery.

Steve Spangle, the Arizona Field Supervisor for the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a>, said, “We’re grateful for the recovery team’s scientific expertise and thoughtful vision for protecting Americas’ largest cat. We recognize the significant challenges of recovery planning for an elusive species with such an expansive, international range and are requesting comments and additional information.”

Recovery plans are not regulatory, but they help to provide a framework for the recovery of threatened and endangered species. This jaguar recovery plan includes scientific information about the species, as well as the criteria and actions necessary for it to be removed from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.

It is estimated that this plan will take a minimum of 50 years for the jaguar to fully recover. In order to be successful, it will need to result in the protection of jaguar habitats, the jaguars themselves, and their prey. Otherwise, we might find ourselves losing one of the most iconic species in the Americas.

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Jaguar recovery plan devised to save the majestic cat from extinction

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the binational Jaguar...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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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

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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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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