Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is doing far more than clearing trees: it’s directly shrinking the region’s rain supply and nudging temperatures upward during the dry season.&nbsp;



A new study led by scientists at the <a href="https://www5.usp.br/english/institutional/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of São Paulo</a> (USP) is the first to put hard numbers on how much of the recent shift is due to local forest loss versus global climate change.



The researchers found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-exposed-to-deadly-heat-from-deforestation/">deforestation</a> accounts for roughly 74.5% of the observed decline in dry-season rainfall and 16.5% of the warming in the biome.



This work arrives just ahead of COP30 in Belém, the Amazonian capital hosting November’s U.N. climate summit - timing that highlights its policy relevance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-amazon-dry-season-and-deforestation">Amazon dry season and deforestation </h2>



The team used parametric statistical models to disentangle overlapping influences - forest loss, temperature trends, precipitation shifts, and greenhouse gas concentrations - on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-disrupting-how-amazon-trees-process-sunlight/">Amazon’s climate</a>.&nbsp;



On average across the biome, dry-season rainfall has fallen by about 21 millimeters per year, with 15.8 mm of that drop traced to deforestation alone. Meanwhile, maximum temperatures have climbed about 2.0°C, and the researchers attribute 16.5% of that rise to forest clearing, with the remainder tied to global warming.



“Several scientific articles on the Amazon have already shown that the temperature is higher, that rainfall has decreased, and that the dry season has increased,” said study senior author Luiz Augusto Toledo Machado of USP.



"There was still no separation between the effect of climate change, caused mainly by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cutting-super-pollutants-could-quickly-cool-the-planet/">pollution</a> from countries in the Northern Hemisphere, and deforestation caused by Brazil itself. Through this study, we were able to separate and weigh each of these components, practically showing a kind of ‘account payable.’”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-intense-changes-from-forest-loss">Intense changes from forest loss</h2>



One practical insight leaps off the page: the biggest local climate swings happen at the earliest stages of forest loss. The models show the most intense changes in rainfall and temperature occur when 10% to 40% of the forest is removed.&nbsp;



“The effects of the changes, especially in temperature and precipitation, are much more significant in the first few percent of deforestation,” said co-author Marco Aurélio Franco from USP’s Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics, and Atmospheric Sciences.&nbsp;



“In other words, we have to preserve the forest; that’s very clear. We can’t transform it into something else, such as pastureland. If there’s any type of exploitation, it needs to be sustainable.”



That finding reframes “small” incursions: early clearing is not a harmless nibble - it’s when the local water and heat balance is most sensitive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-forest-that-makes-its-own-rain">A forest that makes its own rain</h2>



The Amazon is more than a carbon storehouse; it manufactures its own moisture. Through deep roots and vast leaf area, trees pump water skyward, feeding the “flying rivers” - atmospheric flows that deliver rainfall to the Amazon itself and to far-flung biomes such as the Cerrado.



Recent research by some of the same USP scientists illuminated the biome’s rain-making chemistry: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/household-sprays-release-dangerous-nanoparticles-that-linger-in-the-home/">aerosol nanoparticles</a>, electrical discharges, and day-night reactions act like a cloud-building “machine.” 



Strip away trees, and you weaken that system - less evapotranspiration, fewer cloud seeds, and a longer, harsher dry season primed for fire.



Those dynamics are not abstract. MapBiomas data show the Brazilian Amazon lost 14% of its native vegetation between 1985 and 2023. An area of 553,000 square kilometers, roughly the size of France, was primarily lost to pasture. 



Deforestation dropped to its second-lowest level between August 2024 and July 2025 (4,495 km²). However, degradation - especially from fire - remains stubborn and widespread.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-effects-of-amazon-deforestation">Effects of Amazon deforestation </h2>



To parse the drivers, the team combined long-term reanalysis, remote sensing, and land-use classifications (including MapBiomas) with parametric surface equations that track annual cycles and forest loss. Alongside rain and temperature, they examined greenhouse gases.&nbsp;



Across the past 35 years, CO₂ rose by about 87 ppm and methane by about 167 ppb in the region - increases driven more than 99% by global emissions. That result doesn’t contradict studies showing deforestation weakens the forest’s CO₂ uptake.&nbsp;



As Machado noted, flux measurements are local, while concentrations reflect the global burden. In other words, global emissions dominate the background rise, even as local clearing erodes the forest’s ability to absorb <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dry-spells-weaken-the-amazons-ability-to-store-carbon/">carbon</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keep-the-forest-keep-the-rain">Keep the forest, keep the rain</h2>



Project the trends forward and the message is unambiguous. If clearing continues, the experts warn, dry-season rainfall will decline further and temperatures will climb higher, amplifying drought risk and fire weather.&nbsp;



Other recent work already points to deforestation-driven disruptions of the South American <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-atmosphere-has-a-memory-that-affects-the-timing-of-monsoons/">monsoon</a>, which waters central and southeastern Brazil. Weakening that summer lifeline doesn’t just stress farms and cities downstream; it also undercuts the Amazon’s own resilience - making it harder for the forest to recover from shocks like the 2023–2024 droughts.



The new attribution numbers give decision-makers a sharper tool. They quantify how much of today’s dry-season pain is homegrown versus imported via global warming. 



That “account payable” puts a premium on preserving standing forest, restoring degraded areas, and reining in fire - actions that can deliver near-term benefits for rainfall and heat, even as the world tackles emissions.



With COP30 convening in Belém, the study’s take-home is as practical as it is urgent: keep the forest intact, and you keep the rain. Every hectare left standing pays climate dividends - locally, season by season, not just in abstract global carbon ledgers.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63156-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Deforestation is drying the Amazon more than climate change

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is doing far more than clearing trees: it’s directly shrinking the region’s rain supply and nudging temperatures upward during the dry season.&nbsp; A new study led by scientists at the University of São Paulo (USP) is the first to put hard numbers on how much of the recent shift is due to local forest loss versus global climate change. The researchers found that deforestation accounts for roughly 74.5% of the observed decline in dry-season rainfall and 16.5% of the warming in the...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> has found that a common weed - Portulaca oleracea,&nbsp;commonly known as purslane – could offer important clues about how to create drought resistant crops in a world beset by climate change. According to the experts, this plant integrates two distinct metabolic pathways in order to create a novel type of photosynthesis which enables it to endure <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-have-a-memory-of-drought/">droughts</a>, while also remaining highly productive.&nbsp;



“This is a very rare combination of traits and has created a kind of ‘super plant’ -&nbsp; one that could be potentially useful in endeavors such as crop engineering,” said study senior author Erika Edwards, a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale.



Plants have evolved a variety of distinct mechanisms to improve photosynthesis, the process by which they use sunlight to synthesize nutrients from carbon dioxide and water. For example, while corn and sugarcane evolved what is known as C4 photosynthesis, which allows them to remain productive under high temperatures, succulents such as cacti and agaves employ another type called CAM photosynthesis, which helps them survive and thrive in areas with little water, such as deserts. While C4 and CAM serve different functions, they recruit the same biochemical pathway to act as “add-ons” to regular photosynthesis.



The researchers were surprised to find that purslane possesses both of these evolutionary adaptations, a unique feature that allows it to be both highly productive and resilient to droughts, which is a rare combination for plants. While scientists have initially thought that C4 and CAM operate independently within purslane leaves, spatial analyses of gene expression revealed that C4 and CAM activity were fully integrated, functioning in the same cells, with products of CAM reactions being processed by the C4 pathway. This system provides significant levels of protection during droughts.



Better understanding this metabolic pathway could help scientists devise novel ways of engineering crops that can withstand prolonged droughts. “In terms of engineering a CAM cycle into a C4 crop, such as maize, there is still a lot of work to do before that could become a reality,” said Professor Edwards. “But what we’ve shown is that the two pathways can be efficiently integrated and share products. C4 and CAM are more compatible than we had thought, which leads us to suspect that there are many more C4+CAM species out there, waiting to be discovered.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Common weed may lead to drought-resistant crops

A new study led by Yale University has found that...

Demand for hops have risen significantly over the past years, as the craft <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lager-beer-is-beneficial-for-mens-gut-microbiome/">beer</a> industry has grown, largely fueled by hop-forward beers such as India pale ales. As a consequence, hop growers and breeders are increasingly focused on the aromatic potential of hops and their contribution to beer flavor. At the same time, the increasing appreciation for regionally or locally produced beer has provided growers, breeders, and brewers with an opportunity to add value to their products by better understanding hop traits which are influenced by a growing region, sub-region, or even a single field, thus giving rise to the concept of “hop regional identity.”&nbsp;



A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> (OSU) has now investigated the impact of the growing environment on the aroma of hops and beers brewed with them, and discovered that hops of the same variety grown in Oregon and Washington and the resulting beers have different chemical properties and aroma profiles.&nbsp;



“Like winemakers, brewers want to know: Will hops grown in different regions be different? And, if so, why?” said&nbsp;study senior author Thomas Shellhammer, an expert on the chemistry of hops at OSU. “This study shows compelling evidence that there are differences you can attribute to the region.”



Together with his team, Professor Shellhammer analyzed Cascade and Mosaic hops from the 2020 harvest year grown at 39 different locations in Washington’s Yakima Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley. By chemically analyzing the acids and compounds in the hops and convening a trained sensory panel to analyze the hop aromas, they discovered significant between-state and within-state differences for both varieties.&nbsp;



While Cascade hops grown in Oregon were characterized by strong citrus, floral, fruity, herbal, and resinous aroma, those from Washington displayed a more tropical and sweaty aroma. As for the Mosaic hops – those grown in Oregon exhibited a strong citrus, floral, fruity, and tropical aroma, while those in Washington had a more sweaty, vegetal, and woody aroma.



“These results will help hop growers in the Pacific Northwest of the United States as well as brewers utilizing hops from these major hop-growing regions to produce regionally unique beers or to blend hops in a way that results in standardized and constant beer quality,” Professor Shellhammer said.



In future research, the scientists aim to investigate whether regional differences exist among other hop varieties and between different harvest years, and to clarify the impact of environmental parameters - such as soil characteristics, the microbiome, weather, and climate – and agricultural parameters, including irrigation, fertilization, and harvest date.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03610470.2022.2089010">Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Growing environment impacts the aroma of beer and hops

Demand for hops have risen significantly over the past years,...

Recently, record amounts of foul-smelling sargassum seaweed have flooded huge areas of the Atlantic Ocean shoreline, leading U.S. Virgin Islands governor Albert Bryan Jr. to declare a state of emergency. In June 2022, the amount of these algae found in the tropical, central west and east Atlantic, as well as in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, reached 24.2 million tons – a significant increase from 18.8 million in May.



“If you put all this biomass side by side, the entire area is equivalent to six times of Tampa Bay,” said Chuanmin Hu, an expert in Optical Oceanography at the <a href="https://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a>. According to Governor Bryan, “the seaweed overrunning our beaches also brings the potential for disruption to businesses and other negative financial impacts to our economy.”



While the seaweed usually provides habitat and feeding grounds for a large variety of aquatic animals, such as crabs, dolphins, eels, and different species of fish, once washed ashore it starts to rot, emanating a foul smell and releasing toxic gases that can cause humans in their vicinity heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness. In addition, the large floating mats are clogging fishing gear and impeding navigation at sea, while the seaweed that sinks to the bottom of the sea could smother coral reefs and other ecosystems.



According to a 2019 article published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaw7912">Science</a>, sargassum seaweed – which was once predominant in the northern regions of the Atlantic – has become increasingly widespread in the south since 2011, most likely due to the unusually strong winds and currents the Atlantic experienced a year before.



Those hoping to have seaweed-free Caribbean beaches in the next summers should not set their expectations too high, warned Dr. Hu. Most probably, massive sargassum blooms in the coastal waters will become a “new normal,” causing massive disruptions to ecosystems and the economy. However, since seaweed has many uses – from being turned into fertilizer, bricks, or even tennis shoes to being eaten in salads – this crisis could also provide new opportunities.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Caribbean shores are choked by seaweed

Recently, record amounts of foul-smelling sargassum seaweed have flooded huge...

A study published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsbl">Biology Letters</a> has shed some light on the predatory mechanisms of the Slender Pitcher Plant, Nepenthes gracilis. This plant is native to the lush jungles of Borneo. The leaves of pitcher plants have a beautiful but deadly design; they are shaped like a cup with a hanging lid. When rain hits the lid, it closes, trapping any hapless <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-have-inherited-hundreds-of-genes-from-microbes/">insects</a> on the underside and flicking them into the pitcher, where the digestive juices consume them.&nbsp;



The Slender Pitcher Plant is the only known plant to use an external energy source (rain) to execute such a fast movement without having to sustain any energy costs itself. Until now, botanists were not sure how the lid works. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> were surprised to discover that the spring is located at the back of the tubular pitcher wall, rather than in the lid itself.



"If you look at the pitcher shape you would assume that the deformation happens at the smallest cross section, which is the transition point from lid to pitcher tube, but in fact it also deforms further down at the back of the pitcher tube," explained study lead author Anne-Kristin Lenz.



There are two advantages to this location. First, it makes the spring direction-dependent. This means that when rain falls on the lid, it can quickly close and spring insects into the trap below. However, as the lid moves up, there is more resistance, meaning the trap is ready to claim its next victim.



Secondly, the off-center position of the spring prevents the lid from twisting or tilting, making it more stable and ensuring more energy can be devoted to the critical closing action. Lenz believes this design could inspire alternative energy engineers.



"Pitcher plant traps are lightweight, but sturdy. Nepenthes gracilis uses small changes in the trap shape to transmit impact energy with astounding efficiency," said Lenz.



"We can learn from these plants how to optimize structures geometrically, which could help to save material and weight, while still having a functional spring. The springboard trapping mechanism might even provide inspiration for designing new mechanical devices for harvesting energy from rain or hail."



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pitcher plants harness rain energy to capture insects

A study published in the journal Biology Letters has shed...

Eelgrass is one of the most widespread shallow-water <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-new-way-to-measure-stress-in-plants/">plant</a> in the world, with its range spanning from semi-tropical regions like Baja California all the way up to Alaska and the Arctic. While providing food and habitat for a variety of aquatic animals, eelgrasses also offer many services to humans, such as protecting coastlines from storms, sinking carbon, or reducing harmful bacteria in the water.&nbsp;



Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://serc.si.edu/">Smithsonian Environmental Research Center</a> has found that the ancient genetic history of eelgrass communities can play a stronger role than the present-day environment in determining their size and structure, as well as who lives in them. These findings could have implications for how well eelgrasses can adapt to imminent threats such as climate change.



Half a million years ago, when our planet was significantly warmer, some eelgrasses migrated from their homes in the Pacific to the Atlantic. Afterwards, a series of ice ages during the Pleistocene further affected how eelgrass populations spread, and ultimately left lasting signatures in their DNA: even today, eelgrass populations in the Atlantic are less genetically diverse than their counterparts in the Pacific. Thus, it appears that genetic legacy has a much larger role in shaping modern eelgrass communities than the current environment.



“We already knew that there was big genetic separation between the oceans, but I don’t think any of us ever dreamed that that would be more important than environmental conditions,” said study lead author Emmett Duffy, a marine biologist at the Smithsonian. “That was a big surprise to everybody.”



Since in most places where it grows, eelgrass is the dominant - or only - seagrass species, its survival is critical for the animals and people that live in its vicinity. The lower genetic diversity found in the Atlantic could make it much more difficult for some populations to adapt to rapid changes.



“Diversity is like having different tools in your tool belt,” explained study co-author Jay Stachowicz, an ecologist at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>. “And if all you’ve got is a hammer, you can put in nails, but that’s about it. But if you have a full complement of tools, each tool can be used to do different jobs more efficiently.”&nbsp;



Since ancient genetics can play such a strong role in the structure and functioning of modern eelgrass populations, scientists wonder whether eelgrass could adapt to more rapid changes. “I’m hopeful because our results illustrate long-term resiliency to repeated, major changes in thermal tolerances and the wide range of eelgrass habitats over about half the Northern Hemisphere,” said study co-author Jeanine Olsen, a professor emeritus of Marine Biology at the <a href="https://www.rug.nl/?lang=en">University of Groningen</a>.&nbsp;



Further research is needed to find out the best methods of conserving and restoring eelgrass populations. “Should you be restoring seagrass using plants from local environments, or should you be thinking to the future and trying plants with genetics better suited to future environmental conditions?” asked Dr. Stachowicz. “Or should you hedge your bets?”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2121425119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ancient genetics shape modern eelgrass populations

Eelgrass is one of the most widespread shallow-water plant in...

A research team led by the <a href="https://missouri.edu/">University of Missouri</a> has recently found a new method of assessing stress in plants: measuring levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) – a once maligned collection of molecules which are produced by anything that uses oxygen (including animals, plants, and humans), and were now discovered to have a crucial role as a communication signal indicating when plants are stressed out. Considering that plants are currently experiencing multiple stressors from droughts, heat, or flooding, these findings could open new ways of increasing plant resilience to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-produce-aspirin-in-response-to-environmental-stress/">environmental stress</a> in order to avoid crop loss.&nbsp;



“Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are key signaling molecules that enable cells to rapidly respond to different stimuli,” the study authors wrote. “In plants, ROS play a crucial role in abiotic and biotic stress sensing, integration of different environmental signals and activation of stress-response networks, thus contributing to the establishment of defense mechanisms and plant resilience.”



Although scientists have long known that plant stress is associated with crop loss, previous studies have typically focused on how crops react to just a single stressor. However, plants’ survival rates will often dramatically decrease as the number of stressors rises.&nbsp;



“When stressors from heat and drought are added together, plants don’t have ground water to draw from, so they close the stomata [leaf pores], and this makes the leaves become really hot,” explained study lead author Ron Mittler, an expert in Botany at the University of Missouri.



“This is why the combination of drought and heat is really dangerous, because the leaf temperature is much higher than with a plant subjected to just heat. The change can be anywhere between two and four degrees, and that can make the difference between life and death.”



Moreover, when the number of stressors further increases, the plants’ chances of survival diminish even more. According to Professor Mittler, the key to protect plants from environmental stress is to keep ROS levels in check. While either too much or too little ROS can be damaging, an optimum level will significantly protect the plants, increasing their resilience to a wide variety of stressors. Further research is needed to identify the optimal levels of ROS, and to develop reliable methods of controlling them in order to protect crops.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41580-022-00499-2">Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology</a>.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Scientists find new way to measure stress in plants

A research team led by the University of Missouri has...

In collaboration with Texas Tech's <a href="https://www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/ns/">Department of Nutritional Sciences</a>, scientists from the University of South Australia have discovered new health benefits of peanuts. The researchers used a controlled study to explore how consuming lightly salted peanuts affected weight loss, blood pressure, and glucose. They determined that nut consumption has a positive effect on individual health. 



"Our study found that peanuts, which are high in healthy unsaturated fats, can actually aid weight loss," said co-author Kristina Petersen. "Peanuts are often avoided when people are trying to lose weight because they believe peanuts contain too many calories. However, peanuts actually have a high satiety value, meaning they keep you feeling fuller longer and that can be really helpful for those on a weight loss diet."



The study participants consisted of two sets of Australian adults at-risk of developing type 2 diabetes. While the researchers told the control group to avoid nuts for six months, they instructed the experimental group to consume 35 grams of lightly salted, dry-roasted peanuts twice a day, 30 minutes before meals.



The results showed that the experimental group loss weight despite consuming 400 more calories per day than the control group. These individuals also had lower blood pressure and improved blood sugar levels.&nbsp;



The finding that peanuts can lower blood sugar levels has been demonstrated in previous research. However, the other two outcomes were not as predictable.&nbsp;



Petersen explained that although the nuts contained salt, there was improved systolic blood pressure in the experimental group for several reasons. The first is that lightly salted peanuts are low in sodium. Second, peanuts contain a large amount of an amino acid called arginine, which aids in blood vessel dilation. Furthermore, peanuts contain magnesium, which is known to help regulate blood pressure.&nbsp;



The experts believe the weight loss occurred because peanuts contain a significant amount of protein and fiber, which help people feel satiated for longer.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/14/2986">Nutrients</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Peanuts lower blood pressure and promote weight loss

In collaboration with Texas Tech's Department of Nutritional Sciences, scientists...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ffpri.affrc.go.jp/en/research/dept/18biodiversity/index.html">Center for Biodiversity and Climate Change</a> at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI) in Japan&nbsp;has found that, over the past 60 years, the global forest area has declined by 81.7 million hectares – a major loss contributing to the more than 60 percent decline in global forest area per capita. This massive decline threatens the future of biodiversity, while impacting the lives of over 1.6 million people worldwide.



The researchers used global land use datasets to investigate how forests have changed over space and time from 1960 to 2019. The analysis revealed that the decline in global forests combined with an increase in world population has resulted in a decrease of the global forest area per capita of over 60 percent, from 1.4 hectares in 1960 to 0.5 hectares in 2019.



“The continuous loss and degradation of forests affect the integrity of forest ecosystems, reducing their ability to generate and provide essential services and sustain biodiversity,” the study authors wrote. “It also impacts the lives of at least 1.6 billion people worldwide, predominantly in developing countries, who depend on forests for various purposes.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



According to the researchers, this change in the spatiotemporal pattern of global forests supports the <a href="https://sesmad.dartmouth.edu/theories/50">forest transition theory</a>, with most forest losses occurring mainly in the lower-income countries from the tropics, and forest gains in various higher-income countries.&nbsp;



“Despite this spatial pattern of forest loss occurring primarily in the less developed countries, the role of more developed nations in this said forest loss also needs to be studied more deeply,” explained study lead author Ronald C. Estoque, an expert in Geoenvironmental Sciences at FFPRI. “With the strengthening of forest conservation in more developed countries, forest loss is displaced to the less developed countries, especially in the tropics.”&nbsp;



“Today, monitoring of the world’s forests is an integral part of various global environmental and social initiatives, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement and the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. To help achieve the goals of these initiatives, there is a profound need to reverse, or at least flatten, the global net forest loss curve by conserving the world’s remaining forests and restoring and rehabilitating degraded forest landscapes,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac7df5">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Global forest area per capita has decreased by 60 percent

A new study led by the Center for Biodiversity and...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a> has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meat-industry-is-not-threatened-by-plant-based-alternatives/">plant-based dietary alternatives</a> to animal products are better for human health and the environment than the meat products they are designed to replace.&nbsp;



According to the experts, plant-based meat and dairy alternatives “offer a healthier and more environmentally sustainable solution which takes into account consumer preferences and behavior.” Moreover, since they are specifically created to replicate the taste, texture, and overall eating experience of animal products, they are a much more effective way of reducing demand for meat and dairy products than just encouraging people to eat vegetarian meals.&nbsp;



By examining 43 studies focused on the environmental and health impact of plant-based foods, the scientists found that these products tend to have better nutritional profiles than animal products, and are highly beneficial for weight loss, building muscle mass, and improving overall health.&nbsp;



Moreover, since producers can add ingredients such as edible fungi, microalgae, or spirulina to plant-based foods, they can boost the amounts of amino acids, antioxidants, and vitamins B and E in these products, thus further improving their nutritional profile.



Plant-based products were also found to cause lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions than the animal ones, while generally requiring less agricultural land and water, and causing less pollution than animal-based products. Thus, increasing the use of such products will have not only significant health benefits, but will also help fighting climate change by safeguarding the environment.



“Increasingly we’re seeing how plant-based products are able to shift demand away from animal products by appealing to three essential elements consumers want: taste, price, and convenience. This review demonstrates overwhelming evidence that, as well as being far more sustainable compared to animal products in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and land use, plant-based animal product alternatives also have a wide range of health benefits,” said study author Christopher Bryant, a psychologist at the University of Bath.



“Despite the incredible advances that plant-based producers have made over recent years, there is still huge potential to improve their taste, texture, and how they cook. There’s also enormous potential to innovate with ingredients and processes to improve their nutritional properties – for example by boosting vitamin content.”



Further research is needed to make these improvements a reality, and ensure that manufacturers can make tastier and healthier products that provide consumers with sustainable options that are more likely to reduce the demand for animal products.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666833522000612#bib0085">Future Foods</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Plant-based foods are healthier than animal products

A new study led by the University of Bath has...

The wild orchid Habenaria radiata’s beautiful white petals resemble a white egret in flight – hence the flower’s colloquial name of “white egret orchid.” Although this orchid has been loved by people since ancient times, the adaptive significance of the flower’s jagged shaped has remained a mystery until recently. 



For three years, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.kobe-u.ac.jp/en/index.html">Kobe University</a> in Japan has conducted field experiments in which the feather-like fringe was removed, and the ways in which this change influenced the orchid’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-stabilize-the-production-of-food-crops/">pollinators</a> was examined. The experts discovered that, in their natural habitat, white egret orchids without this fringe tended to produce fewer healthy seeds than intact plants. The question that remained was why.&nbsp;



Initially, scientists thought that orchids’ petals mainly function as visual attractants. In the case of H. radiata, hawkmoths – this species’ primary pollinators – were observed hovering in the air while drinking nectar from flowers, making researchers hypothesize that they are visually attracted by the plant’s fringe. 



Since the flowers of other plants pollinated by hawkmoths (such as snake gourd) also have deeply divided fringed petals, it was believed that these petals have adapted to effectively attract hawkmoths, most likely because fringed flowers can conserve more resources than fringeless ones of the same diameter.



However, if the fringe functions mainly as a visual attractant, it can be predicted that specimens with their fringes removed would have a reduced fruit production rate (since fruit production is an indicator of the frequency of pollinator visits). 



The scientists were surprised to find that, contrary to this prediction, there was no decline in fruit production in fringeless specimens, suggesting that the fringe does not in fact play a significant role in attracting hawkmoths. Nevertheless, flowers with the fringe removed had a lower rate of healthy seeds in their fruit.



By conducting detailed behavioral observations of the hawkmoths, scientists noticed that this major pollinator does not hover continuously while drinking nectar, but sometimes grasps onto the petal fringe with its mid-legs. This suggests that, without the stability provided by the fringe, the hawkmoths cannot pass as much pollen to the plant, resulting in fringeless plants receiving fewer pollen grains per visit and producing fewer healthy seeds.



“The white egret orchid was given its name because its brilliant white petals resemble the bird in flight. According to legend, the soul of a white egret that died was reborn as the much-loved white egret orchid,” said study lead author Kenji Suetsugu, an associate professor of Botany at Kobe University. 



“Nevertheless, it is now evident that fringes primarily stabilize the hawkmoth (the primary pollinator)’s posture, increasing pollen transfer. I am pleased that we have revealed the unexpected adaptive significance that is at the heart of its distinctive fringe,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.3781">Ecology</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Orchids evolved fringed petals to support pollinators

The wild orchid Habenaria radiata’s beautiful white petals resemble a...

A New Zealand stinging tree produces toxins that could hold clues for future pain medication, according to researchers at <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">The University of Queensland</a> (UQ).



In a quest to find new molecules that affect pain pathways, Dr. Thomas Durek, Dr. Sam Robinson and a team from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) studied toxins from tree nettle - one of New Zealand’s most poisonous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-birds-and-bees-flock-to-gardens-with-rare-plants/">plants</a>. This nettle species causes painful stings that can be fatal.



The tree nettle toxins were found to activate pain receptors in a new way. “The New Zealand tree nettle can grow up to four meters tall and its leaves and stems are covered with stinging hairs that pierce the skin and deliver venom which causes long-lasting pain,” said Dr. Robinson.



Fossil remains show that a large flightless bird known as the Moa would frequently eat the tree nettle. It’s likely that the strong toxins evolved to fend off the now-extinct bird.



“COVID made it difficult to source nettles, but to keep our research going through the pandemic, we managed to source seeds from the New Zealand tree nettle and grow the plant under quarantine in the lab,” said Dr. Robinson.



Professor Irina Vetter, Director of IMB’s Centre for Pain Research, said understanding pain pathways was key to finding new ways to treat chronic pain.



“Animal venoms have been studied for decades but plants have evolved toxins differently, and this gives us a chance to find molecules that work in a unique way,” explained Professor Vetter.



Around the world, there are hundreds of tree nettles with stinging hairs. The researchers intend to study as many as possible to find new treatments for common pain. The goal is to tackle pain more effectively without side effects and addiction.



With travel bans lifting, Dr. Gilding plans to go to Vietnam later this year to experience anything that stings. “There are several hundred nettles in the Urticaceae family with stinging hairs around the world - we’re keen to compare how they have evolved and whether they all use the same toxins."



The research is published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102218">Journal of Biological Chemistry</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Stinging tree may reveal new ways to treat chronic pain

A New Zealand stinging tree produces toxins that could hold...

Consuming green tea extract for four weeks can reduce blood sugar levels and improve gut health. New research focused on individuals with a risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/links-between-climate-and-heart-disease-must-be-addressed/">heart disease</a> found that green tea extract can lower inflammation and decrease "leaky gut." 



This is the first study to assess whether health risks linked to metabolic syndrome could be diminished by green tea’s anti-inflammatory benefits in the gut Metabolic syndrome affects up to one-third of adults in the U.S. This is the first study to assess whether health risks linked to metabolic syndrome could be diminished by green tea’s anti-inflammatory benefits in the gut. 



Study senior author Richard Bruno is a professor of Human Nutrition at The Ohio State University. 



“There is much evidence that greater consumption of green tea is associated with good levels of cholesterol, glucose and triglycerides, but no studies have linked its benefits at the gut to those health factors,” said Bruno. 



The clinical trial was conducted on 40 individuals as a follow-up to a 2019 study that associated lower obesity and fewer health risks in mice that consumed green tea supplements. 



In the current study, the researchers made an unexpected discovery. They found that green tea extract lowers blood sugar and decreases gut inflammation and permeability in healthy people. 



“What this tells us is that within one month we’re able to lower blood glucose in both people with metabolic syndrome and healthy people, and the lowering of blood glucose appears to be related to decreasing leaky gut and decreasing gut inflammation – regardless of health status,” Bruno said. 



People with metabolic syndrome are diagnosed with at least three of five factors that increase the risk for heart disease,and other health problems – excess belly fat, high blood pressure, low good cholesterol, and high levels of fasting blood glucose and triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood. 



These risk factors are often only slightly altered as physicians commonly recommend weight loss and exercise. But overall lifestyle modifications can be difficult for some people, and these risk factors can continue to threaten overall health. 



"Our work is aiming to give people a new food-based tool to help manage their risk for metabolic syndrome or to reverse metabolic syndrome.” said Bruno. 



For 28 days, participants consumed gummy confections containing green tea extract rich in anti-inflammatory compounds called catechins. The daily dose equaled five cups of green tea. All participants spent another 28 days taking a placebo, with a month off of any supplement between the treatments. 



The participants followed a diet low in naturally occurring antioxidants in fruits, vegetables, teas and spices during the placebo and green tea extract periods to ensure that results could be attributed to the effects of green tea alone. 



The results showed that fasting blood glucose levels for all participants were significantly lower after taking green tea extract compared to levels after taking the placebo. The experts found that all participants had decreased gut inflammation and a decrease in small intestine permeability. 



Gut permeability, or leaky gut, enables intestinal bacteria and related toxins to enter the bloodstream, stimulating low-grade chronic inflammation. 



“That absorption of gut-derived products is thought to be an initiating factor for obesity and insulin resistance, which are central to all cardiometabolic disorders,” said Bruno. “If we can improve gut integrity and reduce leaky gut, the thought is we’ll be able to not only alleviate low-grade inflammation that initiates cardiometabolic disorders, but potentially reverse them.” 



The researchers believe there is potential for green tea to alleviate the risk of either developing or reversing metabolic syndrome. 



The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center at Ohio State. The findings are published in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition. 



--- By Katherine Bucko, Earth.com Staff Writer

Green tea extract lowers blood sugar and improves gut health

Consuming green tea extract for four weeks can reduce blood...

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On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<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=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



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



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



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



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

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https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
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Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image 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.

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



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.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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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.

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&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.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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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 



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.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



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.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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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



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.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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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.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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