Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a Copernicus Sentinel-2 photograph of Lake Maracaibo, located in the northwestern part of Venezuela. The lake is a significant geographical and ecological feature of South America. 



Lake Maracaibo is often considered more of a tidal bay due to its direct connection to the Caribbean Sea through the Tablazo Strait. It is one of the oldest lakes on Earth, formed approximately 36 million years ago.



"With an area of over 13,000 sq km, Lake Maracaibo is generally considered the largest lake in South America, although by some estimates it should be considered an inlet of the Caribbean Sea since much of its water is brought in by its direct connection to the ocean," explained <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



"As a result, the water in the northern part of the lake is rather brackish, while the southern waters are fresh, owing to the many rivers that flow into the lake. The biggest, the Catatumbo River, can be seen entering the lake from southwest, where a large amount of sediment carried by the river appears as a yellowish plume."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-catatumbo-lightning">The Catatumbo lightning</h2>



The lake is renowned for a unique weather phenomenon - the Catatumbo lightning. This natural spectacle occurs primarily where the Catatumbo River meets the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-has-affected-almost-every-lake-in-north-america/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lake</a>.



Known as the most persistent lightning storm in the world, it produces frequent and dramatic flashes of lightning, illuminating the night sky for an average of 260 nights per year.



These storms generate thousands of lightning strikes in a single night, making the region one of the most electrified places on the planet. 



The phenomenon is so intense that it has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the place with the highest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lightning-on-earth-can-influence-the-weather-in-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lightning</a> activity.



Scientists believe the lightning is influenced by the area's geography and climate, including the warm air rising from the lake and its surrounding mountains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economical-significance-of-lake-maracaibo">Economical significance of Lake Maracaibo </h2>



Lake Maracaibo plays an important role in Venezuela’s economy, as it lies atop vast reserves of crude oil.



The discovery of petroleum in the early 20th century transformed the region into a major oil-producing area, leading to the establishment of numerous oil rigs and platforms. 



However, this economic activity has come at a cost. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/half-of-the-worlds-largest-lakes-are-losing-their-resilience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pollution</a> from oil spills, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff has significantly degraded the lake's ecosystem.



The appearance of a green, slimy algae known as Lemna has further exacerbated environmental concerns, threatening marine life and the livelihoods of local communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-ties-to-lake-maracaibo">Cultural ties to Lake Maracaibo </h2>



The cultural significance of Lake Maracaibo is deeply rooted in the traditions and lifestyle of the Indigenous Añu people, who have inhabited its shores for centuries. The Añu, also known as Paraujano, are known for their distinctive stilt houses, called palafitos.



These wooden structures are built directly over the water, connected by walkways or small boats, allowing the Añu to live harmoniously with their aquatic environment. The architectural style of these stilt houses inspired the early Spanish explorers to nickname the region "The Venice of the Americas."



The Añu's way of life is closely tied to the lake. They rely on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sustainable-fishing-must-be-redefined-to-halt-ocean-destruction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fishing</a> as a primary source of food and income, using traditional methods passed down through generations.



For the Añu, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-significantly-impacts-lake-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lake</a> is more than a resource; it is a spiritual and cultural cornerstone, shaping their identity and daily practices.



However, modernization and environmental challenges have disrupted their traditional lifestyle. The oil industry’s expansion around Lake Maracaibo has led to significant environmental degradation, which threaten the lake's biodiversity and the Añu’s primary sources of sustenance. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lake-maracaibo-and-venezuelan-history">Lake Maracaibo and Venezuelan history</h2>



Lake Maracaibo also played a pivotal role in Venezuelan history, particularly during the Battle of Lake Maracaibo in 1823. 



This naval battle was a decisive conflict in Venezuela’s war for independence from Spain and marked one of the final military engagements of the South American liberation movements led by figures like Simón Bolívar.



Today, the lake represents a remarkable blend of natural beauty, industrial significance, and cultural heritage. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ongoing-conservation-efforts">Ongoing conservation efforts </h2>



Ongoing efforts aim to harmonize ecological conservation with economic development, as both local and global stakeholders acknowledge the need to protect this extraordinary environment for generations to come.



Efforts to preserve the Añu culture and the lake's ecosystem have been initiated by local and international organizations. These initiatives focus on promoting sustainable development, preserving Indigenous languages and traditions, and mitigating the environmental damage caused by industrial activities. 



Despite these challenges, the Añu have shown remarkable resilience, maintaining their cultural identity and advocating for their rights and the health of their ancestral lands.



Image Credit: ESA



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Lake Maracaibo: One of the most electrified places on the planet

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a Copernicus Sentinel-2 photograph of Lake Maracaibo, located in the northwestern part of Venezuela. The lake is a significant geographical and ecological feature of South America. Lake Maracaibo is often considered more of a tidal bay due to its direct connection to the Caribbean Sea through the Tablazo Strait. It is one of the oldest lakes on Earth, formed approximately 36 million years ago. "With an area of over 13,000 sq km,...

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a satellite view of retreating glaciers in Alaska, where meltwater is rapidly expanding glacial lakes. The image was captured on August 4, 2024 by the Landsat 8 satellite.



“In parts of Alaska, water is replacing ice. As glaciers thin and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellite-images-reveal-hidden-retreat-of-arctic-glaciers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">retreat</a>, meltwater collects at their fronts, forming proglacial lakes. According to an analysis by Mauri Pelto, a glaciologist at Nichols College, three such lakes in the southeastern part of the state have grown rapidly in recent decades,” said <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-retreating-glaciers-in-alaska">Retreating glaciers in Alaska</h2>



“A trio of glaciers - Yakutat, Alsek, and Grand Plateau - descend from inland mountains and flow onto the coastal plain southeast of Yakutat borough, ending at Harlequin Lake, Alsek Lake, and Grand Plateau Lake,” noted NASA.&nbsp;



The retreat of the glaciers, as well as the growth of the lakes, are visible in the image. When compared to an <a href="https://eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/imagerecords/153000/153638/fastestlake_tm5_19840705_lrg.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">image</a> captured by Landsat 5 in the summer of 1984, the changes are even more evident.



NASA elaborated on the extent of the glacier retreat from 1984 to 2024. “During this period, Yakutat Glacier’s main arm retreated 4.3 miles, while Alsek Glacier’s northern and southern arms retreated 3.3 miles and 3.4 miles, respectively. Grand Plateau Glacier’s northern arm lost the most, retreating 4.8 miles.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacial-lakes-doubled-in-size-nbsp">Glacial lakes doubled in size&nbsp;</h2>



“Collectively, the three lakes more than doubled in size over 40 years. In 1984, they covered about 50 square miles. By 2024, they spanned 90 square miles. That’s an area larger than Seneca Lake (67 square miles) - one of the Finger Lakes in New York, which also have a glacial origin,” said NASA.



Pelto noted that the lakes forming in this region are immense - starting at the mountains and spreading toward the coast - making this a new lake district that is unique in our nation.



“Millions of other lakes, named and unnamed, dot the state. But this system has grown fast, so much so that Pelto thinks it might represent the fastest lake growth in the United States this century,” said NASA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-glacier-retreat-nbsp">Understanding glacier retreat&nbsp;</h2>



Glacier retreat is a significant phenomenon driven primarily by global warming the results from rising greenhouse gas <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-carbon-dioxide-emissions-hit-a-record-high-in-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a>.&nbsp;



As temperatures rise, glaciers lose more ice during the summer melt than they can regain in winter snowfall, causing them to shrink over time. This process has profound implications for ecosystems, water resources, and global sea levels.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacial-lakes">Glacial lakes</h3>



When glaciers retreat, they often leave behind depressions in the landscape that can fill with meltwater, forming glacial lakes. These lakes are typically bounded by natural dams made of rock, ice, or moraine - accumulations of debris left behind by the glacier's movement.&nbsp;



Over the past century, the number and size of glacial lakes worldwide have increased significantly due to the accelerating pace of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-glaciers-offer-a-glimpse-of-our-harsh-climate-reality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glacier</a> retreat. This trend is especially evident in high-altitude regions like the Himalayas, the Andes, and the Alps, as well as in polar areas such as Alaska and Greenland.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-positive-and-negative-impacts-nbsp">Positive and negative impacts&nbsp;</h3>



Glacial lakes can have both positive and negative impacts. They provide critical water sources for downstream communities, support biodiversity, and sometimes offer opportunities for hydropower development or tourism.&nbsp;



However, they also pose serious risks. The dams holding back these lakes can fail suddenly, causing glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). These catastrophic events can devastate downstream areas, destroying infrastructure, agricultural lands, and habitats while endangering human lives.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monitoring-changes">Monitoring changes</h3>



Understanding glacier retreat and glacial lake formation requires a multidisciplinary approach, combining climate science, hydrology, and geology.&nbsp;



Monitoring these changes is essential to mitigate associated risks and adapt to the evolving landscape shaped by a <a href="https://search.app?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.earth.com%2Fnews%2Fperu-has-lost-over-half-of-its-glaciers-in-six-decades%2F&amp;utm_campaign=aga&amp;utm_source=agsadl2%2Csh%2Fx%2Fgs%2Fm2%2F4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming planet</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacier-retreat-worldwide">Glacier retreat worldwide</h2>



Studies and satellite observations show that most glaciers in almost all regions of the world are shrinking.&nbsp;



Melting glaciers contribute significantly to global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emergency-meeting-reveals-the-alarming-extent-of-antarcticas-ice-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea level rise</a>, which threatens coastal communities and ecosystems.



The retreat of glaciers is considered one of the clearest indicators of climate change.&nbsp;Some glaciers are retreating at unprecedented rates, indicating accelerating climate impacts.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory



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Retreating glaciers and expanding meltwater lakes in Alaska

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

September storms line up in the ocean Today's Image of the Day from <a href="http://nasa.gov">NASA</a> features a series of storms lined up in the ocean across the Western Hemisphere. 

On September 4, 2019, Hurricane Juliette in the East Pacific and Hurricane Dorian in the Atlantic were both category 2 storms.

Tropical Storm Fernand had just recently made landfall over northeastern Mexico, and Tropical Storm Gabrielle was lingering in the eastern Atlantic with sustained winds of 50 mph.

The natural-color image was acquired using data from the Advanced Baseline Imager on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 16. September storms line up in the ocean Tropical Storm Fernand a Heavy Rain Threat to Mexico Heavy rainfall is the main threat from Fernand as it makes landfall in northeastern <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/experts-track-the-flow-of-nutrients-in-the-gulf-of-mexico/">Mexico</a>. Rainfall totals of 6 to 12 inches (locally, up to 18 inches) are possible, particularly in the higher terrain. That could result in life-threatening mudslides and flash flooding.

Tropical Storm Fernand is closing in on landfall in northeast Mexico where it will bring a threat of heavy rain and flooding. Tropical Storm Gabrielle has also formed in the eastern tropical <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=atlantic+ocean&amp;cvid=f05160d87de04aafa20d184eb7279cea&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Atlantic Ocean</a>. But that's not all: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is watching two other areas in the Atlantic for possible tropical development as well.

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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

Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory/Joshua Stevens; NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. Caption: Kathryn Hansen.

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September storms line up in the ocean

September storms line up in the ocean Today's Image of the...

Catastrophic flooding continues in China.  Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the longest river in Asia, the Yangtze River, which runs across 3,900 miles of China.

In the weeks since the monsoon season started on June 1, extreme rainfall has triggered the worst flooding in decades across in central and southern China. The Yangtze and more than 90 other rivers have exceeded their flood limit levels.

In Hubei Province, the Three Gorges Dam reservoir reached a record high of 164.18 meters on July 19. The reservoir is built to hold a maximum water level of 175 meters.

According to China’s Ministry of Emergency Management, at least 45 million people have been affected by the flooding across more than two dozen provinces.

Around 35,000 homes have collapsed, and at least 142 people have been killed or gone missing in the floods. Catastrophic flooding continues in China

The image was captured on June 30, 2020 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. China emerged as one of the world's <a title="Cradle of civilization" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_of_civilization">first civilizations</a>, in the fertile basin of the <a title="Yellow River" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_River">Yellow River</a> in the <a title="North China Plain" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_China_Plain">North China Plain</a>. For millennia, China's political system was based on absolute hereditary monarchies, or <a title="Dynasties in Chinese history" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynasties_in_Chinese_history">dynasties</a>, beginning with the semi-mythical <a title="Xia dynasty" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xia_dynasty">Xia dynasty</a> in 21st century <a title="Common Era" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era">BCE</a>. Since then. The invention of <a title="Gunpowder" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder">gunpowder</a> and <a title="Movable type" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movable_type">movable type</a> in the <a title="Tang dynasty" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_dynasty">Tang dynasty</a> (618–907) and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Northern Song" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Song">Northern Song</a> (960–1127) completed the <a title="" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Great_Inventions">Four Great Inventions</a>. China is a <a title="Unitary state" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitary_state">unitary</a> one-party <a title="Socialist state" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_state">socialist republic </a>and is one of the few <a title="List of socialist states" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_socialist_states">existing</a> nominally socialist states. <a title="List of Chinese dissidents" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_dissidents">Political dissidents</a> and <a title="Human rights" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights">human rights</a> groups have denounced and criticized the <a title="Government of China" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_China">Chinese government</a> for widespread <a title="Human rights in China" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_China">human rights abuses</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

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

&nbsp;

Catastrophic flooding continues in China

Catastrophic flooding continues in China.  Today's Image of the Day...

The Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features an astronaut view of the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean.

On the western side of the islands, winds were pushing low-lying clouds against the shore. At the same time, ship wave clouds appear rippling over smaller outlying islands. 

In the bottom if the image, sunglint highlights waves that are moving toward the southern coastline.

The Kerguelen Islands are much closer to Antarctica than to Africa and Australia, and are isolated from human populations. One small settlement, Port-aux-Français, hosts seasonal researchers for scientific studies.The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering 70,560,000 km (27,240,000 sq mi) or 19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by the Southern Ocean or Antarctica, depending on the definition in use. Along its core, the Indian Ocean has some large marginal or regional seas such as the Arabian Sea, the Laccadive Sea, the Somali Sea, Bay of Bengal, and the Andaman Sea

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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

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

&nbsp;

 

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The Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean

The Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean Today's Image of...

The Salmon River in Central Idaho Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the South Fork of the Salmon River in Central Idaho.

The Salmon River is one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the United States, extending 425 miles in the valley of the Rocky Mountains.

Idaho is a <a title="U.S. state" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._state">state</a> in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It borders the state of <a title="" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana">Montana</a> to the east and northeast, <a title="Wyoming" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming">Wyoming</a> to the east, <a title="Nevada" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada">Nevada</a> and Utah to the south, and <a title="Washington (state)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_(state)">Washington</a> and <a title="Oregon" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon">Oregon</a> to the west. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canadian border with the province of British Columbia. With a population of approximately 1.8 million and an area of 83,570 square miles (216,400 km2), Idaho is the 14th largest, the 13th least populous and the 7th least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states. The state's capital and largest city is <a title="Boise, Idaho" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boise,_Idaho">Boise</a>.

For thousands of years Idaho has been inhabited by Native American peoples. In the early 19th century, Idaho was considered part of the Oregon Country, an area disputed between the United States and the British Empire. It officially became U.S. territory with the signing of the Oregon Treaty of 1846, but a separate Idaho Territory was not organized until 1863, instead being included for periods in <a title="Oregon Territory" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Territory">Oregon Territory</a> and Washington Territory. Idaho was eventually admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, becoming the 43rd state.

Over hundreds of millions of years, the river has carved some of the deepest gorges in the country.

During a gold rush in the 1860s, miners found it so difficult to get boats up the Salmon River that it became known as "The River of No Return." The Salmon River originates from and flows through the mountains of central and eastern Idaho (<a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=Lemhi+Range&amp;filters=sid%3a75a23e75-fd7f-47ff-b23e-5db5d5931006&amp;form=ENTLNK">Lemhi Range</a>, Sawtooth, Salmon River Mountains, <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=Clearwater+National+Forest&amp;filters=sid%3a32990e68-d7bd-ec36-5ff0-49fd835d6181&amp;form=ENTLNK">Clearwater</a> and <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=Bitterroot+Range&amp;filters=sid%3a01ec1586-0089-d305-48b5-7482d689b610&amp;form=ENTLNK">Bitterroot Range</a>). The main stem rises in the Sawtooth Range at over 9,200 feet (2,800 m) in elevation, several miles northwest of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=Norton+Peak&amp;filters=sid%3a7641c993-57e4-4060-85ec-9d60e502779e&amp;form=ENTLNK">Norton Peak</a>.

The image was captured on July 24, 2019 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8.

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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

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

&nbsp;

The Salmon River in Central Idaho

The Salmon River in Central Idaho Today's Image of the...

Sea ice escapes the Arctic Ocean. Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> shows sea ice that has drifted more than 600 miles from the Arctic Ocean. 

"The pack-ice you see in the image is remnant ice that exited the Arctic through Fram Strait,” explained Robert Pickart, a high-latitude oceanographer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. “It is in the process of melting out as it is carried southward by the East Greenland Current.”

Pickart noted that the current is unstable and tends to meander. This instability causes vortices of water, or “eddies,” to develop offshore and transform the sea ice.

“This is a graphic example of how fresh water - both liquid and frozen - originating from the Arctic gets transferred to the interior of the Nordic seas, which modulates the wintertime transformation of the interior water,” said Pickart. Sea ice escapes the Arctic Ocean

“If this changes in the future, it has implications for the global overturning circulation that helps regulate our climate.”The Arctic Ocean includes the <a title="North Pole" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Pole">North Pole</a> region in the middle of the Northern Hemisphere, and extends south to about 60°N. The Arctic Ocean is surrounded by <a title="Eurasia" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasia">Eurasia</a> and <a title="North America" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America">North America</a>, and the borders follow topographic features; the Bering Strait on the Pacific side, and the Greenland Scotland Ridge on the Atlantic side. It is mostly covered by <a title="Sea ice" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_ice">sea ice</a> throughout the year and almost completely in <a title="Winter" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter">winter</a>. The Arctic Ocean's <a title="Sea surface temperature" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_surface_temperature">surface temperature</a> and <a title="Salinity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salinity">salinity</a> vary seasonally as the <a title="Arctic ice pack" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_ice_pack">ice cover</a> melts and freezes;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Ocean#cite_note-4">[4]</a> its salinity is the lowest on average of the five major oceans, due to low <a title="Evaporation" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporation">evaporation</a>, heavy <a title="Fresh water" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_water">fresh water</a> inflow from rivers and streams, and limited connection and outflow to surrounding oceanic waters with higher salinities.

The image was captured on July 2, 2020 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8.

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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

Image Credit: NASA Goddard

&nbsp;

Sea ice escapes the Arctic Ocean

Sea ice escapes the Arctic Ocean. Today's Image of the...

The lakes and rivers of northern Alberta. Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the northern half of Canada’s Alberta province. In this region, lakes, rivers, and creeks are abundant.

To the east, the Peace-Athabasca Delta is the largest freshwater inland river delta in North America. Here, the Peace and Athabasca rivers converge on the Slave River and Lake Athabasca.

To the west, Lake Claire lies within the Wood Buffalo National Park.

Alberta is one of the thirteen <a title="Provinces and territories of Canada" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_and_territories_of_Canada">provinces and territories</a> of <a title="Canada" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada">Canada</a>. With an estimated population of 4,067,175 people as of the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Canada 2016 Census" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_2016_Census">2016 census</a>, it is <a title="Population of Canada by province and territory" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_of_Canada_by_province_and_territory">Canada's fourth most populous province</a> and the most populous of Canada's three <a title="Canadian Prairies" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Prairies">prairie provinces</a>. Alberta's area is approximately 660,000 square kilometres (250,000 sq mi). The lakes and rivers of northern Alberta

Alberta is bordered by the provinces of <a title="British Columbia" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia">British Columbia</a> to the west and <a title="Saskatchewan" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saskatchewan">Saskatchewan</a> to the east, the <a title="Northwest Territories" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Territories">Northwest Territories</a> to the north, and the U.S. state of <a title="Montana" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana">Montana</a> to the south. Alberta is one of three Canadian provinces and territories to border only a single U.S. state. It is also one of only two landlocked provinces in the country.

Alberta's capital, <a title="Edmonton" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonton">Edmonton</a>, is near the geographic centre of the province; it is the primary supply and service hub for Canada's <a title="Petroleum" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum">crude oil</a>, the <a title="Athabasca oil sands" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athabasca_oil_sands">Athabasca oil sands</a> and other northern resource industries. About 290 km (180 mi) south of Edmonton is <a title="Calgary" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary">Calgary</a>, the <a title="List of cities in Alberta" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Alberta">largest city in Alberta</a>. Calgary and Edmonton anchor Alberta's two largest <a class="mw-redirect" title="Census metropolitan area" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Census_metropolitan_area">census metropolitan areas</a> (CMAs), which both have populations exceeding one million. The province has one other CMA (<a title="Lethbridge" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethbridge">Lethbridge</a>) and <a title="List of census agglomerations in Alberta" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_census_agglomerations_in_Alberta">15 census agglomerations</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

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

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The lakes and rivers of northern Alberta

The lakes and rivers of northern Alberta. Today's Image of...

The ever-changing Mississippi River. Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the Mississippi River winding along the border of Arkansas and Mississippi.

The photo was taken during the spring planting season, when the farms are mostly brown. The fields will turn green as crops grow throughout the summer. Cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, and soybeans are the main crops raised in this region. The ever-changing Mississippi River

The Mississippi River has steadily meandered over thousands of years, transforming the floodplain by creating oxbow lakes and new channels.

Lake Chicot, which covers about 5,300 acres, is the largest oxbow lake in the United States.

The image was captured on April 2, 2020 by an astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS).

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Mississippi is a state in the Deep South region of the Southern United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the <a title="Gulf of Mexico" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Mexico">Gulf of Mexico</a>; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by <a title="Arkansas" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas">Arkansas</a>. Mississippi's western boundary is largely defined by the <a title="Mississippi River" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_River">Mississippi River</a>. Mississippi is the 32nd largest and 34th-most populous of the 50 U.S. states. <a title="Jackson, Mississippi" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson,_Mississippi">Jackson</a> is both the state's capital and largest city. Greater Jackson is the state's most populous metropolitan area, with an estimated population of 580,166 in 2018.

On December 10, 1817, Mississippi became the 20th state admitted to the Union. By 1860, Mississippi was the nation's top <a title="Cotton" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton">cotton</a>-producing state and enslaved persons accounted for 55% of the state population. Mississippi declared its <a title="Secession in the United States" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secession_in_the_United_States">secession</a> from <a title="Union (American Civil War)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_(American_Civil_War)">the Union</a> on March 23, 1861, and was one of the seven original Confederate States, which constituted the largest slaveholding states in the nation. Following the Civil War, it was restored to the Union on February 23, 1870

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

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The ever-changing Mississippi River

The ever-changing Mississippi River. Today's Image of the Day from...

Today's Image of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah, the largest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere. 

According to the ESA, the water body is a remnant of the prehistoric Lake Bonneville, which once covered much of the region.

The Bear, Weber, and Jordan rivers dump around one million tons of minerals into the lake each year. The lake does not have an outlet, which means it has a very high salt concentration. 

Even though it is often referred to as America’s Dead Sea, Great Salt Lake is an important habitat for millions of native and migratory birds.

---The lake is the largest remnant of <a title="Lake Bonneville" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Bonneville">Lake Bonneville</a>, a prehistoric <a title="Pluvial lake" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluvial_lake">pluvial lake</a> that once covered much of western Utah. The three major tributaries to the lake, the <a title="Jordan River (Utah)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_River_(Utah)">Jordan</a>, <a title="Weber River" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weber_River">Weber</a>, and <a title="Bear River (Great Salt Lake)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_River_(Great_Salt_Lake)">Bear</a> rivers together deposit approximately 1.1 million tons of minerals in the lake each year.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Salt_Lake#cite_note-Britannica-1">[1]</a> As it is <a title="Endorheic lake" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endorheic_lake">endorheic</a> (has no outlet besides <a title="Evaporation" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporation">evaporation</a>), it has very high <a title="Salinity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salinity">salinity</a> (far saltier than <a title="Seawater" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seawater">seawater</a>) and its mineral content is steadily increasing. Due to the high density resulting from its mineral content, swimming in the Great Salt Lake is similar to <a title="Buoyancy" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buoyancy">floating</a>. Its shallow, warm waters cause frequent, sometimes heavy <a title="Lake-effect snow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake-effect_snow">lake-effect snows</a> from late fall through spring.

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: ESA

&nbsp;

 

&nbsp;

Great Salt Lake in Utah

 Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency...

This,Man-made,Vehicle,Reached,A,Record,Speed,Of,635,Thousand

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is set to achieve its most dangerous feat yet tomorrow, December 24, 2024. After a six-year journey of spiraling closer to the star at the heart of our solar system, the spacecraft is expected to come within 3.8 million miles of the Sun’s surface. 



This tiny distance in cosmic terms lets scientists capture a new type of information, revealing secrets about solar winds, extreme heat, and magnetic fields.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-probe-on-the-sun-s-doorstep">Solar probe on the Sun's doorstep</h2>



Engineers have spent years carefully adjusting <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/parkersolarprobe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Parker’s flight path</a> using multiple Venus gravity assists. These flybys reshape the spacecraft’s orbit and tighten its looping path around the Sun. “This is one example of NASA’s bold missions, doing something that no one else has ever done before to answer longstanding questions about our universe,” explained <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/people/dr-arik-posner/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arik Posner</a>, Parker Solar Probe program scientist at NASA Headquarters, describing this mission’s significance.



Ever since the launch in 2018, Parker’s main goal has been to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona. Tomorrow’s approach, often called <a href="https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/glossary/perihelion.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">perihelion</a>, marks a new milestone in that quest. The probe moves at speeds around 430,000 miles per hour, faster than any other spacecraft. At such high velocity, it can swing around our star without getting swallowed. Even so, mission managers won’t receive immediate updates once Parker hits its closest point because signals cannot travel through the intense solar environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-heat-and-lasting-protection">Extreme heat and lasting protection</h2>



What sets Parker apart is its resilient heat shield. This 4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite barrier enables the spacecraft’s instruments to continue functioning in an environment where temperatures can reach roughly 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite the harsh surroundings, the precious science instruments remain near room temperature, thanks to expert engineering by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (<a href="https://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">APL</a>).



During every close approach, Parker is pelted by gusts of solar wind and bathed in radiation. Still, it keeps sending back readings about magnetic fields, <a href="https://www.plasmacoalition.org/plasma_writeups/solar_plasmas.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plasma</a> behavior, and energetic <a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/solar-radiation-storm#:~:text=Solar%20radiation%20storms%20occur%20when,of%20the%20speed%20of%20light." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particles</a>. The probe’s data illuminates reasons behind the corona’s blazing heat, which can climb into the millions of degrees, significantly hotter than the visible surface of the Sun. Such puzzling behavior has fascinated scientists for decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chasing-the-solar-wind-s-origins">Chasing the solar wind’s origins</h2>



Solar wind, a stream of charged particles flowing away from the Sun at speeds topping one million miles per hour, plays a major role in <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/sun/what-is-the-solar-wind/">space weather</a>. 



By skimming through the corona, Parker records fresh evidence of how these particles speed up and scatter across the solar system. The answers may help experts forecast disturbances that affect satellites and astronaut safety. Surges of these charged particles can disable communication systems or even disrupt power grids on Earth.



For researchers, big questions remain. How does the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/sun/what-is-the-solar-wind/">solar wind</a> pick up its pace so dramatically? Is there a specific region in the corona that triggers bursts of fast-moving particles? 



Parker’s measurements bring us closer to unraveling these mysteries. Officials at NASA say that by tomorrow’s approach, new layers of data will help them see patterns not possible to detect from a greater distance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-probe-and-the-sun-s-active-cycle">Solar probe and the Sun's active cycle</h2>



The Sun moves through an 11-year activity cycle. Right now, it is in an active phase, meaning increased sunspots, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secondary-peak-extreme-geomagnetic-solar-storm-expected-today/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar flares</a>, and <a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/coronal-mass-ejections" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coronal mass ejections</a>. 



Researchers are tracking not only Parker’s journey but also the Sun’s changing patterns. Sometimes these outbursts interact with Earth’s magnetosphere and spark colorful auroras, even in places unused to such displays. And although most solar weather events are harmless for life on Earth, severe storms can interfere with GPS systems or satellites.



This is why Parker’s findings are so relevant. Gaining a better understanding of how energetic solar events begin could lead to timelier warnings, giving operators on Earth a heads-up to power down sensitive instruments or adjust satellite orbits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-paying-tribute-to-eugene-parker">Paying tribute to Eugene Parker</h2>



In 2017, NASA renamed the probe after <a href="https://news.uchicago.edu/story/eugene-parker-legendary-figure-solar-science-and-namesake-parker-solar-probe-1927-2022">Dr. Eugene N. Parker</a>, the first person to predict the solar wind in the 1950s. He introduced key ideas about how stars interact with their surroundings. The mission’s name honors his influential work. Dr. Parker passed away in 2022, but his legacy continues. 



The data this spacecraft is sending back not only expands knowledge of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracing-solar-wind-directly-to-its-source-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar physics</a> but also shows how correct Dr. Parker’s early theories were.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-record-setting-solar-probe-flyby">Record-setting Solar Probe flyby</h2>



Mission operations expect Parker to reach perihelion at 6:53 a.m. EST on December 24. 



At that time, the spacecraft will run autonomously, and engineers at APL will wait until December 27 for a beacon tone confirming a safe passage around the Sun. “No human-made object has ever passed this close to a star, so Parker will truly be returning data from uncharted territory. We’re excited to hear back from the spacecraft when it swings back around the Sun,” explained <a href="https://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/Show-Article.php?articleID=205" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nick Pinkine</a>, Parker Solar Probe mission operations manager. 



When that update arrives, scientists will study Parker’s recent measurements to identify potential clues about solar wind origins and coronal heating. Each orbit is another chance to witness the scorching conditions near our star. At the same time, the probe helps refine predictions about solar eruptions that might drive future storms toward Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



Beyond the scientific breakthroughs, Parker’s success can have practical benefits for technology we rely on every day. Our society depends on GPS signals and stable power systems, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/team-creates-video-showing-the-sun-in-gamma-rays-over-a-14-year-period/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">major solar events</a> can disrupt both. By learning how to anticipate strong solar winds or flares, experts might one day keep satellites out of harm’s way or shield power grids from unexpected surges.



Tomorrow’s close approach continues a streak of remarkable achievements for NASA. As Parker zips through the corona, it gathers observations that no other mission could obtain. The craft appears ready for another sizzling pass, thanks to the robust thermal design and careful planning. 



Whether it’s helping forecast solar tempers or refining our knowledge of basic astrophysical processes, Parker remains on track to change the way we see the Sun.



Learn more about <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/parker-solar-probe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA's Parker Solar Probe here...</a>



-----



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Spacecraft will fly through the Sun's atmosphere tomorrow for the first time ever

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is set to achieve its most...

Bright,,Red-dark,Quasar,In,Deep,Space.,Elements,Of,This,Image

Astronomers have identified a remarkable water reservoir hidden in a corner of the cosmos, circling a quasar more than 12 billion light-years away.



At that distance, the light we see today began its journey not too long after the universe itself formed. 



The water supply in this distant place is huge, containing the equivalent of about 140 trillion times all the water in Earth’s oceans combined.



This supply is sitting near a supermassive black hole that is about 20 billion times more massive than our sun. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-black-hole-ever-discovered-dates-back-to-the-dawn-of-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The black hole</a> is surrounded by a quasar named APM 08279+5255, which pumps out as much energy as a thousand trillion suns. 



This quasar, according to astronomers, holds the farthest and largest known reservoir of water anywhere in the universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quasar-apm-08279-5255-and-its-water">Quasar APM 08279+5255 and its water</h2>



Matt Bradford, a scientist at NASA’s <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> in Pasadena, Calif., leads one of the teams involved in the observations.



“The environment around this quasar is very unique in that it’s producing this huge mass of water,” said Matt Bradford. “It’s another demonstration that water is pervasive throughout the universe, even at the very earliest times.”



Both Bradford’s group and a separate team of astronomers studied APM 08279+5255 and its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-black-hole-is-seen-taking-a-nap-after-eating-too-much/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a>, which sits at the center and draws matter inward. 



As it does, it warms the surrounding gas and dust, forming an area filled with molecules that have never before been detected at such an immense distance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-quasars-the-basics">Understanding quasars -- the basics</h2>



Quasars were first noticed more than half a century ago when telescopes revealed puzzling sources of intense brightness in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hubble-took-the-closest-ever-image-of-a-quasar-and-captured-some-weird-things/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">distant areas of space</a>. 



These objects are unlike any ordinary star. They shine brightly from the center of distant galaxies, outshining all their galaxy’s stars combined.



At their heart sit supermassive black holes, millions or billions of times heavier than our sun. As gas and dust spiral in toward one of these black holes, the swirling material heats up and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-jet-crashes-into-an-unidentified-object/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">releases energy</a>. 



This energy blasts out across all kinds of wavelengths, making quasars some of the brightest, most energetic phenomena ever seen.



Observing quasars helps astronomers understand what the universe looked like long ago, since the light we see now began its journey billions of years in the past. 



Quasars can show how galaxies formed, how matter spread out, and how the earliest structures in the cosmos came together.



They can even help map the distribution of matter between galaxies, shining light on the regions that would otherwise remain unseen. 



Some quasars also launch <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-jets-are-like-million-light-year-long-jedi-lightsabers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">huge jets of high-speed particles</a> that stretch across enormous distances. These jets can affect how stars form, influencing entire neighborhoods of cosmic material.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strange-place-to-find-water">Strange place to find water</h2>



Astronomers observed that water vapor is present in this quasar’s environment. It occupies a region spanning hundreds of light-years, with one light-year at around six trillion miles. 



Although the gas is thin by Earth standards, it is surprisingly warm and dense compared to what is typical in places like our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-black-hole-formed-through-a-merger/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a>.



The temperature hovers around minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit, and the gas is roughly 300 trillion times less dense than Earth’s atmosphere. 



Still, it is about five times hotter and tens to hundreds of times denser than the gas seen in normal galaxies. With its unusual conditions, this region stands out as an unexpected find.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-of-water-vapor-may-be-involved-in-planet-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Water vapor</a> is not just a molecule. Its presence here suggests that the quasar is bathing its environment in radiation that keeps the gas relatively warm. 



Astronomers also spotted other molecules, like carbon monoxide, hinting that there is an abundance of raw material that can feed the black hole as it continues to grow.



They estimate that there is enough gas for the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-map-of-supermassive-black-holes-unveiled/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a> to increase in size by about six times, although what actually happens next is not certain. 



Some of this gas may form new stars, while some might be thrown out into space instead. Either way, these measurements open a window into what conditions were like when the universe was still young.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quasars-water-and-life-s-building-blocks">Quasars, water, and life's building blocks</h2>



Detecting water vapor in such a distant quasar expands our knowledge of how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/did-the-building-blocks-of-life-replicate-on-their-own/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">building blocks</a> appear across vast stretches of time and space. 



Water is essential for life as we know it, and its presence billions of years ago suggests that the elements needed for life have been around for a very long time.



Beyond that, water plays a key role in shaping how stars and galaxies evolve. When gas clouds cool, water helps by allowing those clouds to collapse more easily, leading to star birth. 



By spotting it this far back, astronomers get new clues about how galaxies changed as the universe aged and matured.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-they-found-the-water-quasar">How they found the water quasar</h2>



Bradford’s team began collecting data in 2008 with an instrument called Z-Spec at the California Institute of Technology’s Submillimeter Observatory (<a href="https://www.cso.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CSO</a>). 



This 33-foot telescope sits near the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. They later confirmed their findings using the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-Wave Astronomy (<a href="https://www.mmarray.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CARMA</a>), a set of radio dishes located high in the Inyo Mountains of Southern California.



Meanwhile, another group led by Dariusz Lis, senior research associate in physics at Caltech and deputy director of the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, used the Plateau de Bure Interferometer in the French Alps. 



In 2010, Lis’s team found hints of water in this quasar by detecting a single signature, while Bradford’s team uncovered multiple signals that revealed the massive amount of water present.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-do-we-go-from-here">Where do we go from here?</h2>



To sum it all up, this discovery shows that even at a time when the universe was young, water formed and gathered in places we never would have guessed. 



Instead of seeing just cold, empty darkness out there, astronomers have spotted a real treasure -- an enormous reservoir of water swirling around a quasar more than 12 billion light-years away. 



This water vapor, along with the intense radiation from the black hole at the quasar’s center, paints a picture of an environment that is far denser, warmer, and more active than ordinary parts of the cosmos.



By studying this distant quasar, scientists can learn how the earliest galaxies came together and evolved. They can see how matter spread out, how black holes grew, and how even tiny molecules like water played a role in shaping the universe. 



Every new detail uncovered by these long-ago signals traveling through time and space helps make sense of the vast cosmic story we are all a part of.



***



Other authors on the Bradford paper, "The water vapor spectrum of APM 08279+5255," include Hien Nguyen, Jamie Bock, Jonas Zmuidzinas and Bret Naylor of JPL; Alberto Bolatto of the University of Maryland, College Park; Phillip Maloney, Jason Glenn and Julia Kamenetzky of the University of Colorado, Boulder; James Aguirre, Roxana Lupu and Kimberly Scott of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Hideo Matsuhara of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in Japan; and Eric Murphy of the Carnegie Institute of Science, Pasadena. Funding for Z-Spec was provided by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Science Foundation</a>, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>, the Research Corporation and the partner institutions.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2041-8205/738/1/L6/meta" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



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Enough water to fill trillions of Earth's oceans found in deep space circling a black hole

Astronomers have identified a remarkable water reservoir hidden in a...

Cosmic rays are high-speed particles that move through space and crash into our atmosphere from every direction. These energetic particles, mostly atomic nuclei stripped of their electrons, have puzzled scientists for decades.



They hit Earth from different places with a wide range of energies. Some arrive at moderate levels, while others carry so much punch that researchers use special detectors stretching over vast areas to understand their true nature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cosmic-rays-above-5-eev">Cosmic rays above 5 EeV</h2>



Particles carrying more than about five <a href="https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wenpart1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exa-electronvolts</a> (EeV) of energy stand out because they mark a turning point. 



At lower energies, cosmic rays often show a smoother distribution, and are strongly influenced by magnetic fields in our own galaxy.



Once they cross the 5 EeV threshold, however, their behavior and properties change. They begin to show patterns that cannot be explained by local sources alone. 



Instead of originating mostly from within the Milky Way, they appear to come from distant corners of the cosmos that lie far beyond our familiar galactic neighborhood.



Studies indicate that at these energies, called <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/2412.05974" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the ankle region</a>, the usual mixture of mostly light nuclei, like protons, gradually gives way to heavier particles that are less scrambled by <a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013pss5.book..641B/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galactic magnetic fields</a>.



According to <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jonathan-Biteau" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jonathan Biteau</a>, from the Academic Institute of France's <a href="https://www.auger.org/collaboration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pierre Auger Collaboration</a>, this energy range represents a step into a more revealing territory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-signs-in-the-data">Observing signs in the data</h2>



Changes in the large-scale patterns of cosmic rays <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-rays-help-archaeologists-determine-age-discoveries-prehistoric-settlements/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seen across the sky</a> start to stand out and offer clues to their sources. 



This is where the cosmic ray story moves beyond a random spray of particles and hints at something else: extragalactic origins with distinct characteristics.



"Cosmic rays begin to reveal their secrets at energies above 5 EeV," said Biteau.



Measurements gathered over many years at facilities like the Pierre Auger Observatory show that once energies climb past this point, a pattern emerges in the shape of the energy spectrum.



Distinct features, known as the ankle near 5 EeV, the instep at about 15 EeV, and the toe around 45 EeV, mark noticeable shifts in the composition of the flux.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-to-sources-of-cosmic-rays">Clues to sources of cosmic rays</h2>



Observations <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2008.06486" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">indicate</a> that heavier nuclei start dominating the picture at higher energies. These changes tell researchers that different acceleration processes and astrophysical environments might be at play.



As energies increase, the sky coverage reveals that some directions supply more cosmic rays than others. This nonuniformity, known as anisotropy, has become more apparent.



Over the past decade, scientists have reported that the pattern of cosmic-ray arrival directions changes in a way that strongly suggests extragalactic sources. 



<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aan4338" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> shows a large-scale anisotropy above a few EeV rising to a significance of about 7 σ above 8 EeV.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-one-step-closer">One step closer</h2>



Pinpointing the birthplaces of these high-energy particles has proved challenging, but scientists continue to gather clues. 



As cosmic rays push into these higher energy realms, they are less scattered by magnetic fields, making it easier to identify their original directions.



Emerging <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1612.07155" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> supports the idea that many of these ultra-high-energy rays are launched by extragalactic sources like star-forming galaxies or other intense astrophysical sites.



The data hint that active regions far beyond our galaxy could be connected to the observed arrival patterns.



Researchers also notice that certain sky regions, like those associated with clusters of nearby galaxies, line up better with the arrival directions than a purely uniform spread would allow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifts-in-cosmic-rays-composition">Shifts in cosmic rays' composition</h2>



Stepping above 5 EeV not only shines a light on extragalactic origins but also shows that the “stuff” hitting us at these energies is different.



Instead of mostly light nuclei like hydrogen and helium, many cosmic rays are heavier, involving atoms like carbon or oxygen.



This suggests that whatever "engines" are producing them, they must either selectively accelerate heavier particles or conditions in their environment alter the mix by the time they reach Earth.



The surprising scarcity of lighter elements runs counter to earlier guesses and requires fresh thinking from theorists.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-holds-the-key-to-their-birthplaces">What holds the key to their birthplaces?</h2>



As these rays travel huge distances, their paths bend slightly in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/powerful-magnetic-fields-may-be-key-features-of-black-holes/">magnetic fields</a> along the way. Even tiny bends can shuffle their directions enough to complicate efforts to pinpoint sources.



To address this, scientists model how nuclei of different masses respond to magnetic fields. If the rays still show a pattern that points to certain neighborhoods in space, that strengthens the argument that those regions contain the engines fueling these incredible energies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-single-culprit-yet">No single culprit yet</h2>



Many questions remain. Some experts suggest star-forming galaxies as prime suspects since these environments can host energetic events that might whip particles up to extreme energies.



Others consider whether active galactic nuclei, powered by <a href="https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/S/Supermassive+Black+Hole" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supermassive black holes</a>, might do the trick.



Current evidence favors the idea that star-forming galaxies provide a better match to the observed patterns than other candidates, but that does not slam the door on other possibilities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bridging-theory-and-observations">Bridging theory and observations</h2>



The unusual composition and the changing patterns seen above 5 EeV push theorists to re-examine old ideas. 



Traditional models that relied on smooth distributions of particle energies and the presence of light nuclei are under pressure.



New models must explain the sharp transitions, the heavy nuclei, and the hints of extragalactic origins. As measurements improve, scientists hope to confirm or refute certain types of sources. 



If future data link cosmic rays more closely to certain types of galaxies or astrophysical conditions, it would be a major step forward in understanding how the universe’s most energetic particles are made.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ongoing-upgrades-and-the-future">Ongoing upgrades and the future</h2>



As detectors improve and more data are collected, the community expects to refine the energy calibration, measure more showers, and achieve better accuracy. Each improvement adds detail to this cosmic jigsaw puzzle.



If a tighter correlation with certain galaxy groups emerges, that could finally close in on the actual sources. Until then, each new measurement, each new analysis, and each new insight keeps the hunt alive.



The research paper was published in the <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.102.062005" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Journals</a>.



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Strange, high-energy cosmic rays: Did something outside our galaxy send them here?

Cosmic rays are high-speed particles that move through space and...

Humanity faces an urgent need for change to prevent biodiversity loss and the continued destruction of our planet. The UN biodiversity expert panel's latest "transformative change" report highlights the dire need for radical societal shifts.



Released Wednesday by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the report calls for immediate action to address overconsumption, wealth concentration, and humanity's growing disconnection from nature.



"It is not just governments. It is not just business. It is not just civil society. It is all of us. We all need to work together," said Arun Agrawal, one of the report’s lead authors.



While transformative action may seem challenging, the report emphasizes that it is achievable. Here’s a closer look at three inspiring examples of successful transformations from around the world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reviving-marine-ecosystems-os-minarzos-model">Reviving marine ecosystems: "Os Minarzos" model</h2>



In 2002, Spain suffered a severe ecological disaster when the Prestige oil tanker broke apart, spilling massive amounts of oil into the Atlantic Ocean. 



This environmental catastrophe devastated Galicia's coastline, causing significant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/polar-light-sustains-biodiversity-over-millions-of-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a> loss and severely affecting marine life and the livelihoods of local fishing communities.



In response, the communities in Galicia decided to adopt a new approach to marine reserve management, called the "Os Minarzos" model.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advantages-of-the-model">Advantages of the model</h2>



This innovative strategy brought together fishers, scientists, and local authorities to collaboratively restore and protect the marine ecosystem. 



The model emphasized sustainable fishing practices, scientific guidance, and community involvement - promoting cooperation among all stakeholders.



Although the transition faced challenges, including initial disagreements and tensions, the initiative became a long-term success. 



Over time, the "Os Minarzos" model led to healthier marine ecosystems, improved fishing practices, and increased <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-solutions-for-the-climate-and-biodiversity-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a>. Local fishers also experienced higher incomes, while trust and cooperation within the community strengthened significantly.



The model’s impact extended far beyond Galicia. It inspired international guidelines for sustainable marine management and influenced networks of over 20 million fishers across Europe and the Americas. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-technology-to-prevent-biodiversity-loss">Technology to prevent biodiversity loss</h2>



In China, the Ant Forest mobile application has become a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-biodiversity-is-not-a-luxury-it-is-attainable-for-everyone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">powerful tool</a> for promoting eco-friendly habits and environmental restoration. 



Launched in 2016, this innovative app encourages users to adopt sustainable behaviors, such as walking or cycling instead of driving, and cutting down on plastic and paper usage. 



For every eco-friendly action, users earn "green energy points" in the app, which accumulate to grow a virtual tree. Each virtual tree is then matched with the planting of a real tree.



The initiative has made a significant impact. Since its inception, Ant Forest has planted an astounding 548 million trees across 13 provinces in China. This reforestation effort not only helps combat climate change but also addresses environmental degradation in vulnerable areas.



Beyond its environmental benefits, the project has also provided economic opportunities. It has created jobs in eco-agriculture and ecotourism, particularly in rural regions struggling with environmental challenges. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community-led-conservation">Community-led conservation</h2>



The <a href="https://www.nashulai.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nashulai Maasai Conservancy</a> in Kenya is a pioneering example of how traditional knowledge and community engagement can drive effective <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conservation</a>. 



This initiative blends the wisdom of indigenous practices with modern approaches to tackle multiple challenges, including species protection, income generation, and climate change mitigation.



The conservancy adopts a holistic strategy by establishing community-managed protected areas. These areas not only safeguard wildlife and combat biodiversity loss but also involve local communities in activities like river cleaning and tree planting. 



Such efforts improve environmental health while addressing the needs of the people living in the region.



This collaborative approach has transformed Nashulai into a thriving habitat where both humans and wildlife coexist harmoniously. By empowering local communities and integrating ecological restoration with socio-economic benefits, Nashulai exemplifies how conservation can work in harmony with human development.



"Over a very short period of time, biodiversity reappeared," said Karen O’Brien, another lead author of the report. "The power of community, again and again in our examples, is important."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-biodiversity-loss">Addressing biodiversity loss</h2>



The <a href="https://www.un.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UN</a> report highlights the interconnectedness of ecological, social, and economic challenges - offering a blueprint for action.



Addressing biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse requires collective effort. "It is all of us. We all need to work together," said Agrawal.



These stories from Galicia, China, and Kenya show that transformation is not only possible but can yield tangible benefits. 



Whether through community-driven conservation, innovative technology, or collaborative governance, humanity has the tools to make a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animal-tracking-is-crucial-for-preserving-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">difference</a>. The question is whether or not we will rise to the challenge.



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UN report calls for global change to stop biodiversity loss

Humanity faces an urgent need for change to prevent biodiversity...

Mars,Inner,Structure.,Elements,Of,This,Image,Furnished,By,Nasa

A fresh look inside Mars suggests that what lurks far beneath its dusty surface might change how we think about water on the Red Planet.



Evidence emerging from <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409983121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that liquid water is sequestered deep under the Red Planet's surface, locked in cracks and pores.



Scientists say there could be enough of it to blanket the entire planet under about a mile of ocean. This revelation challenges the old assumption that most of Mars water vanished into space billions of years ago.



Instead, a substantial portion of it may never have left at all -- remaining present deep underground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-subterranean-secrets">Subterranean secrets</h2>



Deep beneath the barren landscape, seismic readings gathered by NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/insight" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">InSight mission</a> support the idea of an immense, hidden reservoir. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Berkeley</a>, and <a href="https://ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC San Diego</a> honed in on signals from Mars's quakes, meteor strikes, and volcanic murmurs to map what lies below.



By interpreting how these waves traveled through different layers, the team found that the presence of water-soaked rock best explains the data.



The <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/12/scientists-discover-oceans-worth-of-liquid-water-on-mars-and-a-potential-home-for-alien-life-but-theres-one-big-catch/">findings</a> suggest that liquid is trapped in tiny fissures deep underground. According to Manga, a hidden water supply far below the Martian surface is hardly an inhospitable zone.



“I don't see why [the underground water] is not a habitable environment,” said <a href="https://eps.berkeley.edu/people/michael-manga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michael Manga</a>, a professor of earth and planetary science at UC Berkeley.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mars-water-and-potential-for-life">Mars water and potential for life</h2>



No direct biosignatures have ever emerged from Mars, yet the notion of a suitable habitat underground tempts the imagination. 



Organisms on Earth survive at crushing depths and in pitch-black caverns. Similar conditions might exist beneath Mars’s crust.



“We haven't found any evidence for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insights-alien-life-mars-water-sulfur-discovered-gained-studying-extreme-life-earth/">life on Mars</a>, but at least we have identified a place that should, in principle, be able to sustain life,” Manga explained.



Even so, confirming anything alive down there is a tall order, and any future attempt to reach these elusive waters would stretch engineering know-how to its limit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-drilling-and-tough-odds">Deep drilling and tough odds</h2>



Though the newfound reservoir might hold riches of scientific interest, it also resides at depths of about 7 to 13 miles (11 to 21 kilometers). 



On Earth, drilling down that far is beyond current engineering capabilities. The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/06/china-begins-drilling-one-of-worlds-deepest-holes-in-hunt-for-discoveries-deep-inside-the-earth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kola Superdeep Borehole</a> in Russia, the deepest hole ever created by humans, reached just over 7.6 miles (12 kilometers).



Tapping the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-has-a-water-reservoir-two-miles-deep-enough-to-fill-earths-red-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Martian water supply</a>, which sits deeper, looks virtually impossible with the technology we have today. 



This puts a damper on visions of settlers using these waters as a resource anytime soon. Mars may be water-rich underground, but those riches are locked away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-the-past">Clues from the past</h2>



Long ago, Mars likely resembled a wetter place. Orbital imaging and rover missions have <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-confirms-evidence-that-liquid-water-flows-on-todays-mars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">revealed</a> surface features that point to a time when rivers and lakes carved out the terrain. 



Geological evidence indicates that liquid water helped <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/freya-castle-rock-with-black-and-white-stripes-found-on-mars-has-nasa-excited/">form certain minerals</a>.



Scientists have struggled to explain what happened when Mars lost its thick atmosphere, which once prevented surface water from vaporizing into space. 



These new findings hint that large portions of the planet’s original water supply did not vanish entirely. Instead, it may have seeped deep into the planet's crust, remaining there ever since.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-window-into-martian-history">Window into Martian history</h2>



Wright, who contributed to understanding Mars’s current water distribution, stressed the significance of knowing how much and where liquid exists today.&nbsp;



“Understanding the Martian water cycle is critical for understanding the evolution of the climate, surface and interior. 



A useful starting point is to identify where water is and how much is there,” said <a href="https://vwright.scrippsprofiles.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vashan Wright</a>, assistant professor at UC San Diego’s <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a>.



Peering into this underground reservoir offers a rare glimpse into ancient processes that shaped the Red Planet. It may explain why Mars shifted from a wet environment to a cold, dry world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-on-mars-and-future-study">Water on Mars and future study</h2>



The InSight mission, which ended in 2022, recorded seismic activity long enough to provide a wealth of clues about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-gravity-map-exposes-ancient-structures-and-volcanic-activity/">Mars’s structure</a>. Its readings have now sparked a different perspective on where the Red Planet stashed its water.



Reaching and analyzing these underground stores remain a distant dream, but simply knowing they exist changes how scientists think about Mars as a potentially habitable place. 



Perhaps the mysteries of these deep waters will inspire novel tools and missions in future.



Until then, human curiosity and imagination will keep this buried reservoir near the top of must-explore questions as we continue to study the planet’s past and puzzle over its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-may-have-finally-discovered-life-on-mars/">potential for supporting life</a>.



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Buried water found on Mars sparks new hopes and headaches

A fresh look inside Mars suggests that what lurks far...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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