Fungi,Aspergillus,,Black,Mold,,Which,Produce,Aflatoxins,And,Cause,Pulmonary

Imagine inhaling hundreds of invisible spores every day. Most float in and out without leaving a trace. Yet some belong molds that don't respect boundaries.



Some fungus species will infect lungs, spoil crops, and disrupt ecosystems all at the same time. In short, they can wreak massive havoc and leave death in their wake.



Most molds and fungi are helpful, but some fungus and mold will jump from hospital wards to honeybee hives, and the line between helpful recycler and harmful invader grows blurrier each year.



Most of the time, healthy immune systems swat away dangerous spores and fight off infection. Trouble arises when weakened defenses, rising temperatures, and heavy fungicide use tip the scales. 



Suddenly, the same fungus that quietly decomposes the fallen leaves in your yard can trigger relentless coughs, damage corn silos, and shrug off medicines that once kept it in check.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aspergillus-fungus-easily-adapts">Aspergillus fungus easily adapts</h2>



After studying fungal threats for years, Dr. Norman van Rhijn and colleagues at <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Manchester</a> mapped how three notorious Aspergillus species - A. flavus, A. fumigatus, and A. niger - might spread through the end of the century. 



They fed climate change scenarios into global models and watched the virtual spores drift. One scenario (SSP585), which assumes a fossil-fuel-dependent future, paints an unsettling picture: habitats across Europe become markedly friendlier to these pathogens.



Aspergillus fungus thrives because its genome bends easily to new pressures. It lives on soil, grains, animal feathers, even coral skeletons. Out in the wild, it recycles nutrients, but on farms and in clinics, the story shifts. 



Farmers spray <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-fungus-is-among-us-drug-resistant-fungi-is-thriving-in-every-corner-of-the-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">azole fungicides</a> to protect wheat and peanuts; doctors use nearly identical azole drugs to save patients with lung infections. That overlap nudges Aspergillus toward drug resistance - similar to bacteria evolving against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-rivers-are-highly-saturated-with-human-antibiotics-helping-bacteria-develop-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">antibiotics</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-reshapes-global-mold-map">Climate reshapes global mold map</h2>



Temperature, humidity, and extreme weather events dictate where spores settle. 



“Changes in environmental factors, such as humidity and extreme weather events, will change habitats and drive fungal adaptation and spread,” said Dr. van Rhijn. 



“We’ve already seen the emergence of the fungus <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-microbes-aerosols-can-travel-thousands-of-miles-through-the-air/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Candida auris</a> due to rising temperatures, but, until now, we had little information on how other fungi might respond to this change in the environment.” 



He added that fungi remain “relatively under-researched compared to viruses and parasites,” yet the new maps show they will likely reach “most areas of the world in the future.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Aspergillus_global-distributions_map_credit-MaxENT_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Aspergillus_global-distributions_map_credit-MaxENT_1s.webp" alt="MaxENT model accurate described Aspergillus global distributions. Credit: University of Manchester" class="wp-image-1973600"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">MaxENT model accurate described Aspergillus global distributions. Click image to enlarge. Credit: University of Manchester</figcaption></figure>



Those maps point to striking numbers. Under the high-emissions pathway, the range of A. flavus in Europe could jump about 16 percent, potentially putting another one million people at risk of infection. 



A. fumigatus - the chief culprit behind invasive aspergillosis - could expand its European footprint by 77.5 percent, threatening up to nine million more residents. 



In Africa, paradoxically, parts of the continent may become too hot for some fungi to survive, hinting at complex regional trade-offs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forecasting-aspergillus-fungus-spread">Forecasting Aspergillus fungus spread</h2>



Forecasting pathogens decades ahead may sound speculative, but it builds on earlier warnings. Hospitals already grapple with Aspergillus fungus outbreaks after building renovations or severe dust storms. 



Meanwhile, intensive-care units report stubborn cases in patients recovering from influenza or COVID-19. 



Rising outdoor spore loads could translate to more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-deadly-molds-attack-the-immune-system-of-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hospital admissions</a> and costlier treatments, especially because diagnostics for fungal infections lag far behind those for bacteria or viruses.



Mycotoxin contamination adds another layer. A single year of heavy Aspergillus growth can saddle the U.S. corn industry with losses topping $1 billion. 



Increased heat and humidity extend the window for mold growth in silos and fields, forcing farmers to discard grain or blend batches to dilute toxins - strategies that still carry economic and health risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-current-drugs-don-t-work">Current drugs don't work</h2>



Azole resistance has climbed steadily in Europe and Asia. Patients with resistant Aspergillus fungus infections face mortality rates exceeding 50 percent, partly because alternative drugs can damage the kidneys or liver. 



Each hectare treated with agricultural azoles raises the odds that environmental spores will carry resistance genes into hospitals. 



Public-health agencies now track these genes in soil and compost piles, hoping to spot trouble before it reaches intensive care.



Fungicide demand is also changing. As some African regions exceed the thermal limits for certain molds, farmers elsewhere may spray more to protect lengthening growing seasons.



That feedback loop - more fungicide, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-plays-an-overlooked-role-in-antibiotic-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stronger resistance</a> - complicates food security and patient care alike.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farms-food-and-rising-bills">Farms, food, and rising bills</h2>



Aspergillus isn’t the lone shapeshifter. Fusarium, which devastates wheat and oat fields, and Cryptococcus, an opportunistic pathogen in AIDS patients, also respond to warming climates. 



“Fungal pathogens pose a serious threat to human health by causing infections and disrupting food systems. Climate change will make these risks worse," explains Viv Goosens of <a href="https://wellcome.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wellcome</a>.



"To address these challenges, we must fill important research gaps. By using models and maps to track the spread of fungi, we can better direct resources and prepare for the future.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aspergillus-fungus-and-human-health">Aspergillus fungus and human health</h2>



Fungi account for an estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million species, yet fewer than 10 percent carry official descriptions, and only a sliver have sequenced genomes. 



The scarcity of basic data hinders vaccine development and slows the hunt for safer drug targets. 



Recognizing this blind spot, the <a href="https://www.who.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a> added Aspergillus fungus and Candida species to its priority list for emerging threats in 2022.



Researchers now call for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-of-food-safety-ai-can-detect-contamination-early/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coordinated monitoring</a> - combining air quality sensors, agricultural sampling, and hospital surveillance - to trace spore movement in near-real time. 



Such efforts could flag hotspots, guide fungicide regulations, and spark investment in rapid diagnostics. Without them, today’s manageable mold may evolve into tomorrow’s silent pandemic.



No single fix will erase the risk. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions limits the environmental changes that favor Aspergillus fungus. 



Smarter fungicide policies slow resistance on farms. Better ventilation in buildings reduces indoor spore counts, while new antifungal classes extend doctors’ toolkits. 



Piece by piece, these steps can keep an ancient decomposer from becoming an outsized menace in a warming world.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6545782/v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research Square</a>.



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Deadly fungus that can 'eat you from the inside out' is now in the U.S. and quickly spreading around the world

Imagine inhaling hundreds of invisible spores every day. Most float in and out without leaving a trace. Yet some belong molds that don't respect boundaries. Some fungus species will infect lungs, spoil crops, and disrupt ecosystems all at the same time. In short, they can wreak massive havoc and leave death in their wake. Most molds and fungi are helpful, but some fungus and mold will jump from hospital wards to honeybee hives, and the line between helpful recycler and harmful invader grows blurrier each year. Most...

Marijuana is not just for the young anymore. In the United States, older adults are picking it up in record numbers. Some want relief from pain or better sleep, while others are simply curious. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: cannabis use among seniors is growing fast.



A new study from the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (<a href="https://www.cduhr.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CDUHR</a>) and the <a href="https://publichealth.nyu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NYU School of Global Public Health</a> shows just how big the shift in cannabis use has become. 



The researchers found that 7 percent of Americans aged 65 and older used marijuana in the past month. Just two years ago, that number was 4.8 percent.



“Our study shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-reveal-the-most-complete-cannabis-genome-yet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a> use among older adults continues to increase, although there have been major shifts in use according to demographic and socioeconomic factors,” said Dr. Joseph Palamar, the study’s senior author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-use-now-tracked-in-older-adults">Cannabis use now tracked in older adults</h2>



This isn’t just about yearly habits. The study used recent national data, collected between 2021 and 2023, to look at who had used cannabis in the last 30 days. That kind of snapshot hadn’t been possible before.



“This is the first time we were able to examine ‘current’ use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-use-in-any-form-directly-linked-to-significant-risk-of-heart-damage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a> in this age group. Before, we were only able to look at past-year use because the numbers for current use were too small,” said Dr. Benjamin Han, the study’s first author and associate professor at the <a href="https://health.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California San Diego</a>.



The increase looks even bigger over time. Back in 2006 and 2007, fewer than 1 percent of seniors said they’d used cannabis in the past year. Fast forward to 2023, and 7 percent had used it in just the past month.



“If we look even further back to 2006 and 2007, less than 1 percent of older adults used cannabis in the past year. Now, we’re seeing that 7 percent have used it in the past month alone,” Han said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-s-using-cannabis-now">Who’s using cannabis now?</h2>



Older cannabis users today don’t look like they did 10 or 15 years ago. The typical user is now more likely to be married, college-educated, and earning a higher income. White older adults showed the biggest jump. So did women, though men still use <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dopamine-changes-from-cannabis-last-at-least-one-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a> more overall.



Money matters too. Those making over $75,000 were once the least likely to use marijuana. That flipped by 2023. They became the most likely group to report recent use.



“Interestingly, with respect to income, those with the highest incomes had the lowest prevalence of cannabis use in 2021, but by 2023 this group had the highest prevalence, which may indicate who has access to medical cannabis given its costs,” said Palamar.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-older-adults-use-more-legal-cannabis">Older adults use more legal cannabis </h2>



Not all states treat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-reduces-the-unwanted-side-effects-of-thc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a> the same. The study found that older adults living in places where medical marijuana is legal were more likely to use it.



“It shouldn't be surprising that use is becoming increasingly more common among people who live in states that allow medical cannabis, which could be due to increased availability or social acceptability,” Palamar said.



Where access goes up, use often follows. That makes sense, especially if people see others around them using cannabis without stigma or fear.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-and-chronic-illness">Cannabis and chronic illness</h2>



One more trend stood out. Seniors dealing with chronic diseases were also using cannabis more. People with diabetes, heart conditions, cancer, high blood pressure, or lung issues like COPD showed higher usage.



Many of these users are likely looking for relief. Living with pain or sleep problems can wear people down. For some, cannabis seems like a gentler option than more pills. But doctors warn: cannabis isn't risk-free, especially for older bodies.



“As a geriatrician, I see more and more people interested in using cannabis for treating chronic health symptoms. But cannabis can complicate the management of chronic diseases and be potentially harmful if patients are not educated on its use and potential risks,” said Han.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-doctors-must-talk-about-cannabis-risks">Doctors must talk about cannabis risks</h2>



As more seniors turn to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/medicinal-cannabis-helped-patients-feel-better-for-a-full-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marijuana</a>, doctors need to catch up. Most older adults weren’t raised in a world where cannabis was legal or accepted. Now, they’re using it - and some are not telling their healthcare providers.



That’s a problem. Aging bodies process substances differently. Even small doses can cause big effects. Cannabis might interact with medications or affect balance, sleep, or memory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-is-normal-for-older-adults">Cannabis is normal for older adults</h2>



Seniors using cannabis is no longer a fringe story. It’s becoming mainstream. As more states legalize marijuana and social attitudes shift, older Americans are embracing this option more openly.



Some want relief. Others want control. A few may just want to try something new.



Whatever the reason, the message is clear. Cannabis is no longer a taboo topic at the doctor’s office or the dinner table. It’s time healthcare providers and families talk about it - clearly, calmly, and with facts.



The research team included Kevin H. Yang of UC San Diego and Charles Cleland of the <a href="https://med.nyu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NYU Grossman School of Medicine</a>. Funding came from the <a href="https://nida.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Institute on Drug Abuse</a> and the UC San Diego Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2834781" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JAMA Internal Medicine</a>.



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More older adults in the U.S. are now using cannabis

Marijuana is not just for the young anymore. In the...

Replanting the world’s forests could significantly reduce global warming, particularly in tropical regions, according to a new modeling study.



But even if every tree lost since the 19th century were replaced, the cooling impact would still fall short of reversing the full effects of human-caused <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-foundation-of-life-is-at-risk-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a>. Emissions cuts, the authors stress, remain essential.



The study, led by researchers at the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Riverside</a>, shows that restoring global forests to their preindustrial extent could lower average global temperatures by 0.34 degrees Celsius. That’s about one-quarter of the warming the planet has already experienced.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-climate-strategy-with-limits"><a></a>A climate strategy with limits</h2>



The modeling is based on a hypothetical increase in forest cover of 12 million square kilometers&nbsp;- about 135% the size of the United States. That estimate is roughly equivalent to the widely discussed goal of planting one trillion trees.



Scientists estimate that the Earth has lost nearly half of its trees - about three trillion - since the dawn of industrial society.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reforestation-cannot-offset-carbon-emissions-from-harvesting-wood/">Refores</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reforestation-cannot-offset-carbon-emissions-from-harvesting-wood/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">t</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reforestation-cannot-offset-carbon-emissions-from-harvesting-wood/">ation</a> is not a silver bullet,” said Robert Allen, a climate scientist at UC Riverside and the study’s lead author. “It’s a powerful strategy, but it has to be paired with serious emissions reductions.”



While earlier studies have focused mostly on how trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, this research broadens the lens.



It accounts for chemical processes triggered by trees. These include the release of naturally occurring compounds called biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) that can enhance cooling in other ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-help-cool-the-atmosphere">Forests help cool the atmosphere</h2>



Trees, especially those in tropical regions, release BVOCs that interact with atmospheric gases to create particles that reflect sunlight and promote <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fire-and-ice-volcanic-ash-plays-a-surprising-role-in-cloud-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cloud formation</a>. Both effects have a net cooling influence on the planet’s climate. However, most climate models do not factor in these chemical interactions.



“When you include these chemical effects, the net cooling impact becomes more significant,” Allen said. “It’s a crucial part of the picture.”



The researchers found that tropical forests in particular offer a stronger cooling effect than those in other regions.



In the tropics, trees absorb more carbon, emit more BVOCs, and contribute less to the surface-darkening effect. When dark tree canopies replace snow-covered ground in high-latitude forests, this darkening effect actually increases warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-close-to-home">Climate change close to home</h2>



In addition to influencing global temperatures, planting trees has implications for local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-are-changing-the-quality-of-our-air/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air quality</a> and regional climates.



The team found that their restoration scenario led to a 2.5% reduction in atmospheric dust across the Northern Hemisphere. In tropical areas, BVOC emissions produced mixed air quality results - contributing to an increase in fine particles associated with poor health outcomes, while also reducing harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-ozone-layer-took-more-than-two-billion-years-to-stabilize/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ozone</a> levels.



These findings suggest that smaller-scale, localized reforestation efforts can still yield meaningful environmental benefits.



Antony Thomas is a graduate student in UC Riverside’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and co-author of the study.



“Smaller efforts can still have a real impact on regional climates,” he said. “Restoration doesn’t have to happen everywhere at once to make a difference.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-forests-and-farmland"><a></a>Balancing forests and farmland</h2>



Despite the model’s optimistic numbers, the researchers acknowledge that reforesting all previously wooded areas is highly unlikely. Much of that land is now used for farming, ranching, or urban development, raising difficult questions about land use and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vaccinating-plants-could-boost-global-food-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food security</a>.



“There are eight billion people to feed,” Allen said. “We have to make careful decisions about where trees are planted. The best opportunities are in the tropics, but these are also the areas where deforestation continues today.”



The team cites Rwanda as a case study for how conservation can coexist with development. In Rwanda, tourism revenues tied to forest protection are reinvested in local communities, giving people a financial incentive to preserve forests instead of cutting them down.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-classroom-to-climate-research"><a></a>From classroom to climate research</h2>



The idea for the study began in a graduate-level climate modeling course at UC Riverside and eventually grew into a full-scale research project.



Using Earth system models and global land-use data, the team set out to evaluate just how much planting trees could move the needle on climate change.



The findings are cautiously hopeful: forest restoration is a valuable part of the climate solution, but it can’t do the job alone.



“Climate change is real,” Thomas said. “And every step toward restoration, no matter the scale, helps.”



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Trees are part of the climate solution - but not the whole answer

Replanting the world’s forests could significantly reduce global warming, particularly...

In coastal waters, hidden beneath the surface, seagrasses quietly play a vital role. They trap carbon dioxide more efficiently than tropical rainforests, acre for acre. 



Professor Ken Dunton, a marine biologist at <a href="https://www.utexas.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UT Austin</a>, has spent decades studying these coastal meadows. He noted that most of the biomass of a seagrass plant is below ground. "That’s where all the tissues store carbon."



The carbon is stored in roots and rhizomes buried in sediment. This makes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-plays-a-major-role-in-global-carbon-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seagrasses</a> natural carbon banks, especially useful in a world heating up from excess atmospheric carbon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-seagrass-carbon">Measuring seagrass carbon </h2>



To harness the carbon storage power of seagrass, we need accurate ways to measure it. Right now, measuring how much carbon seagrasses trap takes time and labor. 



Researchers must dig up sediment, haul it to a lab, and analyze it. It is expensive and cannot scale easily.



But there's good reason to want that data. Knowing how much carbon each <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-meadows-still-thrive-on-floridas-nature-coast/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seagrass</a> bed stores could influence how governments and businesses manage these ecosystems. In the future, they might even earn carbon credits for maintaining or restoring seagrass meadows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-simpler-method-emerges">A simpler method emerges</h2>



With help from ARPA-E, Dunton and engineering professor Preston Wilson are trying something novel. They’re listening to bubbles. As seagrasses photosynthesize, they release oxygen, some of which forms bubbles. More bubbles mean more photosynthesis and more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natural-climate-solutions-enhancing-the-role-of-seagrass-meadows/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> storage.



“So just like us in air, if I breathe out… you can hear me. Well when the seagrass breathes out under water, it makes bubbles, and the bubbles make noise,” Wilson explained.



This noise offers a clue. With underwater microphones, called hydrophones, scientists can record these tiny bubble sounds. Then, they use sound levels to estimate how much carbon the seagrasses are locking away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collecting-mud-to-test-a-new-idea">Collecting mud to test a new idea</h2>



At East Flats near Port Aransas, Texas, the research team works waist-deep in water. They collect sediment cores using a tool called a vibracore. It takes several people to push a long plastic tube into the mud and pull it back up.



Once back at the lab, the team slices these cores into hockey puck-sized disks. Each disk undergoes detailed analysis, acoustic scanning, drying, grinding, burning, and chemical testing. These methods reveal how much carbon each layer holds.



“What we want to learn out of these cores is: ‘What are the relationships between organic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-meadows-and-climate-change-an-uncertain-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> in the sediment and the acoustic properties of the sediment?’” said Kevin Lee, from UT’s Applied Research Laboratories.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bubble-sounds-and-seagrass-carbon">Bubble sounds and seagrass carbon</h2>



The lab work helps link bubble sound levels to carbon content. The sound profile of each core becomes a blueprint. Over time, scientists will calibrate models that predict carbon levels from sound alone.



It is like tuning a sensor. If a certain sound intensity equals a known amount of carbon, then future recordings can be read like a meter, with no digging needed.



“And to make a market, you need a meter. We would be the meter in a future global carbon market," noted Professor Wilson.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-global-carbon-storage">Tracking global carbon storage</h2>



The ultimate goal of the research is to create low-cost hydrophone systems. These can stay underwater and record data continuously. The recordings could then be sent to computers onshore.



Study co-author Megan Ballard envisions a time when no one will need to visit the site just to check data.



“The whole goal of the project is to develop a low-cost network of sensors. We imagine something that can telemeter data back to shore,” said Ballard.



This would save time, reduce costs, and open the door to tracking carbon storage on a global scale.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seagrass-and-the-future-of-carbon-markets">Seagrass and the future of carbon markets</h2>



Imagine a future where a company restores a seagrass bed and gets credit for every ton of carbon stored. That future needs tools. Dunton, Wilson, and their team are building one, quietly listening to nature’s own signals.



The research might soon turn seagrasses into verifiable, scalable allies in the fight against climate change. Hidden under the waves, a bubbling meadow might someday power a carbon market.



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Seagrass bubble sounds can be used to measure carbon storage

In coastal waters, hidden beneath the surface, seagrasses quietly play...

Rising heat, relentless drought, violent downpours and a steadily thickening blanket of carbon dioxide are reshaping the planet on which agriculture depends.



In a recent review, <a href="https://illinois.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a> plant biologist Stephen Long has surveyed that changing landscape and the research aimed at ensuring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/critical-food-crops-are-threatened-by-rising-temperatures-globally/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food crops</a> can still thrive.



The picture he paints is sobering, yet not without hope, pointing to genetic discoveries that could keep crops productive even as the climate veers into unfamiliar territory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-agriculture-is-strained-by-climate-shifts">Agriculture is strained by climate shifts </h2>



Long pointed out how quickly the air around us is changing. “By 2050-60, crops will experience a significantly different environment from today,” he said.



A key driver is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-carbon-dioxide-makes-crops-grow-bigger-but-less-nutritious/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon dioxide</a>, whose concentration has climbed far beyond the levels in which modern agriculture evolved. From a pre-industrial baseline near 280 parts per million, “atmospheric CO2 reached 427 ppm in 2024 and is projected to be about 600 ppm by 2050.”



That shift alone would alter plant metabolism, but it arrives alongside <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-pushing-nature-toward-a-breaking-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extreme weather</a>. Intensifying heat waves can sterilize pollen or wither seedlings, while droughts cut yields outright. Swollen rivers drown fields, and storms topple grain at harvest.



Long noted that those converging stresses will reduce harvests across much of the world unless crops themselves change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeds-hold-key-to-resilience">Seeds hold key to resilience</h2>



Plant breeders have responded by scouring global seed vaults and wild relatives for crop varieties already carrying some climate resilience. 



For instance, the experts identified <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-quietly-making-rice-more-dangerous/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rice</a> lines that survive two weeks of total submergence, an asset in flood-prone deltas. They also found wheat strains that set grain under heat spikes that would devastate ordinary cultivars.



The underlying genes, once identified, can be bred into elite varieties or added directly with genome-editing tools.



Such work is painstaking. Researchers must link each trait to its genetic signature, cross or engineer it into agronomic lines, then test performance across years and regions. Even so, Long argued that tapping this standing diversity is one of the surest ways to buffer global harvests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taming-the-plants-thirst"><a></a>Taming the plants’ thirst</h2>



As temperatures climb, the atmosphere’s capacity to pull water from foliage rises too, forcing plants to close tiny pores called stomata to conserve moisture. That tactic, however, also limits the intake of CO2 for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/revealing-the-secrets-of-photosynthesis-through-pep/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthesis</a>.



Several laboratories have engineered climate-resilient crops to finesse the trade-off. By boosting a sensor protein that tunes stomatal opening, field-grown tobacco cut water loss but maintained growth.



Separate experiments in rice and wheat reduced stomatal density, improving water-use efficiency by up to one-fifth without penalty to yield.



Although these demonstrations involve genetic engineering, Long noted that parallel gains might be possible through conventional breeding once the relevant genes are flagged.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-co2-fuels-growth-and-pests">CO2 fuels growth - and pests</h2>



Higher carbon dioxide, the very gas driving the crisis, can stimulate photosynthesis - up to a point. Yet it also upsets the balance of enzymes, sometimes depressing protein content or encouraging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pests-are-moving-to-cooler-regions-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pest</a> outbreaks.



Scientists have begun tweaking the regulators of rubisco, the key enzyme that captures CO2, so photosynthesis keeps pace with future atmospheres without unintended side effects.



Such molecular fine-tuning illustrates how adaptation must occur on several fronts at once: shielding plants from heat and drought, refining how they handle surplus CO2, and safeguarding nutritional quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-funding-gaps-threaten-agriculture-gains">Funding gaps threaten agriculture gains</h2>



Long cites U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/maize-plant-genetics-shape-root-health-and-growth/">mai</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/maize-plant-genetics-shape-root-health-and-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">z</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/maize-plant-genetics-shape-root-health-and-growth/">e</a> as proof that breeding investments pay off. “Between 1980 and 2024, U.S. maize yields doubled while sorghum improved just 12%,” he said.



Maize benefited from vast private-sector spending on hybrid development, biotechnology, and agronomy. Sorghum, largely a public-sector crop in lower-income countries, lacked equivalent support.



That disparity, Long warns, could repeat across other staples - rice, wheat, cassava, legumes - unless governments and philanthropies step in. 



Private companies may not devote the required resources to crops grown mainly by smallholders or in poor regions, yet those crops undergird food security for billions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crop-innovation-vs-climate-clock">Crop innovation vs. climate clock</h2>



Even with ample funding, adapting crops is slow. A promising gene identified today may take a decade to reach farmers’ seed bags after regulatory review, field trials, and scale-up. 



That timeline collides with climate models showing sharp crop stress intensification in the 2030s and 2040s.



Long’s review thus serves as both roadmap and alarm, underscoring the urgency of accelerating research pathways and streamlining approval processes without compromising safety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hope-inside-the-genome"><a></a>Hope inside the genome</h2>



Despite the formidable challenge, Long’s synthesis is not fatalistic. It catalogs concrete advances - heat-tolerant rice, drought-savvy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-bread-wheat-gave-rise-to-civilization/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wheat</a>, water-frugal tobacco prototypes - that could be transferred across crop species.



With sufficient investment and international collaboration, the same engineering mindset that transformed maize could be deployed where it is now most needed.



The task, Long concluded, is to harness biology faster than climate pressures dismantle current production systems. His review makes clear that the science exists to do so. 



The remaining question is whether society will commit the resources and political resolve to bring those discoveries to scale before the planet’s pantries feel the full heat of global change.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2024.0229">Philosophical Transactions </a><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2024.0229" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">o</a><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2024.0229">f the Royal Society B</a>.



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Genetic fixes may save crops from climate stress

Rising heat, relentless drought, violent downpours and a steadily thickening...

South Florida’s sprawling mangrove forests, famed for their tangled roots, play a critical role in buffering storm surge. However, they have long been viewed as vulnerable to the growing punch of hurricanes intensified by climate change.



Yet new research from the <a href="https://environment.yale.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yale School of the Environment</a> paints a far more optimistic picture, showing that Everglades mangroves can replace all the carbon they lose to powerful storms in just a handful of years.



The findings come from an unprecedented long-term analysis of carbon dynamics before and after Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and Hurricane Irma in 2017.



By combining ground-based sensors with satellite imagery and years of ecological field data, the research team calculated each forest’s “recovery debt.” This represents the sum of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mangroves-and-saltmarshes-are-much-better-at-storing-carbon-than-previously-believed/">car</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mangroves-and-saltmarshes-are-much-better-at-storing-carbon-than-previously-believed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">b</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mangroves-and-saltmarshes-are-much-better-at-storing-carbon-than-previously-believed/">on</a> lost during a storm and the time the ecosystem needs to rebuild that stock.



The study revealed that four years after both storms, the mangroves’ carbon balance was back as it was before.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-mangrove-climate-resilience">Measuring mangrove climate resilience</h2>



“Many people frame disturbance research in terms of how much initial loss there was,” said lead author David Reed, an associate research scientist at Yale. “That’s part of the story, but it’s really about how long it takes to recover from that loss.”



The concept of recovery debt, he explained, offers a clearer gauge of resilience than raw damage totals alone. If forests regain their carbon quickly, they can keep functioning as long-term carbon sinks despite periodic hits.



The study focused on two Everglades towers measuring mangrove-atmosphere gas exchanges related to climate for nearly two decades.



Those records are “a good sign that mangroves in the Everglades are and will continue to be relatively resilient to the types of disturbances we know they’re going to experience in the future,” said co-author Sparkle Malone, an assistant professor at the <a href="https://naturalcarboncapture.yale.edu/">Yale Center for N</a><a href="https://naturalcarboncapture.yale.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a</a><a href="https://naturalcarboncapture.yale.edu/">tural Carbon Capture</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hurricanes-carbon-and-timing"><a></a>Hurricanes, carbon, and timing</h2>



Mangroves draw CO2 from the air and store it in trunks, roots, and underlying soil. When hurricanes hit, branches break, trees topple, and carbon washes back into the atmosphere.



If another intense storm arrives before the forest has recovered, the ecosystem can slip progressively further behind.



Reed likens the cycle to a sudden financial shock. A household facing an unexpected bill might use savings but recover if its income stays stable.



Stretch that bill across multiple emergencies, however, and the family’s finances spiral. By tallying carbon in the same way, the researchers concluded Everglades mangroves need roughly four storm-free years to “earn back” the carbon they lose.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mangrove-data-and-satellite-images">Mangrove data and satellite images</h2>



Such precise accounting required long, continuous records seldom available in coastal wetlands.



In collaboration with <a href="https://www.fiu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida International University</a>, the team tapped the <a href="https://fcelter.fiu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research program</a> (FCE LTER). This program has monitored forest structure, soil chemistry, and gas fluxes in the region since 2004.



“There have been a lot of resources and instrumentation put in this area, and so you can study processes that you can't do on the landscape scale anywhere else in the world,” Malone said.



Tower data were paired with high-resolution satellite images, allowing researchers to scale their measurements across vast swaths of shoreline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-policy-lessons-from-mangroves">Policy lessons from mangroves</h2>



The Everglades are the focus of one of the largest wetland recovery efforts on the planet, and Malone believes the new findings validate that investment.



“We know that it's in the millions, maybe even billions, of dollars of resource protection that mangrove forests provide, and so this confirms with all of the funding and effort put into Everglades restoration, that it's worth it,” she said.



Mangroves limit flooding and protect infrastructure, so their quick rebound could save public funds from storm damage. Meanwhile, the mangrove forests’ carbon storage capacity makes them a natural ally in climate mitigation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-storm-risk-looms-ahead">Storm risk looms ahead</h2>



While the results bode well for Everglades mangroves, Reed cautions that the four-year recovery window is a threshold, not a guarantee. 



Should future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-hurricanes-help-oceans-fight-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hurricanes</a> strike more frequently than that, the recovery debt could start compounding.



That prospect underscores the importance of climate action, since warmer oceans can supercharge hurricanes and alter their recurrence patterns. Even resilient mangroves may falter if storm intervals shrink below their recovery debt time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-blueprint-for-other-coastlines">A blueprint for other coastlines</h2>



Although this study centered on southern Florida, the methods can be applied worldwide. With mangroves buffering coasts from Florida to Fiji, the authors hope recovery debt will become a common metric for gauging ecosystem health under climate stress.



Because it measures recovery, it could help conservationists prioritize areas for the fastest carbon payback.



For Malone, the take-home message is clear: “Mangroves have the capacity to capture carbon lost due to hurricanes relatively quickly,” she said.



Given the twin threats of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-of-2024-triggered-a-surge-in-sea-level-rise/">sea lev</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-of-2024-triggered-a-surge-in-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">e</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-of-2024-triggered-a-surge-in-sea-level-rise/">l rise</a> and stronger storms, that resilience is highly important. It could be a linchpin in global strategies to protect coastlines and curb greenhouse gases - provided society gives these forests the breathing room they need between climatic shocks.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70124" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Change Biology</a>.



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Mangroves can quickly recover carbon lost to climate extremes

South Florida’s sprawling mangrove forests, famed for their tangled roots,...

Inside every plant cell, an ancient struggle plays out. It is not dramatic like a predator-prey chase, but it is essential for life. DNA from chloroplasts - once free-living bacteria - still tries to sneak into the plant’s nuclear genome. Sometimes this sneaking helps evolution, but often it is dangerous.



Plants need ways to stop this intrusion. A new study from the <a href="https://www.mpimp-golm.mpg.de/2168/mpi-molecular-plant-physiology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology</a> explores this battle. It shows how rapid DNA repair guards the plant’s genome from being overwhelmed by foreign sequences. 



Led by Dr. Enrique Gonzalez-Duran and Professor Dr. Ralph Bock, the research shines a light on a quiet but powerful line of defense.



The team studied tobacco plants. They wanted to understand how breaks in nuclear DNA might open the door for unwanted genetic visitors. The results go far beyond botany, suggesting universal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-use-dna-duplication-to-increase-their-resilience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mechanisms</a> that may apply to animals and humans too.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dna-invades-plants">How DNA invades plants</h2>



Plants evolved from ancestors that once swallowed bacteria. Over time, those bacteria became chloroplasts and mitochondria. Some of their genes jumped to the host’s nuclear DNA. This process, called endosymbiotic gene transfer (EGT), has shaped eukaryotic evolution for billions of years.



Even today, EGT continues. Most organellar DNA transfers fail or get degraded, but sometimes they succeed. A piece of chloroplast DNA slips into the nucleus, settles in, and even becomes active. 



This can help the plant adapt, but it can also damage the host’s genome. If the insertion disrupts a vital gene or rearranges chromosomes, it can cause long-lasting harm. The researchers wanted to know how plants prevent this from happening too often.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breaks-in-dna-invite-invasion">Breaks in DNA invite invasion</h2>



The key lies in DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). These are serious injuries in the genome. If not repaired quickly, they become open doors for foreign DNA. 



Normally, the cell repairs the breaks using fast-acting pathways like non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and polymerase-theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ).



To explore their role, the team disabled these two repair systems in tobacco <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-of-life-created-for-flowering-plants-using-400-million-specimens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants</a>. The plants still grew, though some developed slowly. But under the surface, big changes were unfolding.



Without these repair pathways, DSBs lingered longer. That gave chloroplast DNA more time to enter and integrate into the nuclear genome. When the researchers tracked more than 650,000 seedlings, they saw a dramatic increase in EGT events, up to 20 times more in some cases.



"The magnitude of the effect suggests that rapid DNA repair is essential for plants to maintain long-term genome stability," said Dr. Enrique Gonzalez-Duran.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-repairs-stop-gene-invasion">Repairs stop gene invasion</h2>



The researchers developed a clever screening system. They inserted a gene into chloroplasts that only conferred resistance to kanamycin when transferred to the nucleus. Using this setup, they could detect when EGT had occurred by seeing which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genetically-enhanced-crops-could-help-fight-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants</a> survived the antibiotic.



The team found that EGT does not just happen during plant regeneration. It occurs in real time, over weeks and months. Tobacco leaves continued to produce new gene transfer events throughout a 120-day experiment. The longer the DSBs remained unrepaired, the more EGT happened.



Unrepaired breaks give chloroplast DNA a chance to settle in. In normal cells, fast repair seals the break before foreign DNA can sneak in. In mutant cells, delays allow invasion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-foreign-dna-changes-future-generations">Foreign DNA changes future generations</h2>



To see whether these gene transfers affected offspring, the team bred the mutant plants. They looked at how kanamycin resistance was passed down. In many cases, it followed expected patterns. But some lines showed fewer resistant seedlings than expected.



This mismatch pointed to instability. Some of the inserted genes did not last into the next generation. In a surprising twist, the researchers found that mutations in one repair pathway, NHEJ, actually made the transferred DNA more stable once it entered the nucleus.



Even more striking was what happened in the male <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/germ-cells-play-a-crucial-role-in-aging-and-lifespan/">reproductive cells</a>. When mutant plants served as pollen donors, the number of EGT events in offspring exploded. Certain mutants, like polqΔHel-4, showed a 20-fold increase in gene transfers during pollen formation.



"These DNA repair pathways are conserved in animals and fungi," noted Professor Dr. Ralph Bock. "Our findings could explain similar genome instability mechanisms in other organisms, including humans."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mutant-plants-for-genetic-research">Mutant plants for genetic research</h2>



The researchers also built a set of genetically modified tobacco plants with defects in NHEJ, TMEJ, or both. 



The mutants help study DNA integration, editing, and stress response. Some showed surprising results - unlike in Arabidopsis, POLQ loss in tobacco didn’t stop regeneration.



This reveals how repair systems may differ across species. Bleomycin tests confirmed the mutants had weaker DNA repair.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fast-repair-helps-keeps-dna-safe">Fast repair helps keeps DNA safe</h2>



Plants with faulty repair systems allowed foreign DNA to integrate at high rates. If left unchecked, these insertions could interrupt genes and cause chaos. Over time, this would reshape the genome in ways that could harm the plant’s survival.



"Our discovery provides fundamental insights into genome protection and the risks of gene transfer," said Gonzalez-Duran. "It reveals how crucial fast DNA repair is, not just to fix damage, but also to defend the integrity of the genome itself."



The researchers conclude that plants rely on rapid repair not because it is perfect, but because it limits the damage foreign DNA can cause. Even if the repair introduces small errors, it is still better than letting organellar DNA flood the nucleus.



Though done in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tobacco-and-zinnia-can-thrive-in-polluted-land/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tobacco</a>, the findings apply broadly. Animals and fungi share similar DNA repair systems. In humans, faulty repair can let mitochondrial DNA disrupt the genome, even triggering cancer. Studying plants shows how fast repair helps maintain stability across life.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-025-02005-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Plants</a>.



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Rapid DNA repair prevents harmful genetic intrusion in plants

Inside every plant cell, an ancient struggle plays out. It...

Climate change research often paints a grim picture. Rising temperatures, vanishing forests, and escalating carbon dioxide (CO2) levels dominate headlines. But new research published in the journal Science offers a reason for cautious optimism. 



An international team of scientists has uncovered findings that could change how we understand tree responses to warming temperatures.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-trees-decide-between-growing-and-breathing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trees</a> play a huge role in managing Earth's CO2 levels. They absorb carbon during photosynthesis and release some of it back through respiration. 



It has long been assumed that as the climate warms, tree respiration and the resulting CO2 emissions would sharply increase. That increase would then add more carbon to the atmosphere and fuel more warming.



This cycle, known as a positive climate feedback, has been a key concern for climate scientists. But according to a global study led by experts at <a href="https://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tsinghua University</a>, trees may not release as much carbon as we once feared.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-trees-release-carbon">How trees release carbon</h2>



The study focuses on a specific type of carbon release: the respiration from tree stems. When trees grow, they use energy, and this process emits carbon dioxide. While photosynthesis captures CO2, respiration does the opposite. 



Understanding this balance is essential to predicting how ecosystems respond to climate change.



Scientists have believed that warmer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-losing-the-battle-against-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climates</a> would naturally speed up respiration. That belief was based on short-term experiments, where researchers exposed plants to heat and recorded quick increases in CO2 emissions. These tests, though useful, do not reveal how trees behave over years or decades of warming.



"This is likely true, but this latest research reveals that carbon fluxes under warmer future climates will not increase as much as currently thought," said Professor Ian Wright of <a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Western Sydney University</a>, co-author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-trees-adapt-to-warming">How trees adapt to warming</h2>



To dig deeper, the team built a dataset of thousands of stem respiration measurements from hundreds of tree species. The trees came from all major climate zones: tropical, temperate, arid, and boreal. 



The data included samples from Australian savannas, woodlands, and rainforests collected over the past decade by Professor Wright’s team.



This vast dataset allowed the researchers to test how tree respiration changes not just during sudden heat but over long periods. The results suggest that trees adapt to higher temperatures in ways that slow down CO2 release.



"Short-term, temperature-driven <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-have-unique-fungi-partnerships-that-help-them-survive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">changes</a> in plant respiration rates are measured in seconds, minutes and hours. Due to the quick-acting enzymatic processes in plant tissues, the changes in plant respiration are very fast, and predictable," explained Professor Wright.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trees-release-carbon-differently">Trees release carbon differently</h2>



Professor Wright pointed out that long-term changes behave differently. Plants may quickly ramp up CO2 release in hot weather, but this response does not last forever.



"This contrasts with the long-term, temperature-driven changes in respiration rates that are measured in months, years and decades. Most global ecosystem models in the past have assumed that the same short-term behavior in plants also applies over a longer time period, but this is not the case,” said Professor Wright.



"We now know that thermal acclimation over long timescales will dampen the positive feedbacks between climate warming and carbon emissions from plants."



Thermal acclimation refers to the process where plants adjust their internal systems to handle rising temperatures. This ability could be a hidden strength in forests worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-climate-models-for-better">Changing climate models for better</h2>



The research could ultimately reshape climate modeling. Existing global models often assume that tree respiration continues to rise sharply with temperature. That assumption might now be too simplistic. With better data on long-term plant responses, climate scientists can update their predictions.



The study’s lead authors, Dr. Han Wang and Han Zhang from Tsinghua University, noted that only recently has the global scientific community had enough consistent data to challenge the old assumptions.



The team's research has caught the attention of top vegetation modelers. Professor Sandy Harrison from the <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Reading</a> believes the implications are broad.



"These findings give scientists a new approach for assessing the degree to which ecosystems around the globe can slow the rate of warming," said Professor Harrison.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trees-may-naturally-limit-carbon-emissions">Trees may naturally limit carbon emissions</h2>



The potential for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-new-trees-brings-hope-for-healthier-babies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a> to adjust and regulate their CO2 release adds a layer of resilience to Earth’s systems. Although humans continue to emit carbon at alarming rates, nature may not always respond in a way that intensifies the damage.



Professor Wright highlighted the practical importance of these results, especially in a world already experiencing frequent climate disruptions.



"We're already seeing that play out both here in Australia and around the world. However, these new findings suggest that, to some extent, ecosystems globally will slow the trends in one key driver of these changes, elevated atmospheric CO2," he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-data-reshapes-carbon-forecasts">New data reshapes carbon forecasts</h2>



The research on trees and carbon brings cautious hope. It does not cancel out climate risks. However, it shows that ecosystems might absorb some shocks more gently than expected. 



With new data, improved models, and a clearer picture of plant behavior, scientists can build better forecasts and solutions.



Nature’s processes are complex. Trees do not simply react, they adjust. This long-term adjustment could be one of the quiet forces helping the planet endure in the face of climate change.



Other institutions involved in the study include <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imperial College London</a> and <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Berkeley</a>. For background on climate-carbon feedbacks, visit the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IPCC Working Group I</a> report.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr9978" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Climate models may overestimate how much carbon trees release

Climate change research often paints a grim picture. Rising temperatures,...

Africa’s farmland often faces unwelcome visitors that gnaw through crops and leave misery behind. Many people have blamed all snakes for causing trouble, but new findings paint a different picture. 



A recent study highlights how puff adders play a major part in controlling rodents that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insecticides-may-be-helping-weeds-thrive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">damage crops</a>. The research was led by Professor Graham Alexander of the <a href="https://www.wits.ac.za" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Witwatersrand</a> in Johannesburg.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-puff-adders-are-useful-not-harmful">Puff adders are useful, not harmful</h2>



Puff adders (<a href="https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Bitis_arietans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitis arietans</a>) are found across large parts of sub-Saharan Africa. They move slowly, stay well-hidden, and have long been overlooked by farmers who worry about venomous bites.



They often wait motionless for prey to wander close. This approach has gained attention among scientists who see it as a strategic advantage in tackling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eco-friendly-pest-control-this-simple-cinnamon-trick-keeps-mice-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rodents</a>.



“Puff adders are essentially nature’s perfect rodent control system,” said Professor Alexander. He examined how these snakes help farmers reduce crop losses by limiting rodent outbreaks.



Many rodent populations skyrocket after rainfall. These small mammals then devour anything in sight. Professor Alexander’s study documents how puff adders adjust <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pest-control-product-nemaslug-could-harm-beneficial-snails/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">feeding</a> in response.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-puff-adders-reduce-rodent-plagues">Puff adders reduce rodent plagues</h2>



Rodent infestations can destroy large portions of harvests. Farmers often invest in traps or chemical deterrents, which can be costly. Puff adders present a way to manage <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beneficial-insects-are-severely-impacted-by-air-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pests</a> without expensive inputs.



Professor Alexander found that a single puff adder can down several rodents in a single meal. This provides continuous protection at no financial burden to the farmer.



“They can consume multiple animals when outbreaks occur,” said Alexander. He discovered that each snake has the capacity to eat up to ten small rodents in one sitting.



A week later, they might be ready to eat again. This natural routine keeps rodent numbers in check, which reduces the chance of plagues that can harm entire regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snakes-vs-mammals-who-eats-more">Snakes vs. mammals: Who eats more?</h2>



While a puff adder can increase its food intake up to 12 times its normal level, mammalian predators don’t come close. For instance, least weasels and <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/A073?" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lynx</a> only manage to raise <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1890/0012-9658%281998%29079%5B1193%3AFROCAL%5D2.0.CO%3B2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consumption</a> by about threefold during prey surges.



This difference isn’t just academic. When rodents boom, predators that can eat more make a much bigger dent in the problem. Puff adders’ ability to eat frequently makes them more effective than mammals during critical windows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-endurance-of-puff-adders">Extreme endurance of puff adders </h2>



“What’s particularly valuable about puff adders is their natural abundance in many African habitats,” said Professor Alexander. These snakes exist in higher densities than most mammalian predators, which magnifies their impact on rodent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rats-are-spreading-a-deadly-disease-across-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">populations</a>.



They hide among grass and scrub, and they stick around as long as they find food. Even if rodents temporarily vanish, the snakes survive on very little for long stretches.



Puff adders can survive for astonishing lengths of time without eating. After a period of heavy feeding, some individuals in the study were estimated to fast for nearly two years before their weight returned to normal levels.



This extreme endurance is due to their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/ectotherm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ectothermic</a> biology and low energy needs. It means puff adders remain in the ecosystem as a kind of “standby” predator, ready to jump back into action when rodent numbers rise again.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecosystem-health-and-crop-productivity">Ecosystem health and crop productivity</h2>



Agricultural communities often face tight budgets. They juggle soil management, irrigation, and day-to-day operations. Puff adders require no special feed or care to keep them around.



This snake-based solution saves money and promotes ecological balance. It spares many farmers from spraying chemicals that can harm other wildlife in the area.



“By protecting these natural controllers, we can harness their remarkable abilities to support both ecosystem health and agricultural productivity across Africa. This also highlights the need to have snakes included in conservation management plans,” said Professor Alexander.



Yet many people remain wary because these vipers are ectothermic, meaning they depend on external heat sources to regulate body temperature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treating-puff-adders-as-allies">Treating puff adders as allies</h2>



Puff adders still pose some risk to humans and livestock if cornered, so awareness campaigns are key. Educational outreach helps locals see these snakes as an ally, not a threat.



A small change in attitude could lead to improved yields. More farmland owners are starting to see that puff adders provide a steady rodent management system. They do not roam widely or chase rodents across great distances.



They wait quietly, blending into the background. As rodents come too close, the snakes strike and remove the danger before it spreads.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-99550-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Nature's rodent control system: How puff adders protect crops

Africa’s farmland often faces unwelcome visitors that gnaw through crops...

Heat records fall so often now that most people barely look up from their phones when the news flashes across the screen. Yet every fraction of a degree matters, because hidden in that extra warmth are hair-trigger switches built into Earth systems that are critical for all life on our planet.



Push them too far and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-polar-ice-sheets-cant-withstand-1-5c-warming-target/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enormous ice sheets</a>, ocean currents, and forests may snap into a new state - one that pulls polar bears, fishers, and farmers down a road none of them chose.



Scientists call those switches “tipping points.” Cross one and the change races ahead on its own. Glaciers speed up, rainforests dry out, and deep-sea conveyors stall.



The concern is no longer for some distant era. The time is now, as global temperature average already exceeded the 1.5 °C line in 2024 - the line that years of diplomacy drew in the sand has already been crossed.



The <a href="https://wmo.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Meteorological Organization</a> now expects the planet to spend its second full year above 1.5 °C of warming in 2025, turning a once-distant red line into an imminent test of global resolve.



That prospect has moved tipping points from academic debate to kitchen-table worry, sparking renewed interest in what overshooting the <a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paris Agreement</a> limit would actually mean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-systems-reach-the-tipping-point">Earth systems reach the tipping point</h2>



Earth’s big stabilizers - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-lakes-in-greenland-have-crossed-a-tipping-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland’s ice</a>, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ice-sheet-past-present-and-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">West Antarctic Ice Sheet</a>, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collapse-of-main-atlantic-ocean-circulaton-current-amoc-is-already-happening/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atlantic overturning circulation</a>, and the Amazon rain forest - behave much like the keystones in an arch. Dislodge one and the entire structure can shift. 



When warming pushes any of these elements beyond a point of no return, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-warming-fuels-dangerous-methane-feedback-loop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">self-reinforcing feedbacks</a> kick in. 



Ice retreats faster than it can regrow, forests lose moisture until they dry out, and currents stall because the density differences that power them weaken.



The danger grows because these systems interact with one another. Fresh water from melting ice can slow Atlantic currents, which in turn changes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-amazon-rainforest-is-approaching-widespread-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall over the Amazon</a>, which then stores less carbon. 



Scientists call that domino effect a tipping cascade, and it means one regional change can snowball into worldwide trouble in a geological blink.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-overshoot-the-hidden-tripwire">Overshoot: the hidden tripwire</h2>



Most conversations about climate targets focus on the final destination, but the journey matters just as much. 



A temporary spike above 1.5 °C, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2024-confirmed-as-earths-hottest-year-in-recorded-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">as we had in 2024</a>, can still light the fuse on irreversible change. This is called an "overshoot." 



Even if humanity later reins temperatures back, the damage may be locked for centuries because the feedback loops that drive a tipping event rarely work in reverse at the same speed.



Researchers explore these possibilities with simplified computer models that strip the planet down to its most sensitive gears.



Those models show that the combination of a high peak and a long stay above the threshold raises the odds that at least one major system fails. Push the peak past 2 °C and the odds rise sharply.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-four-giants-on-the-edge">Four giants on the edge</h2>



That grim arithmetic sits at the heart of a new study led by scientists from multiple organizations.



The team linked four equations - one for each of the giants mentioned earlier - so they could watch how Earth systems lean on one another as temperatures swing. 



“Our results show why reducing emissions this decade is crucial for the state of the planet. Failing to reach the Paris Agreement target risks reshaping the Earth’s systems for centuries to come," explained co-author Dr. Robin Lamboll, from the <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/environmental-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Center for Environmental Policy</a> and the <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/grantham/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Grantham Institute</a> at Imperial College.



Their experiments show how an overshoot can tip Greenland into a rapid melt, loosen the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, rob the Amazon of its rain, and weaken the Atlantic conveyor that keeps Europe mild. 



Because each element amplifies the others, the researchers warn that avoiding overshoot is less a nice-to-have and more a safety requirement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-risk-rises-each-tenth-degree">Risk rises each tenth-degree</h2>



“With every tenth of a degree above 1.5 °C, the risk of tipping points increases,” explains Annika Ernest Högner from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (<a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PIK</a>). 



“If global warming were to exceed 2 °C, those risks would rise even more sharply. That’s deeply troubling, especially since current climate policies are projected to lead us to about 2.6 °C of warming by the end of the century.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-facing-a-stark-reality">Facing a stark reality</h2>



When the research team modeled a scenario where temperatures never dropped back below 1.5 °C by 2100, they found that at least one of Earth’s four major systems, or tipping elements, was triggered in roughly 24% of simulations. 



That's nearly a one-in-four chance of crossing a threshold that’s hard to reverse.



An even grimmer scenario - where temperatures peaked near 3 °C before gradually declining - resulted in a 45% chance of triggering a permanent shift by 2300.



“Our results show that to truly minimize tipping risks over the coming centuries and beyond, we must not only reach but sustain net-zero greenhouse gas emissions,” said Tessa Möller, co-lead author and a researcher in the IIASA <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/programs/ece" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Energy, Climate, and Environment Program</a> and at PIK. 



“Sticking to current policies could lock us into a 45% chance of triggering irreversible changes by 2300 - even if we later bring temperatures back below 1.5 °C after a temporary overshoot.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-vital-systems-need-fast-action">Earth's vital systems need fast action</h2>



Speed matters. The Atlantic overturning circulation already shows early warning signs of slowing, hinting that its safety margin is thinner than once believed (<a href="https://www.realclimate.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RealClimate.org</a>). 



Avoiding further stress means flattening emissions in the 2020s, not the 2040s. Every year of delay nudges the peak higher and lengthens the overshoot, stacking the odds against a stable future.



Cutting pollution today offers an immediate bonus: less warming buys time to develop cleaner technology and sturdier infrastructure. It also keeps the climate’s tightrope walker from swaying so far that balance becomes impossible. 



Slowing the wobble now leaves the next generation with a stage that is still walkable instead of a wire that has already snapped.



-----



Special thanks to the scientists and researchers at at the <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis</a> and the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>, with colleagues from <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imperial College London</a>.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-49863-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Scientists determine that major Earth systems are on the verge of total collapse

Heat records fall so often now that most people barely...

Cannabis has been deeply intertwined with human civilization for over 10,000 years. It has served many purposes - from producing textiles and food to providing medicinal oils.



Although most people today associate cannabis with its psychoactive compound <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-relieves-anxiety-without-the-risks-that-come-with-thc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">THC</a> (tetrahydrocannabinol), its historical significance extends far beyond recreational use. 



Despite its long-standing importance, cannabis has remained one of the least developed crops, largely due to a century of legal restrictions. Recent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-legalization-does-not-increase-youth-substance-abuse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">legislative changes</a> in the United States, passed in 2014 and 2018, have revived interest in cannabis cultivation.



Now, scientists from the <a href="https://www.salk.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Salk Institute</a>, in collaboration with Oregon CBD, Oregon State University, and the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology, have created the most detailed genetic atlas of cannabis to date. The findings open the door to new possibilities in agriculture, medicine, and industry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-and-its-untapped-strengths">Cannabis and its untapped strengths</h2>



Cannabis sativa, also known as hemp, is a flowering plant originally from Asia. It stands out for its ability to produce strong fibers and for generating high quantities of cannabinoids - compounds with medicinal properties. 



Researchers and innovators believe cannabis derivatives could one day rival canola or soybean oils and even offer a sustainable alternative to jet fuel.



Cannabis is remarkable for its chemical productivity. It can produce more than 30% of its dry weight in terpenes and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabinoids-as-pesticides-study-reveals-potential-of-hemp-compounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabinoids</a>. Terpenes are responsible for the aromas in many fruits and flowers, while cannabinoids, such as CBD (cannabidiol) and THC, interact with the human body to offer therapeutic benefits. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-cannabis-treatments">Potential cannabis treatments</h2>



CBD gained widespread attention when the "Charlotte's Web" strain helped treat epileptic seizures, broadening the public's perception of cannabis. 



More than 100 other cannabinoids, still poorly studied, are thought to hold promise for treating ailments like pain, arthritis, nausea, depression, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chemical-found-in-cannabis-plants-can-actually-reduce-cannabis-induced-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anxiety</a>.



Yet, the effects of selective breeding on cannabis’s genetic diversity have long been a mystery. Understanding its genome has been a significant challenge. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sequencing-cannabis-genomes">Sequencing cannabis genomes</h2>



Cannabis is a dioecious plant - meaning male and female sexes are on separate plants - and its genome is filled with transposable elements, DNA sequences that can move around and complicate genetic analysis.



To unlock cannabis’s secrets, the researchers used a process called sequencing to map its DNA. Traditional sequencing methods, known as short-read sequencing, break the DNA into small fragments for study. 



However, new long-read sequencing technologies can capture much larger stretches of DNA at once, providing a clearer picture of complex and repetitive regions.



“There are limits to what you can discover with short-read sequencing technologies, since those short genetic excerpts are impossible to stitch together in any meaningful way when looking at complex regions of the genome, especially repetitive DNA sequences,” noted Lillian Padgitt-Cobb, a postdoctoral researcher involved in the study. 



"We’re among the first to harness this long-read technology at scale in the pangenome context, and with that comes all these insights into structural variation and gene ordering that can inform end-game decisions about breeding favorable traits into cannabis plants.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extraordinary-amount-of-genetic-variation">Extraordinary amount of genetic variation </h2>



The Salk team’s work is not the first to apply long-read sequencing to cannabis. In 2018, one of the researchers generated the first chromosome-level genome of cannabis, shedding light on where cannabinoids are synthesized and the genetics behind the Charlotte’s Web strain. 



However, the new project goes much further. It includes 193 different cannabis genomes, making it the most comprehensive cannabis pangenome yet. 



This is also the first study to include sex chromosomes and to achieve what is called haplotype resolution - the decoding of both sets of chromosomes in the plant, inherited separately from male and female parents.



By studying both chromosome sets, the team revealed an extraordinary amount of genetic variation, possibly up to 20 times greater than what is seen in humans. 



“With this haplotype resolution,” Padgitt-Cobb explains, “we can look at what was inherited from just one of the parent plants and start to understand the breeding and background of that plant.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-differences-in-cannabis-strains">Genetic differences in cannabis strains</h2>



The researchers gathered genomes from 144 cannabis plants worldwide. Collectively, these formed the cannabis pangenome, providing an unprecedented view of the plant’s genetic diversity.



The detailed analysis uncovered surprising patterns. About 23% of genes were found in every genome, while 55% were nearly universal. Another 21% were moderately common, and less than 1% were unique. 



Genes involved in cannabinoid production were among the most consistent, showing up across nearly all genomes.



Other genes, particularly those involved in fatty acid metabolism, growth, and defense, varied more widely. These genes could be critical for future breeding efforts, helping to create cannabis plants that are more resilient and nutritionally valuable. 



The team also found that variations in fatty acid biosynthesis are linked to the production of tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), a lesser-known cannabinoid gaining attention for its non-psychoactive, energizing effects.



When it came to cannabinoid genes, researchers noticed that two genes - THCAS and CBDAS - are likely under strong selective pressure from human-directed breeding. 



Interestingly, these genes are located within transposable elements, suggesting that selective breeding has driven even more genetic variation by targeting these “jumping” regions of DNA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-avenues-for-agriculture-and-medicine">New avenues for agriculture and medicine</h2>



The research team found exciting new targets for improving cannabis crops. By comparing European and Asian genomes, they suggest that an undiscovered wild relative of cannabis may exist somewhere in Asia. This plant could possess valuable traits for breeding hardier, more resilient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-production-may-soon-get-a-major-boost/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis strains</a>.



Another important discovery lies in the cannabis sex chromosomes. The team found that male plants contain unique genes not present in feminized plants. 



In modern breeding, "feminization" techniques are used to induce female plants to produce male flowers, bypassing the Y chromosome entirely. However, this practice might be overlooking important genetic diversity.



“Over the last 10 years, breeders have already done a decent job of getting yields up and making cannabis an economically viable crop,” said Ryan Lynch, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the study.



“Once there’s market interest there, paired with these new insights into cannabis genomes that can guide breeding efforts, I can see <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabinoids-as-pesticides-study-reveals-potential-of-hemp-compounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hemp</a> and hemp oils really booming in both human health and industry applications.”



In the near future, the researchers hope that this new pangenome will serve as a valuable resource for scientists and farmers. With better information about the plant’s DNA, cannabis can be improved for more uses - fiber, seed oil, medicine - and brought into a new era of innovation.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09065-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Scientists reveal the most complete cannabis genome yet

Cannabis has been deeply intertwined with human civilization for over...

Medical,Cbd,Candies.cannabis,Infused,Gummy,Bears.cannabis,Edibles,,Medical,Marijuana,candies,Infused

Marijuana has long been debated as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. Some people view it as a benign stress-reliever with fewer hazards than tobacco products. 



Evidence from a recent study challenges that assumption.



The research was led by first author Leila Mohammadi, MD, PhD, and senior author Matthew L. Springer, PhD, at the <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, San Francisco</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-users-and-heart-damage">Cannabis users and heart damage</h2>



A study followed 55 participants who were already cannabis users or individuals who did not use any nicotine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dopamine-changes-from-cannabis-last-at-least-one-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">products</a>. Each cannabis user had a habit of consuming it at least three times a week for at least one year.&nbsp;



The group included smokers who averaged around 10 years of use and those who used <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/tetrahydrocannabinol" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tetrahydrocannabinol</a> in edible form with around five years of use. 



The nonsmoking control group showed healthier cardiovascular indicators than any of the cannabis-using groups.



Researchers uncovered decreased blood vessel function in participants who either smoked marijuana or took edibles containing the psychoactive compound in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/cannabis-sativa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cannabis sativa</a>. 



They found vascular function in those using either type of cannabis was roughly half that of nonusers. This was linked to higher chances of <a href="https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/blood-heart-circulation/endothelial-dysfunction.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">endothelial dysfunction</a>, which refers to impaired operations of the cells lining blood vessels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-linked-blood-vessel-damage">Cannabis-linked blood vessel damage</h2>



When blood vessels lose flexibility or responsiveness, that can heighten the likelihood of conditions such as heart attacks and hypertension. 



Some previous <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.cir.103.23.2805" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">findings</a> have also associated marijuana use with possible triggers for cardiovascular complications. The current study adds more data to consider for those who routinely depend on cannabis for relaxation or pain relief.



The potential link between endothelial dysfunction and cannabis use raises concerns about early development of vascular disease. 



This condition involves impaired nitric oxide production and reduced elasticity in the arteries, both of which influence how well blood moves around the body. If this process falters too much, people may face a spike in heart-related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-reduces-the-unwanted-side-effects-of-thc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">risks</a> over the years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoking-cannabis-and-heart-health">Smoking cannabis and heart health</h2>



Investigators noticed that marijuana smokers had distinct changes in their blood serum that were harmful to cells lining blood vessels. Those taking edibles, however, did not display the same harmful shift in serum properties.&nbsp;



This might indicate that the act of burning and inhaling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/high-potency-cannabis-use-linked-to-epigenetic-changes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a> smoke triggers certain biochemical pathways not activated by ingesting THC in food or beverage form. 



Both methods still resulted in diminished vessel function, but the underlying mechanisms appeared to vary.



This discovery opens the door for closer evaluation of how inhaled cannabis influences nitric oxide and other chemicals in the bloodstream. 



Experts have tried to pinpoint how THC might harm vessels, but these findings suggest there are yet-to-be-mapped pathways involved. 



They highlight the need for more research to understand how different routes of use impact the cardiovascular system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eating-cannabis-and-heart-health">Eating cannabis and heart health</h2>



Some <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12412838/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientists</a> have drawn parallels between marijuana smoking and tobacco use when it comes to cardiovascular strain. 



Both involve inhaling combusted materials that may generate oxidizing particles and other toxins. 



This study found that while chronic users of edibles also showed diminished endothelial function, it did not seem tied to changes in blood serum.



Experts have suggested that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-reduces-the-unwanted-side-effects-of-thc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">THC</a> may cause adverse cardiovascular effects through interactions with cannabinoid receptors in the heart or blood vessels. 



Edible users might be experiencing those effects in a way that bypasses the bloodstream’s immediate signaling changes linked to smoking. 



The findings also hint that inhalation may carry a bigger immediate impact on serum factors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-all-of-this-mean">What does all of this mean?</h2>



Many people view <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/medicinal-cannabis-helped-patients-feel-better-for-a-full-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">edibles</a> as a safer alternative to smoking. Edibles do avoid the dangers of inhaling combusted matter, yet the overall vascular function among both smoking and non-smoking users in the study was still notably reduced compared to nonusers. 



That’s a cautionary sign for anyone who feels that avoiding smoke means avoiding all serious health risks.



Medical or recreational users might want to stay alert to these issues. Some individuals turn to cannabis for relief from pain or anxiety, but this research indicates a need for awareness about cardiovascular health. 



Regular check-ups with a healthcare provider could be wise, especially for those with a family history of heart disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-health-cannabis-and-the-future">Heart health, cannabis, and the future</h2>



The study team noted that the specific mechanisms behind THC’s effect on blood vessels remain somewhat unclear. They observed that smoking marijuana affects blood vessel function in ways distinct from ingesting THC. 



This means new research should aim to pin down which components of smoke, vapor, or other byproducts may be most harmful.



Scientists are likely to explore whether occasional marijuana use carries the same risk as chronic use. More data on dosage levels and individual differences could help the medical community develop more precise guidelines. 



Current work sets the stage for larger population studies that can track cardiovascular parameters over longer timeframes.



Cardiovascular health is a lifelong matter. This research shows that both edible users and smokers should keep an eye on how cannabis might impact their heart and blood vessels. 



Caution makes sense until medical professionals reach a clearer understanding of how best to reduce any risks linked to routine use.



The study is published in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2834540" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JAMA Cardiology</a>.



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Cannabis use in any form directly linked to significant risk of heart damage

Marijuana has long been debated as a safer alternative to...

Yeast may seem unremarkable at first glance. Most of us know it as the stuff behind bread and beverages, yet there is more to these tiny organisms than meets the eye.



A new study reveals that genetic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yeast-in-forests-reveals-a-story-of-ancient-human-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diversity</a> and temperature tolerance are closely linked, offering fascinating insights into how certain species might endure in a rapidly changing world. 



The findings come from work led by <a href="https://www.su.se/english/profiles/jemo1068-1.650245" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jennifer Molinet</a> and <a href="https://www.su.se/english/profiles/rstel-1.321100" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rike Stelkens</a>, both researchers in the Department of Zoology at Stockholm University.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yeast-helps-us-study-evolution">Yeast helps us study evolution</h2>



Yeast is actually a <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/microorganism" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microorganism</a> that belongs to the kingdom of fungi. It has been essential to humankind’s cooking and fermentation processes for centuries. 



Scientists also use it in the lab to investigate big questions in ecology and evolution because it reproduces quickly and is easy to grow under controlled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-and-bakers-yeast-have-similar-dna/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conditions</a>.



These qualities helped researchers watch adaptation unfold over 600 generations. A temperature increase from 77°F to 104°F provided a model of future warming.



This setup allowed them to see how eight different yeast species, each with unique histories, handled steamy conditions without stepping outside the lab.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-yeast-handles-heat">How yeast handles heat</h2>



The team monitored the growth and development of these yeast populations and took note of shifts in temperature tolerance. They gathered data about how each species performed at various points along the heat spectrum. 



This continuous observation offered a window into <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169534712001425" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experimental evolution</a>, where small changes can accumulate into noticeable differences.



“We found that different species use different evolutionary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brewing-beer-in-space-the-future-of-fermentation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategies</a> to adapt to heat: some species, already warm-tolerant, did not improve their performance, but rather expanded their temperature range," said Molinet.



"Other species, more adapted to the cold, were able to withstand higher temperatures, but this came at the cost of reduced overall fitness," she added. No single adaptation path appeared across all species. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yeast-s-changing-abilities">Yeast's changing abilities</h2>



Certain yeast species excelled at handling the heat but lost out in other areas. Those with cooler preferences had room to push their upper limit, though they sacrificed maximum growth in the process. 



This pattern hints that there might be trade-offs for any population facing an environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-new-window-into-the-early-evolution-of-flowering-plants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shift</a>. Some species broadened their tolerance without boosting their ability to thrive at hot temperatures. 



Others raised their limit for warmth but ended up less efficient when it came to peak growth. That distinction may be critical when predicting how biodiversity fares in changing environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-threatens-biodiversity">Warming threatens biodiversity</h2>



<a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/biodiversity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biodiversity</a> is the variety of life that enriches ecosystems around the world. Studies like this one show how organisms can adapt under stressful conditions. 



The research also hints that species already equipped for warmer climates might keep improving, while those that like cooler spots could struggle to keep up. Small genetic changes can make a big difference in how a species responds to environmental stress. 



Over time, genetic adaptations could alter entire ecosystems if certain microbes become more common. This raises a puzzle about who wins and who loses when heat becomes the norm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-lessons-from-yeast">Climate change lessons from yeast</h2>



The same group has looked at other organisms too. In a separate <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40379980/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">publication</a>, they studied temperature adaptation in seed beetles. 



This sort of comparative approach shows how different species, from insects to fungi, adjust to new extremes.



It all comes down to how well an organism’s <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037810979900292X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolutionary potential</a> can keep pace. <a href="https://imet.usmd.edu/activities/what-genetic-diversity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Genetic diversity</a> forms the bedrock that allows populations to respond to new pressures. With more variation comes a higher chance that some individuals carry traits well-suited for a hot future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yeast-shows-how-microbes-may-shift">Yeast shows how microbes may shift</h2>



One of the most interesting points of the study is that it highlights the unique paths organisms including yeast take in response to climate change. This could guide us in anticipating how microbes, and possibly pathogens, might shift their ranges or behaviors. 



Early insight can help researchers stay a step ahead in tracking which strains pose threats or benefits under higher temperatures.



Adaptation isn’t uniform. We cannot assume that every organism will simply become more heat-tolerant. Some will expand their temperature ranges, while others will change their optimal growth zone.



If entire populations head in different directions, future ecosystems could look very different.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-past-shapes-future-evolution">The past shapes future evolution</h2>



“If temperatures change in the future, it is still the history in our genes that determines if and how we can adapt,” said Dr. Stelkens. The past leaves a stamp on the present. 



The findings underline how the unique background of a species can limit or boost its path forward. That sense of individuality is a reminder that no two species are alike. Each carries genetic memories of ancient environments.



Some are better equipped for certain extremes, while others are at a disadvantage when conditions shift too far from what their ancestors experienced.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ongoing-yeast-and-climate-research">Ongoing yeast and climate research</h2>



Experiments with yeast and other microbes allow researchers to explore how life’s building blocks respond to new challenges including climate change.



There is still much to learn about specific genetic mechanisms behind heat tolerance and how trade-offs affect survival. Future work may reveal ways to preserve vulnerable species as conditions change.



Adaptation studies can also help scientists predict whether new strains might develop harmful traits. This can be pivotal for fields like medicine and agriculture, where a small genetic tweak in a microbe can affect disease spread or crop production. 



Ultimately, staying informed on such developments might protect our well-being.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2423262122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Yeast evolution reveals limits to surviving climate change

Yeast may seem unremarkable at first glance. Most of us...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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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

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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"

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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

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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today’s Video of the Day from 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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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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.

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



"With more than 370,000 miles of coastline on Earth, there are plenty of places where epic waves build up, curl over, and hurtle toward the shore.- much to the thrill of surfers," says NASA. "There are some places where these waves are so magnificent that they can be seen from space."



"With the broad perspective of satellites, we can see how these iconic waves develop into the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest."



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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