We stroll past wheat, clover, and grass and see only the green half of the story. The other half - the roots - do the heavy lifting: anchoring plants, pulling up water and nutrients, and locking away carbon in the soil.



Yet because roots are hidden, scientists have spent decades using muddy, labor-intensive methods to guess their size and spread, often missing the finest, most active threads. According to a team of researchers at <a href="https://international.au.dk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aarhus University</a>, that guesswork can finally stop.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-high-tech-root-census">A high-tech root census</h2>



“It's a bit like studying marine ecosystems without ever being able to dive,” said senior author Henrik Brinch-Pedersen, a professor in the Department of Agroecology.



Until now, the standard approach was to carve out big blocks of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-soil-day-2024-protecting-our-planets-lifeline/">soil</a>, wash away the dirt, sort and dry what remained, and weigh the roots. It’s slow, destructive, and misses the fine roots that absorb nutrients and release carbon to the soil.



The new approach swaps spades for droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-chapter-in-human-evolution-revealed-through-genetics/">DNA</a> technology that partitions a teaspoon of soil into tens of thousands of microscopic droplets. Each droplet then answers a yes/no question: Does it contain plant DNA with a specific genetic signature?



The team uses a marker called ITS2 - think of it as a barcode that differs among species - so a single run can reveal not just that roots are present, but whose roots they are. Crucially, it also shows how much underground biomass each species contributes.



“It’s a bit like giving the soil a DNA test,” Brinch-Pedersen said. “We can suddenly see the hidden distribution of species and biomass without digging up the whole field.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-roots-with-precision">Mapping roots with precision</h2>



Because ddPCR counts DNA molecules across thousands of droplets, it can quantify roots that would otherwise be pulverized or rinsed away. 



That makes it possible to map root communities at high resolution in living fields, pastures, and mixed-species grasslands and to repeat measurements over time without disturbing the site.



The payoff spans several fronts. For climate research, it lets scientists measure how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-diverse-crops-traps-carbon-and-boosts-soil-health/">carbon</a> different crops actually push belowground - data that’s been frustratingly hard to pin down but is essential for credible climate accounting in agriculture.



For plant breeding, the digital DNA method creates a path to select varieties that invest more in roots without sacrificing grain or forage aboveground.



And for biodiversity science, the technology finally illuminates the underground dynamics in species mixes - who’s competing, who’s complementing - insights that were “almost impossible before,” Brinch-Pedersen noted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-roots-matter-for-the-climate">Roots matter for the climate</h2>



We tend to picture wind turbines and EVs when we think of climate solutions, but roots are a vast, quiet carbon pump. 



As plants photosynthesize, some of the captured carbon flows belowground into roots and the surrounding soil. Depending on the crop, soil type, and management, a fraction of that carbon can persist for decades or even centuries.



Farmers and policymakers talk about “soil carbon sequestration,” but without precise measurement tools it’s been hard to document gains in ways that stand up to scrutiny. A rapid, species-resolved root assay changes that equation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-test-in-soil">DNA test in soil</h2>



In practice, researchers collect small soil cores, extract DNA, and run ddPCR with species-specific probes keyed to the ITS2 barcode. The number of positive droplets scales with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-rooted-crops-can-significantly-improve-soil-carbon-storage/">root biomass</a> for that species in that sample. 



Because the test targets DNA directly in soil, it captures fine roots and root fragments as well as thicker roots that are tough to wash and weigh.



There are, however, limits. Close relatives can be tricky to tell apart when their barcodes are nearly identical - ryegrass and Italian ryegrass hybrids, for instance, can blur the signal. 



And the method recognizes only what it’s trained to find. Researchers must validate a probe for each species, so expanding the “DNA library” is both the hurdle and the goal.



“For us, the most important thing is that we have shown it can be done,” Brinch-Pedersen said. “Our vision is to expand the library so we can measure many more species directly in soil samples.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rapid-answers-from-soil">Rapid answers from soil</h2>



Speed is the other advantage. Traditional root studies hinge on days to weeks of field and lab work per site. The ddPCR method turns around results in hours, making it practical to scale from a few experimental plots to entire farms, seasons, and regions.



That opens the door to experiments that were previously unrealistic. Researchers can compare cover crops for their belowground carbon contributions across soil types. 



They can track how drought shifts root allocation among species in a pasture. They can also screen hundreds of breeding lines for deeper, denser root systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-that-work-smarter">Plants that work smarter</h2>



Brinch-Pedersen sees a straight line from measurement to design. If breeders can quantify underground investment as easily as they count kernels or measure protein, they can begin to select for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-crops-a-path-to-feeding-the-world-and-saving-the-planet/">crops</a> that are not only high-yielding but also high-sequestering. These are plants that do more of the climate work for us.



The same logic applies to mixtures. With species-level root data, agronomists can compose plant communities that pack more carbon belowground while maintaining forage or grain output above.



The bigger picture is simple: half a plant lives out of sight, and that half shapes soil health, farm resilience, and the climate. With a “DNA test for dirt,” researchers can finally watch that hidden half at work - no shovels required.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/plphys/article/198/3/kiaf276/8173641?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plant Physiology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Digging into plant roots with DNA - no shovels required

We stroll past wheat, clover, and grass and see only the green half of the story. The other half - the roots - do the heavy lifting: anchoring plants, pulling up water and nutrients, and locking away carbon in the soil. Yet because roots are hidden, scientists have spent decades using muddy, labor-intensive methods to guess their size and spread, often missing the finest, most active threads. According to a team of researchers at Aarhus University, that guesswork can finally stop. A high-tech root census “It's a...

Cutting back on meat has become mainstream, but eggs have mostly held their ground at the American breakfast table. That could be about to change. A new study tackles a surprisingly simple question: What will it take for consumers to embrace plant-based eggs?



The research uses a vignette design to test how price, setting, and recipe shape buying intent, inviting volunteers to picture either scrambled eggs or pancakes made with vegan <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-people-are-willing-to-switch-to-plant-based-food-to-save-the-climate/">substitutes</a> at home and in restaurants. 



The findings, and the voices behind them, make clear that breakfast economics still trumps curiosity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pricing-plant-based-eggs">Pricing plant-based eggs </h2>



Retail trackers say plant-based foods pulled in $8.1 billion in U.S. grocery sales last year. Egg alternatives claimed just $71.1 million of that total in 2024.



Study participants rated the vegan choice higher when it cost less than the chicken-egg version - a pattern that matches models finding a 3 percent jump in market share for every 1 percent price drop on plant-based burgers. 



“We wanted to measure the consumer's perception about plant-based eggs,” said Da Eun Kim of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (<a href="https://illinois.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UIUC</a>). 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-familiar-foods-work-better">Familiar foods work better</h2>



The strongest single nudge was not price but recipe, volunteers preferred pancakes over a solo scramble when the batter hid the new ingredient. 



“Introducing them as an ingredient, especially in a product that consumers are comfortable with, is a way to get people over any ‘mental hurdles’ associated with trying plant-based eggs,” said Brenna Ellison of <a href="https://agribusiness.purdue.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purdue University</a>. 



Consumer research across several countries shows purchase intent rises sharply once shoppers have tasted similar meat-free foods, and familiarity predicts acceptance more reliably than age, income, or even stated ethics. 



That same dynamic surfaced here, as people who had tried vegan eggs before were the most eager to buy again.



Curiously, eating in a restaurant did not boost enthusiasm the way the authors expected, hinting that home cooks feel safe experimenting when the recipe is foolproof. 



Ellison noted that setting “didn't have as much of an effect as we imagined,” demonstrating the power of a trusted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-are-suffering-from-declining-plant-quality/">dish</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-based-eggs-win-on-fat-nbsp-content">Plant-based eggs win on fat&nbsp;content</h2>



Beyond ethics, health looms large, and the nutrition panels back it up, a hard-boiled vegan egg lists 0 milligrams of cholesterol compared with 186 milligrams in a large hen egg.



Study participants ranked traditional eggs higher for taste but favored the plant version on fat and cholesterol, echoing broader surveys that link plant-based eating to lower LDL levels.



Nutritionists caution that some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fertilizer-reduces-plant-damage-caused-by-droughts/">formulations</a> use coconut oil, so saturated fat can creep back in. Still, the cholesterol-free claim gives marketers a clear badge to display.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-good-for-the-planet-and-prices">Good for the planet and prices</h2>



Animal-based eggs carry a carbon cost of roughly 2.2 to 2.66 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions per dozen. 



Feed production drives most of those emissions, so removing the chicken from the equation slashes the footprint at the start of the supply chain.



The past two years of avian influenza pushed shell-egg prices to nearly $5 per dozen in January of 2025, reminding consumers of the fragility of livestock supply chains. Plant-based eggs suffered no such shortages, giving them a timely window to win trials.



Environmental appeal and supply resilience combine into a story that resonates with shoppers who rate ethics and stability as highly as flavor. That story, however, still needs to be told in a way that feels personal rather than preachy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-is-most-likely-to-buy">Who is most likely to buy?</h2>



Generation Z and younger Millennials show the highest willingness to buy alternative proteins, a trend confirmed in surveys where age under 34 predicts frequent plant-based meat consumption. 



The researchers found a similar age gradient, with older participants least impressed by the vegan option.



Urban residence and liberal politics also correlated with purchase intent, mirroring patterns seen in earlier work on meat substitutes. For marketers, that means early wins will <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lanthanides-common-metal-in-plant-fertilizer-key-to-boosting-global-crop-food-supplies/">cluster</a> in cities and college towns before spreading outward.



Most striking, though, was experience, people who had already cracked a vegan egg were far more likely to buy again. Familiarity does more than any demographic trait to dissolve skepticism.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-based-eggs-still-need-improvement">Plant-based eggs still need improvement </h2>



Put price, familiarity, and health front and center, the authors suggest, and the category can break out of its niche. That could mean café pancakes with stealthy swaps, grocery bundles that pair the liquid mix with a trusted recipe card, and clear labels flagging cholesterol-free credentials.



Ongoing work to improve taste and texture is crucial - no bargain can make up for a rubbery scramble. But if plant-based eggs can match the feel of the real thing, their ethical and environmental benefits become a compelling bonus.



With global demand for alternative proteins climbing, even a small share of the egg market represents millions of hens spared and tons of CO2 emissions avoided. The next big test is whether consumers will keep buying once novelty fades.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/10/1742" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Foods</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Plant-based eggs gain acceptance when hidden in comfort foods

Cutting back on meat has become mainstream, but eggs have...

Nuclear war wouldn’t just kill people - it could kill the planet’s food supply. Imagine a world where sunlight vanishes behind thick smoke. In this scenario, temperatures crash, crops fail, and grocery store shelves go empty.



That’s the chilling reality of a nuclear winter - not science fiction, but a real risk if global conflict escalates. 



In a new study, scientists at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Pen</a><a href="https://www.psu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">n State</a> explored how a nuclear winter could affect global corn production, the most widely grown grain in the world.



The team also offered a practical idea to prepare for this worst-case scenario: stockpiling "agricultural resilience kits" filled with cold-tolerant seeds that could help keep food growing, even in the darkest of times.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-famine-after-the-fire">Famine after the fire</h2>



The researchers modeled six nuclear war scenarios, ranging from regional to large-scale global conflict. Each scenario simulated the effect of soot released into the atmosphere from nuclear firestorms -anywhere from five to 165 million tons of it.



In the best-case scenario, global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sweet-corn-yields-are-suffering-in-hotter-conditions/">corn yields</a> dropped by 7 percent. In the worst-case, an 80 percent drop.



“An 80 percent drop in global crop production would have catastrophic consequences,” said Yuning Shi, associate research professor in Penn State’s Department of Plant Science. 



“Even a 7 percent drop in global crop production would have a severe impact on the global food system and economy.”



Corn was chosen not just because it's everywhere - but because it’s highly sensitive to climate and represents a broader pattern in agriculture. What happens to corn would likely happen to many other crops.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modeling-nuclear-food-collapse">Modeling nuclear food collapse</h2>



The team used the Cycles agroecosystem model, developed by scientists at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. 



It’s a complex simulation tool that tracks how carbon and nitrogen move through the soil, plants, and atmosphere. 



With high-performance computing, the model can predict crop growth under different conditions - even under the shadow of nuclear fallout.



“We simulated corn production in 38,572 locations under the six <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nuclear-war-would-cause-global-famine-and-kill-billions/">nuclear war</a> scenarios of increasing severity - with soot injections ranging from 5 to 165 tons,” Shi said. 



“This investigation advances our understanding of global agricultural resilience and adaptation in response to catastrophic climatic disruptions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uv-radiation-could-make-it-worse">UV radiation could make it worse</h2>



Smoke and soot aren’t the only problem. A nuclear war could also shred the ozone layer, allowing more UV-B radiation to hit the Earth's surface. 



This form of radiation damages DNA, hurts photosynthesis, and stresses plants even further. Shi said this may be the first study to estimate the effect of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/uv-radiation-played-a-role-in-earths-largest-mass-extinction/">UV-B radiation</a> on agriculture in a post-nuclear scenario. 



The damage wouldn’t be immediate. UV levels would peak 6 to 8 years after the bombs drop - just as the planet struggles to recover.



“The blast and fireball of atomic explosions produce nitrogen oxides in the stratosphere,” Shi explained. 



“The presence of both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrous-oxide-is-a-growing-threat-to-human-and-planetary-health/">nitrogen oxides</a> and heating from absorptive soot could rapidly destroy ozone, increasing UV-B radiation levels at the Earth’s surface. This would damage plant tissue and further limit global food production.”



Add UV damage on top of climate stress, and corn yields could fall by as much as 87 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-food-in-the-dark">Growing food in the dark</h2>



The researchers believe there's a small silver lining - if we act now. By switching to faster-growing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/corn-plants-use-jumping-genes-to-adapt-to-their-environment/">corn</a> varieties that can tolerate cold, food yields could increase by up to 10 percent even during nuclear winter, compared to doing nothing. But there's a catch: seed availability.



That’s where their idea for “agricultural resilience kits” comes in. “These kits would help sustain food production during the unstable years following a nuclear war,” said Armen Kemanian, professor of production systems and modeling at Penn State.



“The agricultural resilience kits concept can be expanded to other disasters - when catastrophes of these magnitude strike, resilience is of the essence.”



These kits would include seeds tailored to different regions and climates. The idea is to give local communities the tools they need to keep farming even if the global food network collapses.



Shi acknowledged the challenges in pulling off such a plan. “If we want to survive, we must be prepared, even for unthinkable consequences,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-future-food-catastrophes">Lessons for future food catastrophes</h2>



The takeaway isn’t just about weapons. It’s about the fact that our food system is alarmingly fragile.



“Recall that catastrophes of this nature can happen not just because of nuclear war, but due to, for example, violent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-giant-volcanic-eruptions-alter-earths-climate/">volcanic eruptions</a>,” Kemanian said. 



“One may think that studies of this nature are just navel gazing, but they force us to realize the fragility of the biosphere - the totality of all living things and how they interact with one another and the environment.”



Food doesn’t grow in a vacuum. It depends on stable climate, clean air, and functioning ecosystems. Disrupt that balance, and the consequences ripple through every plate on the planet.



This research doesn’t predict the future. But it helps us prepare for one we hope never arrives.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/adcfb5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Nuclear war would cripple Earth’s food supply

Nuclear war wouldn’t just kill people - it could kill...

With over 2.8 billion fungal DNA sequences from 130 countries, scientists have produced the first high-resolution global maps of underground mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi support ecosystems by transporting nutrients, capturing carbon, and protecting plant health. 



Yet, over 90 percent of this underground <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-fungi-species-are-threatened-with-extinction/">biodiversity</a> lies outside protected areas. That makes these vital ecosystems vulnerable to environmental damage.



The data powers a new interactive platform called the Underground Atlas. This tool helps anyone explore fungal biodiversity from Ethiopia to Brazil, and from Tasmania to West Africa. 



These maps expose not only diversity but also rarity, revealing patterns previously hidden from view.



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



Mycorrhizal fungi form massive underground networks that interact with nearly every plant. 



These fungal systems capture more than 13 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year - about a third of global fossil fuel emissions. They help crops grow, rebuild forests, and regulate water cycles.



Still, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-can-think-and-make-smart-decisions-without-a-brain/">fungi</a> remain missing from major conservation plans. That absence is dangerous. When these networks get disturbed, forests regenerate more slowly, crops suffer, and entire ecosystems unravel.



“For centuries, we've mapped mountains, forests, and oceans. But these fungi have remained in the dark,” said Dr. Toby Kiers of Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (<a href="https://www.spun.earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SPUN)</a>.



“They cycle nutrients, store carbon, support plant health, and make soil. When we disrupt these critical ecosystem engineers, forest regeneration slows, crops fail, and biodiversity aboveground begins to unravel."



"This is the first time we're able to visualize these biodiversity patterns - and it's clear we are failing to protect underground ecosystems.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maps-show-fungi-need-protection">Maps show fungi need protection</h2>



The research team used machine learning to build predictive maps from their vast dataset. These maps reveal fungal richness and rarity at a global scale, down to one square kilometer. 



Less than 10 percent of biodiversity hotspots appear in protected areas, exposing a huge gap in global conservation strategy.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/fungi_global-underground-system_map_credit-SPUN_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/fungi_global-underground-system_map_credit-SPUN_1s.webp" alt="High-resolution map of from SPUN's Underground Atlas showing predicted arbuscular mycorrhizal biodiversity patterns across underground ecosystems. Bright colors indicate higher richness and endemism. Credit: SPUN" class="wp-image-1979248"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">High-resolution map of from SPUN's Underground Atlas showing predicted arbuscular mycorrhizal biodiversity patterns across underground ecosystems. Bright colors indicate higher richness and endemism. Click image to enlarge. Credit: SPUN</figcaption></figure>



This work is the first large-scale scientific product of SPUN. The group launched in 2021 with the goal to map and protect Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-millions-of-fungal-species-still-remain-unknown/">fungal networks</a>.



"For too long, we've overlooked mycorrhizal fungi. These maps help alleviate our fungus blindness,” explained Dr. Merlin Sheldrake of SPUN.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-tool-to-explore-underground-fungi">A tool to explore underground fungi</h2>



Now, SPUN offers a powerful new tool: the Underground Atlas. It allows researchers, policymakers, and conservationists to explore biodiversity anywhere on Earth. 



“The idea is to ensure underground biodiversity becomes as fundamental to environmental decision-making as satellite imagery,” noted Jason Cremerius of SPUN.



Users can locate biodiversity hotspots, identify rare fungal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-have-unique-fungi-partnerships-that-help-them-survive/">species</a>, and support restoration work. The tool can inform the placement of conservation areas, especially in biodiversity-rich regions that remain unprotected.



“These high-resolution maps provide quantitative targets for restoration managers,” said Dr. Alex Wegmann from <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Nature Conservancy</a>. “Restoration practices have been dangerously incomplete because the focus has historically been on life aboveground.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-legal-shield-for-fungi">No legal shield for fungi</h2>



According to the researchers, the data could help shape climate and biodiversity laws. For example, Ghana’s coast hosts a vital underground fungal hotspot - yet this coast erodes by two meters each year. If left unprotected, this fungal diversity could vanish into the sea.



“Underground fungal systems have been largely invisible in law and policy,” said César Rodriguez-Garavito of NYU. “These data are incredibly important in strengthening law and policy across all of Earth's underground ecosystems.”



SPUN has built a global dataset of 40,000 samples covering 95,000 fungal taxa. The organization partners with more than 400 scientists and 96 “<a href="https://www.spun.earth/expeditions/underground-explorers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Underground Explorers</a>” from 79 countries. These teams now sample remote regions - from Bhutan and Mongolia to Ukraine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-depends-on-these-networks">Future depends on these networks</h2>



Despite the achievements, scientists have sampled just 0.001% of Earth's surface. SPUN needs more data to improve maps, define restoration goals, and identify <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-fungi-species-are-threatened-with-extinction/">endangered</a> fungal communities. 



“These maps reveal what we stand to lose if we fail to protect the underground,” said Dr. Kiers.



To protect Earth’s underground biodiversity, collective action is essential. Researchers can partner with SPUN to expand data collection and improve the accuracy of fungal diversity maps. 



Conservationists should use these insights to design strategic interventions and prioritize high-value ecosystems. Policymakers need to recognize the critical role of underground fungi by including them in biodiversity and climate frameworks. 



The public can explore the <a href="https://www.spun.earth/underground-atlas/mycorrhizal-biodiversity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Underground Atlas</a> to better understand this hidden world and support ongoing efforts. Funders play a key role by investing in the next phase of global fungal exploration and restoration.



To see the hidden world beneath your feet, visit the Underground Atlas and help protect the life that sustains ours.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09277-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Underground fungi networks that sustain all life on Earth are in danger

With over 2.8 billion fungal DNA sequences from 130 countries,...

Climate watchers and wheat growers share the same worry: fertilizer dependence is pushing production costs up while adding more heat-trapping gases to the sky. Scientists are hunting for ways to keep harvests healthy without pouring on synthetic nitrogen.



The latest <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138525001347">research</a> points to an unexpected ally, the soil microbes that cling to wheat roots and help the plant manage its own nitrogen use. 



Wolfram Weckwerth of the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/">University of Vienna</a> and his global team see this partnership as the key to hardier crops and cleaner fields.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fertilizer-adds-heat-and-expense">Fertilizer adds heat and expense</h2>



Farmers apply ever more nitrogen in a bid to keep yields steady, yet 40 to 68 percent of that fertilizer vanishes into air and water. Those losses raise costs and send reactive nitrogen downstream.



In 2022, the global appetite for nitrogen fertilizer hit about 190 million tons, according to the <a href="https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/42d5a668-f44c-4976-8540-8efdb0f4d17b/content" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Food and Agriculture Organization</a>. The figure is projected to climb as diets shift toward grain fed livestock.



Much of the escaped nitrogen turns into nitrous oxide, a gas roughly 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a century. It also sticks around in groundwater, threatening drinking supplies.



Limiting such runaway nitrogen is therefore a climate fix and a public health tool rolled into one. The new wheat strategy aims to deliver both wins without demanding new chemicals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-soil-and-rain-waste-nitrogen">Soil and rain waste nitrogen</h2>



Soil bacteria convert ammonium fertilizer to nitrate in a two-step process called nitrification. Nitrate is easily washed out of topsoil during heavy rain.



Synthetic nitrification inhibitors slow that conversion but cost money and sometimes harm non-target <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-type-of-microbes-found-earths-deep-soil-critical-zone/">microbes</a>. Farmers who skip them lose fertilizer, farmers who use them gain new headaches.



Plants themselves can make natural inhibitors, yet breeders seldom tracked that trait because measuring it was hard. Advances in metabolomics now let scientists rank cultivars by their native stopping power.



By leaning on this built-in defense, growers can cut fertilizer bills and still meet yield wheat targets. The trick lies in choosing the right variety for each field.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wheat-microbes-manage-fertilizer">Wheat microbes manage fertilizer</h2>



Researchers describe the plant and its microbes as a holobiont—a single ecological unit shaped by cooperation and conflict. The idea rewrites the usual breeder’s focus on plant genes alone.



Root-zone bacteria help wheat pull in nutrients and fend off disease. In return, the plant feeds them with sugars and signaling chemicals.



Those chemicals, known as root exudates, differ from line to line. Some invite helpful microbes, some chase away pests, and a lucky few block nitrifying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-plants-produce-their-own-nitrogen-fertilizer/">species</a> outright.



Mapping this chemical chatter gives breeders new knobs to turn. It also explains why one cultivar thrives in worn-out soil while its neighbor languishes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wheat-roots-release-defenses">Wheat roots release defenses</h2>



“Our analysis of root exudates, complicated compounds released from the root system, shows substantial variation between the wheat cultivars,” said Arindam Ghatak, a molecular biologist at the University of Vienna.



The Vienna team screened dozens of elite wheat lines and found a tenfold spread in biological nitrification inhibitor activity.



Lines that topped the chart needed far less ammonium to reach the same biomass as standard checks. Early wheat field trials in Austria and India showed fertilizer savings of up to 30 percent after one season.



One compound under the spotlight is brachialactone, first spotted in tropical forage grass and now turning up in high-BNI wheat. Its structure resembles synthetic inhibitors but degrades harmlessly in soil.



The discovery hints that other cereals might hide similar chemistry. Screening <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/maize-plant-genetics-shape-root-health-and-growth/">maize</a> and barley is already underway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wheat-that-boosts-yield">Wheat that boosts yield</h2>



Tracking subtle root chemicals across thousands of lines calls for heavy analytics. That is where machine learning steps in.



Algorithms sift metabolite fingerprints, microbiome profiles, and yield logs to flag the best genetic combos. The approach turns a breeder’s notebook into a prediction engine.



“In combination with machine learning algorithms, this opens up a promising breeding platform to develop new crop varieties,” said Weckwerth. His group feeds its models with “panomics” data covering DNA, RNA, proteins, and metabolites.&nbsp;



Once the math nominates winners, rapid cycle crossing and greenhouse trials can push a candidate from Petri dish to field plot within three years. That is half the time of classical pipelines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-for-farmers-and-the-planet">Benefits for farmers and the planet</h2>



A 25 percent cut in fertilizer on the world’s 540 million acres of wheat would save roughly 12 million tons of nitrogen each year. That translates to billions of dollars and a sharp fall in nitrous oxide.



Lower inputs also mean fewer energy hungry trips by tractors and fertilizer plants. The chain reaction trims carbon emissions well beyond the farm gate.



Health agencies welcome cleaner <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-has-a-vital-role-in-ecosystem-survival/">groundwater</a> and smaller dead zones in lakes. Lake Erie’s algae bloom plan, for instance, banks on a 40 percent nutrient reduction by 2025.



When farmers see yield bumps alongside environmental credits, adoption moves faster. The holobiont approach gives them both carrots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greener-wheat-on-the-way">Greener wheat on the way</h2>



The first BNI-rated wheat could reach European seed catalogs by 2028 if regulatory reviews stay on schedule. Asia and North America are likely to follow soon after.



Future projects will probe whether stacking multiple BNI genes with drought-tolerance alleles offers an even sturdier crop. The team is already testing double-stack lines in controlled drought chambers.



Beyond wheat, sorghum, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-quietly-making-rice-more-dangerous/">rice</a>, and pasture grasses show promise as self-policing nitrogen users. Each carries its own microbial entourage ready for tuning.



Breeding plants and microbes together might feel unfamiliar today, yet it mirrors how ecosystems have worked for millions of years. The field’s next harvest could be resilience itself.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138525001347">Trends in Plant Science</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Soil bacteria help wheat slash its need for fertilizer

Climate watchers and wheat growers share the same worry: fertilizer...

Lightning is shaping our forests more than anyone expected. Every year, about 320 million trees around the world are killed by lightning - not burned down in firestorms, but knocked out by direct strikes.&nbsp;



That’s a massive number, and it’s only counting trees that die from lightning itself - not the ones lost to fires that lightning later ignites.



The new estimate comes from a team of researchers who created the first global model to calculate lightning-caused <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-tree-deaths-are-increasing-even-in-untouched-forests/">tree deaths</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-silent-killer-in-the-woods">A silent killer in the woods</h2>



The research suggests that we’ve been underestimating the ecological punch that lightning packs. And if lightning strikes become more frequent as the climate warms -as many projections suggest - this overlooked threat could grow even bigger.



Most of us think of lightning as something dramatic with loud cracks of thunder and intense flashes of light. However, much of lightning's impact on forests has gone unnoticed.&nbsp;



When a tree gets hit, the damage can be internal - its tissue fried from the inside out. The tree might stay standing for a while, slowly dying without any outward sign of what happened. In dense forests, those deaths blend into the background.



Scientists had long known that lightning was killing trees, but they didn’t know how many. Field observations in individual forests offered glimpses, but there was no way to connect the dots globally.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-estimating-lightning-damage-in-forests">Estimating lightning damage in forests</h2>



A team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.tum.de/">Technical University of Munich</a> took a different approach. Instead of relying only on fieldwork, they used a global vegetation model and combined it with data on how lightning is distributed around the planet.&nbsp;



Next, the researchers looked at how trees respond to being hit, including how many survive, how many die, and how long it takes.



The team estimated where lightning does the most damage and how it affects <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-mammals-play-a-vital-role-in-maintaining-forest-health/">forest health</a> on a global scale.&nbsp;



“We’re now able not only to estimate how many trees die from lightning strikes annually, but also to identify the regions most affected and assess the implications for global carbon storage and forest structure,” said Andreas Krause, the study’s lead author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-carbon-cost-of-lightning-strikes">The carbon cost of lightning strikes</h2>



Beyond killing trees, lightning strikes are also shaking up the planet’s carbon balance. When trees die and decay, they release carbon dioxide.&nbsp;



According to the study, lightning-related tree deaths emit somewhere between 0.77 and 1.09 billion tons of CO₂ per year. That’s nearly as much as the 1.26 billion tons released annually by the burning of living plants in wildfires.



To put that in perspective, the total carbon emissions from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/">wildfires</a> each year - including deadwood and soil material - add up to about 5.85 billion tons.&nbsp;



Ultimately, lightning-related emissions are a significant piece of the climate puzzle - one that’s often left out of critically important discussions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lightning-in-tropical-forests-nbsp">Lightning in tropical forests&nbsp;</h2>



Right now, most of the tree loss is happening in tropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-are-lagging-centuries-behind-in-climate-adaptation/">forests</a>. These areas have high lightning activity year-round, especially in places like the Congo Basin and the Amazon.&nbsp;



Tropical trees also tend to be taller and more likely to get struck, but the pattern could shift.&nbsp;



“Most climate models project an increase in lightning frequency in the coming decades, so it’s worth paying closer attention to this largely overlooked disturbance,” said Krause.&nbsp;



The increase won’t be spread evenly. Models predict that lightning will become more frequent in temperate and boreal regions too - places like Canada, Russia, and parts of the U.S. - where trees haven’t historically had to deal with much lightning.



Forests that are already stressed by drought, heat, and pests might soon be facing another problem. And since trees in colder regions tend to grow more slowly, their recovery from lightning-related losses could take decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lightning-damage-to-the-world-s-forests">Lightning damage to the world's forests</h2>



This isn’t just about counting dead trees. Forests are crucial carbon sinks, soaking up CO₂ and helping to cool the planet. If a few hundred million trees start dying every year from lightning alone, that’s going to chip away at their ability to store <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-may-stop-absorbing-carbon-if-temperatures-continue-to-rise/">carbon</a>.



And unlike wildfires, which are often visible from satellites and leave behind large scars, lightning deaths are subtle. They happen one by one, scattered across the forest floor. That makes them harder to monitor - and easier to ignore.



This study marks the first serious attempt to measure the damage, and it suggests we may need to rethink how we model forests, especially as the climate shifts.&nbsp;



Lightning might not be as showy as a wildfire, but its quiet impact could have lasting effects on the world’s forests - and the carbon cycle they support.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70312">Global Change Biology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

An astonishing number of trees are killed by lightning every year

Lightning is shaping our forests more than anyone expected. Every...

Atlas,Moth,-,Attacus,Atlas,,Beautiful,Large,Iconic,Moth,From

Female moths don't rely on sight or smell alone. They can also hear stressed plants. Scientists found that these insects detect ultrasonic clicks from plants under drought stress and use them when choosing egg-laying sites.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-heard-making-screaming-sounds-stress-induced-first-time-ever/">Plants</a> emit airborne ultrasonic sounds when stressed. These vibrations, previously thought to be undetectable by animals, can travel through the air. The Egyptian cotton leafworm moth,&nbsp;Spodoptera littoralis, hears these sounds. 



This species has tympanic ears sensitive to the 20 to 60 kHz range, with peak sensitivity around 38 kHz. That is where many plant clicks fall. 



The researchers hypothesized that female moths might use these plant sounds to decide where to lay eggs. Their experiments confirmed this.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-plant-communication">Understanding plant communication</h2>



Plants may not have mouths or ears, but they <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-could-soon-talk-to-farmers-and-listen-too/">definitely talk - and listen</a>. Through their roots, leaves, and even the air, they exchange chemical signals to warn each other of danger, call for help, or share resources. 



When a caterpillar chomps on a leaf, for example, some plants release volatile compounds that drift to their neighbors, triggering defensive measures like bitter-tasting chemicals or toughened leaves. 



Underground, fungi form vast mycorrhizal networks - often called the “Wood Wide Web” - that help trees and plants share nutrients, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-capture-plant-communication-on-video/">send distress signals</a>, and maintain the balance of the ecosystem.



What’s wild is how intentional it all seems. Certain plants send out distress chemicals only when their kin are nearby, suggesting a level of familial recognition. 



Others can distinguish between friend and foe based on the scent of another plant’s emissions. It’s not just survival - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-use-underground-networks-to-eavesdrop-on-their-neighbors/">it’s community</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moths-respond-to-plant-sounds">Moths respond to plant sounds</h2>



The study involved multiple experiments with precise setups. In a no-plant environment, moths preferred laying eggs near a speaker playing recorded plant stress sounds. 



When these moths were deafened, the preference disappeared. This proved that the response came from hearing, not other cues.



In contrast, when healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-music-help-plants-grow/">plants</a> were added and the same sounds were played near one, the moths chose the silent plant. This indicated that when real plants were present, moths correctly interpreted the sounds as warnings.



"After proving in the previous study that plants produce sounds, we hypothesized that animals capable of hearing these high-frequency sounds may respond to them and make decisions accordingly," said study co-author Professor Yossi Yovel from <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tel Aviv University</a>.



"Specifically, we know that many insects, which have diverse interactions with the plant world, can perceive plant sounds. We wanted to investigate whether such insects actually detect and respond to these sounds." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-plant-sounds-change-moth-behavior">Do plant sounds change moth behavior?</h2>



In longer arenas, moths laid more eggs near either the sugar feeder in the center or the sound-emitting speaker at one end. They laid none near the silent resistor at the other end. 



These results were consistent across different click rates and setups. When tracked, moths spent more time on the side with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-hear-bee-sounds-and-make-sweeter-nectar-in-response/">plant</a> sounds before deciding.



Even though the courtship sounds of male moths fell in a similar frequency range, females showed no egg-laying preference for the male side. This confirmed that the response was specific to plant sounds.



"We chose to focus on female moths, which typically lay their eggs on plants so that the larvae can feed on them once hatched. We assumed the females seek an optimal site to lay their eggs - a healthy plant that can properly nourish the larvae," said co-author Professor Lilach Hadany.



"Thus, when the plant signals that it is dehydrated and under stress, would the moths heed the warning and avoid laying eggs on it? To explore this question, we conducted several experiments."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-integrating-sound-and-smell">Integrating sound and smell</h2>



Without a visible plant, sound becomes the only cue. So moths associate it with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-plants-alter-the-soundscape-of-ecosystems/">plant</a> presence. But when they can see or smell real plants, and one gives off stress sounds, they avoid it. This shows a context-based decision-making process.



The researchers also tested moth antennae. Using electroantennogram recordings, they found strong differences in odor detection between drying and hydrated plants. This shows that moths integrate sound and smell.



In real tomato plant patches, the click rate reaches about 20 per minute. In experiments, sounds were played at 30 to 60 clicks per minute. 



This simulated what a moth might hear near many stressed plants. Sound levels used matched those measured in live plants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-acoustic-interactions-in-nature">Acoustic interactions in nature</h2>



This study reveals that plant sounds can guide insect behavior. Moths may not just rely on smell or touch. Instead, they interpret ultrasonic cues. The researchers think other animals, perhaps pollinators or predators, might also use these sounds.



While the plant clicks likely evolved as a by-product of water loss, they now serve as useful cues. Scientists predict more discoveries in this area.



"In this study, we revealed the first evidence for acoustic interaction between a plant and an insect. We are convinced, however, that this is just the beginning," noted the researchers.



"Acoustic interaction between plants and animals doubtlessly has many more forms and a wide range of roles. This is a vast, unexplored field - an entire world waiting to be discovered."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/reviewed-preprints/104700v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eLife</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Plants and animals captured "talking" to each other using sound for the first time

Female moths don't rely on sight or smell alone. They...

Recent archaeological discoveries challenge the idea that new technologies inevitably disrupt traditional ways of life. Japanese pots from the early rice farming period have preserved more than just traces of food. They hold memories of meals, choices, and cultural traditions.



Research from the University of York, the University of Cambridge, and Japan’s <a href="https://www.nabunken.go.jp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nara National Research Institute</a> reveals something striking. When rice farming spread from Korea to Japan 3,000 years ago, it did not immediately alter how people cooked or ate.



Cooking pot residue from early Japanese settlements tells a story of cultural resistance. Despite the introduction of rice and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bronze-age-people-abandoned-meat-for-millet-3500-years-ago/">millet</a>, fish-based meals stayed central to the Japanese diet. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rice-farming-in-japan">Rice farming in Japan</h2>



Rice farming arrived in Japan through contact with the Korean Peninsula. Migrants from Korea brought rice and millet together. But while rice became widespread over time, millet faded from Japanese meals. This puzzled researchers.



“Organic residue analysis has been crucial to our investigation into the earliest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ideas-traveled-farther-than-people-in-the-early-days-of-farming/">impacts</a> of rice and millet agriculture. It allows us to capture how these crops were actually used, offering a direct window into the culinary practices and crop interactions of early Japanese society," noted Dr. Jasmine Lundy from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of York</a>.



Seed impressions on pottery from the Final Jomon and Yayoi periods confirm both grains existed in Japan. Yet millet, a staple in Korean Bronze Age cuisine, rarely appeared in Japan’s food remains. Archaeologists wanted to understand why.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-japanese-people-chose-traditional-foods">Japanese people chose traditional foods</h2>



The absence of millet was not due to climate. Millet thrives in Japan’s environment, just as it does in Korea. 



“The absence of millet from Japanese food residues and human bones was a surprise to us, given that we knew both rice and millet had been introduced at this time,” said Professor Oliver Craig from the University of York.



“We know from isotope analysis of fats and oils in cooking pots that millet was a major part of the Korean diet, and continues to be eaten to this day, but it seemed that it made no impact on early Japanese cuisine."



“Environmental factors could be ruled out because we know that millet grows just as well in Japan as it does in Korea, so there was something else going on that provided a barrier to this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birth-of-farming-driven-by-humans/">crop</a> being adopted in Japanese cooking.”



This suggests social or culinary preferences shaped what foods were accepted. Even with Korean farming tools and pottery styles present in Japan, food habits stayed rooted in local customs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-stayed-the-main-food-in-japan">Fish stayed the main food in Japan</h2>



The team found that fish-based meals remained dominant, even as rice farming expanded. Cooking pots showed continued use for fish and wild foods. Few pots showed signs of cooking rice.



“There is evidence of Korean-style pottery and farming tools in Japan, but this didn’t line-up with changes to the way people cooked and ate. Yayoi pots were still used to cook fish and other wild foods, and few show signs of being dedicated to rice-cooking,” noted study co-author Dr. Shinya Shoda.



The findings reveal that technology alone does not reshape food habits. Even as tools and crops arrived, Japanese cooks kept preparing familiar dishes. Cultural memory and culinary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cave-discovery-of-ancient-avocados-could-rescue-a-global-crop/">tastes</a> held firm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-from-japanese-rice-farming">Lessons from Japanese rice farming</h2>



This phenomenon is not unique to Japan. In Southern Scandinavia, people kept fishing and gathering wild food long after farming arrived. By contrast, foragers in Britain quickly embraced agriculture.



“Whilst we see changes in pottery styles and other forms of material culture in Japan with the arrival of rice and millet, food culture remains remarkably consistent," said Professor Craig.



"And whilst Japan’s culinary history eventually catches up with the ‘rice boom’ that we see in Korea, it may have taken some time to have impacted everyday practices, suggesting food culture is deeply embedded and can survive major technological shifts."



These insights urge us to think differently about change. New tools may reach communities, but that does not guarantee quick transformation. Food culture, in particular, often moves at its own pace.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-the-spread-of-farming">Studying the spread of farming</h2>



The research supports the work of the ENCOUNTER project, led by Dr. Enrico Crema at the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cambridge</a>, which studies how farming spread and influenced life across ancient Japan.



“These latest findings add to our body of work in the <a href="https://www.arch.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/current-projects/encounter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ENCOUNTER</a> project, which has so far shown the diffusion rates of farming within the Japanese archipelago, the demographic impact of farming, and how different cultural traits might have been conditioned by marriage practices,” said Dr. Crema.



The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Japanese food traditions held strong despite the arrival of farming

Recent archaeological discoveries challenge the idea that new technologies inevitably...

Goldenrod plants swaying in the breeze may not strike us as champions of innovation. Yet, hidden in their stems lies an evolutionary story shaped by decades of human agricultural influence. What if simply adding fertilizer to soil could rewire the way plants defend themselves?



A study led by researchers at the <a href="https://umich.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a> shows that nutrient-rich environments can push goldenrod to adopt a fascinating plant defense: stem nodding. Professor Mia Howard and her team explored how nitrogen fertilization influences goldenrod defense traits.



"One of the exciting things about this finding is that there are so many hypotheses and theories predicting that resources would affect the evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-future-climate-conditions-will-transform-plant-growth/">plant</a> defenses, and here we have the first experimental evidence to show that it does," she said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-stem-nodding">What is stem nodding?</h2>



Goldenrod plants face an annual threat from insects like gall midges. These insects inject eggs into the plant's tip, triggering growth of protective galls where larvae mature. Goldenrod counters with nodding: a bend in the stem that hides the vulnerable tip during peak insect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-finally-learn-what-makes-plants-roots-grow-faster-and-stronger-autophagy/">activity</a>.



This trait is genetically encoded, not influenced by soil nutrients. Plants either nod or they don't. That consistency makes goldenrod ideal for studying genetic responses to environmental changes.



"If the plant is a nodder, it's going to nod. It's also really easy to phenotype because you can just look at it," Howard explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nitrogen-and-goldenrod-nodding">Nitrogen and goldenrod nodding</h2>



The team surveyed goldenrod in six paired plots (fertilized and unfertilized) set up in 1989. 



Fertilized plots received nitrogen equivalent to what’s used in agriculture. In 2016, 2021, and 2022, they recorded significantly more nodding goldenrod in treated plots. In fact, nodding morphs were 3 to 6 times more common in fertilized areas.



The researchers observed a clear trend: as nitrogen exposure increased over the decades, the frequency of nodding goldenrod also rose. 



This wasn’t just a short-term shift. It indicated a genetic change, likely caused by the spread of nodding clones in the high-nitrogen plots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bigger-plants-get-attacked-more">Bigger plants get attacked more</h2>



Fertilized goldenrod grew 30 to 40% taller than unfertilized ones. In 2022, they also produced about 50% more biomass. This growth made them more noticeable to insects. 



As expected, galling increased - twice as many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/">plants</a> were galled in fertilized plots that year.



Interestingly, stem nodding didn’t always help. In 2021 and 2022, galling rates were similar in nodders and non-nodders. This suggests insects may have adapted, or other factors (like antibiotic defenses) could be at play. 



Still, in 2016, nodding did reduce gall presence. Defense effectiveness seems to vary year by year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-bend-to-defend-themselves">Plants bend to defend themselves</h2>



Even if nodding fails sometimes, it persists. One reason is its low cost. Unlike chemical defenses that require energy, nodding is a simple structural adjustment. It does not reduce plant size, and in some studies, nodders grew taller and produced more seeds.



In nutrient-rich settings, plants must grow fast and outcompete neighbors for light. Howard’s team suggests nodding may be a defense that supports rapid growth. That makes it especially useful in fertilized environments where tall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-roots-could-be-key-to-fighting-climate-change/">plants</a> are more visible to herbivores.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-plants-evolve-to-defend">How plants evolve to defend</h2>



This study highlights why long-term experiments matter. Evolution unfolds over decades. Without this three-decade setup, scientists wouldn’t have spotted the subtle shifts in goldenrod genetics.



"We were really fortunate that <a href="https://www.kbs.msu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kellogg biological station</a> had started this experiment and continued to maintain it for three decades. Having these long term experiments is really valuable," Howard said. 



"You might not see a lot of differences in plant populations in the early years, but I think they are becoming a really good resource for studying evolution."



Goldenrod reminds us that even small changes - like bending a stem - can be part of nature’s slow but powerful evolutionary story. Nitrogen, a simple nutrient, may shape how plants fight back for generations to come.



The research was made possible by three decades of continuous fieldwork at the Kellogg Biological Station, with support from multiple institutions, including <a href="https://www.nsf.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF</a> and <a href="https://www.usda.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USDA</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oik.11181" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oikos</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Nitrogen exposure is changing the way plants defend themselves

Goldenrod plants swaying in the breeze may not strike us...

In the dense greenery of Brazil’s Atlantic coast, botanists have long walked past a drab shrub called Trema micrantha Blume. Until recently, no one suspected its berries and blossoms contained an active ingredient already worth billions of dollars worldwide. 



That compound is cannabidiol (CBD), widely studied for easing seizures, anxiety, and chronic pain without the mind-altering high of marijuana.



The possibility of harvesting CBD from a fast-growing plant that governments do not regulate as tightly as cannabis could reshape both agriculture and medicine. 



Hemp farms in the United States, for example, need extensive licensing, testing, and security. Trema micrantha, by contrast, spreads like a roadside weed and grows from seed to flowering in a single tropical season.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trema-micrantha-new-cbd-source">Trema micrantha - New CBD source</h2>



Brazilian molecular biologist Dr. Rodrigo Moura Neto, working at the <a href="https://ufrj.br/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University</a> of Rio de Janeiro, confirmed that Trema fruits and flowers carry measurable CBD while lacking tetrahydrocannabinol (<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-reduces-the-unwanted-side-effects-of-thc/">THC</a>), the chemical that produces a marijuana high. 



“It was wonderful to find a plant with CBD but without THC, because you avoid all the mess around psychotropic substances,” he says. “That means the potential is enormous.”



Using ultra-high-performance <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/liquid-chromatography" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">liquid chromatography</a> and high-resolution <a href="https://www.broadinstitute.org/technology-areas/what-mass-spectrometry" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mass spectrometry</a>, his team pinpointed the cannabinoid profile with far more sensitivity than older methods could offer. 



The work builds on research that once found similar molecules in a related Thai shrub but never led to commercial production.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-trema-micrantha-stands-out">Why Trema micrantha stands out</h2>



Early tests show the plant’s berries hold far more CBD than its leaves or stems. 



Importantly, THC remains below detection limits across samples, meeting strict rules in places where any <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-potency-why-you-shouldnt-trust-the-label/">psychoactive trace</a> would block retail sales. That feature alone could save processors the costly step of purifying extracts to strip out THC.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cbd_found_another-plant-species_Trema-micranthum-Blume_credit-SciRep_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/cbd_found_another-plant-species_Trema-micranthum-Blume_credit-SciRep_1s.webp" alt="Parts of the plant Trema micranthum (L.) Blume: leaves, inflorescences, fruits, and branches. Credit: Scientific Reports" class="wp-image-1978631"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Parts of the plant Trema micranthum (L.) Blume: leaves, inflorescences, fruits, and branches. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Scientific Reports</figcaption></figure>



Size also helps. A mature shrub can top 66 feet, offering biomass well beyond what a typical hemp plant yields in regions where heat, pests, or legal hurdles keep hemp acreage low. 



“Lots of companies have been calling, looking to collaborate,” says laboratory director Rosane Silva, who refers to their new subject as the “magical plant.”



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



CBD already supports one U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved drug, Epidiolex, prescribed for rare childhood epilepsies. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/medicinal-cannabis-helped-patients-feel-better-for-a-full-year/">Dozens of trials</a> are probing benefits for autism spectrum disorders, post-traumatic stress, and inflammatory diseases. 



Yet patients in many countries still import CBD oils at steep prices because medical marijuana remains illegal to cultivate.



Brazil reflects that tension. Judges there often grant individual patients permission to receive cannabis-derived CBD, but growers must keep operations abroad. 



If Trema proves a viable domestic source of CBD without <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-use-in-any-form-directly-linked-to-significant-risk-of-heart-damage/">THC</a>, supply chains could shorten, prices could fall, and courts might see fewer emergency petitions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-funding-and-next-steps">Funding and next steps</h2>



A public grant worth 500,000 BRL (104,000 USD) now fuels the next phase: perfecting extraction methods and running preclinical tests. 



Dr. Moura Neto is also navigating patents for the techniques - though not for the plant itself. “If I dreamed of being a billionaire, I wouldn’t have become a professor,” he says.



Patenting a process rather than the species allows researchers worldwide to study Trema micrantha genetics, cultivation, and pharmacology. 



Open science may accelerate breeding programs to boost <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabinoids-as-pesticides-study-reveals-potential-of-hemp-compounds/">cannabinoid content</a>, just as decades of selective crossing transformed hemp into today’s high-CBD, low-THC cultivars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-questions-about-trema-micrantha">More questions about Trema micrantha</h2>



Even with strong CBD levels in fruit, overall yield per acre currently trails specialized hemp varieties by orders of magnitude. 



Agronomists must learn whether fertilizer regimens, pruning schedules, or controlled stress can nudge Trema’s metabolic pathways toward richer resin production. 



Meanwhile, pharmacologists will compare therapeutic potency head-to-head against cannabis-derived CBD. As Dr. Moura Neto cautions, CBD from Trema micrantha “might not work as well, or at all.”



Clinical trials will span five to ten years if early toxicology proves safe. Extraction facilities must also demonstrate that oil from Trema meets pharmacopeia purity standards and remains stable on shelves.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-business-landscape">The business landscape</h2>



Market analysts valued global CBD sales at nearly $5 billion last year and project more than $47 billion by 2028. Those figures catch the eye of pharmaceutical firms, cosmetics brands, and food-and-beverage startups alike. 



THC-free sourcing could let companies bypass patchwork legislation that still treats cannabis as a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/legal-access-to-cannabis-is-proving-to-be-good-for-both-people-and-society/">controlled drug</a>.



Brazil’s vast territory offers another advantage: the climate supports year-round growth near the equator, reducing greenhouse heating costs common in northern latitudes. Fast turnover from seed to fruit may allow three harvests per year, lowering production costs further.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trema-micrantha-and-cbd-s-future">Trema micrantha and CBD's future</h2>



A shrub once written off as a nuisance now invites plant scientists, chemists, and economists to rethink how CBD reaches medicine cabinets. 



If ongoing studies confirm effectiveness and scalable yield, hemp might share the cannabinoid spotlight with its newly famous cousin. 



For now, anyone tempted to roll the leaves should heed Dr. Moura Neto’s warning: “That definitely won’t do anything for you.”



The journey from laboratory bench to pharmacy shelf is never short, yet Trema micrantha shows that valuable molecules sometimes hide in the least glamorous corners of a forest. 



With steady research funding and open collaboration, a weed could join the wellness industry - without the legal smoke clouds that follow its more notorious relative.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-80857-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Tropical weed discovered that contains the same CBD compound as cannabis plants

In the dense greenery of Brazil’s Atlantic coast, botanists have...

Stevia may soon offer more than just sweetness. In the lab, researchers found that when fermented with a bacterium from banana leaves, this natural plant extract targets pancreatic cancer cells - while leaving healthy kidney cells unharmed.



“Globally, the incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer continue to rise, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10%,” said study co-author Narandalai Danshiitsoodol from <a href="https://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hiroshima University</a>.



“Pancreatic cancer is highly invasive and prone to metastasis, showing significant resistance to existing treatments, such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. As such, there is an urgent need to identify new and effective anticancer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cancer-cells-create-power-waves-to-fuel-invasion/">compounds</a>, particularly those derived from medicinal plants.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fermented-stevia-for-cancer-therapy">Fermented stevia for cancer therapy</h2>



The researchers used&nbsp;Lactobacillus plantarum&nbsp;SN13T, a bacterium from banana leaves. They fermented stevia leaves and compared the result to a regular extract. The fermented version (FSLE) worked better in every way.



“To enhance the pharmacological efficacy of natural plant extracts, microbial biotransformation has emerged as an effective strategy,” said Masanori Sugiyama. 



“In this study, we aimed to compare LAB-fermented and non-fermented extracts to identify key compounds that enhance bioactivity, ultimately contributing to the efficacy of herbal medicine in cancer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/walking-each-day-at-any-speed-lowers-the-risk-of-cancer/">prevention</a> and therapy.”



The researchers didn’t just mix things and hope. They optimized fermentation time, temperature, and oxygen levels. Stevia turned out to be most potent when fermented for 72 hours, without oxygen, at 37°C.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fermented-stevia-hits-cancer-cells-hard">Fermented stevia hits cancer cells hard</h2>



Fermented stevia killed pancreatic cancer (PANC-1) cells more efficiently than the non-fermented extract. At the same time, it barely touched healthy HEK-293 cells, even at high doses. That balance is rare and valuable.



At some concentrations, FSLE didn’t kill cancer cells immediately. Instead, it slowed their growth. The cancer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-scientist-discovers-that-common-non-cancer-drugs-when-combined-can-kill-cancer-cells/">cells</a> looked weak, lost shape, and stopped sticking together. Under the microscope, they looked scattered and unhealthy.



Healthy kidney cells stayed mostly unaffected. This points to selectivity - a key feature for safe treatments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strong-antioxidant-effects">Strong antioxidant effects</h2>



Cancer isn’t just about rogue cells. Oxidative stress plays a big role. Fermented stevia turned out to be a powerful antioxidant too.



In lab tests, it neutralized free radicals more effectively than non-fermented extract. It hit 94% scavenging power in the DPPH assay and 75% in ABTS. Even when healthy cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide, FSLE helped them survive.



Fermentation likely created new compounds. The researchers suspect chlorogenic acid transformed into chlorogenic acid methyl ester (CAME), a more active form. Fermented stevia contained lots of it. The raw extract had none.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-powerful-compound-fights-cancer-cells">Powerful compound fights cancer cells</h2>



CAME packed more punch than chlorogenic acid. It stopped cancer cell growth and triggered their self-destruction.



Its IC50 - the dose that kills half the cancer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breakthrough-cancer-cells-have-a-molecular-switch-that-could-be-rewired-to-behave-normally/">cells</a> - was just 119.1 µg/mL. For regular chlorogenic acid, it was 189.6 µg/mL. That’s a big difference. CAME shut down cancer cells by blocking their cell cycle and making them commit apoptosis.



Flow cytometry showed CAME, produced by fermented stevia, locked the cells in the G0/G1 phase. That’s the stage before a cell starts duplicating. It also caused the cells to release cytochrome c and activate caspases, which break down dying cells from the inside.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-altered-gene-activity">Altered gene activity</h2>



At the gene level, things got interesting. CAME dialed up pro-apoptotic genes like Bax, Bad, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, and Cytochrome c. 



The compound also boosted E-cadherin, a gene linked to reduced cancer migration. Meanwhile, it shut down Bcl-2, a gene that normally stops cells from dying.



This gene activity supports what the microscope and assays showed. The cells didn’t just die randomly. CAME pushed them into a specific self-destruct mode, the mitochondrial pathway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stevia-more-than-just-a-sweetener">Stevia: More than just a sweetener</h2>



Fermentation changed the story. It gave stevia extract a new weapon - a compound that targets <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/light-activated-molecules-kill-cancer-cells-with-precision/">cancer</a> while keeping healthy cells safe. That transformation seems to happen through specific enzymes from the SN13T strain.



“This microbial transformation was likely due to specific enzymes in the bacteria strain used,” Danshiitsoodol said. 



“Our data demonstrate that CAME exhibits stronger toxicity to cells and pro-apoptotic effects - which encourage cell death - on PANC-1 cells compared to chlorogenic acid alone.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-upcoming-cancer-research-with-stevia">Upcoming cancer research with stevia </h2>



The team plans to move beyond the lab dish. Mouse studies come next. That will show whether fermented stevia works in living systems with real immune responses and complex metabolism.



“The present study has substantially enhanced our understanding of the mechanism of action of the Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain in the fermentation of herbal extracts, while also offering a valuable research perspective on the potential application of probiotics as natural anti-tumor agents,” said Danshiitsoodol.



This research suggests that with the right microbes, even a simple leaf can evolve into a targeted therapy. Not bad for a sugar substitute.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/9/4186" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Journal of Molecular Sciences</a>. 



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Not all artificial sweeteners are bad for you, and this one might also fight cancer

Stevia may soon offer more than just sweetness. In the...

Restoring wetlands might be one of the fastest ways to cut carbon emissions - and it doesn’t come with the methane problems seen in other landscapes.



A new study shows that bringing life back to floodplain wetlands can slash carbon emissions by 39% in just one year. Even more impressive: the restored wetlands bounced back quickly, bringing multiple ecosystem benefits with them. 



And because these wetlands are widespread across the globe, their restoration could have far-reaching climate impacts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-fast-turnaround-with-big-payoffs">A fast turnaround with big payoffs</h2>



The research comes from scientists at <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RMIT University</a> and was focused on floodplain, or riparian, wetlands - the kind often found alongside rivers and streams. 



These wetlands make up more than half of the world’s wetlands but are usually overlooked in climate discussions.



Floodplain wetlands store less <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-are-releasing-a-massive-amount-of-carbon-dioxide-into-the-air/">carbon</a> than peatlands, which are traditionally seen as the heavyweights of natural carbon capture.



But <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/happy-world-peatlands-day-what-is-it-and-why-should-you-care/">peatlands</a> come with a catch: after restoration, they can release up to 530% more methane - a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide - potentially canceling out their climate benefits in the short term.



Floodplain wetlands, on the other hand, recover quickly and don’t have the same methane spike. That makes them a promising tool for both climate and environmental repair.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-restored-wetlands-and-carbon-emissions">Restored wetlands and carbon emissions</h2>



“Restoring wetlands could be a secret weapon against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-earth-energy-imbalance-temperature-rise/">climate change</a>,” said Dr. Lukas Schuster from RMIT University’s Centre for Nature Positive Solutions.



“We found managing freshwater wetlands for carbon benefits also boosts flood and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-a-humble-plant-may-help-us-save-crops-from-drought/">drought resilience</a>, highlighting the dual benefits of restoration.”



The researchers compared three restored wetlands to three degraded ones along the Loddon River in Victoria, Australia - and the differences were clear.



In the restored sites, rewetting and revegetation reduced carbon emissions by 39%, while emissions in the unrestored wetlands rose by 169%. Soil carbon, stored in roots and organic matter, increased by 12% in the restored areas but dropped by 10% in the degraded ones. 



Even after the wetlands dried, soil moisture in the restored sites remained 55% higher, showing strong potential for retaining water and withstanding drought. These results show real potential for drought mitigation, water retention, and long-term soil health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wetlands-that-work-smarter">Wetlands that work smarter</h2>



Dr. Schuster pointed to a deeper connection between carbon, water, and overall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-plays-critical-role-ecosystem-health/">ecosystem health</a>.



“We observed a vital link between carbon dynamics and ecosystem function,” he said. "Wetlands are nature’s purification system, removing nitrogen from waterways and carbon from the atmosphere."



“Now we know even more about the important role they play and how quickly their recovery can be, it’s time to act.”



Freshwater wetlands may only cover a small part of the Earth, but they’re responsible for up to 25% of global methane emissions. Even so, they hold strong potential as long-term carbon sinks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-restored-wetlands-and-carbon-outcomes">Restored wetlands and carbon outcomes</h2>



One key finding involved plant life. Native species returned in force to the restored wetlands. 



Their leaves decomposed more slowly than those of invasive grasses, meaning carbon stayed locked in the soil longer. That’s good news for long-term carbon capture.



The restored wetlands also retained 45% more nitrogen in the soil. That’s important because it helps clean water, reduces the risk of algae blooms, and keeps ecosystems in balance.



“More nitrogen removed from these wetlands has a positive flow-on effect to connected waterways,” said Dr. Schuster. “If you manage the carbon outcome, you get other benefits like drought resilience and healthier farmland where flora and fauna can thrive."



“We’ve shown wetland restoration pays off, so we hope this study will inform future land management policies.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-payoff-of-restored-wetlands">Long-term payoff of restored wetlands </h2>



The payoff isn’t just short-term. One of the restored wetlands had been monitored for six years after water flow was reintroduced. It showed a 53% increase in surface carbon stocks - proof that these benefits aren’t just fast, but lasting.



In a time when climate solutions often feel slow and uncertain, restoring floodplain wetlands stands out for its speed, simplicity, and multiple payoffs. 



It's not just about cutting carbon. It’s about building healthier ecosystems, one wetland at a time.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0301479725024090" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Environmental Management</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Restored wetlands cut carbon fast - without the methane problem

Restoring wetlands might be one of the fastest ways to...

Some of the oldest trees in Oregon are vanishing - and fast. In the Malheur National Forest in Eastern Oregon, old-growth pine, fir, and larch trees are dying off at a shocking rate. Many of these trees are more than 500 years old.



Between 2012 and 2023, one in four trees over the age of 300 died in remote areas of the forest. A mix of drought, insect damage, and overcrowding from younger trees appear to be the main causes.



"It's sad to see so many old trees dying," said lead researcher James Johnston, an assistant research professor in the University of Oregon's Institute for Resilient Organizations, Communities, and Environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-trees-dying-fast">Old trees dying fast</h2>



The new study builds on research that started over a decade ago. Back then, Johnston was working on his doctoral dissertation and collected core samples from old-growth trees in untouched, roadless parts of the Malheur. 



These were <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-provide-different-health-benefits-based-on-their-structure/">forests</a> that hadn’t been logged or disturbed, offering a clear look at how the trees live - and die - when left alone.



Ten years later, Johnston returned to the same sites with a research team from the <a href="https://www.uoregon.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oregon</a>. They relocated 1,617 trees from the original survey. Their ages ranged from just a few decades old to over 600 years.



The results were stark. One-third of trees aged 150–300 years were gone. A full quarter of those older than 300 had died.



"We're talking about trees that easily live to be 500 years old, and a quarter of them died in just 10 years. That's really alarming," Johnston said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-young-trees-compete-with-older-ones">Young trees compete with older ones</h2>



The team found a pattern. Trees that had slowed in growth in the last five years were more likely to die. Those in forests that hadn’t seen <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/">wildfire</a> in more than 130 years were also at higher risk.



Wildfires, it turns out, play a <a href="https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/ecological-benefits-fire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">key role</a>. They thin the forest naturally by removing younger trees. Without fire - or human thinning - newer vegetation grows unchecked, competing with older ones for light, water, and nutrients.



"In the moistest and most productive <a href="https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Douglas-Fir" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Douglas-fir</a>-dominated forests in Western Oregon, setting forests aside as protected reserves has proven to be a successful strategy for protecting old trees," Johnston said. 



"But this research shows that we need active management to remove younger trees in order to protect old trees in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-diversity-in-temperate-and-dry-forests-should-not-be-overlooked/">dry forests</a> of Eastern and Southern Oregon."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drought-and-pests-play-a-part">Drought and pests play a part</h2>



And it's not just about space. <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/malheur" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Malheur</a> is a dry forest system. While these trees are used to some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-a-thirsty-atmosphere-is-making-global-droughts-much-worse/">drought</a>, recent conditions have gone beyond what they can handle. The region has grown significantly drier over the past decade.



At the same time, pests like the western spruce budworm and Douglas-fir tussock moth have taken a heavy toll. These insects strip forests of their needles, weakening them further.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-bleak-forecast-without-action">A bleak forecast without action</h2>



Looking ahead, the outlook isn’t promising unless something changes. Using statistical models, the team projected that fewer than one in four of the old-growth trees will still be standing in the next 50 to 60 years.



One major reason is that it takes centuries to grow a replacement. "You can't replace a 300-year-old tree in 10 years or 20 years," Johnston said.



Still, there’s hope - if the right steps are taken. Thinning younger trees to reduce competition could help the old ones hold on longer. In forests where thinning is allowed, the researchers believe outcomes could be more positive - but there’s not enough long-term data yet to be sure.



"We need significantly more research about the fate of old trees and dry forests," Johnston said.



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



Old-growth trees aren’t just impressive for their size or age. They’re essential. They store large amounts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-models-may-overestimate-how-much-carbon-trees-release/">carbon</a>, support biodiversity, and help filter and hold water through their deep roots. 



Losing them doesn’t just mean fewer ancient trees - it could mean more fragile ecosystems and a harder time adapting to climate change.



As the forest keeps changing, researchers from the University of Oregon warn that we’ll need to rethink how we protect these old giants. It won’t be enough to just leave them alone. Some may need our help in order to survive.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378112725004153" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest Ecology and Management</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Centuries-old trees are dying at a shocking rate in Oregon

Some of the oldest trees in Oregon are vanishing -...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



-----

What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

News coming your way