Walk into a grocery store today and you may find familiar foods looking less predictable. From corn chips to tofu, climate change is quietly reshaping what fills our plates. Scientists are warning that it is not just about fewer crops, but about harvests becoming wildly unstable.



A global study led by the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of British Columbia</a> shows that hotter and drier conditions are making food production swing more dramatically. 



These shifts ripple through the economy, driving higher prices, creating financial stress for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-trade-growth-for-survival-after-drought/">farmers</a>, and leaving vulnerable communities facing hunger.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-makes-crops-unstable">Heat makes crops unstable</h2>



The study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>, tracked three major crops: corn, soybean and sorghum. 



The researchers found that for every degree of warming, year-to-year yield variability jumps by 7 percent for corn, 19 percent for soybeans and 10 percent for sorghum.



Earlier studies mostly measured declining average yields. This research spotlights something equally dangerous: instability. For many farmers, that instability determines whether they survive another season or face ruin.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-devastate-global-food-production/">Farmers</a> and the societies they feed don’t live off of averages - they generally live off of what they harvest each year,” said Dr. Jonathan Proctor, assistant professor at UBC and lead author of the study. 



“A big shock in one bad year can mean real hardship, especially in places without sufficient access to crop insurance or food storage.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-disaster-risk">Rising disaster risk</h2>



The numbers highlight how warming multiplies risks. At two degrees hotter than today’s climate, soybean failures that used to occur once a century could strike every 25 years. 



Corn failures would shift from once every hundred years to every 49, while sorghum failures would occur every 54 years.



Unchecked emissions push the timeline further. By 2100, soybean failures could arrive as often as once every eight years. The danger is greatest for farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America and South Asia, where rain-fed farming and weak financial support leave little room to absorb shocks.



Yet even wealthy regions are not immune. In 2012, a heatwave and drought in the U.S. Midwest cut corn and soybean yields by a fifth, costing billions and triggering a 10 percent spike in global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lanthanides-common-metal-in-plant-fertilizer-key-to-boosting-global-crop-food-supplies/">food</a> prices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-and-dryness-worsen-crops">Heat and dryness worsen crops</h2>



The researchers found that it is not just heat alone but its overlap with dry soil that explains these swings. Using global harvest records along with climate data from satellites, models and weather stations, they pinpointed the twin stressors.



“A key driver of these wild swings? A double whammy of heat and dryness, increasingly arriving together,” said Dr. Proctor.



Hot weather dries the soil, which in turn amplifies heat. This vicious cycle hits plants hard, especially during sensitive phases like pollination.



“If you’re hydrated and go for a run your body will sweat to cool down, but if you’re dehydrated you can get heatstroke,” said Dr. Proctor. “The same processes make dry <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-carbon-dioxide-makes-crops-grow-bigger-but-less-nutritious/">farms</a> hotter than wet ones.”



Even short dry spells during high heat can devastate crops, especially soybeans and sorghum, where the overlap of heat and dryness drives much of the volatility.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-irrigation-and-its-limits">Irrigation and its limits</h2>



The study shows that irrigation can reduce these risks, but only if water is available. Many of the regions most vulnerable already face water stress or lack infrastructure for large-scale irrigation. 



That means the solution cannot rely on water alone, especially as water demand grows with rising populations, expanding cities, and shifting climate patterns.



In many parts of the world, aquifers are already being depleted faster than they can naturally recharge, adding another layer of uncertainty to future farming. 



Even in wealthier nations, competing demands between agriculture, households, and industry often limit how much water farmers can access during droughts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-root-cause">Addressing the root cause</h2>



The researchers recommend stronger safety nets to help farmers survive difficult years, alongside investment in heat- and drought-resistant crop varieties that can better withstand extreme conditions. 



The experts also highlight the importance of better soil care, such as practices that improve water retention and reduce erosion, and the role of advanced forecasting systems that give farmers more time to prepare for upcoming heatwaves or dry spells.



These steps can soften the blow, but they are not enough on their own. Ultimately, the researchers emphasize that the most reliable and far-reaching solution is cutting the emissions driving global warming. 



Without addressing the root cause, they warn, adaptation measures will always remain partial and temporary.



“Not everyone grows food, but everyone needs to eat,” said Dr. Proctor. “When harvests become more unstable, everyone will feel it.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ady3575" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Heat is making crop harvests wildly unpredictable

Walk into a grocery store today and you may find familiar foods looking less predictable. From corn chips to tofu, climate change is quietly reshaping what fills our plates. Scientists are warning that it is not just about fewer crops, but about harvests becoming wildly unstable. A global study led by the University of British Columbia shows that hotter and drier conditions are making food production swing more dramatically. These shifts ripple through the economy, driving higher prices, creating financial stress for farmers, and leaving vulnerable communities facing hunger....

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> are describing how plants evolved from simple, two-dimensional marine algae to the complex, three-dimensional organisms that live on land today. The team identified specific proteins that were key to the transformation of terrestrial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unsuitable-soils-stop-plants/">plants</a>.

The researchers found that small proteins, known as CLAVATA peptides, regulate the growth and division of cells at the very tips of plants. This process is responsible for developing the shoot, which is the production center for stems, leaves, and flowers.

CLAVATA uses a peptide receptor system in which the peptide signals the receptor to set the cell division planes.


The analysis of marine algae revealed that the aquatic ancestors of terrestrial plants did not contain CLAVATA proteins, which led to the conclusion that the molecules emerged in plants as they first advanced from water to land.


The experts used moss as a model to examine the transition of plants from two-dimensional to three-dimensional. They discovered that plants gained the ability to grow in multiple directions because the CLAVATA peptides rotate cell divisions at the tips of the stems.


Study lead author Dr. Jill Harrison is a senior lecturer in the University's School of Biological Sciences.

“The CLAVATA genes were found to be specific to land plants to regulate their unique 3D growth patterns and so it looks like these genes were instrumental in enabling plants to get going on land,” explained Dr. Harrison.

“After this fundamental change in cell division patterns, plants could now develop many different forms, enabling them to dominate almost every environment on Earth, and so this work reveals a key role for these small proteins in plants' conquest of land.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How did marine algae evolve into diverse terrestrial plants?

Researchers at the University of Bristol are describing how plants...

New plant breeding technologies have the potential to make fruits and vegetables more appealing to the eyes and also to the taste buds. A pair of food experts is reporting that the produce of the future could have enhanced colors, shapes, and sizes, along with improved health benefits.

Study co-author Andrew Allan is a food researcher at the New Zealand science institute <a href="https://www.plantandfood.co.nz/">Plant &amp; Food Research</a>.

“Novelty drives a lot of first time purchasing,” said Allan. “If the experience is good, then the consumer will purchase again. Choice is key - there is no risk with more choice.”

The researchers explained that fast breeding with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing does not require the addition of a new DNA sequence, which is often the case with genetically modified crops. Instead, this technology allows scientists to edit existing genes. There is focus, in particular, on transcription factor genes called MYBs that control many of the key consumer traits in plants.

“MYBs often regulate the compounds that generate a fruit or vegetables' 'wow’ factor - its color,” said Allan. “These compounds are also associated with important health benefits such as lowering cardiovascular disease or acting as vitamins. By using MYBs to elevate these compounds to create a richer color, we can make produce both more appealing to consumers and more beneficial for the human diet.”


Editing MYBs can also transform produce beyond the surface. For example, some fruits and vegetables such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/best-wash-pesticides-apples/">apples</a> and potatoes have nutrients that are concentrated in the skin. Scientists can now modify MYBs to create produce with a consistent concentration of vitamins in every bite.

The breeding technology is also being used to modify the flavor and texture of produce, and Allan is excited by what this could mean for the future of our supermarkets. He said that this could be “the next green revolution, with more product choice for developed countries, greater yields for less developed countries, and more growing options for climate resilience.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/home">Trends in Plant Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plant breeding technology could make produce more appealing

New plant breeding technologies have the potential to make fruits...

Large animals are known collectively as “megafauna” – such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ground-vibrations-elephants-poachers/">elephants</a>, giraffes, hippos and other enormous creatures. In many ecosystems, herbivorous megafauna are crucial for the dispersal of the seeds of many terrestrial plants, particularly those bearing large fruits (“megafaunal fruits”). In the forests of Thailand, sambar deer, bears, gibbons, and elephants play this critical role for the forest tree Platymitra macrocarpa, which bears 3-5” long fruits that these animals consume. 

A study published in the open-access journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a> assesses the relative contribution of each of these species to the seed dispersal of this tree. The authors of the study tracked fruit consumption, seed dispersal, and seed viability by observing trees during the fruiting period, sampling dung piles and other sites of deposited seeds, and measuring the rate of germination and growth of deposited seeds. Through this analysis, they were able to calculate the seed dispersal effectiveness for each megafauna species that uses these trees as an open buffet.

Their results showed that, while elephants consume a paltry 3 percent of the available fruit, they were responsible for a whopping 37 percent of the seeds that produced viable seedlings. On the other hand, sambar deer consumed 23 percent of fruit, but were only responsible for 17 percent of seedlings. This was determined to be a result of the much more significant beetle damage done to the seeds the deer excreted. 

Although smaller members of this ecosystem’s megafauna such as deer and bear play important roles in seed dispersal, their effectiveness is lower. Ultimately, they require more fruit to reach the same level of reproduction achieved by elephants with significantly less fruit consumed.

“If less vulnerable large herbivores such as deer are unable to replicate the seed dispersal role of threatened mega-herbivores such as elephants, megafaunal fruit could suffer range contractions, affecting forest community composition and potentially forest carbon stocks,” says Kim McConkey of the <a href="http://www.nias.res.in/">National Institute of Advanced Studies</a> in Bangalore, Thailand. 

Although it may seem that a study into the seed dispersal of a handful of species for one tree in one ecosystem has a small scope, this couldn’t be further from the truth. If this widely-dispersed tree species is unable to reproduce effectively, it could have major effects on numerous species within the ecosystem, not to mention the forest carbon stocks indicated by McConkey. In ecosystems such as this, small changes can have major consequences.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Kulpat Saralamba

Elephants are crucial to the survival of this tropical tree

Large animals are known collectively as “megafauna” – such as...

Researchers have previously demonstrated that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cancer-patients-medicinal-marijuana/">cannabinoids</a> can help to relieve many side effects of anti-cancer therapies, including nausea, vomiting, pain, anxiety and loss of appetite. Experts are now exploring the potential for cannabinoids to directly treat cancer.

According to the <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/">National Institute of Cancer</a>, one in every three individuals will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in life, and there will be a 60-percent increase in the number of deaths from cancer by the year 2030.

Phytocannabinoids, which occur naturally in the marijuana plant, are the most recognizable type of cannabinoid. Studies have shown that cannabinoids may stop cancer cells from dividing and invading normal tissue, and that they may also block the blood supply to tumors.

Additional research has suggested that cannabinoids may boost the body's immune response against the growth and spread of tumors.

Dr. David Meiri works in the Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research at the <a href="https://www.technion.ac.il/en/technion-israel-institute-of-technology/">Israeli Institute of Technology</a>. His team has studied the impact of 50 varieties of cannabis on 200 different cancer cells.

“There is a large body of scientific data which indicates that cannabinoids specifically inhibit cancer cell growth and promote cancer cell death,” said Dr. Meiri.

Professor Burkhard Hinz of <a href="https://www.med.uni-rostock.de/en/?no_cache=1">Rostock University Medical Center</a> is a co-author of the current study.

“There is still a need for additional anti-cancer drugs. In this context accumulating data from preclinical models suggest that cannabinoids elicit anti-cancer effects on several levels of cancer progression," said Professor Hinz.

“Clinical studies are now urgently needed to investigate the impact of cannabinoids on cancer growth and progression in patients.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14765381">British Journal of Pharmacology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cannabinoids may fight cancer, not just treatment side effects

Researchers have previously demonstrated that cannabinoids can help to relieve...

Development in the womb depends on a whole host of factors, not the least of which is the nourishing network of signals between mother and embryo that cue healthy growth. 

In humans and animals, the underlying maternal process in embryo and later fetal development are well understood and defined, however this connection in plants has previously been a puzzle to scientists. 

For plants, signals from the mother are vital for the embryo just as in humans, and now a new study has identified the origin of maternal plant signals that influence embryo growth. 

Plant scientists from the <a href="https://ist.ac.at/">Institute of Science and Technology Austria </a>conducted the research which was published in the journal Nature Plants. 

The results show that plant mothers <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-talk-soil-growth/">“talk”</a> to their embryos via a hormone called auxin and this drives healthy embryo development. 

Auxin is so crucial to plant growth that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3070418/">previous research </a>has found that it plays a role in the development of flower formation and seedling growth. 

“Plant scientists have been trying to figure out the nature of the signal between mother and embryo for decades,” said Jiri Friml, a corresponding author of the study. “We show that the mother is the source of auxin which regulates early embryo development.” 

The researchers visualized the biosynthesis of the plant and the embryo’s response to auxin and found that after fertilization, the maternal tissue around the plant embryo in the seed produces more auxin. 

In order to show that it was maternal auxin that impacted embryo development the researchers conducted an experiment and in some plants, auxin was only produced by the embryo and not the maternal tissue. 

When the auxin production was interrupted, the researchers observed embryo development defects even though auxin was still present in the embryo. 

The study identifies a key maternal signal that influences embryo development, however, the researchers found there were still unknown factors at work, calling for further research. 

“When we stop the supply of auxin from the mother to the embryo, the embryo grows abnormally, but it still manages to develop somehow,” said Friml. “This means that there must be another, auxin-independent, signal.”

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Chulmin Park

Plant mothers talk to their embryos through hormone signals

Development in the womb depends on a whole host of...

As researchers work to model the impacts of climate change, there is increasing uncertainty about how warmer temperatures will affect vital ecosystems such as tropical and boreal forests. 

One assumption long held by scientists is that climate change will cause forests in North America to climb to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-species-mountaintops/">higher altitudes as temperatures warm</a>. 

However, a new study has found that this may not be the case and that plants will only be able to go so far because the soils uphill are unsuitable for growth. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.uoguelph.ca/">University of Guelph </a>in Canada and the results dispel hypotheses about how certain forests will respond to climate change. 

“There's a common belief about the impacts of climate change,” said Emma Davis, who pioneered the research. “It's actually a more complicated story than people believe.”

The new research is the first of its kind to examine soil composition and its impact on climbing or advancing treelines. 

The researchers planted spruce and fir seedlings at different elevations past their typical climate limits in national parks in Alberta and British Columbia. 

While the trees grew, the researchers focused on the soil and found that the further away from the natural treeline the plants were, the soil inhibited healthy growth. 

This means that even if temperatures make higher altitudes more habitable for trees, the soils may prevent the treeline from advancing northward. 

The researchers pointed to several explanations for why the soil had this impact on seed germination including different fungi or soil microbes and dryer topsoil. 

It may not be limited to Canada or North America either, as the researchers say that similar soil properties at higher altitudes worldwide could prevent treelines from climbing. 

The study lends perspective to how certain ecosystems and species may respond to climate change and the results show that rare species at risk of being overtaken by advancing plants and treelines are not in as much trouble as previously thought. 

Instead, resource managers have a better understanding of alpine systems and what policies should be implemented for habitat conservation. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: <a href="https://www.uoguelph.ca/">University of Guelph</a>

Unsuitable soils may stop plants from climbing to higher climates

As researchers work to model the impacts of climate change,...

An international team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> has discovered the longest biological rafting event ever recorded. After analyzing foreign kelp that washed up on the coast of Antarctica, the researchers found that it had traveled over 12,000 miles before reaching the shore.

By completing this trip, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experiment-uses-kelp-to-combat-ocean-acidification/">kelp</a> had passed through barriers created by polar winds and currents that were previously thought to be impassable.

“This finding shows us that living plants and animals can reach Antarctica across the ocean, with temperate and sub-Antarctic marine species probably bombarding Antarctic coastlines all the time,” said study lead author Dr. Crid Fraser.

“We always thought Antarctic plants and animals were distinct because they were isolated, but this research suggests these differences are almost entirely due to environmental extremes, not isolation.”

Study co-author Dr. Adele Morrison explained that strong westerly winds and surface currents are expected to drive floating objects north and away from Antarctica. The influence of Antarctic storms, however, can disrupt this process.

The team used advanced modeling techniques to determine how large waves generated by storms could push kelp rafts toward Antarctica.

“Once we incorporated wave-driven surface motion, which is especially pronounced during storms, suddenly some of these biological rafts were able to fetch up on the Antarctic coastline,” said Dr. Morrison.

The analysis of genetic samples collected from the kelp revealed that one specimen drifted all the way from the Kerguelen Islands, while another had made the long voyage from South Georgia. This meant that the routes the kelp had taken to reach Antarctica spanned distances of thousands of miles, or tens of thousands of kilometers.

“These are astonishing voyages, but worrying too,” said Dr. Fraser. “They show that Antarctic ecosystems could be more vulnerable to global warming than we had suspected.”

“Parts of Antarctica are among the fastest warming places on Earth. If plants and animals get to Antarctica fairly frequently by floating across the ocean, they will be able to establish themselves as soon as the local environment becomes hospitable enough.”


The kelp was initially discovered by Chilean researcher Dr. Erasmo Macaya from the <a href="http://www.udec.cl/">Universidad de Concepción</a>.

“I knew when I saw this floating seaweed - southern bull kelp - that it was important. The kelp does not grow in Antarctica but we know it can float, and can act as a raft, carrying many other intertidal plants and animals with it across oceans,” said Dr. Macaya.

“If those rafts can make it this far, we could soon see massive changes in Antarctic intertidal ecosystems.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Dr. Ceridwen Fraser

Kelp found in Antarctica traveled thousands of miles to get there

An international team of scientists led by the University of...

Some rice plants can grow taller to survive floods. An international team of researchers led by <a href="http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/">Tohoku University</a> has found that deepwater rice plants have evolved to overcome flooding conditions by developing a gene that allows them to grow taller.

Deepwater rice normally grows in shallow water. However, during the rainy season in South and Southeast Asia, flood water can reach up to several meters in depth and often persists for weeks or even months at a time.


In order to survive heavy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atmospheric-rivers-heavier-future-flooding/">flooding</a>, the rice plants grow taller as the water rises. The researchers identified a gene that is key to this self-preserving response known as SD1 (SEMIDWARF1).

When submerged in water, the rice accumulate ethylene, a gaseous plant hormone. As a result, an ethylene-responsive transcription factor called OsEIL1a activates the SD1 gene. The SD1 protein signals the increased production of gibberellins, particularly GA4, which promote vertical growth in the plant. 

The team's analysis showed that this variation among deepwater rice first evolved in a wild ancestor during the domestication of cultivated rice. According to the study, the ability to grow taller in response to high water levels emerged as the plants adapted to the deepwater environments of Bangladesh.

While it is a transcriptional gain-of-function allele of the SD1 gene that enables the increased height of deepwater rice plants, the same gene is also associated with short plant height. This occurs when a loss-of-function allele of SD1 stunts the growth of rice. The shorter height improves lodging resistance and reproductive efficiency, increasing the plant’s grain yields.

The diverse roles of the SD1 gene in rice highlights the incredible resilience and flexibility of plants in response to their surroundings.

“Extreme weather events caused by climate change could affect food production worldwide,” said study lead author Takeshi Kuroha. “Farmers will need to diversify their methods and the cryptic genetic variation found in wild rice genes may offer adaptive solutions for growing resilient crops.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Some rice plants can grow taller to survive floods

Some rice plants can grow taller to survive floods. An...

Spicy food connoisseurs know that when it comes to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spicy-food-less-salt/">spicy peppers</a>, the sometimes painful burning sensation is part of the draw. 

Humans are one of the few species on Earth that actively seek out spicy foods as most mammals avoid eating hot peppers and plants because of the pain that comes with them.

Chili peppers and other spicy plants get their heat from a chemical called capsaicin, which is designed to deter animals from eating them. However, a new study found that Chinese tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) have evolved to thrive on spicy peppers full of capsaicinoids. 

Researchers from <a href="http://english.kiz.cas.cn/">Kunming Institute of Zoology</a> in China in a new study unlocked the secrets behind the shrew’s tolerance to capsaicin and it has to do with a mutation in the animal’s cell receptors. 

The study was published in the journal<a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/%20journal.pbio.2004921"> PLOS BIOLOGY. </a>

Capsaicinoids trigger a burning sensation by activating an ion channel found on the surface of pain-sensitive cells called TRPV1.

The chemical is meant to act as a defense mechanism by alerting whatever consumes it that the food is dangerous. 

The researchers fed both mice and tree shrews chili peppers which contain capsaicin. The mice reduced the amount of pepper they ate as they realized how hot the food was whereas the shrews were not deterred. 

Even though the mice and shrews had similar levels of TRPV1, the ion channels in shrews were less responsive to the chemical because shrews lacked a single amino acid that was found in the mice. 

This is why tree shrews are unaffected by capsaicin and can feed on foods that other species would find painful. 

The researchers theorize that this mutation developed to allow tree shrews to eat Piper boehmeriaefolium, a plant in their environment that produces heavy amounts of capsaicin. 

“We propose that this mutation is an evolutionary adaptation that enabled the tree shrew to acquire a tolerance for capsaicinoids, thus widening the range of its diet for better survival,” said Yalan Han, the lead author of the study. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Thomas Foley, Unsplash

Chinese tree shrews can eat spicy peppers thanks to a mutation

Spicy food connoisseurs know that when it comes to spicy...

Certainly the majority of plants, animals, fungi, etc. that have become extinct died long before people, let alone scientists, got around to describing them.  

Dinosaurs, the most famous of extinct animals, died off around 65 million years ago, before humans evolved and certainly before Linnaeus invented his way of scientifically classifying organisms.  According to <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/extinction/massext/statement_03.html">PBS</a>, of all the organisms that ever ran, gasped, ate or simply grew in the soil, 99.9% are now extinct.

Oil spills, global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-biodiversity/">climate change</a>, over hunting, and starved feral cats have done a lot of damage, but not nearly that much.  The fact is, like every person you now know; every species alive today will someday be dead. Species, like individuals, have lifespans.  Just as we don’t use the argument, ‘they were eventually going to die anyway’ to justify the holocaust or school shootings, the rate of modern extinctions is inexcusable.  A vast number of modern extinctions are the fault of humans, too.

Most of us are aware of modern extinctions like that of the Dodo, the Passenger Pigeon and the Thylacine.  Most of us are also aware of a handful of the myriad of known threatened and endangered species. Most of us have heard of Jane Goodall’s beloved chimpanzee and vaguely know that dolphins and some fish species aren’t doing so well these days.  Less of us understand the size of the extinction event we’re tied up in at this very moment. There are so many more insects, amphibians, small mammals and others less charismatic than the Panda that may soon face extinction. 

Also, much like an individual human leaves children behind, species often diverge, leaving new species as ancestral ones become extinct.  Like many tragedies, there are many that are now dying, unknown and unrecognized, sometimes directly from human causes. 

In his book <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=cY4t7N5aR4cC&amp;q=pothole#v=snippet&amp;q=California&amp;f=false">The Secret Knowledge of Water</a>, Craig Childs talks about small, natural desert pools in California and the invertebrates discovered in them:

“They become genetically isolated over thousands, and then millions of years.  In 1992, after nearly all of the temporary vernal pools of California were destroyed by human development, researchers went out to catalog those still intact.  Of the sixty-seven species of crustaceans found in the remaining pools, thirty had never been documented anywhere on the planet…A quarter of these newly found species were each found in its own pool among the fifty-eight pools studied, meaning there is not much motion between one pool and the next.  What was lost in the hundreds of destroyed pools is unknown.” 

Imagine species dying off because of human actions and no one even realizing it until after the fact.  Perhaps you or I have stepped on one of the last of an exceedingly rare species of ant or swatted an insect thinking it a mosquito and precipitated extinction.  The thought is both depressing and awe inspiring in its suggestion of the number of life forms still inhabiting the planet with us.

The Simandou region of Guinea, West Africa is a land of lush and modest mountains covered in tropical forests.  The area is considered one of the world’s most biologically rich but also endangered forest habitats. Among mountains rising as high as 5440 feet above sea level, there are caves.  One of these caves contained a rare cockroach, Simandoa conserfariam, or the Simandoa Cave Cockroach.  The roach seems unremarkable to most, an animal with a smooth, dark grey body with darker heads and orange-ish legs.  

What makes these roaches unique is the fate of their cave home.  After scientists collected a few of the cave cockroaches, the cave itself was destroyed by a bauxite mining operation.  In a weird twist of fate, the cockroach now lives all over the world, fostered in small cages by pet enthusiasts with irregular love for arthropods.  You can even <a href="https://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Extinct-in-the-Wild-Roach-bic255.htm">buy</a> a roach nymph online for $6.00 in the US.  

I’ve explored caves in search of tiny arthropods as a volunteer for projects involving Northern Arizona University and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  It’s easy for a spider, a millipede or a cricket living in the dark cracks of limestone to elude a researcher. You can spend a week or a month scouring a cave and still find new animals hiding in the dark.  Considering the fate of the Simandoa Cave Cockroach, it’s easy to imagine that many species weren’t lucky enough to be carried into captivity before dying off in their native habitats.

Another cockroach known for its ability to glow, mimicking a poisonous click beetle was discovered in Ecuador.  <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2012/11/new-species-of-bioluminescent-cockroach-possibly-already-extinct-by-volcanic-eruption/">Mongabay</a> reported that the roach, Lucihormetica luckae, may already be extinct.  In the case of the glowing cockroach, it vanished after 2010 when a volcano erupted near where it was discovered.  The cockroach is (or was) the only known example of a land animal using bioluminescence in mimicry. 

In animal taxonomy, vertebrates are more well-known than invertebrates.  Partly this is because there are fewer vertebrates and they are generally easier to find, partly we understand vertebrates better because we’re biased towards them.  Birds are intensively researched, both professionally and by ‘citizen scientist’ birders fascinated by their feathered neighbors. In an article in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(14)01618-2.pdf">cell.com</a>, Alexander Lees and Stuart Pimm paint a picture of some of the birds we may have lost in Brazil’s highly endangered Atlantic Forest and elsewhere in the world:

“The recent update of the IUCN Red List has identified 13 more bird species that went extinct after 1500, but before taxonomists could describe them. All of these were island species. We are still documenting the impacts of European explorers —and the rats and cats that came with them — that began centuries ago. We know about some early extinctions from anecdotal evidence, such as eyewitness accounts and drawings… Northeast Brazil has a similar, albeit less certain example: multiple travellers reported an all-black parrot, but no specimen exists…” 

If a species of bird can go extinct with little fanfare, without any scientific knowledge, it doesn’t bode well for other less conspicuous organisms.  

Nearly the reverse of an organism that goes extinct without being described scientifically is a so-called ‘Lazarus taxon’.  A Lazarus taxon is an organism thought to be extinct, sometimes recently and sometimes found only as a fossil but then later is found to actually be still alive.  

The classic example of a Lazarus taxon is the coelacanth.  The coelacanth can measure up to six feet in length and 200 pounds in weight.  The ocean is a vast place to hide for an animal that is dwarfed next to whales, sharks and giant squid.  The coelacanth was thought to have died off in the extinction event that took the dinosaurs 65 million years ago until a fisherman caught one off the coast of Madagascar in 1938.  A second specimen of coelacanth was found in Indonesia in 1998. 

There are a number of animals that were thought to be legend or extinct but turned out to be alive.  Gorillas were once thought by westerners to be a native myth, not a real animal. The Golden Bamboo Lemur was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered.  

The fact is, as much as we think we know about the natural world, we’re largely ignorant of even the basics of what organisms are now alive and which are extinct.  According to a paper published in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127">PlosOne</a>, an estimated 86% of land species are undescribed by science and 91% of species in the ocean.  That leaves an enormous amount of mystery in the world and an enormous amount of potential to destroy life or leave it as it is.          

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Lost extinctions: When animals die off before science finds them

Certainly the majority of plants, animals, fungi, etc. that have...

In an article written for <a href="http://theconversation.com/au">The Conversation</a>, Dr. David Redding and Dr. Elizabeth Boakes of the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> (UCL) provide some troubling insight into the impact of human activities on our planet's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-key-measure-success/">biodiversity</a>.

According to the researchers, “fossil records show that current extinction levels are around 1,000 times the natural background rate.” The experts explain that habitat loss, hunting, climate change, and the introduction of invasive species are all accelerating this loss.

“Amphibians seem particularly sensitive to environmental change, with estimated extinction rates up to 45,000 times their natural speed,” write the researchers. “Most of these extinctions are unrecorded, so we do not even know what species we are losing.”

The experts point to the loss of the last male white rhino, Sudan, and question how we will be affected by species that are not as iconic or that we do not even know exist. They stress how healthy ecosystems provide invaluable services to humans and keep the planet balanced.

“Forests and wetlands prevent pollutants entering our water supplies, mangroves provide coastal defence by reducing storm surges, and green spaces in urban areas lower city-dwellers’ rates of mental illness,” the authors write in The Conversation. “A continued loss of biodiversity will disrupt these services even further.”

According to the experts, the stress that we are putting on ecosystems and the disturbances that we are causing to the Earth have never before occurred simultaneously. They warn that it is “quite a gamble to assume that we can so damage our planet while at the same time maintaining the seven billion humans that live on it.”


Dr. Redding and Dr. Boakes also emphasize that while some of the environmental damage we have done can still be reversed, extinction cannot. 


“Extinction is irrevocably final,” write the authors.


“We may not all agree, but extinction is broadening its reach, so consensus and urgent action are needed if we hope to control it.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Human activities are prompting alarming extinction rates

In an article written for The Conversation, Dr. David Redding...

Measuring a plant’s water use and understanding how plants use and conserve water in different climates <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/measure-global-plant-water-use/">can help calculate which plants are under heat stress</a> on both a global scale and in your own garden. 

Alastair Culham, Associate Professor of Botany at the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a>, recently wrote a piece for <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-best-time-to-water-your-plants-during-a-heatwave-99244">The Conversation</a> examining various optimal watering methods to ensure that garden flowers and vegetables thrive even with the recent record-breaking summer temperatures sweeping the globe as of late. 

“All living things need water to allow chemical reactions in their cells that provide energy for growth,” Culham wrote. “Plants also need water to carry nutrients from the soil to the growing cells.”

Keeping gardens healthy and thriving takes more than just watering plants on a daily basis. 

A good green thumb means understanding what to look for in the soil and leaves so that plants can photosynthesize effectively. 

As temperatures climb, plants need more water and attention, but when is the best time to water your own garden. 

“Evening watering gives plenty of time for the water to penetrate the soil and for the plant to take it up, but there is a concern that leaves staying damp overnight will provide access to disease,” wrote Culham. “On the other hand, morning watering means leaves will dry out faster – but there is less opportunity for the water to penetrate the soil and for plants to take it up before the day gets hot.”

According Culham, it is best to keep plants out of direct sun and water them in the very early evening or early morning. 

This will allow plenty of time for the leaves to dry out but still provide enough water for the chemical processes of the plant. 

If you notice wilting in your plants, it might not be an immediate cause for concern. Some plants use wilting as a way to conserve water, but it’s important to keep a steady eye on the plants and soil.  

Overwatering is also a problem because even if the top surface layer of soil is dry the plant could still be getting plenty of water from lower layers. 

All in all, to ensure a healthy garden, keep plants watered, out of the sun if possible, and pay close attention to how much water is being taken in by the plants as this can help show how much heat stress the plant is under. 

“So the message is clear, enjoy your garden in the heat, but remember that your plants are similar to us humans – they too enjoy a bit of shade and a nice drink,” concludes Culham. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How to keep your plants healthy during extreme summer heat

Measuring a plant’s water use and understanding how plants use...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
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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
</div></figure>







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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" 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> (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

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