Wildfires leave behind loss and ruin - charred homes, scorched forests, communities upended. Yet even in those blackened remnants, Professor Pei Chiu sees an overlooked resource with climate potential.&nbsp;



In his lab at the<a href="https://www.udel.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> University of Delaware</a>, Professor Chiu studies “char,” the carbon-rich residue produced when biomass burns without much oxygen. His team has probed both naturally produced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-risk-is-rapidly-rising-across-the-southern-u-s/">wildfire</a> char and its artificial cousin, biochar.



The researchers uncovered a surprising role of chars: they can help starve methane-producing microbes and tilt microbial communities toward pathways that generate far less climate damage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-wildfire-char-is-everywhere">Why wildfire char is everywhere</h2>



Char forms whenever organic matter is heated at high temperatures with limited <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-oxygen-discovery-deep-ocean-rocks-upends-centuries-of-scientific-beliefs/">oxygen</a>. In nature, that’s wildfires; in industry, it’s pyrolysis, the controlled heating of leftover biomass such as wood chips, corn stalks, rice husks, and other agricultural residues.&nbsp;



Commercial “biochar” is already used to improve soils, blend into compost, and filter stormwater. 



Wildfire char, by contrast, is scattered by the ton across burned landscapes and gradually worked into soils by wind, rain, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-roots-could-be-key-to-fighting-climate-change/">roots</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chars-that-behave-like-batteries">Chars that behave like batteries</h2>



Several years ago, Chiu’s group noticed something striking: chars made by pyrolysis behaved like tiny rechargeable batteries. They could store and release electrons - a property the team calls electron storage capacity (ESC).&nbsp;



That matters because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-aquificales-discovered-in-hot-springs-breathe-oxygen-and-sulfur-at-same-time/">microbes</a> make a living moving electrons around. In oxygen-rich settings, they “breathe” oxygen to accept electrons as they break down sugars. In oxygen-poor places - think landfills, manure pits, waterlogged soils, rice paddies, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wetlands-are-a-hidden-source-of-rising-methane-emissions/">wetlands</a>, or the guts of anaerobic digesters - other organisms take over.&nbsp;



Among the most consequential are methanogens, microbes that churn out <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-have-emerged-as-major-source-of-methane-emissions/">methane</a>, a heat-trapping gas roughly 85 times more potent than CO₂ over the short term and responsible for about a third of current warming.



Chiu’s team showed that char gives many common soil microbes an alternative “breath.” In essence, char can stand in for oxygen as an electron sink, letting beneficial microbes keep metabolizing without ceding the field to methanogens. When that happens, methane production drops.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-wildfires-have-to-do-with-it">What wildfires have to do with it</h2>



Wildfire char has been part of Earth’s carbon cycle for millions of years. That longevity led Chiu to a simple hypothesis: if char has been embedded in soils for eons, microbes likely evolved ways to use it.&nbsp;



Across a range of chars - those born in wildfires and those made in kilns - the team measured substantial ESC, enough to change who thrives in oxygen-limited environments.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-much-charge-are-we-talking-about">How much “charge” are we talking about?</h2>



The numbers are eye-opening. In lab tests, a single gram of char - about a quarter teaspoon - could hold on the order of 10²¹ electrons. Scale that to real-world biomass and the potential grows fast.&nbsp;



U.S. agriculture alone generates roughly 140 million dry tons of crop residues each year (with corn stover and wheat straw leading the way), while forestry adds 60–70 million dry tons more.&nbsp;



Collectively, Chiu noted, chars represent an immense rechargeable, bioavailable reservoir of electrons - he likens it to a “trillion-trillion-trillion” (10³⁶) electrons injected into the global biogeochemical cycle annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-down-methane-naturally">Turning down methane - naturally</h2>



In controlled experiments, all wildfire chars and plant-based biochars tested suppressed methane formation.&nbsp;



The mechanism is elegant: by giving char-“breathing” microbes a competitive edge, the material helps outcompete methanogens, which still produce more than 50% of global methane today.&nbsp;



Unlike a chemical additive that’s used once and gone, char can be reused by microbes repeatedly, serving as a long-lived electron buffer in soils, sediments, and engineered systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cleaner-water-healthier-soils">Cleaner water, healthier soils</h2>



Steering electrons through char doesn’t only curb methane. The same microbial pathways can keep arsenic from mobilizing into drinking water or crops and can remove nitrate and perchlorate from stormwater and groundwater.&nbsp;



That dovetails with biochar’s existing uses in filtration and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-diverse-crops-traps-carbon-and-boosts-soil-health/">soil health</a>, suggesting one material can deliver multiple environmental services at once.



None of this minimizes the devastation of wildfires, which destroy ecosystems, businesses, and lives. But Chiu argues there’s value in learning from what’s left behind.&nbsp;



Wildfire char’s electron-trading ability points to a sustainable lever for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-mitigation-strategies-may-be-endangering-biodiversity/">climate mitigation</a> and pollution control - one built on microbes already common in nature and on carbon materials produced at massive scales, whether by accident (fires) or design (pyrolysis).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-urgency-and-the-hope">Why the urgency - and the hope</h2>



CO₂ rightly dominates climate discussions, but it lingers for 50 to 200 years. Methane is different: far stronger in the near term and with an atmospheric lifetime of about 12 years. That makes near-term methane cuts an unusually fast-acting climate lever.&nbsp;



“If we can find ways to reduce methane, we could see the impact within our lifetimes,” said Professor Chiu.



That promise keeps his team pushing on the basic science: How exactly do microbes “breathe” a solid? How do different chars - from different fires, feedstocks, or kiln settings - shift ESC and microbial behavior?&nbsp;



And how can this knowledge be scaled into landfill covers, livestock waste systems, wetlands restoration, or post-fire land management so that nature’s own electron economy helps dial down a powerful greenhouse gas?



Char, in other words, may be the rare wildfire remnant that points forward.



Study co-authors include doctoral student Jiwon Choi and former graduate student Danhui Xin (now at the <a href="https://www.sccwrp.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern California Coastal Water Research Project</a>).



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c05709" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>.



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From ashes to action: Wildfire char holds a hidden climate solution

Wildfires leave behind loss and ruin - charred homes, scorched forests, communities upended. Yet even in those blackened remnants, Professor Pei Chiu sees an overlooked resource with climate potential.&nbsp; In his lab at the University of Delaware, Professor Chiu studies “char,” the carbon-rich residue produced when biomass burns without much oxygen. His team has probed both naturally produced wildfire char and its artificial cousin, biochar. The researchers uncovered a surprising role of chars: they can help starve methane-producing microbes and tilt microbial communities toward pathways that generate...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ubu.es/english-version" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Burgos</a>, Spain, have found that cross-ventilation is the best type of natural ventilation to maintain healthy air quality inside buildings. 



However, they found that they could not practically apply it in more than half of the existing public buildings they surveyed.



Since the COVID-19 pandemic, recirculated air in public spaces has become a real cause for concern. People need safe access to public spaces. 



Schools, colleges, office spaces, and gyms are essential for a thriving community. But how do we make the air safe?



The researchers developed a replicable model for this. The model assesses the capacity of buildings to maintain good indoor air quality based on real ventilation capacity. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/19/7331" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carbon dioxide</a> (CO₂) concentration is a key marker in the model.



This study proposes that ventilation should be a critical design detail in future public buildings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-co₂-characterizes-air-quality">CO₂ characterizes air quality</h2>



CO₂ levels rise predictably with human respiration. Researchers consider it a reliable marker for the dilution of potentially <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-microbes-are-finding-surprising-new-ways-to-survive">infectious aerosols</a>.



“Good” <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412023004002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air quality indoors</a> is when the difference between CO₂ levels indoors and outdoors is less than 500 ppm. 



European standards call this IDA2 category. IDAs 1- 4 classify indoor air quality for non-residential buildings. The buildings surveyed in this study were located in Móstoles, Spain.



Keeping CO₂ within an IDA category requires a specific ventilation flow rate. For infection control, the study suggests aiming for about three air changes per hour (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_changes_per_hour" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACH</a>).



ACH is a measure of how many times the total volume of air in a room is replaced with fresh air in one hour. 



Only CO₂ levels below 800 ppm are safe. More than five ACH can cause discomfort and be counterproductive for disease control.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-buildings-lack-natural-ventilation">Most buildings lack natural ventilation</h2>



Cross-ventilation is where air can enter and exit through openings on opposite facades or walls. It is the only natural method consistently capable of reaching the recommended ACH. 



Researchers emphasized that good indoor air quality is critical for the health and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132323010119" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">well-being</a> of office workers. It is also imperative to reduce airborne diseases.



Yet about 53% of the 183 analyzed rooms had no possibility for natural ventilation at all!&nbsp;



Only a few spaces with windows could achieve good <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-americans-live-in-areas-without-air-quality-monitoring/">air quality</a> with only natural ventilation. For example, designers planned to accommodate 77 people in the city’s Plenary Hall (City Council). 



However, the study found that it could accommodate only 20 people while maintaining IDA2 conditions - even with every window fully open.



Because of similar issues, just 11% of the rooms met IDA2 occupancy standards.&nbsp;



Between 28% and 57% reached the more modest benchmarks of five or three ACH, depending on room type and density of occupation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-improve-natural-ventilation">How to improve natural ventilation</h2>



The findings make it clear that many existing public buildings do not maintain good <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-and-bushes-near-highways-improve-air-quality/">air quality</a>. Their natural ventilation is inadequate. 



The researchers recommended pairing windows with mechanical ventilation to maintain IDA2 conditions. 



They also demonstrated how to transform simple CO₂ monitoring into a daily operational tool. For example, restricting or staggering admission to a space when thresholds of CO₂ are exceeded. 



Sensors could trigger window openings and not require <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378778816304868" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">manual intervention</a>. This would balance energy efficiency and safety in air-conditioned spaces.



“Natural ventilation is a low-cost, scalable intervention,” the authors noted in the paper. This study did not focus on other air purification methods, like filters or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bioengineered-super-plant-acts-as-natural-indoor-air-purifier/">air purifiers</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-designing-buildings-that-breathe">Designing buildings that breathe</h2>



This study provides an integrated approach to designing healthy buildings. They considered specific ventilation conditions, activity types, and occupancy levels.&nbsp;



The majority of public spaces in this study lacked the architectural design to take advantage of natural ventilation. Therefore, forced or mechanical ventilation needs to be combined with the existing system, making it a hybrid.



The study found that cross-ventilation is the most efficient natural way to dilute indoor contaminants. It requires little capital to operate. 



It can be combined with the monitoring of CO₂ levels to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worker-rights-are-among-the-least-protected-human-rights/">protect occupants</a> dynamically. The effects of poor air quality go beyond the spread of infections to other aspects of respiratory health.



Taken together, these findings suggest that the path forward is twofold. 



Existing buildings need to be upgraded to include hybrid systems where required. Secondly, architects should design all new public buildings to breathe from the start.



The study proposes that incorporating cross-ventilation into building design is an essential step toward creating healthier public spaces.



The study findings were published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4117/6/8/197" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eng.</a>



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Is natural ventilation the key to healthier public spaces?

Researchers at the University of Burgos, Spain, have found that...

Sea levels in the Indian Ocean started rising faster much earlier than scientists had assumed. And the proof isn’t buried in computer models or satellite data - it’s recorded in the skeletons of living coral.



Marine scientists have pieced together a 100-year record of ocean change by studying coral samples from the Maldives. 



The team behind the research comes from the <a href="https://nus.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National University of Singapore</a> (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Their work sheds new light on how quickly the ocean has responded to global warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-time-machine-in-the-indian-ocean">A time machine in the Indian Ocean</h2>



By analyzing coral cores - essentially cross-sections of coral that grow year by year like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-rings-show-amazon-rainfall-is-getting-more-extreme/">tree rings</a> - the team was able to push the sea-level timeline for the Indian Ocean back by another 60 years, reaching all the way to the early 1900s.



This extended record doesn’t just fill in historical blanks. It changes our understanding of how quickly human-driven climate change has impacted the sea.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clear-fingerprint-of-human-activity">Clear fingerprint of human activity</h2>



The research produced two key findings. First, sea-level rise in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/destructive-weather-pattern-may-return-to-the-indian-ocean/">Indian Ocean</a> began accelerating around 1959. That’s decades earlier than satellite data or tide gauge records suggested. 



The timing tracks closely with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-temperature-in-2023-expected-to-be-among-highest-on-record/">global temperature</a> increases and rapid glacial melt - both driven by human activity.



“What we’re seeing is a clear fingerprint of human-driven climate change etched into the skeletons of corals. The early acceleration in sea-level rise is a warning sign that the ocean has been responding to global warming far earlier and more strongly than we thought,” said Professor Paul Kench.



The second key finding is that since the mid-20th century, the Indian Ocean has risen about 30 centimeters. That’s a dramatic shift in a body of water that covers nearly 30% of the world's ocean area and supports around 30% of the global population.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-sea-levels-in-the-indian-ocean">Rising sea levels in the Indian Ocean </h2>



This rise isn’t just a number - it’s a direct threat. For millions living in low-lying coastal areas, higher seas mean more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seeking-ways-to-prevent-flooding-caused-by-climate-change/">flooding</a>, more erosion, more saltwater creeping into freshwater supplies, and more damage to critical ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs.



The Indian Ocean’s changes also affect regions far beyond Asia. Shifts in sea level here influence weather, water resources, food security, and disaster risk around the world.



For Singapore and its Southeast Asian neighbors, this kind of long-term record is a game-changer. It gives climate scientists more accurate data to feed into models. That means better predictions - and better preparation.



The findings can support existing efforts like Singapore’s Coastal-Inland Flood Model and Climate Impact Science Research Programme. With more precise projections, planners can build smarter defenses against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-seas-are-already-toppling-coastal-cities/">rising seas</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-corals-are-reliable-record-keepers">Corals are reliable record-keepers</h2>



What makes this study especially powerful is how clearly it confirms that corals are reliable record-keepers.



As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-single-celled-microbe-is-protecting-corals-from-heat-and-helping-them-survive-climate-change/">corals</a> grow, they build up layers that capture the chemical and physical traits of the surrounding water - temperature, salinity, and sea level. To confirm the accuracy of the records, the team compared coral data with readings from tide gauges and satellites. They found a close match.



Looking ahead, this validation positions coral as a powerful tool for climate science - not only for measuring sea-level change, but also for tracking extreme events such as heatwaves, cooling periods, and droughts.



“These findings have far-reaching implications for climate adaptation planning globally, especially for low-lying and densely populated coastal regions. We hope this work contributes meaningfully to the global dialogue on resilience and preparedness,” said Professor Kench.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-vulnerable-coastal-communities">Protecting vulnerable coastal communities </h2>



This research gives us more than numbers. It offers perspective. Sea levels have been rising longer and faster than we realized. That knowledge gives us a better shot at facing what’s coming next.



For the scientists behind this work, corals aren’t just marine life. They’re storytellers - quietly recording history one layer at a time. 



In this case, corals have compensated for the absence of extended historical records of sea level changes in the central Indian Ocean.



"Such data is critical in the region given the abundance of low-lying coastal areas, and islands, and heightened vulnerability of coastal communities and coastal ecosystems in the Indian Ocean," wrote the researchers.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60972-2">Nature Communications</a>.



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Sea levels have been rising longer and faster than we realized

Sea levels in the Indian Ocean started rising faster much...

Tropical bird populations have fallen hard in recent decades. A new analysis reports that human-driven heat extremes cut tropical bird abundance by 25 to 38 percent between 1950 and 2020 when compared to a world without warming.



The effects ripple far beyond any single forest. Tropical forests hold the largest share of the world’s bird diversity, with research indicating that about 72 percent of bird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-are-struggling-to-keep-pace-with-a-warming-climate/">species</a> live in these ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tropical-bird-declining-numbers">Tropical bird declining numbers</h2>



To investigate, Maximilian Kotz worked with colleagues at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (<a href="https://www.bsc.es/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BSC</a>) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (<a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PIK</a>), alongside James E. M. Watson and Tatsuya Amano at the University of Queensland (<a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UQ</a>).



The team coupled long term bird population records from the <a href="https://www.livingplanetindex.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Living Planet Index</a> with daily weather records to test how temperature spikes and rainfall shifts affect annual changes in abundance. 



The researchers used ERA5, a global reanalysis that blends observations and models to reconstruct historical weather, to ensure consistent daily data across decades.



They analyzed the data to determine how much of the extreme heat exposure could be traced directly to human-driven warming. "As far as we are aware, this is the first animal climate attribution study,” said Kotz. 



Across the tropics, the frequency of dangerously hot days has surged. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-may-be-using-quantum-physics-for-migration/">Birds</a> there now experience roughly ten times as many extreme heat days as they did several decades ago - a shift that lines up with the observed declines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-kills-tropical-birds">Heat kills tropical birds</h2>



Birds maintain high body temperatures and have tight thermal limits. When air temperatures spike, the path to hyperthermia is short, and the main emergency response is evaporative cooling through rapid breathing and related behaviors that trade water for heat loss.



That trade-off gets riskier as hot periods lengthen. Evidence shows that humidity pushes bodies toward lethal overheating faster, shrinking the margin for survival during hot spells in warm climates.



Heat stress also carries delayed costs. Birds that avoid immediate mortality can leave the breeding season lighter and less fit, which reduces nesting success and the number of young that reach independence.



These mechanisms line up with the new estimates. The analysis found that short bursts of extreme heat, not just small changes in seasonal averages, were the strongest predictors of reduced annual growth in tropical bird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-bird-species-could-vanish-in-the-next-century/">populations</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tropical-birds-in-protected-areas">Tropical birds in protected areas</h2>



For years, biologists reported declines in seemingly intact tropical forests without a clear culprit. In central Amazonia, long term sampling reveals large falls in ground and near ground birds since the early 1980s, even in undisturbed sites.



In Panama’s protected Barro Colorado Island, a century of data shows a persistent erosion of tropical bird diversity. This trend cannot be chalked up to recent habitat destruction within the reserve.



These records are consistent with the new study’s estimates. The magnitude of decline in some intact sites resembles the size of the heat-attributed reductions reported for tropical populations overall.



The link does not claim a single cause for every place. It shows that the intensification of heat extremes is a powerful driver in regions where most birds already live near their thermal limits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-damage-beats-other-threats">Heat damage beats other threats</h2>



Disentangling climate from direct human pressures has been hard. Here, the attribution framework indicates that in the observed tropical populations, the cumulative impact of heat extremes driven by climate change has been larger than direct human pressures across the same time window.



That does not minimize the damage from land clearing, logging, or mining. It highlights a second, already active threat that operates even when forests still stand.



The method distinguishes between average warming and extremes. The signal points to spikes of heat as the primary stressor for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-are-declining-fastest-where-they-were-once-common/">bird</a> abundance in lower latitude regions.



This finding matters for planning and forecasting. Management that only tracks mean temperatures will understate the risk posed by a cluster of very hot days to small, localized populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-tropical-birds-from-heat">Protecting tropical birds from heat</h2>



The IPCC’s latest assessment demonstrates that climate change is already a major risk to ecosystems and biodiversity, with escalating losses expected without rapid emissions cuts and stronger adaptation.



Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will blunt the rise in extreme heat that the new analysis identifies as the main driver of tropical bird declines. That is the foundation for any long term recovery of abundance in the hottest regions.



Ultimately, protecting tropical birds means preserving the forests they depend on and reducing the heat they cannot escape.



“On the conservation side, this work tells us that in addition to protected areas and stopping deforestation, we urgently need to look into strategies for species who are more vulnerable to heat extremes to maximize their adaptation potential," said Amano. 



"That might mean ex-situ conservation work, so working with some populations in other locations."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02811-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Tropical bird populations are rapidly shrinking - and now scientists know why

Tropical bird populations have fallen hard in recent decades. A...

The Great Barrier Reef has just faced its largest single-year loss of live coral since surveys began nearly four decades ago. Australian authorities say the losses were driven mostly by a major bleaching event last year linked to climate change.



Still, despite the heavy toll, overall coral cover remains close to the long-term average. That’s because coral growth in recent years - especially since 2017 - had boosted the reef’s health before this latest setback.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-increasing-frequency-of-coral-bleaching">Increasing frequency of coral bleaching </h2>



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australian Institute of Marine Science</a> report that 2024’s live coral cover was the highest recorded in 39 years of surveys, and this made the recent losses all the more striking.



Mike Emslie, who heads the institute’s long-term monitoring program, explained that starting from a strong base meant the reef was somewhat cushioned against the worst effects of climate damage. But that cushion is shrinking.



"These are substantial impacts and evidence that the increasing frequency of coral bleaching is really starting to have detrimental effects on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-bleaching-has-reached-catastrophic-levels-on-the-great-barrier-reef/">Great Barrier Reef</a>," Emslie said. "While there's still a lot of coral cover out there, these are record declines that we have seen in any one year of monitoring."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-loss-on-the-great-barrier-reef">Coral loss on the Great Barrier Reef </h2>



The reef stretches 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) along the Queensland coast and is divided into three main regions: north, central, and south. 



According to the survey, the south lost nearly a third of its living coral in just 12 months, the north lost about a quarter, and the central region experienced a 14% decline.



The Great Barrier Reef’s struggles are part of a much wider problem. Since early 2023, the world has been in the grip of its largest recorded <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/60-percent-global-coral-reefs-face-bleaching-rising-temperatures/">mass coral bleaching event</a>. 



It’s only the fourth such global crisis ever documented, but it has already affected nearly 84% of the planet’s coral reef areas, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch.



This event, which began in January 2023 and was declared a crisis in April 2024, has surpassed the previous worst bleaching period from 2014 to 2017, when 68.2% of reefs were affected.



In Australia, aerial surveys of 281 reefs in the Torres Strait and northern Great Barrier Reef confirmed widespread bleaching. Of those, 78 reefs had more than 30% of their coral bleached.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-heat-hurts-coral">Why heat hurts coral</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microscope-reveals-coral-health-in-unprecedented-detail/">Coral</a> can cope with short bursts of warm water, the kind that might pass after a few days. But when the heat lingers for weeks, it’s a different story. 



The coral gets stressed and pushes out the tiny algae living inside its tissues. These algae are more than just tenants - they give coral its color and, more importantly, most of its food.



Without them, the coral turns ghostly white in a process known as “bleaching.” Bleached coral isn’t necessarily dead right away, but it’s weakened. It’s like losing your main source of food - you can survive for a while, but your strength fades, and you’re more likely to get sick.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-frequent-coral-bleaching-events">Frequent coral bleaching events</h2>



If the water cools down soon enough, the algae can return and the coral can recover. But when the heat stays for too long, the coral can starve and die. Even when coral survives, it tends to regrow more slowly and becomes less resilient to future stress.



What makes today’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-escalate-coral-bleaching-threats/">bleaching</a> events so alarming is how often they’re happening. In the past, a reef might have had a decade to bounce back between big bleaching events. 



Now, the gap can be just a few years - not nearly enough time for full recovery. And each time it happens, the reef loses a little more of its strength.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-fragile-future-for-coral-reefs">A fragile future for coral reefs </h2>



The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that tropical coral reefs are among the most vulnerable ecosystems to rising temperatures. 



In 2018, the panel said they face “very high risk” at just 1.5°C of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5-degrees-celsius-would-save-billions-of-lives/">global warming</a>, with most evidence suggesting they could largely disappear beyond that threshold.



The world has already warmed 1.3°C since pre-industrial times. And past back-to-back bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef suggest that scientists may have underestimated the risks.



"Warm water (tropical) coral reefs are projected to reach a very high risk of impact at 1.2°C, with most available evidence suggesting that coral-dominated ecosystems will be non-existent at this temperature or higher. At this point, coral abundance will be near zero at many locations," the researchers concluded.



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Great Barrier Reef suffers record coral loss after years of growth

The Great Barrier Reef has just faced its largest single-year...

Florida homeowners have learned to keep watch for wood dust, yet the latest alert sounds different. Two separate termite invaders have started a family, and the offspring could march far beyond state lines.



Associate Professor <a href="https://flrec.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty/dr-thomas-chouvenc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thomas Chouvenc</a> of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (<a href="https://ifas.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UFIFAS</a>) spent years noting odd courtship dances between Formosan and Asian subterranean termites. 



His new genetic survey confirms that those dances produced hybrids and that the young colonies are already sending winged scouts into the air.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hybrid-termites-enter-the-scene">Hybrid termites enter the scene</h2>



Both parents, Coptotermes formosanus and C. gestroi, rank among the world’s top structural pests, each with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mammals-have-evolved-to-eat-ants-and-termites-12-different-times-since-the-dinosaurs/">colonies</a> topping two million workers and an annual United States repair bill near one billion dollars. Their hybrid offspring inherit twice the genetic playbook for gnawing through cellulose.



“We have confirmed the presence of hybrid swarms every year since 2021, including in April 2025,” says Chouvenc. 



The discovery rests on field collections from Fort Lauderdale, where every spring since 2021 researchers have captured swarms that do not match either parent species, then confirmed mixed DNA in the lab.



That persistence signals a stable population rather than a one off incident. The study labels the event introgressive <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/introgression" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hybridization</a>, a process that can speed evolution when separated lineages suddenly meet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-invaders-are-worse-than-one">Two invaders are worse than one</h2>



Each parent species forms sprawling underground galleries that let workers chew through a foot of two by four pine in roughly six months. Combining that appetite with larger hybrid brood sizes could overwhelm local control efforts.



Laboratory tests show that first generation hybrid queens can backcross with males from either original species, opening the door to second generation mixes that might pick up even more survival tricks. 



The team also notes that hybrid <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/alate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alates</a> emerge at dusk when humid winds rise, a timing that maximizes dispersal and pairs easily with the yacht traffic common along Florida’s coast.



Chouvenc warns, “This may be a Florida story now, but it likely won’t stay just in Florida, give it time.” 



The warning carries weight because adult alates can ride prevailing winds twenty miles or stow away on wooden pallets, boats, and nursery stock bound for distant ports.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cost-of-hybrid-termites">The cost of hybrid termites</h2>



Formosan colonies alone have emptied homeowner wallets in New Orleans, where the pest costs an estimated three hundred million dollars a year in damage and treatment. The hybrids threaten to export that expense to every Gulf state and eventually the Mid Atlantic.



Unlike drywood <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-system-attracts-and-eliminates-termites-with-a-natural-scent-and-no-toxins/">termites</a>, these subterranean colonies keep contact with the soil, sip water through mud tubes, and can attack wooden frames, live trees, and even foam insulation. Insurance rarely covers termite damage, leaving families to foot the repair bills.



City managers also fret over infrastructure because the insects tunnel under sidewalks and hollow utility poles. An untreated infestation can topple a mature oak, creating both public safety hazards and hefty removal fees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hybrid-termites-and-climate-change">Hybrid termites and climate change</h2>



Termites do more than eat houses; their gut microbes pump out methane, a greenhouse gas thirty times more potent than carbon dioxide over a century. 



Global estimates place termite methane at one to three percent of natural sources, roughly twenty million tons each year. 



Field <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1809790115" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> in northern Australia shows that termite mounds can trap about half of that gas before it escapes, but subterranean colonies lack such filters and vent straight into the air. 



More colonies, especially in warming regions where the insects thrive, could nudge emissions higher.



Researchers in Louisiana and Brazil <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/rsenr/news/warming-temperatures-termites-may-play-larger-role-future-ecosystems" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> that colonies increase feeding rates at temperatures above 77 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting warmer states could see faster wood turnover and even higher methane release. Higher energy demands inside each colony translate into more gas expelled per worker.



Scientists already predict <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hybrid-termites-could-spread-worldwide-from-florida-boats/">termites</a> will expand poleward as winters soften. Hybrid vigor may accelerate that march, giving the insects tolerance for cooler nights and broader diet choices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-scientists-can-and-cannot-do">What scientists can and cannot do</h2>



Chouvenc’s group can monitor flight seasons, map nest distribution, and test baits, yet they cannot stop wild mating flights. 



Once a male and female land in damp soil, they seal themselves inside a starter chamber, shed their wings, and vanish from view.



Chemical barriers around foundations help, but rainfall and shifting soils create gaps big enough for a worker as thin as a credit card to slip through. 



Baits laced with chitin synthesis inhibitors work better because returning workers share the toxin with nestmates, collapsing the colony quietly.



Regulators consider introducing natural enemies risky, as past biological control attempts sometimes harmed native insects. For now, the strategy focuses on early detection and public education.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-homes-and-forests">Protecting homes and forests</h2>



Home inspectors recommend removing firewood piles, trimming shrubs away from siding, and fixing leaks that keep soil moist. 



Simple steps reduce the chemical footprint and buy time for researchers to refine next generation baits that exploit hybrid genetics.



Marine surveyors now inspect hulls and wooden crates before granting port clearance, trying to cut off oceangoing “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/termites-play-an-unexpected-role-in-rainforest-revival/">termites</a> as stowaways,” as one expert called them. Similar protocols could appear at rail hubs if inland incursions begin.



Good record keeping matters too. When contractors document infestation dates, treatment types, and reinfestation intervals, entomologists can model spread patterns and plug weak spots in the defense grid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-ahead">Looking ahead</h2>



Hybrid termites remind us that invasive species do not stay within political borders. Global trade, climate shifts, and urban sprawl give them tickets to ride.



The question is not whether the hybrids will reach new zip codes but how prepared those zip codes will be when the first alates flutter down. As Chouvenc quips, “Give it time.”



The study is published in <a href="https://datadryad.org/dataset/doi%3A10.5061/dryad.mcvdnckb4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B.</a> Photo credit Thomas Chouvenc.



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Invasive termites are interbreeding and creating a more destructive and resilient species

Florida homeowners have learned to keep watch for wood dust,...

When wildfires rage, the skies turn dark, the air smells of ash, and people retreat indoors to escape the haze. Most of us think of the smoke’s visible particles - the kind that irritate eyes and clog lungs. But there’s a less obvious danger drifting in that haze: ozone.



Ozone is a reactive oxygen molecule, O₃, that can damage lungs and other sensitive tissues in the body. 



Unlike the blanket of fine particulate matter you can see hanging in the air, ozone is nearly invisible and easy to overlook. Yet it can be just as harmful - sometimes more so - causing respiratory problems and aggravating existing health conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildfire-smoke-and-ozone-levels">Wildfire smoke and ozone levels</h2>



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Utah</a> studied how smoke from Western wildfires affects ozone concentrations. They found that smoke can substantially raise <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-smog-by-taming-ozone-levels-in-a-changing-climate-is-proving-quite-difficult/">ozone levels</a> - even in remote areas far from cities and industrial sites. 



These are places where human-made sources of ozone’s main building blocks, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), are minimal.



“The question I wanted to ask was, if we don’t have urban emissions, let’s say that we zero out all emissions, will we still have an ozone problem?” said lead author Derek Mallia, a research assistant professor of atmospheric sciences. 



“This study suggests that we could remove all of the regional emissions from anthropogenic sources of NOx, but fires can still produce a large amount of ozone.”



The team’s findings reveal a troubling reality: wildfire smoke delivers a “double hit” to air quality - first with fine particles, then with elevated ozone. In the United States, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-exposure-linked-to-mental-health-issues/">smoke exposure</a> is linked to an estimated 6,300 deaths each year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-wildfires-boost-ozone">How wildfires boost ozone</h2>



Ozone doesn’t come directly from fires. Instead, it forms when sunlight triggers chemical reactions between oxygen atoms, NOx, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-household-products-expose-people-to-dangerous-chemicals/">volatile organic compounds</a> (VOCs). VOCs are abundant in wildfire smoke, while NOx comes mainly from vehicles and industry.



Modeling ozone is tricky because so many factors influence it - wind patterns, temperature, cloud cover, and time of day all play a role. 



To study the connection, Mallia’s team used coupled computer models, WRF-Sfire and WRF-Chem, to examine a record-setting smoke event in August 2020.



That month, fires burned across the West. California’s August Complex fire scorched more than 1 million acres and caused $12 billion in damage. Utah’s East Fork fire consumed 90,000 acres, and Oregon’s Lionshead and Beachie Creek fires together destroyed 400,000 acres.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ozone-spikes-far-from-the-flames">Ozone spikes far from the flames</h2>



The study found that wildfire smoke increases ozone concentrations by an average of 21 parts per billion (ppb). "Ozone was roughly 20 to 30% higher because of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-is-an-underestimated-threat-to-public-health/">wildfire smoke</a>,” Mallia said. “That’s pretty big.”



Given that background ozone in the West is already elevated, the added boost often pushes levels above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s health limit of 70 parts per billion.



The researchers also found that smoke can work against itself. When thick plumes block sunlight, ozone production slows, sometimes by up to 10 ppb inside the plume.



“You also have a lot of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breast-cancer-incidence-linked-to-high-particulate-air-pollution/">particulate matter</a>, which is a pollutant, too, but it can block sunlight and therefore that will reduce the amount of sunlight available for ozone photochemistry. It can be substantial in some cases,” Mallia said. 



“If you’re right over the fire, there’s usually enough smoke shading where it limits the amount of ozone. But if you get far enough away and the plume becomes relatively diffuse, it’s usually not thick enough to really limit ozone.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-models-to-forecast-air-quality">Better models to forecast air quality </h2>



With climate change making fires more frequent and intense, the need for accurate models is growing. 



The study suggests that tools like WRF-Sfire and WRF-Chem will be critical for forecasting air quality during wildfire season. But these models need refining to better handle the complex chemistry and weather effects inside smoke plumes.



The message is clear: as wildfires grow in number and strength, ozone pollution will remain a hidden but serious health hazard - one that can reach people far from the flames.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1352231025003796">Atmospheric Environment</a>.



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Wildfire smoke delivers a 'double hit' to air quality

When wildfires rage, the skies turn dark, the air smells...

Dinosaur teeth are best known for their bite, yet new research says they also stored a chemical snapshot of prehistoric air. By probing that record, scientists have rebuilt carbon dioxide levels and plant productivity for the age of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jurassic-dinosaurs-had-specialized-diets-to-coexist-peacefully/">dinosaurs</a> with a detail once thought impossible.



The study comes from <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TzDE38MAAAAJ&amp;hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Dingsu Feng</a> and colleagues at the <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Göttingen</a>, the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (<a href="https://www.uni-mainz.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JGUM</a>), and Ruhr University Bochum (<a href="https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RUB</a>). 



Feng’s team focused on the Mesozoic Era, a span from 252 million to 66 million years ago when ecosystems ran hot and lush.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dinosaur-teeth-lock-in-ancient-air">Dinosaur teeth lock in ancient air</h2>



The outer coat of a dinosaur’s tooth, made of durable tooth enamel, is harder than bone and shrugs off most chemical change. 



Inside that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/with-teeth-like-knives-this-giant-kept-the-young-tyrannosaurs-at-bay/">enamel</a> sits a mix of oxygen atoms captured when the animal breathed and drank, effectively sealing in the atmosphere of its time.



"Our method provides us with completely new insights into the Earth's past," stated Dr. Feng. He and his co-authors adapted a laboratory technique that separates the three natural oxygen isotopes in enamel to parts per million accuracy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-isotopes-reveal-past-climate">Isotopes reveal past climate</h2>



What they measured is called the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2105074118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">triple oxygen isotope</a> signal. A slight excess of the rare isotope in atmospheric oxygen rises when carbon dioxide climbs and falls when global plant growth, or gross primary productivity (<a href="https://www.un-redd.org/glossary/gross-primary-productivity-gpp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GPP</a>), surges.



Because animals incorporate that signal through their body water, enamel preserves it like handwriting in stone. Earlier <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304580458_Temperature_and_atmospheric_CO2_concentration_estimates_through_the_PETM_using_triple_oxygen_isotope_analysis_of_mammalian_bioapatite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> proved the idea in Cenozoic mammal teeth, but this is the first time it has been applied to dinosaurs.



"The analysis of the three oxygen isotopes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-plant-eating-dinosaurs-chewed-through-thousands-of-teeth/">dental</a> enamel allows us to also measure the proportions of oxygen assimilated with respiratory air and drinking water," explained <a href="https://www.paleontology.uni-mainz.de/pub_tt.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Thomas Tütken</a> of Mainz. His remark highlights why enamel, not bone, became the sample of choice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dinosaur-teeth-show-co₂-changes">Dinosaur teeth show CO₂ changes</h2>



Results show Late Jurassic skies carried about 1,200 ppm of CO₂, roughly four times the pre industrial benchmark of 280 ppm. By the Late Cretaceous, CO₂ dipped to near 750 ppm, still three times today’s level.



Certain Tyrannosaurus rex and Kaatedocus siberi teeth held isotope <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-predator-dissacus-praenuntius-ate-bones-adapting-to-climate-shock/">patterns</a> that differ sharply from their peers. Those outliers hint at short lived CO₂ spikes, possibly tied to volcanic gas releases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-co₂-sped-plant-growth">High CO₂ sped plant growth</h2>



Using published climate <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2504324122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">models</a>, the team calculated that GPP in the Late Cretaceous ran almost double modern output. More CO₂ means photosynthesis can run faster, so forests and plankton likely pumped out extra oxygen while drawing down carbon.



"The information obtained through our study on the global primary production provides important evidence of both marine and terrestrial food webs that would be otherwise difficult to obtain," emphasized <a href="https://evo.oeko.uni-mainz.de/prof-dr-eva-m-griebeler-publikationen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Eva M. Griebeler</a> of Mainz. 



Greater plant productivity could explain how giant herbivores found enough calories to thrive.



High output also suggests rapid carbon cycling. Fast plant growth pulls CO₂ from air, but equally fast decay and volcanism can add it back, creating a dynamic greenhouse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dinosaur-teeth-reveal-volcano-co₂-spikes">Dinosaur teeth reveal volcano CO₂ spikes</h2>



The isotope peaks coincide with the timing of eruptions in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1342937X25001777" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deccan Traps</a>, a vast lava field in what is now India. Geochemical studies estimate the province vented more than 200,000 gigatons of CO₂ over a short geological window.



Such gas surges could drive abrupt warming, reinforce monsoons, and disturb ocean chemistry. Some researchers see them as a prelude to the mass extinction that followed.



Modeling <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2007797118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> of Deccan outgassing show that even moderate estimates of emitted carbon can lift global temperatures by several degrees Fahrenheit. The new tooth data provide a direct terrestrial check on those calculations.



"Our teeth samples offer a previously missing land based puzzle piece," Feng added. By pairing enamel records with marine proxies, scientists can now test how quickly air, sea, and life responded to volcanic jolts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dinosaur-teeth-help-study-climate-future">Dinosaur teeth help study climate future</h2>



Today’s CO₂ is racing past 420 ppm, still only a third of Late Jurassic values, yet the planet is already warming fast. 



That difference reminds us that continental layouts, ocean circulation, and solar input frame how sensitive the climate is to greenhouse gases.



The method promises fresh looks at other deep time events, from Permian super greenhouses to ice house swings. It could also refine biogeochemical models that feed into future climate projections.



Feng’s group is now collecting enamel from early mammals to chart CO₂ through the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum, an analog for rapid warming driven by carbon release. 



If the technique holds up, museum drawers filled with fossil teeth may become a new archive for climate science.



"Our work turns dinosaurs into climate experts," Feng said with a grin. Their bites, it seems, still have plenty to teach.



Image credit: Tooth of a Tyrannosaurus rex that was excavated in Alberta, Canada. Credit: photo/©: Thomas Tütken



The study is published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2504324122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Dinosaur teeth reveal CO2 levels and climate conditions in the Jurassic Period

Dinosaur teeth are best known for their bite, yet new...

A quick flight over the Gulf of Carpentaria now reveals what once lurked unseen: almost one abandoned fishing net for every stretch of shoreline the length of eleven football fields.



PhD candidate <a href="https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/en/persons/aliesha-jane-hvala" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aliesha Hvala</a> at Charles Darwin University’s North Australia Center for Autonomous Systems (<a href="https://www.cdu.edu.au/nacas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NACAS</a>) says the drone based survey of the <a href="https://anindilyakwa.com.au/land-and-sea/indigenous-protected-area/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anindilyakwa Indigenous Protected Area</a> has covered roughly 52 mi of coastline and located seventy two ghost nets, some as small as 20 inches and others topping 16 feet.



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



Every year an estimated 640,000 tons of lost or discarded fishing gear drifts through the world’s oceans, snagging everything from coral heads to endangered turtles.



Ghost gear now makes up as much as 46 percent to 70 percent of all large plastic debris at sea, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<a href="https://www.fao.org/responsible-fishing/news-events/news/news-details/en/c/1333761" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FAO</a>).



Entanglement by these silent traps kills whales, dolphins, and dugongs, and the nylon and polyethylene fibers break down into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-escaping-from-water-treatment-plants/">microplastics</a> that move up the food chain.



The Gulf’s remote headlands, mangrove creeks, and sea grass meadows shelter dugong nurseries and nesting flatback turtles, so a single stranded trawl net can undo years of conservation work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-chopper-to-controller">From chopper to controller</h2>



“With CDU, we’ve successfully used drones to map the most affected beaches within the IPA, enabling more efficient planning and targeted net removal,” said Kirsten Eden, Land &amp; Sea Manager for the <a href="https://anindilyakwa.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anindilyakwa Land Council</a>. 



Helicopter patrols once scanned this coast, but flight time, fuel, and weather windows turned monitoring into an expensive gamble.



A six rotor UAV that fits in a pickup bed now does the same job for the price of a tank of gas and a few charged batteries, and it can fly during breaks in the wet season storms when aircraft stay grounded.&nbsp;



Once nets are tagged from the air, the Ranger crew steers the 36 foot purpose built vessel Jarrangwa to the nearest landing, sets up a portable winch, and hauls the gear aboard for safe disposal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-tech-local-hands">High tech, local hands</h2>



Survey work is paired with training, and ten Anindilyakwa rangers have earned the nationally recognized <a href="https://training.gov.au/training/details/AVI30419" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Certificate III in Aviation (Remote Pilot)</a> that meets <a href="https://www.casa.gov.au/rules" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Civil Aviation Safety Authority rules</a>.



“I wasn’t very comfortable doing it, but I had the right people around me to overcome that and I’m very grateful,” said ranger Louise Mountford after finishing the course.



Building these skills on Country means <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-pod-of-1500-dolphins-captured-in-stunning-drone-footage/">drone</a> batteries get swapped next to mangroves instead of at distant city airports, keeping knowledge and jobs in the community.



It also shortens response time; a net reported on Monday can be removed by Wednesday before tides rebury it or refloat it onto a reef.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-ai-finds-buried-ghost-nets">How AI finds buried ghost nets</h2>



High resolution imagery is run through an onboard algorithm trained to flag the spectral signature of green or orange twine against sand and spinifex.



“High resolution images combined with precise GPS coordinates of ghost nets has greatly improved the efficiency of trip planning,” said Aquatic Biosecurity Officer Benjamin McArdle.



<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/10/1770" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Remote sensing</a> researchers note that pairing drones with machine learning classifiers can pick up plastic items smaller than three inches and distinguish gear fragments from driftwood or rock shadows.



Some nets resemble icebergs, with only a palm sized knot visible above the sand while yards of mesh hide below, so the team carries shovels and a battery powered capstan to winch out the buried mass.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cleaning-up-the-ghost-nets">Cleaning up the ghost nets</h2>



The initial survey has already pulled more than thirty tons of netting, floats, and rope off the beaches, freeing sandstone ledges where turtles haul out to nest.



Another broad scale <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/leonardo-da-vinci-design-solves-modern-drone-noise-problems/">drone</a> campaign begins later this month, timed for the southeast trade winds that wash gear ashore from fisheries in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northern Australia.



Eden warns that sustained success depends on long term gear, data storage, and refresher training funds, because batteries die faster in tropical heat, and software needs regular updates to stay accurate.



<a href="https://australianmarineparks.gov.au/management/partnerships/ghost-nets-initiative/ghost-nets-innovative-solutions-grants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal Ghost Net Innovative Solutions</a> grants currently foot the bill, but rangers are exploring carbon credit partnerships that reward habitat protection and create an independent revenue stream.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-template-for-global-coastlines">Template for global coastlines</h2>



From Hawaii to the Galápagos, coastal managers are watching the <a href="https://environment.nt.gov.au/careers-programs-publications/groote-archipelago-threatened-species-management-plan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Groote Archipelago project </a>as a field test of low cost aerial surveillance married to Indigenous stewardship.



Lightweight drones can be packed onto small boats, driven inland on all terrain vehicles, and even recharged with portable solar panels, letting crews cover beaches that satellites miss because of cloud cover.



Global fisheries bodies are rolling out electronic tags and mandatory gear marking rules so nets can be traced back to owners, while local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drone-swarms-help-combat-forest-fires-natural-disasters/">drone</a> teams provide the fast detection that turns regulations into retrieved plastic instead of paperwork.



Plastic production is projected to triple by 2060, yet the lessons from this remote stretch of Northern Territory show that swift technology adoption, community ownership, and clear funding paths can keep that future from becoming a tangled one.



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AI drones discover dozens of 'ghost nets' hidden on remote beaches

A quick flight over the Gulf of Carpentaria now reveals...

On July 30, at 11:25 a.m. local time, a massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake set off a tsunami near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. Seventy minutes later, a satellite captured the wave as it moved across the ocean.



The spacecraft, called <a href="https://swot.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SWOT</a> (Surface Water and Ocean Topography), is operated jointly by <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a> and the French space agency <a href="https://cnes.fr/">CNES</a> (Centre National d’Études Spatiales). Its job is to measure water heights across the globe with exceptional detail.



On this day, it recorded a clear snapshot of the tsunami’s leading edge, providing scientists with crucial information for improving forecast models that protect coastal communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-making-of-a-tsunami">The making of a tsunami</h2>



Tsunamis form when a massive event, such as an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-we-detect-major-earthquakes-months-in-advance/">earthquake</a> or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-a-landslide-triggered-a-deadly-tsunami-in-2007-and-spawned-prediction-models/">underwater landslide</a>, shifts the entire column of seawater from the ocean floor to the surface. 



This sudden movement forces huge amounts of water upward, creating waves that can travel at jet-like speeds across entire oceans. The disturbance sends out waves in all directions, much like ripples from a stone hitting a pond. 



On a much larger scale, these waves can be powerful enough to reshape coastlines when they reach land.



In this case, SWOT’s sensors detected a tsunami in the open ocean near the Kamchatka Peninsula. It might have seemed small, but as one scientist explains, appearances can be deceiving.



“A 1.5-foot-tall wave might not seem like much, but tsunamis are waves that extend from the seafloor to the ocean’s surface,” said Ben Hamlington, an oceanographer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. 



“What might only be a foot or two in the open ocean can become a 30-foot wave in shallower water at the coast.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-tsunamis-from-space">Tracking tsunamis from space</h2>



The data SWOT gathered - including the height, shape, and travel direction of the tsunami - was compared with a forecast model produced by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Tsunami Research.



This comparison is critical. It allows scientists to confirm that their models match what actually happens in the ocean. 



“The power of SWOT’s broad, paintbrush-like strokes over the ocean is marking a leap towards more accurate early warnings and safer futures,” said Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, NASA Earth lead and SWOT program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington.



For this event, the model lined up with reality. “The satellite observations help researchers to better reverse engineer the cause of a tsunami," said Josh Willis, a JPL oceanographer. "In this case, they also showed us that NOAA’s tsunami forecast was right on the money.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/swot-satellite_captured-huge-tsunami-wave_after-earthquake_nasa-1big.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/swot-satellite_captured-huge-tsunami-wave_after-earthquake_nasa-1s.webp" alt="The SWOT satellite caught the leading edge of the tsunami wave (red) that rolled through the Pacific Ocean on July 30. Sea level data, shown in the highlighted swath, is plotted against a NOAA tsunami forecast model in the background. A red star marks the location of the earthquake that spawned the tsunami. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech" class="wp-image-1981261"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The SWOT satellite caught the leading edge of the tsunami wave (red) that rolled through the Pacific Ocean on July 30. Sea level data, shown in the highlighted swath, is plotted against a NOAA tsunami forecast model in the background. A red star marks the location of the earthquake that spawned the tsunami. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stronger-defense-against-tsunamis">Stronger defense against tsunamis</h2>



For the scientists at NOAA’s Center for Tsunami Research, the results were encouraging. “It suggests SWOT data could significantly enhance operational tsunami forecasts - a capability sought since the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/indian-ocean-tsunami-reshaped-the-coast-of-sumatra/">2004 Sumatra event</a>,” said Vasily Titov, the center’s chief scientist in Seattle.



The 2004 Sumatra earthquake and tsunami killed hundreds of thousands of people and caused catastrophic damage across Indonesia and beyond. 



The magnitude 9.1 quake struck off the coast of northern Sumatra, triggering waves that reached as high as 100 feet in some areas. Entire towns were wiped out, and the disaster affected more than a dozen countries around the Indian Ocean. 



Since then, researchers have been working to improve warning systems so communities can respond before disaster strikes.



By blending SWOT’s satellite measurements with their existing forecast tools, NOAA aims to sharpen predictions and issue more accurate alerts. Even a few extra minutes of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-study-proposes-using-ai-to-improve-tsunami-warnings-in-tourist-areas/">warning</a> can make the difference between life and death for people living near the coast.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-forecasts-save-lives">Better forecasts save lives</h2>



A wave that&nbsp;is only&nbsp;a foot or two&nbsp;high&nbsp;in the&nbsp;open&nbsp;ocean may not be of much concern. But if it has the right conditions, it can develop into something catastrophic by the time it gets to land. That’s why improved measurements - and quicker, more accurate forecasts - are such big deals.



The Kamchatka earthquake and tsunami was greater than a scientific discovery. It was evidence that space technology can&nbsp;serve&nbsp;directly&nbsp;to&nbsp;make&nbsp;life safer here on Earth.



 And with satellites like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-swot-satellite-can-measure-height-and-speed-of-river-waves-and-flooding/">SWOT</a> now up and running, scientists are getting&nbsp;a clearer&nbsp;vision of how the ocean moves - and how we can remain one step ahead of nature’s most intense waves.



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SWOT satellite captures tsunami triggered by Kamchatka earthquake

On July 30, at 11:25 a.m. local time, a massive...

Periods of extreme heat usually go hand in hand with spikes in ground-level ozone - a lung-irritating pollutant that harms people, crops, and ecosystems.



A new modeling study led by <a href="https://www.fz-juelich.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forschungszentrum Jülich</a> lands with a twist: if global warming becomes strong enough, surface-level ozone could actually decline across large parts of the Northern Hemisphere.



The work doesn’t overturn what we know about heat and smog days today, but it does reveal how future temperature and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-breaking-tropical-heat-and-humidity-predicted-this-summer/">humidity</a> shifts might reshape ozone chemistry in unexpected ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modeling-future-clean-air-chemistry">Modeling future clean air chemistry</h2>



The researchers used an innovative “storyline approach,” running climate simulations that play out plausible futures under stronger warming while holding emissions steady. That choice let them isolate the direct effects of temperature and humidity, independent of any changes in pollution.



The experts anchored their scenarios to the weather patterns of Europe’s exceptionally hot summers from 2018 to 2020 and asked a simple, pointed question:



“Our question was: what impact will global warming have on ozone pollution,” said lead author Tamara Emmerichs.



In one set of simulations, global temperatures rose by +2 °C (+3.6 °F) relative to pre-industrial levels; in another, by +2.75 °C (+4.95 °F).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-speeds-ozone-creation">Heat speeds ozone creation</h2>



At +2 °C (+3.6 °F), the model behaves much as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-are-changing-the-quality-of-our-air/">air quality</a> scientists might expect. Warmer air speeds up the photochemical reactions that create ozone from precursor gases.



Plants, stressed by heat and drought, tend to close their stomata, reducing the natural “scrubbing” of pollutants from the air. Vegetation can also emit more volatile organic compounds in hotter conditions, feeding ozone chemistry. The net effect in many regions: higher near-surface ozone.



Push the warming to +2.75 °C (+4.95 °F), though, and something surprising happens. The background concentration of ozone drops markedly across much of the Northern Hemisphere.



The simulations attribute this to a more humid atmosphere, which accelerates ozone destruction higher up, ultimately lowering the amount that reaches the surface.



“This effect becomes more dominant at higher temperatures,” Emmerichs said. “The result is a net decrease in ozone pollution near the ground.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-as-double-agents"><a></a>Plants as double agents</h2>



Vegetation emerges as a pivotal player. Plants can help by absorbing ozone through their leaves and cooling their surroundings via transpiration. 



But under <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-the-driving-force-behind-droughts/">drought</a> or ozone stress, they shut down those very pathways - closing stomata to conserve water, which reduces both cooling and pollutant uptake.



“Our study shows that plant responses to stress are a central, previously underestimated factor in the future development of ozone pollution,” said Jülich atmospheric researcher Domenico Taraborrelli.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ozone-shifts-reshape-ecosystems">Ozone shifts reshape ecosystems</h2>



Those chemical and biological shifts carry real-world consequences. In the model world at +2 °C (+3.6 °F), ozone-related mortality increases globally. 



At +2.75 °C (+4.95 °F), the number of ozone-linked deaths declines again - especially in Europe and India.



Ecosystems feel the changes, too: the simulations project increased ozone uptake by plants in certain regions, such as the boreal forests, altering the balance of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-have-a-secret-weapon-for-surviving-stress/">plant stress</a> and pollutant removal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-forces-drive-clean-air">Many forces drive clean air</h2>



The message isn’t that hotter is healthier. It’s that climate-chemistry-ecology interactions don’t move in straight lines.



&nbsp;“The 'storyline approach' we used makes it clear that the interactions between climate, weather, chemistry, and ecology are complex,” Taraborrelli said.



“Every single aspect of climate change is the result of a large number of these interrelationships and overlapping factors, and is difficult to examine in isolation.”



By fixing emissions in their experiments, the authors highlight just how much meteorology and biology alone can swing air-quality outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-climate-s-air-surprises">Preparing for climate’s air surprises</h2>



For planners and health agencies, the findings offer a sharper lens for regional adaptation. If humidity patterns and plant stress responses can flip ozone trends under stronger warming, then heat-health planning, crop protection, and forest management will need to account for those thresholds and feedbacks.



“It shows that strong warming can have not only negative but also sometimes positive effects on air quality,” Taraborrelli said. “At least in individual cases, such as here for ozone pollution.”



Nothing here suggests that pushing the planet into higher warming is a viable “strategy” for clean air - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-pushing-parts-of-earth-beyond-human-survival/">extreme heat</a> carries a cascade of harms well beyond ozone, from lethal heatwaves to wildfire smoke and crop losses.



The study demonstrates that air quality futures hinge on more than just emissions cuts. They also depend on the evolving chemistry of a warmer, wetter - or drier - atmosphere and on how plants across landscapes respond to stress.



Understanding those links now can make tomorrow’s protection of public health and ecosystems more precise and more effective.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44407-025-00019-4">npj Clean Air</a>.



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More heat, cleaner air? The surprising ozone connection

Periods of extreme heat usually go hand in hand with...

Biodiversity benefits nature in many ways. A greater variety of plants and animals helps create forests that are stronger and better able to withstand pests, diseases, and changes in climate.



However, exactly how much biodiversity is needed - and in which places - has been somewhat unclear. A global study of forests by scientists at the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> brings sharper focus to that question. 



The research suggests that biodiversity isn’t just good - it’s especially important in wetter places. For forest managers and conservationists, that detail could change how we approach <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-trees-is-important-but-reforestation-can-help-too/">tree planting</a> and restoration around the world.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-rich-tree-diversity-adapt-better-changing-climate/">Diversity</a> matters everywhere we look. But in our experiments, we see it matters more in the wetter climates," said Peter Reich, professor of environment and sustainability and director of the Institute for Global Change Biology at the University of Michigan. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-at-trees-one-by-one">Looking at trees, one by one</h2>



The researchers studied 15 forest experiments across the globe through the Tree Diversity Network - the world’s largest of its kind. The analysis included nearly 100,000 trees and close to 130 species in a wide range of climates. 



The University of Michigan team collaborated with co-authors from more than 30 institutions across nearly a dozen countries.



The study was unusually detailed. Instead of treating each forest as one big data point, the scientists zoomed in. They looked at each tree individually, and then took note of its closest neighbors.



“What’s unique about our study is it has 15 long-term experiments with lots and lots and lots of trees,” said Reich. “Then, rather than looking at an entire community, we looked at every individual and eight or so of its neighbors and asked, ‘Are those neighbors diverse or not?’”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forest-biodiversity-boosts-tree-growth">Forest biodiversity boosts tree growth </h2>



The results revealed a clear pattern. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-trees-decide-between-growing-and-breathing/">Trees</a> in wetter climates grew more when surrounded by a mix of different species. The effect was weaker - or even nonexistent - in drier regions.



“This provides a more nuanced insight into how biodiversity works in different environments,” Reich said. “If you’re thinking of restoring or regrowing, it makes a lot of sense to plant diverse trees, especially in wetter areas.”



The “wetter” category is not limited to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-forests-are-losing-their-carbon-storage-capacity/">tropical rainforests</a> either. By the study’s standard, forests in places like Michigan count as wet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-of-forest-biodiversity">Benefits of forest biodiversity </h2>



According to the researchers, the benefits of diversity were not just about the number of species.



“We find a tree growth boost in diverse tree neighborhoods with different species and functional traits - for example, specific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/standard-cameras-can-now-track-plant-growth-in-3d/">leaf area</a> and wood density,” noted study lead author Liting Zheng, who conducted the research as a postdoctoral fellow at Michigan’s School of Environment and Sustainability.



“Our results highlight the importance of establishing and maintaining high neighborhood diversity in forest management - especially to maximize the potential of biodiversity as a nature-based climate solution in wetter regions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-climate-years">Extreme climate years</h2>



One surprising takeaway: the benefit of diversity didn’t increase during extreme climate years. It seemed more useful in typical conditions. That challenges the common belief that biodiversity is most helpful in tough times.



“Diversity appears to be better suited for the average condition, which matters for management,” Reich said. 



“There’s thinking that biodiversity is really going to help you when you have those extreme years and some evidence supporting this idea, but in our data this was not the case.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diversity-as-a-management-tool">Diversity as a management tool</h2>



There’s still more to learn, especially about how older forests behave. The trees studied were still young - just 4 to 14 years old. But the results are strong enough to guide real-world decisions about how we plant and protect forests going forward.



For wetter areas, at least, one thing is now very clear: variety isn’t just the spice of life - it’s how trees grow best.



Given that tree-tree interactions are ubiquitous and likely to interact with climate in both young and old forests, the findings suggest that neighborhood diversity could be incorporated as a management tool to enhance forest productivity, concluded the researchers.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02805-5">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Trees get a boost from diverse neighbors, especially in wet forests

Biodiversity benefits nature in many ways. A greater variety of...

Global teams tracking classroom temperatures have found that every degree the mercury rises steals attention from millions of pupils worldwide. That loss, researchers warn, is not a momentary discomfort but a cumulative dent in future earnings, innovation, and social mobility.



A systematic review of 14.5 million student records from 61 nations shows the damage worsens with each hot school year. 



Dr. Konstantina Vasilakopoulou of RMIT University and Professor Mat Santamouris of the University of New South Wales (<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNSW</a>), noted that the findings make <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-warn-that-education-systems-must-change-in-the-age-of-ai/">heat</a> an educational and social justice issue. This view is echoed by experts across climate science.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-disrupts-focus-in-classrooms">Heat disrupts focus in classrooms</h2>



Heat forces the body to divert blood toward the skin for cooling, starving the brain of the oxygen-rich flow needed for working memory tasks. Laboratory studies reveal that even modest rises in temperature slow reaction time and decision speed, especially during complex problem-solving.



Cognitive scientists credit the long known Yerkes Dodson curve: performance peaks in a mild thermal “comfort zone,” then drops sharply once the threshold is crossed. 



Children are hit harder because their thermoregulation is still maturing and they sweat less efficiently than adults.



The review confirms the pattern, noting math scores, arguably the most cognitively demanding subject, falter first, while simple reading exercises resist <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-brain-learns-study-reveals-an-unexpected-twist/">heat</a> a little longer. Over years, those small drops add up to sizable deficits in high stakes exams.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-lowers-classroom-scores">Heat lowers classroom scores</h2>



Researchers analyzed U.S. PSAT data, including ten million test takers, and found that a single school year only 1°F hotter cut annual learning by one percent. 



Extreme heat days above 90°F were the main culprits, not warm weekends or holidays, demonstrating that learning is disrupted specifically during classroom hours.



A separate cross-country <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-020-00959-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> that pooled half a million 15 year olds reported that each extra hot school day above 80 °F sliced PISA math scores by 0.18 percent of a standard deviation. 



Because poorer nations rack up more of those days, the authors estimate that Brazilian students learn about six percent less math than their South Korean peers for weather reasons alone.



Looking forward, projections suggest that unchecked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/">climate</a> change could depress elementary achievements by nearly ten percent in parts of the United States by 2050. Those forecasts assume no further adaptation. With smart interventions, much of the loss is preventable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-poorer-students-suffer-more">Poorer students suffer more</h2>



Hot classrooms do not treat students equally. In U.S. districts lacking reliable cooling, low income and minority pupils experience almost triple the learning erosion of their wealthier classmates - a disparity linked to outdated facilities and hotter neighborhoods.



“Heat stress doesn’t just impact physical health, it undermines educational equity and affects human potential. We must act now to protect the learning potential of future generations,” explained Professor Santamouris.



Internationally, the pattern repeats: schools serving the poorest see the steepest score declines, while elite campuses insulated by modern HVAC and shade stay relatively unscathed. Left alone, rising temperatures threaten to lock disadvantage more firmly in place.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cooling-measures-protect-learning">Cooling measures protect learning</h2>



Infrastructure can flip the story. Research led by economist Jisung Park shows that classroom air conditioning blunts roughly 73 percent of the heat-related score penalty, an effect large enough to shrink racial achievement gaps markedly.



Ventilation matters too. A <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4552953/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> of 3,109 fifth graders in the U.S. Southwest found that every extra liter per second of fresh air raised math scores by up to eleven points while cooler rooms added another dozen points.



Since retrofitting every school with air conditioning is expensive and energy-intensive, a mix of solutions - such as ceiling fans, high-volume low-speed fans, reflective blinds, and staggered schedules - can provide practical relief now. 



Focusing first on the hottest, most under-resourced classrooms delivers the greatest equity gains per dollar spent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-classrooms-built-for-heat">Classrooms built for heat</h2>



Climate-ready schools require a different blueprint. Light-colored roofs, deep eaves, and generous tree canopies cut surface temperatures by several degrees and ease indoor loads.



The broader <a href="https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/what-are-heat-islands" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban heat island</a> that bakes many campuses can lift daytime city temperatures by up to 7°F above outlying areas. Greener grounds, permeable pavements, and rooftop gardens not only cool buildings but also slash air conditioning bills, creating a virtuous cycle.



Cities such as Singapore and Medellín already weave such measures into school ground redesigns, reporting cooler play yards and calmer classrooms soon after installation. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-policymakers-can-do-today">What policymakers can do today</h2>



First, thermal comfort must be treated as part of the basic learning infrastructure, on par with textbooks and broadband. State bond programs and national stimulus packages should earmark funds for heat mitigation retrofits, with priority scoring based on poverty indices.



Second, heat thresholds need to be integrated into emergency planning. Clear protocols such as rescheduling exams, shifting to cooler wings, and supplying hydration protect learning time when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-better-way-for-kids-to-learn-math/">heatwaves</a> strike.



Finally, transparent reporting should be required. Annual “thermal audits” that track classroom temperatures create public pressure and data for smarter budgeting, ensuring that no student’s education melts away in silence.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000618" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Climate</a>.



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Classroom heat makes it physically harder for students to focus

Global teams tracking classroom temperatures have found that every degree...

<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...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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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



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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[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

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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



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.

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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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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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