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 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. Solar probe on the Sun's doorstep Engineers have spent years carefully adjusting Parker’s flight path...

In response to cold temperatures on the east coast, President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that the area could use some “global warming.”  

“In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year's Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against," <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/946531657229701120">Trump tweeted</a>. "Bundle up!"

Trump’s thoughts on global warming have always been clear, having called it an <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/408977616926830592?lang=en">“expensive hoax”</a> back in 2013. Earlier this year, he announced the United States would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, calling it a bad deal for Americans.

The problem is that Trump, like many climate change deniers, is confused about the basic science, ignoring overall trends by just looking at daily weather reports.

Global warming refers instead to a general pattern of increasing ocean and global temperatures overall. According to the <a href="https://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a> (WMO), 2016 was in fact the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2016-hottest-year-record/">hottest year</a> on record.

And that is just one part of the equation, as climate change also includes drastic changes in weather (both hot and cold temperatures), increases in precipitation, and more active hurricane seasons. 

Climate change is wide-reaching, and a cold winter day does not simply disprove the extensive research backing its existence.

Arctic ice sheet melt, changes in marine and terrestrial ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution levels and precipitation all point to how climate change is impacting the planet. 

President Trump’s opinions that climate change appear to be a costly gimmick, where the United States will lose money and his feelings that a brisk cold snap needs some “global warming,” are wholly off the mark. 

In fact, ignoring climate change actually costs taxpayers significantly more money in damages.

“The Government Accountability Office released a report in October that said the US government has spent more than $350 billion over the past decade in response to extreme weather and fire events and estimated that the US would incur far higher costs as the years progress if global emission rates don't go down,” Dan Merica of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a> reported. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

East Coast needs a little “global warming,” Trump tweets

In response to cold temperatures on the east coast, President...

A record-breaking storm dumped over 5 feet of snow in Erie, Pennsylvania, between Sunday and Tuesday, and there is more snow in the forecast. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shape-lake-ontario-snowstorms/">lake-effect</a> snowstorm buried the city in 62.9 inches of snow, and that total is expected to approach 70 inches by the time the system moves out of the area.

Erie’s all-time daily snowfall record of 20 inches, which was set in 1956, was broken on Christmas Day when 34 inches of snow fell. The two-day snowfall total of 58.5 inches was the most ever recorded in the entire state of Pennsylvania, according to the <a href="http://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a>.

Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper signed a declaration of disaster emergency on Tuesday. As crews worked to clear the main roads, the fresh snow piled up in the streets right behind them. David Mulvihill, the city’s director of public works, said that dozens of vehicles had been abandoned in the streets.

On Facebook, the Erie Police Department wrote, “Roads are dangerous and impassable. This is an incredible amount of snow that we're trying to move and we appreciate resident cooperation. Residents should stay off of City of Erie streets until it stops snowing, and we can get the roads open.”

Lake-effect snow occurs when a cold air mass moves over a warmer lake. Water vapor is pulled up into the colder air above and produces snowfall which is blown to shore. 

The city of Erie currently remains under a Lake Effect Snow Warning issued by the National Weather Service until 4:00 PM. 

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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

Photo Credit: Samantha Moore, pictured: Andrew Bargh

Lake-effect storm buries Erie, Pennsylvania in 5 feet of snow

A record-breaking storm dumped over 5 feet of snow in...

Chinese officials have approved an emissions trading system (ETS) in an effort to drastically reduce the country's carbon emissions. China has vowed to reach a peak in carbon emissions by 2030. By launching what will be the world's largest carbon market, experts say this goal can be reached.

As the biggest contributor to carbon emissions, stricter regulations on fossil fuels in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strategies-air-pollution-china/">China</a> will have a major impact on the world's overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Each power plant will be allowed only a certain amount of emissions, a limit that will gradually decline. Those sites that manage to stay below their allotted usage can sell their excess permits. 

The ETS will initially target 1,700 stationary sources in China's power sector, which contribute around 39 percent of the country's total emissions. The program will ultimately be extended to include seven other branches of industry as well, including iron and steel and civil aviation.

While the plans for the trading system were first drafted in 2015, the concept has been under review by the Chinese government for over ten years. When the program is fully implemented by 2020, it is projected to cover 5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) President Fred Krupp said that the new carbon market will put China in a great position to keep its Paris Agreement pledge to peak carbon emissions by 2030, and he pointed out that this “more ambitious target" will make it possible for China's emissions to peak well before then.

“The world has never before seen a climate program on this scale,” said Krupp. “It is important that the world’s largest emitter should lead on climate, and that is precisely what China is doing by launching its national emissions trading system. China has stepped up its climate leadership dramatically in recent years, and is now increasingly seen as filling the leadership void left by the U.S.”

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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

China to launch a trading system to reduce CO2 emissions

Chinese officials have approved an emissions trading system (ETS) in...

The world's second largest mining company has conducted a review of 21 industry associations and their positions on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-conference-fossil-fuels/">climate</a> and energy policies. As a result, B.H.P. Billiton has released a <a href="https://www.bhp.com/media-and-insights/news-releases/2017/12/bhp-releases-industry-association-review">report</a> announcing its plans to withdraw from the World Coal Association (WCA).

The report states that were “seven material differences in position” with the WCA, and also with the The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) and The United States Chamber of Commerce. While B.H.P. says it will remain a member of the MCA, the company has set forth plans to formally communicate the differences in opinion and will “request that the MCA refrain from policy activity or advocacy in these areas.”

B.H.P. will further investigate the nature of the differences between itself and The Chamber of Commerce while considering the future of its membership. In addition, the group will notify the World Coal Association of their intent to exit, and will invite responses from the organization before making a final decision on March 31, 2018.

B.H.P.’s Chief External Affairs Officer Geoff Healy said that the publication of this report demonstrates the company's support for action on climate change and commitment to transparency.

“Active participation within industry associations is an opportunity for BHP to improve its own performance and to support industry as a whole in making a positive contribution,” said Healy.

“This review makes clear the principles for our ongoing participation in industry bodies. While we won’t always agree with our industry associations, we will continue to call out material differences where they exist and we will take action where necessary, as we have done today.

B.H.P. says it will continue to be straightforward with investors, governments, and civil society on the company’s stance on climate and energy policy. The group will also continue to communicate their environmental standards to industry associations, and hopes to positively influence ethical investments in the future.

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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

Major coal company leaves industry group over climate change

The world's second largest mining company has conducted a review...

According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/18/trump-drop-climate-change-national-security-strategy">new reports</a>, U.S. President Donald Trump plans to drop climate change from the list of global threats in his National Security Strategy.

Instead of regulating emissions, Trump plans to put more of an emphasis on fossil fuels, coal, and economic development. 

Trump’s announcement earlier this year to remove the United States from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris Climate Agreement</a> means that the U.S. is now the only country not participating in the global climate agreement.  But Trump argues that the focus should instead be put on American workers. 

Now, in a new release to be presented later today, Trump will announce his new defense strategy and the removal of climate change from the list of National Security Threats. 

President Obama worked hard to make great strides toward mitigating climate change, but Trump maintains that other threats deserve priority.

Any mention of climate change by Trump is linked to economic development rather than keeping warming temperatures in check.  

“'U.S. leadership is indispensable to countering an anti-growth, energy agenda that is detrimental to U.S. economic and energy security interests,” reads a draft of the new defense strategy obtained by the <a href="http://thefederalist.com/2017/12/15/trump-admin-to-remove-climate-change-from-list-of-national-security-threats/">Federalist</a>. “'Given future global energy demand, much of the developing world will require fossil fuels, as well as other forms of energy, to power their economies and lift their people out of poverty.” 

This is the exact opposite stance that other global leaders are making. 

Trump feels that an emphasis on clean energy and policy regulations will unfairly disadvantage manufacturing jobs and general job growth in the United States. 

However, as the last few years have proven, clean energy jobs could create an unprecedented <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/24/news/economy/solar-jobs-us-coal/index.html">economic boom</a>. 

Time will tell if global policy combating climate change will outweigh or influence the United State’s stance on climate change and if the clean energy sector can grow and perhaps compete with fossil fuels. 

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By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trump will remove climate change from National Security Strategy

According to new reports, U.S. President Donald Trump plans to...

The latest Republican tax reform bill recently passed through the Senate, and President Trump is slated to sign it by the end of December. The bill has been fraught with controversy, including the haphazard way it was presented to the Senate with, as one <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/01/politics/senate-tax-bill-vote-uncertainty/index.html">CNN</a> report put it, “handwriting alterations on to the document -- up until just hours before the final vote.” 

The new tax plan has the potential to sever many tax incentives for renewable energy, slowing down the momentum of U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-solar-panels-appealing/">clean energy</a> industries. 

A new <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/climate/tax-overhaul-energy-wind-solar.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&amp;smid=nytcore-ipad-share">New York Times</a> report details the damaging effect the new tax plan would have on renewable energies, drying up all incentives for wind and solar companies while shifting support back to coal and gas. 

Renewable energies have been gained momentum over the past decade. By 2016, nearly 15 percent of all electricity in the United States was supplied by renewable energy, according to numbers released by the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=427&amp;t=3">U.S Energy Information Administration</a>. 

The new tax bill specifically targets previous tax cuts and incentives for renewables.

According to the New York Times, the bill would limit tax credits for wind farms and allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. 

The bill also removes the generous tax credit afforded to those who decide to purchase an electric car which could adversely affect electric vehicle companies. 

The good news is that even with the proposed tax breaks for oil and coal and the steep competition and monopolies that renewable energies face, renewables simply aren’t going anywhere soon. 

The bill could effectively slow renewables, but many companies working with wind and solar had plans to be self-sufficient (without subsidies) as early as 2020. 

“In the long run, we think wind and solar will become cheap enough to compete without subsidies,” Amy Grace, renewables analyst at <a href="https://about.bnef.com/">Bloomberg New Energy Finance</a>, told the New York Times. “But in the short term, those tax credits have been important.”

Only time will tell the lasting effects of the new tax reform bill, but as climate change progresses the need for green energy alternatives becomes more and more crucial, and this bill could slow or halt the substantial progress that has already been made. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

New tax reform bill could slow momentum of renewable energies

The latest Republican tax reform bill recently passed through the...

A UN meeting in Kenya may prove to be the beginning of the end of unloading plastic waste into the ocean. Over 200 countries signed a document to show their support for eliminating ocean dumping.

While the statement is a much-needed step toward major change, no concrete plans have been set forth for the action. Many of the countries did, however, make new commitments to reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crustaceans-ingesting-plastic-ocean/">plastic waste</a>, pledging to take measures such as bans on plastic bags.

Scientists and ambassadors across the globe are hoping the outcome of the meeting will lead to a legally binding treaty. 

Norway's Minister for Climate and Environment, Vidar Helgesen, presided over a UN meeting on plastics and other ocean pollutants earlier this year and has been leading the debate.

Helgeson told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/">Reuters</a>, "There is very strong language in this resolution. We now have an agreement to explore a legally binding instrument and other measures and that will be done at the international level over the next 18 months."

The meeting was organized by the <a href="http://web.unep.org/newscentre/un-declares-war-ocean-plastic">United Nations Environment Programme</a> (UNEP), who reports that more than 8 million tons of plastic makes its way into the ocean each year. UNEP explains that this is “equal to dumping a garbage truck of plastic every minute.”

UNEP also warns that, at the current rate of plastic dumping, the oceans will have more plastic than fish and 99 percent of seabirds will have ingested plastic by the year 2050.

Dr. Li Lin, the Chief Conservation Director of WWF China, told <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news">BBC News</a>, "Today we have seen quite good progress on marine litter and microplastics.”

She added, “We would just like to see this agreement implemented by governments, business, NGOs and consumers as quickly as possible. Because this issue is urgent."

The Clean Seas Campaign is a global UN Environment initiative that was launched in February 2017 with the goal of engaging governments, businesses, and individuals in the fight against pollution in our oceans.

“Marine plastic litter is a rapidly increasing threat to marine life, seafood safety and negatively affects the lives of people in coastal areas all around the world,” said Helgeson. “We encourage every country in the world to join the Clean Seas campaign and develop effective measures to avoid single-use plastic ending up in the environment. Our oceans cannot wait any longer."

To take the Clean Seas pledge and learn more about what you can do to take action against marine pollution, visit the Clean Seas campaign <a href="http://cleanseas.org">homepage</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

Over 200 countries agree to end ocean plastic litter

A UN meeting in Kenya may prove to be the...

Fast-moving wildfires are raging across southern California, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. The Thomas Fire in Ventura County, which broke out on Monday and now covers at least 65,000 acres, is by far the largest. Over 150 buildings have been destroyed and 12,000 additional structures are currently threatened in Ventura alone.

In Los Angeles County, two separate fires ignited on Tuesday. North of downtown <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/watering-lawns-lost-gallons-water/">Los Angeles</a>, the Creek Fire burned 11,000 acres by Tuesday night, and the Rye Fire scorched 7,000 acres. 

A third fire, the Skirball Fire, erupted this morning near the Getty Center as a brush fire. This latest blaze has prompted evacuations from the Bel Air area and shut down portions of Interstate 405 because the fire is burning so close to the highway.

California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in both Ventura and Los Angeles counties, and is urging residents to be ready to evacuate and to “evacuate immediately if told to do so.”

Officials are warning that the fires could threaten the region for days. Los Angeles police chief Charlie Beck referred to the fires as “a multi day event,” and suggested that more fires are likely. 

The National Weather Service warned that the combination of low humidity and strong winds could lead to “very rapid fire growth” and “extreme fire behavior.”

Chief Ralph M. Terrazas of the Los Angeles Fire Department said earlier today that wind conditions are favorable at this time but warned that could change. Santa Ana winds are projected to reach 80 miles per hour on Thursday.

Just two months ago, Northern California experienced the worst series of wildfires in the state’s history, which killed 44 people and burned 8,700 structures.

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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Alex Avlas

Wildfires explode across Southern California

Fast-moving wildfires are raging across southern California, forcing the evacuation...

When President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, the landmark agreement between 200 countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it sparked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/group-challenges-paris-withdrawal/">outrage</a> both nationwide and across the globe. 

Environmentalists, climatologists, policy makers, U.S. residents, and international leaders all chimed in on their disapproval of the President’s decision and his unwillingness to accept the realities of climate change. 

At the moment, the United States is the only country that’s not part of the agreement, but there’s still hope for America’s future in reducing carbon emissions. 

Cities are now taking matters into their own hands to address the growing concerns of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Now, a new endeavor called the Chicago Charter is an agreement among at least 36 U.S cities to do their part to meet the same goals as the Paris Accord. 

The Chicago Charter will be signed by the participating U.S city mayors at the <a href="http://www.c40.org/events/north-american-climate-summit">North American Climate Summit</a> in Chicago. 

Not only does the charter outline plans to reduce emissions but also, similar to the Paris Accord, it requires all involved to be held accountable in sharing its progress with the public. 

<a href="http://climatemayors.org/">Climate Mayors</a>, a similar organization that was started after the President’s decisions to withdraw the US from the Paris Accord, has over 380 mayors who have promised to reduce carbon emissions in their cities, and who combined represent 68 million U.S residents. 

Both Climate Mayors and the Chicago Charter prove the dedication that many have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change, despite the current administration’s views. 

Some of the major cities involved include Salt Lake City, which aims to have 100 percent of its electricity supplied through renewable energy by 20332. Washington D.C looks to have renewable energy make up 50 percent of the city's power needs by 2032, and Chicago plans to undergo a major transformation in its public transit system.  

The Chicago Charter marks another exciting endeavor and important step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

U.S. mayors pledge to sign their own climate agreement

When President Donald Trump announced that the United States would...

California mayoral candidate Kevin Saunders is pushing for the legalization of psychedelic mushrooms. Saunders, who is running for mayor in the town of Marina, hopes to give voters in California the option of legalizing magic mushrooms on the 2018 ballot.

Saunders believes that psychedelic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/magic-mushrooms-depression-brain/">mushrooms</a> may help adults work through the stress of today's world.

“The world is really hurting and everybody is at a loss about what’s going on right now with Trump, Brexit, the refugee crisis and everything else,” said Saunders.

The former cannabis advocate stands behind the transformative power of psilocybin, saying that, “It could allow people to figure out what to do and could revolutionize the way we treat those with depression, addiction and cluster headaches.”

Psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms, is classified as a Schedule I drug. However, the use psilocybin has been approved for medical trials in dozens of states.

In fact, the concept of having magic mushrooms legalized may not be as far-fetched as it seems, as clinical trials are underway in both the United States and Europe to test the potential of psilocybin in treating alcoholism, tobacco addiction, severe anxiety, and treatment-resistant depression.

Saunders told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk">The Guardian</a> that magic mushrooms helped him recover from a “debilitating five-year heroin addiction” at age 32. He explained,“I got to the root of why I made a conscious decision to become a heroin addict; I’ve been clean almost 15 years.”

Researchers have also demonstrated that psilocybin is safer than other drugs, including alcohol. The 2017 <a href="https://www.globaldrugsurvey.com/">Global Drug Survey</a>, a comprehensive poll that investigates the drug use of 120,000 people in 50 countries, found that 90 percent less patients sought emergency medical treatment for psilocybin compared to alcohol.

Regardless, the U.S. Justice Department's <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs6/6038/#risks">National Drug Intelligence Center</a> compares psilocybin to heroin and LSD. The organization reports, “The psychological consequences of psilocybin use include hallucinations and an inability to discern fantasy from reality. Panic reactions and psychosis also may occur, particularly if a user ingests a large dose.”

In August, Saunders filed paperwork with the State Attorney General's office to let voters in California decide whether psilocybin will be legalized in 2018. He needs 365,880 signatures to get his <a href="https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/initiatives/pdfs/17-0024%20%28Legalize%20Psilocybin%29_0.pdf">California Psilocybin Legalization Initiative</a> on the ballot.

Saunders told <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/">The Sacramento Bee</a> that the legalization of psilocybin is "a natural step after voters’ legalization of pot." 

The <a href="https://www.opsbuzz.com/">Oregon Psilocybin Society</a> has started its own initiative to raise awareness about the safety and benefits of controlled psilocybin, and the organization aims to get psilocybin on Oregon’s statewide ballot in 2020.

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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

California could legalize psychedelic mushrooms next year

California mayoral candidate Kevin Saunders is pushing for the legalization...

Mount Agung sent clouds of ash into the sky in Bali as the volcano erupted multiple times this weekend. The eruptions prompted the evacuation of over 24,000 people and grounded many flights, stranding travelers.

According to <a href="https://www.bnpb.go.id/home/detail/3539/Gunung-Agung-Erupsi-Menerus,-Abu-Mengarah-ke-Timur">Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority</a>, the clouds of ash reached over 13,000 feet in height. 

“Bali is safe just keep away from disaster prone areas,” the agency <a href="https://twitter.com/BNPB_Indonesia/status/934687636286947330">said</a>. 

Indonesia issued a “red warning,” its highest alert to warn aviation to of the thick clouds of ash. Footage of the eruption can be seen <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTg7mUQGqfM&amp;feature=youtu.be">here</a>.

Mount Agung last erupted in February 1963, when it spewed lava over surrounding villages and killing an estimated 1,500 people.

An Instagram user captured this stunning-but-ominous shot:
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7">
<div style="padding: 8px;">
<div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 62.5% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div>
<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb8N86Mgt-C/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I’ve gotten up at 3am to shoot so many times, but I have never in my life seen anything quite as beautiful, formidable and scary as this. Bali has been home on and off for 2 years now and I hope that all the locals that live on or near mount Agung are ok 🙏🏽🌋 . . . . . . . . #wanderlust #exploreeverything #travelgram #bravogreatphoto #lifeofadventure #theadventureproject #peoplescreatives #theoutbound #folktravel #picoftheday #welltraveled #finditliveit #whatchthisinstagood #beautifuldestinations #bali #livefolkindonesia #livefolk #passionpassport #mytinyatlas #letsgosomewhere #wanderlust #instagood #igmasters #thewellcollective #verilymoment #mountagung #traveltagged #travelphotography</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by Emilio Kuzma-Floyd (@eyes_of_a_nomad) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-11-26T02:00:14+00:00">Nov 25, 2017 at 6:00pm PST</time>

</div></blockquote>
<script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

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By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mount Agung erupts in Bali

Mount Agung sent clouds of ash into the sky in...

Update: In a rare move, President Trump tweeted Friday night that the plan to allow the import of elephants hunted in Africa would be halted, saying, "Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts." 

Hunters may soon be allowed to bring trophies of African elephants back to the United States, and the news is sparking outrage. A <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a> official confirmed to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/">ABC News</a> that President Trump plans to reverse a ban put in place by the Obama administration in 2014. 

Chelsea Clinton tweeted, “Infuriating. Will increase poaching, make communities more vulnerable &amp; hurt conservation efforts.”

According to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson, lifting the restrictions will allow U.S. sport hunting in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The spokesperson defended the move by saying that it will put "much-needed revenue back into conservation."

Despite the fact that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elephants-missing-poached/">elephants</a> are an endangered species, hunting can be permitted if evidence shows that hunting benefits the conservation of the animals.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said, “Legal, well-regulated sport hunting as part of a sound management program can benefit the conservation of certain species by providing incentives to local communities to conserve the species and by putting much-needed revenue back into conservation.”

The <a href="http://www.greatelephantcensus.com/">Great Elephant Census</a> reports that African elephants are vanishing at an alarming rate and the rate is continuing to gain speed. The census estimates that the elephant population in Africa is now dropping by 8 percent a year, primarily due to poaching.

Between 2007 and 2014, elephant populations declined by 30 percent across 18 African countries. In Zimbabwe, the population dropped by 6 percent overall, yet one region in particular lost 74 percent of its elephants.

Ellen DeGeneres said, “I love elephants. And if you take the time to learn about elephants, you would love them too.”

She also remarked, “Elephants show compassion, sympathy, social intelligence, self-awareness. They’re excellent at learning abilities — all the things I have yet to see in this president.”

Degeneres posted an illustration of an elephant on her Twitter and Instagram pages. For every retweet and like received by the posts, Degeneres will make a donation to the <a href="https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/">David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust</a>, a foundation that rescues orphaned elephants in Kenya.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Outrage after Trump reverses ban on elephant trophies

Update: In a rare move, President Trump tweeted Friday night...

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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.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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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...