All living tissues give off photons as excited molecules shed excess energy. The phenomenon is so subtle - roughly a million times dimmer than the threshold of human vision - that researchers call it ultra-weak photon emission (UPE).



Because the brain consumes an exceptionally high metabolic budget and is packed with photoactive compounds such as flavins and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-dopamine-and-serotonin-shape-behavior/">serotonin</a>, scientists have long suspected it might glow more brightly than other organs. 



What they did not know was whether that ghostly glow fluctuates in ways that reveal real-time neural activity. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-darkness-into-a-laboratory"><a></a>Turning darkness into a laboratory</h2>



To find out, a collaborative team from <a href="https://algomau.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algoma University</a>, Tufts University, and Wilfrid Laurier University recruited 20 healthy adults and seated them in a light-sealed chamber.



Two photomultiplier tubes - devices capable of counting single photons - were aimed at the back (occipital) and side (temporal) regions of each participant’s head, while a third tube monitored background darkness.



Simultaneously, the researchers fitted the volunteers with a standard electroencephalography (EEG) cap to compare electrical rhythms with any optical rhythms.



The experiment lasted ten minutes and cycled through five simple conditions: eyes open, eyes closed, listening to a repetitive tone, eyes closed again, and finally, eyes open again. 



Each condition lasted two minutes - enough time for the researchers to watch the brain light settle into a steady signal before switching tasks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-glow-follows-a-rhythm">Brain glow follows a rhythm</h2>



Despite the photons’ extreme faintness, the team, led by Hayley Casey and Nirosha Murugan, successfully separated brain-derived light from background counts by examining complexity and variability.



In brief, the cranial signal showed higher entropy - richer fluctuation - than the near-constant dark noise inside the optics.



Spectral analysis revealed that these emissions waxed and waned at very slow frequencies below one hertz. This means a rise-and-fall cycle occurred every one to ten seconds. 



This low-frequency “heartbeat” was strongest over the occipital cortex, the very region that processes visual input.



Just as important, the photon stream reached a reproducible equilibrium within each two-minute block, then shifted when the task changed. That pattern strongly suggests the glow is not random metabolic chatter but reflects the brain’s moment-to-moment state.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eyes-shut-photons-rise"><a></a>Eyes shut, photons rise</h2>



Closing one’s eyes is known to boost alpha-band electrical rhythms (8–12 hertz) in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-human-brain-processes-visual-information/">visual cortex</a>. This is a signature of relaxed wakefulness first reported in the 1920s.



The new study revealed that occipital photon counts modulated in tandem. Some participants’ emissions rose during eyes-closed periods, while others fell. However, each individual showed a consistent direction across the two eyes-closed blocks.



Occipital UPE also showed modest correlations with alpha power measured by EEG - evidence that the optical signal does tap into neural dynamics. However, the relationship is complex and needs further investigation.



Auditory stimulation, delivered through a simple repeating tone, produced subtler effects. The temporal sensor picked up changes in photon variability that tracked certain EEG rhythms recorded over the same region.



This hints that metabolic shifts linked to processing sound also leave a photonic fingerprint.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-window-into-brain-metabolism">A window into brain metabolism</h2>



Standard brain-monitoring tools, whether MRI, PET, or infrared spectroscopy, rely on sending energy into the skull and measuring what bounces back.



UPE recording, in contrast, is wholly passive: the detectors simply wait in the dark. That makes the technique conceptually similar to EEG or magnetoencephalography (MEG), but tuned to oxidative chemistry rather than electricity or magnetism.



The authors propose “photoencephalography” for a future technology that could use natural brain light as a clinical signal.



“We view the current results as a proof-of-concept demonstration that patterns of human-brain-derived UPE signals can be discriminated from background light signals despite very low relative signal intensity,” explained the researchers.



They speculate that refined detectors - equipped with wavelength-specific filters to isolate, say, green-emitting flavins from red-shifted lipofuscin - might one day diagnose metabolic stress. 



Such tools could also monitor aging or even flag <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-grounds-could-help-prevent-neurodegenerative-diseases/">neurodegenerative disease</a> before symptoms emerge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



The pilot study sampled only 20 people and monitored just two scalp sites. Photomultiplier tubes counted all visible and near-infrared photons, drowning out any subtle color coding of brain chemistry in the noise.



Future setups will deploy arrays of narrow-band detectors to capture spatial and spectral detail, and will compare cranial readings with simultaneous measurements from non-neural tissues to confirm specificity.



The researchers also plan to test broader age ranges and clinical populations. They aim to see whether disorders that alter oxidative metabolism - such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-blood-test-can-track-the-progression-of-alzheimers/">Alzheimer’s disease</a>, traumatic brain injury, or chronic stress - produce distinctive optical signatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-brain-glows-at-all"><a></a>Why the brain glows at all</h2>



Though focused on measurement, the study builds on work linking UPE spikes to bursts of reactive oxygen in mitochondria. Those by-products can excite biomolecules; when the molecules relax, they release photons.



If so, the faint light may function as a built-in reporter of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-reveals-the-secret-to-keeping-your-brain-young/">brain</a>’s redox balance - a chemical ledger of energy production, stress, and recovery.



Electrical rhythms revolutionized neuroscience a century ago; functional MRI did the same in the 1990s. 



Photoencephalography, though still in its infancy, offers a tantalizing third window. It peers directly at the cell’s metabolic engine without injecting energy or contrast agents.



The current study lights the first path forward: prove the signal exists, show that it changes with mental state, and establish that it differs from background noise. 



The next challenge is to turn those wisps of light into a practical tool for medicine and cognitive science.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(25)00279-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iScience</a>.



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Human brains emit light and glow in the dark, revealing our mental state

All living tissues give off photons as excited molecules shed excess energy. The phenomenon is so subtle - roughly a million times dimmer than the threshold of human vision - that researchers call it ultra-weak photon emission (UPE). Because the brain consumes an exceptionally high metabolic budget and is packed with photoactive compounds such as flavins and serotonin, scientists have long suspected it might glow more brightly than other organs. What they did not know was whether that ghostly glow fluctuates in ways that reveal real-time neural...

This year, a global pile of electronic waste was created that weighs an estimated 57.4 million metric tons. This is more than the weight of the Great Wall of China, the world’s heaviest man-made object.&nbsp;



The 2021 figure surpasses 2019’s electronic waste, which was estimated at 53.6 million metric tons, and is up 21 percent from the first year it was monitored in 2014. At this rate, it’s estimated that there will be 74 million metric tons of electronic waste by 2030.&nbsp;



The problem of increasing electronic waste is attributed to shorter product life, greater consumption of electronics and few repair options. In Europe, an average household has 72 electronics - 11 of which are not used or broken. In the United States, it’s estimated that at least 151 million phones end up in landfills or incinerated, contributing 40 percent of the heavy metals found in landfills. Nations fail to meet goals on recycling electronics for many reasons.&nbsp;



Pascal Leroy is the Director General of the waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) Forum. The organization has established October 14 as International E-Waste Day to raise awareness about the increasing need to recycle and reuse electronics.



“Many factors play a role in making the electrical and electronics sector resource efficient and circular. For example, our member producer responsibility organizations collected and secured responsible recycling of 2.8 Mt of e-waste in 2020," said Leroy.



"But one thing stands out: as long as citizens don’t return their used, broken gear, sell it, or donate it, we will need to continue mining all-new materials causing great environmental damage.”



Dr. Ruediger Kuehr, Director of the SCYCLE Programme and Head of UNITAR’s Office in Bonn, emphasized the importance of recycling electronics.&nbsp;



“A ton of discarded mobile phones is richer in gold than a ton of gold ore,” said Dr. Kuehr. "Embedded in 1 million cell phones, for example, are 24 kg of gold, 16,000 kg of copper, 350 kg of silver, and 14 kg of palladium -- resources that could be recovered and returned to the production cycle. And if we fail to recycle these materials, new supplies need to be mined, harming the environment.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



If social norms can be changed and recycling made more easily accessible, huge resources could be tapped to reduce destructive mining. As electronic consumption and technology continues to grow, this will become more and more important.&nbsp;



Last year, more than 120 organizations from 50 countries supported the third annual International e-Waste Day. This year, the WEEE Forum and other organizers invite all organizations involved in effective and responsible e-waste management to plan awareness raising activities. To learn more, go to <a href="http://www.internationalewasteday.com">www.internationalewasteday.com</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

This year's electronic waste outweighs the Great Wall of China

This year, a global pile of electronic waste was created...

Climate change is causing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-intelligence-can-predict-the-future-of-arctic-sea-ice/">sea ice</a> in the Arctic Ocean to shrink increasingly fast: it now spans less than half the area it did in the 1980s. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021EF001988">Earth’s Future</a> has found that, by the end of the century, global warming could make the summer Arctic sea ice vanish completely, along with creatures such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/loss-of-genetic-diversity-in-polar-bears-linked-to-climate-change/">polar bears</a> or seals.



The scientists have identified a one million square kilometer area north of Greenland and the Canadian archipelago, where sea ice has been thickest and consistently persisted all year round. The experts modeled how climate change will affect this region under an optimistic and pessimistic scenario. Sadly, under both scenarios, the summer ice in this “Last Ice Area” (LIA) will dramatically diminish by 2050.



Under the optimistic scenario, if carbon emissions can be significantly curbed, LIA will start a slow recovery process in the second half of the century, with some seals, bears, and other ice-dependent animals possibly surviving. However, if emissions will continue at the current pace, this area will completely disappear by the end the century, shattering all ice-dependent ecosystems.



“Unfortunately, this is a massive experiment we’re doing,” warned study co-author&nbsp;Robert Newton, a senior research scientist at Columbia University’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/">Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory</a>. “If the year-round ice goes away, entire ice-dependent ecosystems will collapse, and something new will begin.”&nbsp;



“This is not to say it will be a barren, lifeless environment,” Newton added. “New things will emerge, but it may take some time for new creatures to invade.”&nbsp;Fish, diatoms, and other animals might come up from the North Atlantic Ocean, but it is not yet clear if they could survive the long, sunless Arctic winters.&nbsp;



Urgent action is needed in order to protect the Arctic sea ice and the vast ecosystems it currently shelters. A step forward in this direction has already been taken. In 2019, Canada established a 320,000 square kilometer Marine Protected Area in the Inuit territory of Nunavut, spanning the middle third of LIA. This region is protected against mining, transportations, and other developments for five years, while Canada considers the possibility of extending this protection indefinitely.&nbsp;



However, if the Last Ice Area is to be preserved, many other marine protected areas should be quickly established in order to curb the dissemination of spilled oils, industrial or agricultural contaminants, and other potential hazards and save the sea ice and its inhabitants.



---



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

The Arctic may lose its "Last Ice Area" this century

Climate change is causing sea ice in the Arctic Ocean...

Close,Up,Of,African,American,Woman,Lighting,Marijuana,Joint,At

New research conducted by <a href="https://case.edu/">Western Case Reserve University</a> has found that persons with substance use disorders (SUDs) are at increased risk for COVID-19 infections, even after getting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vaccination-offers-more-protection-than-prior-covid-19-infection/">vaccinated</a> (“breakthrough infections”). The highest rate of breakthrough infections occurred in individuals with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-cannabis-use-affect-embryonic-development/">cannabis</a> use disorders.



In a population-based cohort study with 579,372 participants, the researchers assessed the risk, time trends, outcomes, and disparities of COVID-19 breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated SUD patients. They found that people addicted to substances such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, or opioids had an almost double risk of contracting the coronavirus after getting both of their vaccine shots. Thus, while people without SUDs had a 3.6 percent rate of breakthrough infections, those with substance addictions had a seven percent rate.



In the case of cannabis use disorder, this rate increased to 7.8 percent. “Patients with cannabis use disorder, who were younger and had less comorbidities than the other SUD subtypes, had higher risk for breakthrough infection even after they were matched for adverse socioeconomic determinants of health and comorbid medical conditions with non-SUD patients,” the authors said.



However, as the scientists admit, additional variables, including behavioral factors or negative effects of cannabis use on pulmonary and immune functions could also contribute to the increased risk for breakthrough infections in this group.



Furthermore, cannabis advocates had already criticized this study, arguing that most cannabis users are not addicted and that there is no clear causal relation between cannabis use and increased risk of breakthrough infections.



“This study is limited to people with ‘substance use disorder’ which is a very small subset of cannabis consumers,” said Morgan Fox, the media relations director for the <a href="https://thecannabisindustry.org/%C3%B9">National Cannabis Industry&nbsp;Association</a>.&nbsp;



“This is merely correlation and does not show a causal relationship … individual behavior patterns and social conditions may be a major contributing factor above and beyond simply exhibiting problematic substance use patterns, such as lack of access to reliable information, sharing joints, etc.”



“Clearly more study is welcome and necessary, but it is important not to overstate or misrepresent the very inconclusive results presented in this particular research and ensure that cannabis consumers are accurately informed about what the newest research actually indicates,”&nbsp;Fox concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wps.20921">World Psychiatry</a>.



&nbsp;---



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

Cannabis use increases the risk of COVID breakthrough infections

New research conducted by Western Case Reserve University has found...

An investigation into the dark side of social media use has revealed dozens of threats to mental and physical well-being. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/">University of Technology Sydney</a> (UTS) identified a total of 46 harmful effects, ranging from mental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seabirds-are-damaging-their-health-by-eating-plastic/">health</a> problems to negative impacts on school and work performance.



More than 3.6 billion people use social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. By gaining a better understanding of the potential dangers involved with social media use,&nbsp; experts can develop strategies to mitigate these harmful effects.



“Social media harms have mostly been studied from a psychopathological perspective. They have received less attention from information systems researchers,” said Dr Eila Erfani, Deputy Head of the UTS School of Information, Systems and Modeling.



“Information systems looks at the impact of technology on people and organisations in order to better meet their needs. Identifying and understanding how to reduce adverse outcomes from social media use is part of that challenge."



“The World Health Organization has recognised the need for further research on information technology addiction and the need to develop strategies for preventing and treating this problem."



In collaboration with PhD candidate Layla Boroon and Professor Babak Abedin from Macquarie University, Dr. Erfani conducted a systematic review to determine what is already known about the negative effects of online social networks.&nbsp;



“Much of the research on social network use has focused on its benefits and potential, but we were interested in comprehensively identifying the negative impacts that have been associated with social media use,” said Boroon.



“We reviewed more than 50 research articles published between 2003 and 2018. Some of the most common negative impacts included psychological harms such as jealousy, loneliness, anxiety and reduced self-esteem, as well as things like exposure to malicious software and phishing risks.”



Ultimately, the researchers grouped the negative effects into six themes, including annoying content. This includes a wide range of content that annoys, upsets or irritates, such as disturbing or violent content or sexual or obscene content.



Another theme that was identified is the cost of social exchange. This encompasses psychological harms, such as depression, anxiety or jealousy, and well as other costs such as wasted time, energy, and money.



Currently, Boroon is investigating the factors that influence social media addiction and the strategies people use to regulate their behavior. The next step will be to develop applications and other solutions to help reduce the negative effects of social media.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.igi-global.com/journal/journal-global-information-management/1070">Journal of Global Information Management</a>.



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

The dark side of social media: experts find dozens of dangers

An investigation into the dark side of social media use...

The effects that climate change will have on extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/migration-of-the-north-atlantic-jet-stream-will-cause-extreme-weather/">weather</a> across the planet is well documented, but not many people are aware of the effects it will have on the life cycles of marine animals. A key example of a creature that will be affected is the Dungeness crab, a marine animal that relies heavily on consistent seasonality timings.



A new research study is investigating the implications that climate change will have on the population of these crabs to inform new strategies for conservation and to keep fishery management sustainable.



The researchers investigated a Dungeness crab fishery in the Pacific Northwest ranging between Alaska and Southern California, attempting to determine which life stages are most vulnerable and to which stressors.



“Tribal communities in the Pacific Northwest identify Dungeness as both culturally and economically important species for their way of life," said <a href="https://uconn.edu/">UConn</a> Professor Samantha Siedlecki. "Species are moving but of course tribal communities don’t have the option of moving their land in response. The tribal communities are very interested and motivated to think about ways they can sustain the fishery.”



Ocean acidification, hypoxia and warming temperatures were the three key stressors that were assessed, all resulting from increased carbon emissions. Information regarding each stressor was used to create a model, pinpointing different vulnerable life stages between birth and maturity.



In order to model for future levels of carbon emissions, the researchers used emission scenarios named RCPs (representative carbon pathways) provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).



“We used RCP 8.5, considered the ‘worst case scenario’ if there is no climate change mitigation at all,” explained PhD student Halle Berger. “Then we overlaid the ocean conditions and habitat maps for each life stage. We also added something new to the framework, where we layered in a larval transport model to simulate the movement of larvae in the water column to get a more realistic picture of the conditions they would experience.”



Previous data collected on Dungeness crabs were then reviewed in order to assign vulnerability scores for each live stage.



“It turned out that the adult life stage is the most critical in driving the overall population vulnerability,” said Berger. “We found that for all three stressors there will be increased population level vulnerability in the future, and the most severe is to hypoxia. Low oxygen events are confined to the upwelling season, in spring and summer which impacts the adults, whereas ocean acidification manifests more year-round in the future, impacting all life stages.”



This data is anticipated to be useful to make decisions regarding protection processes for vital life stages around stressful conditions. “An example would be monitoring low oxygen events in the summer, and maybe pulling the crab traps earlier,” said Berger. “This would help mitigate from the crabs dying in the trap.”



The research findings have been published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/2576604x">AGU Advances</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How climate change will affect the Dungeness crab

The effects that climate change will have on extreme weather...

In the largest study of its kind, researchers have found that poor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-moon-disrupts-sleep-among-men-more-than-women/">sleep</a> quality is associated with mental illness. The investigation, conducted by experts at the <a href="https://www.camh.ca/">Centre for Addiction and Mental Health</a>,&nbsp;is the first to objectively measure sleep patterns among people with mental illness compared to the general population on a large scale.&nbsp;



The results suggest that individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness are more likely to suffer from poor sleep quality.



“The differences in sleep patterns indicated worse sleep quality for participants with a previous diagnosis of mental illness, including waking up more often and for longer periods of time,” said study senior author Dr. Shreejoy Tripathy. He emphasized that measuring the quality of sleep was just as important as sleep duration with regard to its impact on mental health.



“The relationship between sleep and mental health is bi-directional,” explained study lead author Dr. Michael Wainberg, a postdoctoral researcher at the Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics. “Poor sleep contributes to poor mental health and poor mental health contributes to poor sleep. Sleep pattern differences were a feature of all mental illnesses we studied regardless of diagnosis.”



The analysis was focused on data collected from 89,205 participants who wore activity trackers 24 hours a day for seven days. The researchers used machine learning to break this vast amount of data down into ten metrics, including bedtime, wake time, and the longest duration of uninterrupted sleep. These metrics were&nbsp; compared between individuals who had been diagnosed with mental illness and those who had not.



“We know that up to 80 percent of people with mental health disorders can have problems with falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up earlier than they intended,” said sleep disorder specialist Dr. Michael Mak.&nbsp;



“We know that sleep disturbances cause a great burden to society, including an economic one. And we know that treatments that improve sleep quality, whether it is therapy or some types of medication, can improve mental health outcomes.”



The activity trackers made it possible for sleep monitoring to be conducted in each individual’s natural home environment rather than in a lab setting.



“Until now nobody has looked at objectively measured sleep in the context of mental illness at quite this scale before,” said Dr. Tripathy. “Part of why we wanted to do this study is that with the emergence of smartphones and wearables, we have access to data streams that we never had before.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/">PLoS Medicine</a>.



---



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

Poor sleep quality is associated with mental illness

In the largest study of its kind, researchers have found...

Populations of resident killer whales inhabit the Salish Sea off the southwestern coast of Canada. There is a northern population of about 300 individuals that feeds during summer in the Johnstone Straight, and a southern population, numbering just 73 individuals, that forages in the Juan de Fuca Strait. Both straits are important foraging grounds because this is where the killer whales catch migrating Chinook <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/washington-voters-want-dam-removal-to-save-salmon/">salmon</a>, their preferred prey.



Recently, scientists have become concerned that whales from the southern population are thinner than their northern counterparts and speculated that there may be less fish available to the killer whales in the southern population. In response, scientists from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> conducted an assessment of the availability of prey for killer whales in both the northern and southern areas of the Salish Sea.



“People have been talking about a prey shortage as if it’s a fact, but this is the first study to quantify and compare the amount of their preferred prey, Chinook salmon, available to southern and northern resident killer whales,” said lead author Dr. Mei Sato, a research associate at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at UBC at the time of the study, and now an assistant scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.



“Measurements from drone footage have shown the southern resident killer whales are thinner on average than the northern residents – which supports the common belief that the southern residents are experiencing a food shortage,” said co-author Dr. Andrew Trites, professor and director of the Marine Mammal Research Unit (MMRU) at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at UBC. “Our findings suggest that this food shortage is probably not occurring during the summertime when they have traditionally fed in the Salish Sea.”



The researchers surveyed the two areas – the Johnstone Strait in the north and the Juan de Fuca Strait in the south – during the summers of 2018 and 2019. They used state-of-the-art fish finders to locate and count Chinook salmon in the two straits, and were also able to estimate the sizes of the fish using this technology. In addition, the team also captured sample fish to validate the acoustic signals from their fish finders and distinguish between different fish species, as killer whales prefer larger, older Chinook salmon.



They collaborated with sport and commercial fisherman, the Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia, and whale watching companies to design the survey and conduct fish sampling. In this way they identified the best time to carry out the field work, based on peak salmon availability and killer whale foraging behavior.



“We got help from sport and commercial fisherman, chartered fishing vessels and used echosounders to detect the number and size of fishes in the water,” said Dr. Sato. “Killer whales use a similar technique to locate the fish – only it’s much better than the electronic one we use because they can distinguish between different fish species in the water.”



The results showed that, although the distribution and sizes of fish were similar in both straits, prey abundance was four to six times greater in each patch sampled in the Juan de Fuca Strait. This clearly debunks the myth that killer whales experience a food shortage in their southern feeding grounds during summer. However, the authors emphasize that their study did not look at other factors that may prevent the southern killer whales from eating the available fish – factors such shipping activity and noise.



“We don’t really know about prey availability outside of the Salish Sea and outside the summer season. To answer the question of whether there’s an overall prey shortage, we still need to figure out what’s happening during winter and spring, whether there are significant fluctuations year-to-year and in the different locations these whales travel to, like California,” said Dr. Sato.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://cdnsciencepub.com/journal/cjfas">Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Killer whales are not short of prey in southwestern Canada

Populations of resident killer whales inhabit the Salish Sea off...

Power,Generation,Wind,Farm,35m,In,Height,To,The,Hub

If humanity is going to reduce the devastating impacts that greenhouse gases have on global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-will-unleash-more-intense-tropical-cyclones/">warming</a> over the next few decades, it will be essential for us to put worldwide mitigation into action. One potential strategy is to replace greenhouse gas usage with energy produced by wind farms, a solution that a new study is rigorously assessing.



Researchers from <a href="https://eng.ctgu.edu.cn/">Three Gorges University</a> of China set out to examine the diurnal and seasonal patterns of wind speeds and their ability to produce energy. The research comes at a time when the cost of wind energy technology is decreasing, and relevant research and incentive policies are increasing.&nbsp;



Despite these advancements, wind farms will need to be made more efficient if they are going to replace the use of fossil fuels. However, this will only be achieved if a formal and universal assessment process is developed to measure the efficiency of wind farming.



"In wind farm planning, decision-makers need to select an appropriate site for wind farm installation," explained study co-author Shuwei Miao. "We developed a seasonal adequacy assessment procedure using historical wind speed data, wind turbine parameters, system peak load, and other important factors that can help inform decisions on wind farm siting and operation."



The researchers confirmed the accuracy of their results by comparing them to wind site data collected in North Dakota, which helped them to develop the procedure for seasonal adequacy assessments.



"Wind speed associates with uncertainty along with the season, terrain, and climate," said Miao. "And it also determines the energy production potential. If a power system contains considerable wind farm capacities, then the capability of system generation to meet system load will be heavily influenced by uncertain wind speed. This capability refers to system adequacy, and the quantitative assessment of system adequacy can be helpful to optimal wind farm planning."



The first phase of the simulation model examines the probability distribution of wind speed across 24-hour periods, with the second phase considering wind patterns across a seasonal basis. When combined, these two phases are designed to deliver highly applicable insights into how efficiently the naturally occurring energy resource of wind can be utilized.



"We believe our findings are valuable to wind energy development and production," said Miao. "When historical wind speed data, wind turbine parameters, and other data for a candidate site in other regions are available, the model and procedure presented in this study can be readily applicable to simulate the wind profile and assess the seasonal system adequacy indices."



The study is published in <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/journal/rse">Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How much power can wind farms generate?

If humanity is going to reduce the devastating impacts that...

According to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26048-7">Nature Communications</a>, El&nbsp;Niño, a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-already-affects-80-percent-of-the-world/">climate</a> pattern characterized by the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, drives millions of children into hunger every few years.



“It would have been very difficult to prepare the world for a pandemic that few saw coming, but we can’t say the same about El Niño events that have a potentially much greater impact on the long-term growth and health of children,” said study lead author Amir Jina, an assistant professor at University of Chicago’s <a href="https://harris.uchicago.edu/">Harris School of Public Policy</a>.&nbsp;



“Scientists can forecast an approaching El Niño up to six months in advance, allowing the international community to intervene to prevent the worst impacts. Our study helps to quantify those impacts on child nutrition to guide global public investments in food insecure areas.”



By assembling data on over a million children spanning four decades and all tropical developing countries, Professor Jina and his research team provided the first estimate of El Niño’s impact on child nutrition throughout the tropics. Their findings suggest that the number of malnourished children increases by 2.9 percent during El Niño years, affecting thus millions of children.



During the severe 2015 El Niño, the number of malnourished children increased by six percent, accounting to nearly six million children. Although children’s weight seemed to increase in the following years, the shock on their nutrition at such a young age will likely stunt their growth in later years.



While it is not yet clear whether climate change will increase the intensity and frequency of El Niño, it will certainly cause many already affected areas to become hotter and drier. When El Niño will occur on top of these changes, it will doubtlessly have even more dire impacts on public health.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“These are routine events in the climate that lead to real tragedy around the world,” said study co-author Jesse Anttila-Hughes from the <a href="https://www.usfca.edu/">University of San Francisco</a>. “Studying El Niño can teach us about the impacts that come from a hotter, drier climate - important lessons as these changes become more global in scale with climate change."



"But the fact that we live through an El Niño every few years, we know they’re coming, and we still don’t act is a bad sign since many of these climate shifts - from isolated heat waves to hurricanes - will be a lot less predictable as the climate changes.”



---



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

El Niño drives millions of children into hunger

According to a new study published in the journal Nature...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.mcc-berlin.net/en.html">Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change</a> has found that 80 percent of the world’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/land-use-and-climate-are-major-contributors-to-insect-decline/">land</a> area, where 85 percent of the population reside, has already been affected by climate change.



By using <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-artificial-intelligence-is-fast-becoming-a-key-tool-for-climate-science">machine-learning approaches</a> to find, classify, and assess over 100,000 peer-reviewed studies on climate impacts published between 1951 and 2018, an international team of scientists discovered significant evidence that climate change is affecting a much larger part of the world than previously thought. With the help of location data from the studies, the researchers divided the globe into a grid and identified the places where documented climate impacts matched climate-driven changes in temperatures and precipitation.



“By bringing together our big literature assessment with physical climate information we can then provide an assessment of where climate impacts linked to temperature or precipitation changes may be attributable to human-caused climate change,” explained study lead author Max Callaghan, a postdoctoral fellow in Applied Sustainability Sciences at the Mercator Research Institute.



According to Callaghan, for each grid cell the scientists asked the machine-learning algorithm if “it is getting hotter or colder or wetter or dryer outside of the bounds of natural variability.”&nbsp;The results were striking: over 80 percent of the globe and 85 percent of the world population appeared to have already been affected by global warming.



Furthermore, this study also highlights an “attribution gap” between countries in the global north and south, due to a relative lack of research on climate change impacts in poorer, less-developed countries. As Callaghan stresses though, “lower levels of evidence do not imply that climate change is not affecting people in low-income countries. Rather, the fact that published evidence is sparse – even where we can observe human-caused changes to temperature or precipitation – shows that there is an&nbsp;urgent need for more scientific study&nbsp;of the impacts of climate change in the global south.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-021-01168-6">Nature Climate Change</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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

Climate change already affects 80 percent of the world

A new study led by the Mercator Research Institute on...

Landscape,Of,Lake,Tahtarjavr,With,Transparent,Water,,Rocky,Bottom,And

Two new studies are improving our understanding of the ways in which carbon is transferred between the land, ocean, and atmosphere in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-in-the-north-pacific-linked-to-unusual-ozone-hole/">Arctic</a>. By taking into account how carbon reaches the ocean via rivers, these studies cover a significant gap in previous research, which has largely focused on how carbon passes from land into the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels, forest fires, leaking methane gas, or emissions from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/permafrost-melting-may-release-nuclear-waste-into-the-atmosphere/">melting permafrost</a>.



“There’s been a lot of research that has looked at the vertical flow of carbon from land to the atmosphere,” said study lead author Michael Rawlins, a professor of Geoscience at the <a href="https://www.umass.edu/">University of Massachusetts Amherst</a> and the associate director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.umass.edu/csrc/">Climate System Research Center</a>. “Far less attention has been paid to how carbon is transferred from land to the ocean via rivers.”



As rivers and streams flow over the land, they collect carbon and carry it towards the seas or oceans. While a small amount of this “dissolved organic carbon” (DOC) evaporates into the atmosphere as greenhouse gas, most of it flows into the ocean, where it becomes a significant part of coastal food webs.&nbsp;



In order to better understand this ocean-ward, lateral flows of carbon in the Arctic, Professor Rawlins and his team have modified a numerical method that captures the annual accumulation of snow and the freezing and thawing of soils, by adding a comprehensive account of the production, storage, decomposition, and loading of DOC into streams and rivers.



By employing this model, researchers found rising amounts of freshwater and DOC exported to a lagoon in Northern Alaska. In 2019, the freshwater export of DOC was three times the amount exported in the 1980s.&nbsp;



“Increased freshwater export has implications for salinity and other components of the lagoon aquatic environment,” explained Rawlins. “The largest freshwater and DOC increases occur in Autumn, which is not surprising given the significant losses in sea ice across the nearby Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, in turn connected to our warming climate.”



This new model can help scientists to better understand the complex ways in which climate change is altering the Earth’s carbon cycle, and provide new research directions about how the negative effects of global warming could be mitigated.&nbsp;



The studies are published in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21562202">Journal of Geophysical Research</a> and <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



---



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

Carbon dissolved in rivers is damaging our planet

Two new studies are improving our understanding of the ways...

Marine plankton produce more than 20 million tons of sulfur each year, mostly in the form of dimethyl sulfide (DMS). This makes marine life the most abundant biological source of sulfur to the marine atmosphere. In the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/permafrost-melting-may-release-nuclear-waste-into-the-atmosphere/">atmosphere</a>, DMS rapidly combines with water molecules and forms sulfuric acid. Although this sounds ominous, the molecules of sulfuric acid contribute to the formation of tiny aerosol particles that, in turn, help to produce clouds by giving a site for water vapor to condense and droplets to form.&nbsp;



The results of new research show, however, that more than one-third of the DMS emitted from the sea cannot be used in the formation of new clouds because it becomes dissolved in water droplets in clouds that already exist.&nbsp;



“It turns out that this story of cloud formation was really incomplete. Over the last three or four years, we've been questioning parts of that story, both through laboratory experiments and with large-scale field experiments," explained study senior author <a href="https://bertram.chem.wisc.edu/">Tim Bertram</a>, a professor of Chemistry at <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin–Madison</a>. "Now we can better connect the dots between what's emitted from the ocean and how you form these particulates that encourage cloud formation.”



The pathway that DMS follows on its way from marine organisms to becoming sulfuric acid in the atmosphere is more complex than originally thought. It seems that it forms an oxidation product called hydroperoxymethyl thioformate (HPMTF) that, until a few years ago, was unknown to science. This product dissolves readily in the water droplets of existing clouds, meaning that existing clouds remove the DMS oxidation products and limit the production of condensation nuclei that would help to form new clouds.



Research into the presence of HPMTF molecules in the atmosphere has, until now, been difficult because they occur at such low concentrations. But for the new study, the team used NASA-owned, instrument-laden aircraft to take detailed measurements of these chemicals in the atmosphere over the open ocean both inside clouds and under sunny skies.



“This is a massive DC-8 aircraft. It's a flying laboratory. Essentially all of the seats have been removed, and very precise chemical instrumentation has been put in that allows the team to measure, at very low concentrations, both the emitted molecules in the atmosphere and all of the chemical intermediates,” said Professor Bertram.



The data from the flights enabled the scientists to model ocean atmospheric chemistry on a global scale. They calculated that 36 percent of the sulfur from DMS is lost to clouds through the formation of HPMTF molecules that dissolve in existing clouds.&nbsp;



Another 15 percent of sulfur is lost through other processes, with the result that less than half of the sulfur released by marine plankton in the form of DMS is available to help nucleate new clouds. In cloud-free areas, more HPMTF survives to become sulfuric acid and this helps to form new clouds.



“This loss of sulfur to the clouds reduces the formation rate of small particles, so it reduces the formation rate of the cloud nuclei themselves. The impact on cloud brightness and other properties will have to be explored in the future,” said Professor Bertram.



Clouds play an important role in global climate by controlling rainfall and reflecting sunlight back into space. Until recently, however, the effects that clouds have on atmospheric chemistry over the ocean have been difficult to measure. The flights on the modified DC-8 air craft have changed this. The results show the power of the correct measuring instruments in collecting appropriate chemical information, as well as highlighting the way in which existing clouds can influence the processes that give rise to new clouds.&nbsp;



Accurately predicting the presence and extent of clouds over the world’s oceans will be essential to understanding the effects of climate change in future. “This work has really reopened this area of marine chemistry,” said Professor Bertram.



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



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cloud formation is often hampered by clouds themselves

Marine plankton produce more than 20 million tons of sulfur...

<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=elr4948_uOU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals secret mission to create working time travel device.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-could-an-equation-truly-bend-time-a-physicist-s-decades-long-quest-to-rewrite-reality">Could an equation truly bend time? A physicist's decades-long quest to rewrite reality</h2>



Imagine the impossible: stepping back through time in a time machine, not in fantasy, but through a scientific endeavor driven by profound personal loss. For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astrophysicist-says-hes-cracked-the-equation-for-time-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Ronald Mallett</a>, a distinguished astrophysicist and professor emeritus at the <a href="https://uconn.edu/">University of Connecticut</a>, this deeply human longing has fueled a lifelong mission. He claims to have discovered the equation that could unlock temporal displacement, pushing boundaries once deemed purely science fiction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-profound-grief-that-forged-a-vision">A profound grief that forged a vision</h2>



Mallett's extraordinary pursuit began with devastating tragedy in 1955. At merely 10 years old, he endured his father Boyd's sudden death—a television repairman whose passion for science had ignited a similar spark in his young son. Boyd Mallett, only 33, succumbed to a heart attack, leaving behind a grief-stricken child searching for solace.



That solace came through H.G. Wells' The Time Machine. Within its pages, Mallett found a captivating concept: "Time is only a kind of Space." These words transformed from a literary phrase into a guiding principle, becoming the driving force behind his unwavering commitment to unraveling time's fundamental mysteries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-humble-beginnings-to-academic-heights">From humble beginnings to academic heights</h2>



Mallett's journey was far from straightforward. After serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War era, he utilized the GI Bill for higher education, earning his Ph.D. in physics from Pennsylvania State University in 1973 at the age of 28.



In 1975, he made history as the first African American professor in the University of Connecticut's physics department, achieving full professorship in 1987 before retiring in 2024 as professor emeritus.



Throughout these successful academic years, Mallett harbored his radical ambition as a closely guarded secret. "I kept my time travel goal a secret," he confessed. "I worried people would think I was nuts." His public research centered on black holes, serving as a "cover story" while he quietly developed his revolutionary time travel theory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-breakthrough-moment">The breakthrough moment</h2>



His pivotal insight arrived while hospitalized for a heart condition—a profound irony given his father's heart attack started this journey. The breakthrough was elegantly simple yet revolutionary: "If gravity can bend time, and light can create gravity, then light can bend time."



"It turns out that black holes can create a gravitational field that could lead to the creation of time loops that could allow us to go back in time," he explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-blueprint-for-a-temporal-vortex">The blueprint for a temporal vortex</h2>



Mallett's vision for a functioning time machine replicates spacetime-warping phenomena around black holes. He offers a compelling analogy: "Picture a cup of coffee. Stir it with a spoon, and the coffee swirls. A spinning black hole does the same to spacetime."



In Einstein's general relativity, the universe is a dynamic fabric woven from space and time. Massive objects like black holes warp this fabric—an effect we perceive as gravity. Mallett theorizes that an intense, continuous, circulating beam of light from a ring of powerful lasers could replicate this gravitational torsion, effectively twisting time into a loop.



This "time loop" would theoretically allow information—or perhaps matter—to travel backward in time. He detailed this mathematical concept in his 2006 autobiography, Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-published-research-and-recognition">Published research and recognition</h2>



His work, published in respected journals including <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/physics-letters-a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physics Letters A</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/journal/10701" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Foundations of Physics</a>, suggests circulating laser light could generate gravitational fields potent enough to create closed timelike curves, enabling time travel for data.



Mallett's research has gained worldwide media attention, featured on <a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Public Radio's This American Life</a>, the <a href="https://www.history.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">History Channel</a>, and <a href="https://www.today.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBC's Today Show</a>. The widespread interest reflects both his compelling personal story and rigorous scientific approach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-galactic-hurdles-and-persistent-skepticism">The galactic hurdles and persistent skepticism</h2>



While Mallett's equations captivate imagination, the path to reality faces immense obstacles. The energy requirement is staggering—Mallett acknowledges needing "galactic amounts of energy," far beyond current technological capabilities.



There's also a poignant limitation: even if realized, his machine could only send information back to when it was first activated, meaning it couldn't transport him to 1955 to prevent his father's death.



The scientific community remains skeptical. Physicists Ken Olum and Allen Everett argue that Mallett's proposed laser ring would need to be larger than the observable universe to achieve the necessary spacetime distortion. They invoke Stephen Hawking's chronology protection conjecture, suggesting physics may prevent macroscopic time travel.



Astrophysicist Paul Sutter has voiced doubts about Mallett's underlying mathematics, while science writer Brian Clegg finds the concept intriguing enough to warrant experimental investigation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-legacy-that-transcends-time">A legacy that transcends time</h2>



Now approaching 80, Dr. Mallett remains steadfast. "I believe my work will show time travel is possible," he asserts. "Future generations will build on it in ways we can't yet imagine."



His equations, though yet to physically bend time, have bent our collective imagination. Ongoing public interest, evidenced by his continued media appearances and Spike Lee's film adaptation of his memoir, underscores his ideas' profound impact.



More than a scientific pursuit, Mallett's story testifies to human resilience, intellectual courage, and hope's enduring power. Whether his theoretical time machine ever materializes, his legacy is immeasurable—inspiring countless individuals to challenge conventional limits and perceive time not as an unyielding barrier, but as a boundless frontier awaiting exploration.







-----



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Retired professor claims he solved time travel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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