None of us can live without freshwater. It is, arguably, the most crucial natural resource we have. 



But recent findings have set off alarm bells around the world. Scientists are gravely concerned. Once abundant, our global freshwater levels are now at serious risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-total-freshwater-levels">Earth's total freshwater levels</h2>



An international group of scientists analyzed data from NASA-German satellites and discovered that Earth's total freshwater levels experienced a sudden drop beginning in May 2014, with no signs of recovery since.



The researchers propose that this decline might indicate that Earth's continents have shifted into an enduringly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hotter-drier-deadlier-how-much-can-forests-tolerate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drier state</a>.



Matthew Rodell is a hydrologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.



“The average amount of freshwater stored on land - that includes liquid surface water like lakes and rivers, plus water in aquifers underground - was 290 cubic miles (1,200 cubic km) lower than the average levels from 2002 through 2014,” said Rodell. 



"That’s two and a half times the volume of Lake Erie lost.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellite-data-exposed-water-loss">Satellite data exposed water loss</h2>



The team used observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites, a joint effort by NASA and the German Aerospace Center, to identify this significant global decrease in freshwater. 



The GRACE satellites, which operated from 2002 to 2017, measured changes in Earth's gravity monthly, unveiling the shifts in water mass on and beneath the surface. The mission was succeeded by the GRACE–Follow On (GRACE–FO) satellites, which have been operational since May 2018. 



These satellites revealed that the drop in freshwater began with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/severe-drought-in-portugal-has-left-reservoirs-at-extreme-lows/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">severe drought</a> in northern and central Brazil, quickly followed by major droughts in Australasia, South America, North America, Europe, and Africa. 



Warmer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-were-a-driving-force-behind-2023s-record-heat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean temperatures</a> in the tropical Pacific during the 2014–2016 El Niño, one of the most intense since 1950, played a critical role in shifting atmospheric jet streams and altering global weather and rainfall patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-freshwater-levels-did-not-rebound">Freshwater levels did not rebound </h2>



However, the most troubling finding came after the El Niño event subsided: global freshwater levels did not rebound. Rodell noted that 13 of the world’s 30 most intense droughts observed by GRACE occurred since January 2015. 



This pattern raises concerns about whether global warming could be contributing to the sustained freshwater depletion. 



“Warming temperatures increase both the evaporation of water from the surface to the atmosphere and the water-holding capacity of the atmosphere, increasing the frequency and intensity of drought conditions,” said NASA meteorologist Michael Bosilovich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-freshwater-decline-and-global-warming">Freshwater decline and global warming</h2>



The relationship between global warming and freshwater loss becomes clearer when considering the impact of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-predicts-global-warmings-impact-on-extreme-weather/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extreme weather</a>. 



“Global warming leads the atmosphere to hold more water vapor, which results in more extreme precipitation,” Bosilovich explained. 



Although annual rain and snowfall totals may not change significantly, the time between these intense precipitation events can grow, causing the soil to dry out and become compact. 



“The problem when you have extreme precipitation is the water ends up running off,” Bosilovich added, meaning it doesn’t soak into the ground and replenish critical groundwater reserves.



This vicious cycle poses significant threats to agriculture, communities, and global stability. During prolonged droughts, the strain on water supplies forces cities and farms to rely heavily on groundwater, creating a loop of unsustainable extraction. 



The resulting depletion impacts farmers and communities, exacerbating poverty, health risks, and potential conflicts. 



A 2024 UN report on water stress highlights that people facing severe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-drought-has-caused-crisis-levels-of-food-and-water-scarcity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water shortages</a> may resort to contaminated water sources, increasing the risk of disease and famine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-our-water-resources">The future of our water resources</h2>



While scientists suspect global warming plays a significant role in these shifts, definitive links remain complex due to uncertainties in climate predictions and models. 



Susanna Werth, a hydrologist and remote sensing scientist at Virginia Tech who was not involved in the study, noted: “There are uncertainties in climate predictions. Measurements and models always come with errors.” 



This complexity highlights the challenge of forecasting future freshwater trends.



The pressing question remains: will global freshwater levels recover, stabilize, or continue to decline? 



Nine of the warmest years in recorded history coincided with this sharp drop in freshwater. “We don’t think this is a coincidence, and it could be a harbinger of what’s to come," said Rodell.



The data emphasizes the urgent need for action and adaptation strategies as we face a potentially drier future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10712-024-09860-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Surveys in Geophysics</a>.



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Satellites reveal a sudden drop in global freshwater levels

None of us can live without freshwater. It is, arguably, the most crucial natural resource we have. But recent findings have set off alarm bells around the world. Scientists are gravely concerned. Once abundant, our global freshwater levels are now at serious risk. Earth's total freshwater levels An international group of scientists analyzed data from NASA-German satellites and discovered that Earth's total freshwater levels experienced a sudden drop beginning in May 2014, with no signs of recovery since. The researchers propose that this decline might indicate that...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> has examined how the geographical characteristics of the world’s islands influence the seasonal variation in the number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-report-confirms-that-bird-species-are-steadily-declining/">bird species</a>. The experts have shown that the seasonal species richness of birds is affected by the size of an island, how isolated it is from the mainland, and the latitude at which it is located.&nbsp;



“We used 21 years of bird observations on 690 islands from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird program,” said study lead author Frank La Sorte, an expert in Avian Ecology and Behavior. “In addition to resident bird species that occur year-round on islands, islands can also host migratory bird species during the breeding or non-breeding seasons, or as transients during migration.”



The analysis revealed that species numbers peaked on islands located in the Northern Hemisphere at mid-latitudes during migration seasons. However, during non-breeding periods, the number of bird species increased on tropical islands, reflecting the fact that the majority of bird species breed in the Northern Hemisphere and migrate towards the tropics to spend their autumns and winters.



Moreover, the researchers found an unmistakable correlation between the size of an island and the number of species present there: the bigger the island, the more bird species. By contrast, islands that are more distant from the mainland usually host a smaller number of species.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“These findings emphasize the importance of evolutionary processes on the largest islands and the unique ecology of the world’s most remote islands,” Dr. La Sorte explained. “Overall, species richness was lowest across all four seasons on the smallest, most remote islands and species richness was highest across all four seasons on the largest islands located at intermediate distances from the mainland.”



However, the scientists stress that there are significant variations in these relationships. For instance, even though large islands usually contain more species of birds, if these islands are very remote, they host fewer species, much like the extremely remote small islands.



“Our findings show that islands play a pivotal role as stopover sites and as wintering grounds for the world’s migratory birds. A better understanding of the geographical relationships between migratory birds and islands across seasons will improve our ability to practice effective bird conservation in these unique places,” Dr. La Sorte concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.1105">Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</a>.



---



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

What types of islands attract migratory birds?

A new study led by Cornell University has examined how...

Oak savannas are grassy and shrubby areas, featuring oaks as the dominant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-makes-pine-trees-more-susceptible-to-disease/">tree</a> species. Since oaks require a dry environment, in North America these savannas are frequently found in the rain shadow of the West Coast’s mountain range. Oaks host a vast diversity of insect species, such as oak gall wasps, which form striking growths known as galls. However, the expansion of this invasive wasp species has usually been kept in check by a wide range of parasitoid wasps, which lay their eggs inside the galls, and, after hatching, their larvae feed upon the oak gall wasp larvae.&nbsp;



According to a new study led by <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/">Binghamton University</a> in New York, climate change has led to warming temperatures in the Pacific Northwest, leading some insect species – including the oak gall wasps - to expand their range into more northerly oak savannas, where they encounter less competition and they can proliferate. “In the native range, you might find a handful of galls on a single leaf. In the expanded range, sometimes you’re finding thousands on a single tree,” said study senior author Kirsten Prior, an assistant professor of Biological Sciences at Binghamton. “This is pretty prevalent throughout Vancouver Island.”



Biodiversity tends to work on a latitudinal gradient: while there is a vast multitude of species closer to the equator, their numbers gradually decrease at higher latitudes. Thus, when species expand their range northwards due to warming temperatures, they often move into areas without a diversity of predators and competitors, eventually overwhelming the ecosystems they encounter.



“When species undergo poleward range expansions in response to anthropogenic change, they likely encounter less diverse communities in new locations. If low diversity communities provide weak biotic interactions, such as reduced competition or predation, range-expanding species may experience high niche opportunities,” the study authors explained.



This seems to happen currently with oak gall wasps, which exhibit unusual population growths at higher latitudes, where they need to face less competition – a phenomenon highlighting the importance of biodiversity for keeping invasive species in check, as well as the potential long-term ramifications of climate change.



“Biodiversity can be really important in potentially protecting areas from invading species. If we have strong competitors and predators, this might make areas less susceptible to invading species,” concluded study lead author Dylan Jones, a doctoral student in Biology at Binghamton.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13780">Journal of Animal Ecology</a>.&nbsp;



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

Invasive wasps are expanding northward on the West Coast

Oak savannas are grassy and shrubby areas, featuring oaks as...

Researchers from <a href="https://www.lsu.edu/">Louisiana State University</a> have discovered that oil spilled during the Deepwater Horizon tragedy was still present in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-loss-weakens-ecosystem-functioning/">ecosystem</a> ten years later, although the environment significantly altered it. The study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.928576/full">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>, details how the scientists tracked the various components of leaked crude oil.&nbsp;



Study first author Professor Edward Overton said that knowing how the chemicals interact with the environment can aid us when the next inevitable spill occurs.



“Our paper describes the most abundant chemicals that make up typical crude oil and their potential fates in the environment,” said Professor Overton.



“The better we understand the chemicals and their chemical reactive properties as well as their physical properties, the better we will be able to mitigate oil spills and understand and detect environmental damages from oil spills,”&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed the most concentrated and toxic chemical components released during the spill. From 2010 to 2020, they collected samples from the shoreline, water, and seafloor.



The study revealed that 30-40 percent of the spilled oil evaporated into the air and that water-soluble chemicals were dissolved and degraded by aquatic organisms. Moreover, these solar-dependent processes degraded a lot of the oil. However, there were still components left in the environment for at least ten years.&nbsp;



“The important point about oil spills is that the oil’s compounds are a type of material that can be degraded by sunlight and marine bacteria (biodegradation), in contrast to other types of pollutants such as the chlorinated pesticides like DDT,” explained Professor Overton. “Oil spills release lots of chemicals quickly and most damage from oil spills occurs fairly soon after the spill.”



However, the chemical processes that break down oil are not universal, and more research is necessary.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Environmental circumstances surrounding specific spills greatly affect how quickly the compounds can react, what they cover or coat and how much oxygen can be taken up in critical habitats,” said Overton.



“Therefore, broad generalization about oil spills requires understanding what was spilled and what are the environmental conditions of the spill. Hopefully this paper will help expand our understanding of the types of chemicals that are found in oil and their ability to cause environmental damages.”



---



By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ghosts of Deepwater Horizon oil spill still haunt the ecosystem

Researchers from Louisiana State University have discovered that oil spilled...

A tiny robot has helped researchers understand more about how ants learn from each other. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> designed the robot to mimic the teaching <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/how-does-the-climate-affect-the-behavior-of-migratory-birds/">behavior</a> of rock ants.



"Teaching is so important in our own lives that we spend a great deal of time either instructing others or being taught ourselves. This should cause us to wonder whether teaching actually occurs among non-human animals. And, in fact, the first case in which teaching was demonstrated rigorously in any other animal was in an ant," explained Professor Nigel Franks of Bristol's <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/biology/">School of Biological Sciences</a>.



The researchers explored a learning process called tandem running, in which a teacher ant leads a pupil to a new nest, the pupil ant finds their way back to the old nest, then becomes the teacher for a new pupil. The process continues throughout the colony.



The team created an arena with one low-quality nest and one high-quality nest. They built a robot teacher, which led an ant from a low-quality to a high-quality nest.&nbsp;



The experts applied a worker scent to the robot so ants could recognize the robot as a teacher. Sometimes the robot would take a direct path to the superior nest; other times, it would take a windy route.&nbsp;



"We waited for an ant to leave the old nest and put the robot pin, adorned with attractive pheromones, directly ahead of it. The pinhead was programmed to move towards the new nest either on a straight path or on a beautifully sinuous one. We had to allow for the robot to be interrupted in its journey, by us, so that we could wait for the following ant to catch up after it had looked around to learn landmarks," explained Professor Franks.



"When the follower ant had been led by the robot to the new nest, we allowed it to examine the new nest and then, in its own time, begin its homeward journey. We then used the gantry automatically to track the path of the returning ant."



"Crucially, we could compare the performance of the ants that the robot had taught with ones that we carried to the site of the new nest and that had not had an opportunity to learn the route. The taught ants found their way home much more quickly and successfully."



The study can be found in the <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article-lookup/doi/10.1242/jeb.244106">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Robot sheds light on how ants learn from each other

A tiny robot has helped researchers understand more about how...

A comprehensive assessment of a vast array of scientific studies led by the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa</a> has unearthed empirical evidence that over 58 percent of human pathogenic diseases have been at a certain point aggravated by climatic hazards, including global warming, droughts, heatwaves, massive precipitation, floods, storms, sea level rises, ocean biochemical change, and shifts in land cover. By examining the impact of these climate-related factors on all known pathogenic diseases, the experts found that 218 out of 375 of these diseases have been affected at some point by at least one climatic hazard, via 1,006 unique pathways.



“Given the extensive and pervasive consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was truly scary to discover the massive health vulnerability resulting as a consequence of greenhouse gas emissions,” said&nbsp;study lead author Camilo&nbsp;Mora, a professor of Geography at the University of Hawaiʻi. “There are just too many diseases, and pathways of transmission, for us to think that we can truly adapt to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-human-health-impacts-of-climate-change/">climate change</a>. It highlights the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally.”



The analysis revealed that climatic hazards are bringing pathogens closer to people by facilitating the spatial and temporal expansion of vectors and pathogens. For instance, global warming and precipitation changes are associated with the range expansion of disease vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, birds, and certain mammals that are implicated in outbreaks of viruses, bacteria, or protozoans, including malaria, dengue, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, or the plague bacterium.&nbsp;&nbsp;



On the other hand, climatic hazards are also frequently bringing people closer to pathogens. Forced displacements and migrations of people after storms, floods, or sea level rises have led to massive outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as cholera, typhoid and Lassa fever, Legionnaire’s disease, salmonellosis, gastroenteritis, or a vast number of respiratory and skin diseases.



Moreover, climatic hazards have also enhanced specific aspects of certain pathogens, such as improved climate suitability for reproduction, acceleration of the life cycle, rises in virulence, or increasing length of likely exposure. For example, heatwaves can act as natural selective forces leading to heat-resistant pathogens that can better cope with the human body’s main defense mechanism, fever. In addition, heavy storms and floods often create stagnant pools of water, which are perfect breeding and growing grounds for mosquitoes and the large number of pathogens that they transmit.



Finally, climatic hazards have also diminished humans’ capacity to cope with pathogens by altering body conditions, adding stress from exposure to extreme weather events, forcing people to live in unsanitary conditions, and damaging protective infrastructure. For instance, prolonged droughts are known to be conducive to poor sanitation, which often leads to diseases such as cholera, dysentery, scabies, chlamydia, E.coli, or salmonella.&nbsp;



While the majority of pathogenic diseases were exacerbated by climatic factors, some of them (63 out of 286) were diminished. Global warming, for example, seems to have reduced the spread of certain viruses that thrive in colder climates. However, most diseases that were diminished by a certain climatic hazard were at times aggravated by another, or even the same hazard.&nbsp;



“We knew that climate change can affect human pathogenic diseases,” said study co-author Kira Webster, a doctoral student in Geography at University of Hawaiʻi. “Yet, as our database grew, we became both fascinated and distressed by the overwhelming number of available case studies that already show how vulnerable we are becoming to our ongoing growing emissions of greenhouse gases,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01426-1">Nature Climate Change</a>. In addition, the researchers also created an interactive <a href="https://camilo-mora.github.io/Diseases/">web-page</a> showing the connections between specific hazards and diseases.



---



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

Climate change heightens risk of most infectious diseases

A comprehensive assessment of a vast array of scientific studies...

Rapid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-will-compound-health-risks-in-children/">warming</a> in the Gulf of Maine has reversed cooling trends of the previous 900 years, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a>.&nbsp;



By examining shells from long-lived ocean quahogs, the researchers found that the Gulf began warming in the 20th century. The likely cause of warming was identified as increased atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and changes in western North Atlantic circulation.



“The observed rate of warming in the Gulf of Maine over the last century has outpaced average global ocean warming. This has extensive consequences for the region's ecosystems and fisheries, and thus for the local economy,” said study co-author Caroline Ummenhofer.



“What this paper shows – both from the clams and also from the climate model simulations – is that in the late 1800s there were some pretty dramatic changes and the Gulf of Maine began to warm, reversing 900 years of cooling that had been primarily driven by volcanos,” said study lead author Nina Whitney.



Ocean quahogs (clams) can live up to about 500 years and grow their shells in annual increments similar to tree rings. This provided records of ocean conditions and allowed the researchers to study changes over time.



“Both the clams and the climate model simulations suggest that greenhouse gas forcings are not only likely causing surface temperature changes affecting the Gulf of Maine, but also causing changes in ocean circulation. The pathways and the strengths of different ocean currents bringing water into the Gulf of Maine have changed as the region has warmed,” said Whitney.



According to the experts, the climate model simulations suggest that the warming over the last century was more rapid than almost any other 100-year period in the last 1,000 years in the region. It reverses multi-century cooling trends since the late 1800s.&nbsp;



Understanding long term changes is important for managing natural resources and adapting fisheries in vulnerable ecosystems.&nbsp;



“The reality is that it took about 900 years to cool by 2°C and only 100 years to warm by 2°C," said study co-author Professor Alan Wanamaker of Iowa State University. "Unfortunately, warming in the Gulf of Maine will likely continue and worsen in the coming decades with negative impacts on the entire ecosystem.”.



The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00504-8">study</a> is published in the journal Communications Earth &amp; Environment.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Centuries of cooling have been reversed in the Gulf of Maine

Rapid warming in the Gulf of Maine has reversed cooling...

In an attempt to re-establish vital ecological processes, a research team led by <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> (OSU) has recently proposed a series of management changes on western federal lands that would result in significant increase in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wisconsin-gray-wolf-population-dropped-by-30-percent-in-one-year/">gray wolf</a> and beaver populations – two currently endangered species that play a large number of critical ecological roles.&nbsp;



Gray wolves – apex predators able to trigger powerful, widespread ecological effects by controlling native ungulates such as elk, and facilitating the regrowth of vegetations species like aspen - were hunted to near extinction in the American West. Since the 1990s, wolves have been reintroduced to several regions of the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest through measures made possible by the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/the-us-endangered-species-act">Endangered Species Act</a>.&nbsp;



“Still, the gray wolf’s current range in those 11 states is only about 14 percent of its historical range,” said study co-lead author Christopher Wolf, a postdoctoral scholar in Forestry at OSU. “They probably once numbered in the tens of thousands, but today there might only be 3,500 wolves across the entire West.”



Similarly, beaver populations, once widespread in the West, have declined by 90 percent after the beginning of settler colonialism and have now vanished from many streams, leaving a large number of ecosystem services unprovided. By falling trees and shrubs to build their dams, beavers play a critical role in enriching fish habitats, increasing water quality as well as water and sediment retention, maintaining water flows through droughts, boosting carbon sequestration, and generally improving the habitats of a variety of riparian plant and animal species.



“Beaver restoration is a cost-effective way to repair degraded riparian areas,” said study co-author Robert Beschta, a professor emeritus of Forestry at OSU. “Riparian areas occupy less than two percent of the land in the West but provide habitat for up to 70 percent of wildlife species.”



In their study, the researchers included a catalogue of 92 threatened and endangered plant and animal species which have at least ten percent of the ranges within their proposed “Western Rewilding Network.” The most common threat for these species is livestock grazing, which can cause stream and wetland degradation, affect wildfire regimes, and make it increasingly harder for woody species, such as willow, to regenerate.



“We suggest the removal of grazing on federal allotments from approximately 285,000 square kilometers within the rewilding network, representing 29 percent of the total 985,000 square kilometers of federal lands in the 11 western states that are annually grazed. That means we need an economically and socially just federal compensation program for those who give up their grazing permits. Rewilding will be most effective when participation concerns for all stakeholders are considered, including Indigenous people and their governments,” Professor Beschta concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biac069">BioScience</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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

Wolves and beavers needed to "rewild" the American West

In an attempt to re-establish vital ecological processes, a research...

A new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109235">Ecological Indicators</a> has investigated how climate change will impact the distribution of great <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-group-of-blue-whales-discovered-with-bomb-detectors/">whales</a> in New Zealand waters. By using a complex modeling approach for projecting the regional range shift of blue and sperm whales by the end of the century, under different climate change scenarios, the experts argue that the suitable habitats for both species will likely shift southward as the oceans warm.&nbsp;



In the most severe climate change scenario, the scientists project a 61 percent and 42 percent loss and decrease of currently suitable habitats for sperm and blue whales, respectively, particularly in New Zealand’s northern waters.



“Regardless of which of the climate change scenarios will be the reality, even the best-case scenario indicates notable changes in the distribution of suitable habitat for sperm and blue whales in New Zealand,” said study lead author Katharina Peters, a postdoctoral researcher in Animal Behavior, Population Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology at the <a href="https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/">University of Canterbury</a>.



Due to their strong connection to the ocean, island nations such as New Zealand are highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems. For instance, sperm whales are crucial for the tourism industry and local economy.&nbsp;



“The whale watch industry off Kaikoura may be at potential risk due to fewer and less reliable sightings of sperm whales off that coastline in the future,” explained study co-author Karen Stockin, an expert in Cetacean Ecology at the <a href="https://www.massey.ac.nz/">Massey University of New Zealand</a>. “Such changes in sperm whale distribution would have socioeconomic impacts due to the direct and indirect reliance on the whale watching activities by the local economy.”



Moreover, blue and sperm whales are also major ecosystem engineers, fulfilling a variety of important tasks, such as facilitating the transfer of nutrients from deep waters to the surface and across different latitudes through migration. Their predicted future southward drift will most likely impact ecosystem functioning and destabilize many ecological processes in northern New Zealand.



Although this study highlights the negative impact of climate change on great whales, it also identifies habitats that may be suitable in the future for both species in the South Island and other offshore islands.&nbsp;



“Such areas have the potential to serve as climate refugia for both species,” said study senior author Frédérik Saltré, a research fellow in Ecology at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a>. “Knowing about these areas early on provides an opportunity for their increased protection in the future, particularly when considering the placement of marine protected areas and the legislation of oil and gas exploration,” he concluded.



Image Credit: Photo courtesy DBL Wildlife



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

Great whales will drift southward due to climate change

A new study published in the journal Ecological Indicators has...

Hotter nighttime temperatures will increase the global mortality rate by up to 60 percent in the coming decades, according to an international study led by <a href="https://www.unc.edu/">UNC Chapel Hill</a>. The experts report that the burden of disease will increase as normal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lack-of-sleep-impacts-brain-development-in-children/">sleeping</a> patterns are disrupted by excessively hot nights.



Sleep disruption can lead to a cascade of dangerous health risks, ranging from immune system damage to a higher risk of heart disease, chronic illness, and mental health issues.&nbsp;



The study is the first of its kind to estimate the impact of hotter nights on climate change-related mortality risk. The results show that the average intensity of hot nights will nearly double by 2090, from 68.7℉ to 103.5℉ across 28 cities in east Asia. With this in mind, the mortality rate will jump much higher than predicted based on average temperature increases alone.&nbsp;



“The risks of increasing temperature at night were frequently neglected," said study co-author Dr. Yuqiang Zhang. “However, in our study, we found that the occurrences of hot night excess (HNE) are projected to occur more rapidly than the daily mean temperature changes. The frequency and mean intensity of hot nights would increase more than 30% and 60% by the 2100s, respectively, compared with less than 20% increase for the daily mean temperature.”



The researchers analyzed the number of deaths associated with heat in 28 cities throughout China, South Korea and Japan between 1980 and 2015. By modeling this data with two future climate scenarios, the experts estimated that the risk of death from excessively hot nights would increase nearly six-fold between 2016 and 2100.



“From our study, we highlight that, in assessing the disease burden due to non-optimum temperature, governments and local policymakers should consider the extra health impacts of the disproportional intra-day temperature variations," said study co-author Dr. Haidong Kan of Fudan University in China. "A more complete health risk assessment of future climate change can help policymakers for better resource allocation and priority setting."



“To combat the health risk raised by the temperature increases from climate change, we should design efficient ways to help people adapt,” said Dr. Zhang. “Locally, heat during the night should be taken into account when designing the future heatwave warning system, especially for vulnerable populations and low-income communities who may not be able to afford the additional expense of air conditioning. Also, stronger mitigation strategies, including global collaborations, should be considered to reduce future impacts of warming.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/home">The Lancet Planetary Health</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

Hot nights could increase global mortality rate by 60 percent

Hotter nighttime temperatures will increase the global mortality rate by...

In a new study, researchers from the <a href="https://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/">Washington State University, Vancouver</a> have found that dry lightning outbreaks – which occur with less than 2.5 millimeters of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-heatwave-caused-unprecedented-rainfall-in-greenland/">rainfall</a> – are the leading cause of some of the largest wildfires in the history of modern California.



“Wildfires are a growing threat in California as the climate continues to warm. Unlike human-caused fires that originate in a single location, lightning outbreaks can strike multiple locations and start numerous simultaneous wildfires, creating a substantial challenge for fire response,” said study lead author Dmitri Kalashnikov, a PhD student specializing in Climate Extremes at WSU Vancouver.



“This happened recently in 2020 when multiple lightning-caused fires burned nearly one million hectares across this region, and other prominent widespread lightning-caused wildfire outbreaks also occurred in 1987 and 2008.”&nbsp;



Together with his colleagues, Kalashnikov used daily lightning counts from the <a href="https://www.vaisala.com/en/products/national-lightning-detection-network-nldn">National Lightning Detection Network</a> and precipitation observations from 1987 to 2020,&nbsp;in combination with analyses of the climatology of dry lightning and associated meteorological conditions during the warm season (May to October), when wildfires are more frequent.&nbsp;



The investigation revealed that moisture and instability high in the atmosphere - above the hotter and drier lower atmosphere - were the key drivers of dry lightning outbreaks in central and northern California. Nearly half (46 percent) of lightning that struck the ground in this period was under dry conditions. Although dry lightning was more likely to occur at higher elevations (greater than 2,000 meters), with activity more concentrated in July and August, the scientists discovered that this pattern usually reverses towards autumn, when lower elevations are struck more frequently. Since natural fuels are drier during this period, there is a larger risk of wildfire outbreaks.



“Understanding the meteorology of dry lightning across this region can inform forecasting of possible wildfire ignitions, helping to better constrain future risk of wildfire ignition in California and can aid fire suppression efforts, as firefighting resources can be strategically pre-positioned in at-risk areas,” concluded co-author Deepti Singh, an assistant professor of Environmental Science at WSU Vancouver.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ac84a0">Environmental Research: Climate</a>.



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

Dry lightning sparks the most destructive California wildfires

In a new study, researchers from the Washington State University,...

Single-celled organisms were around on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-just-experienced-its-shortest-day-on-record/">Earth</a> long before plants began to enrich the atmosphere with oxygen. While the origin of photosynthetic activity is dated at 3,5 billion years ago, the earliest fossils show that single-celled life was around 500 million years earlier than that. So how were the earliest living organisms getting their oxygen supply?&nbsp;



Most organisms today use oxygen as a crucial electron acceptor in respiration, the process whereby energy is released from food molecules. Some prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) can use sulfate (SO42-) as the final electron acceptor, while others can use nitrate (NO3-), carbon dioxide (CO2) or a variety of other molecules. However, none of these systems is as efficient in terms of energy production as aerobic respiration using oxygen.&nbsp;



It is more likely that single-celled organisms on early Earth could use oxygen when it became available – which wasn’t very often, considering there were no plants at that time. Research by scientists at <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> has now uncovered an alternate source of oxygen in the Earth’s crust that may have been more important than previously thought and may even have influenced the evolution of early life before the advent of photosynthesis.



The scientists have proposed that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), generated from crushed silicate rock during tectonic activity, may have acted as an electron acceptor during respiration, and that its chemical activity would also have generated molecular oxygen (O2). The research, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, shows that under oxygen-free conditions, high concentrations of H2O2&nbsp;can be released from defects on crushed silicate rocks when water is added and heated to temperatures close to boiling point.&nbsp;



While hydrogen peroxide can kill cells and be harmful to life, it can also provide a useful source of oxygen to microbes. The scientists identify a mechanism whereby water passing over freshly faulted or crushed rock surfaces in tectonically active regions, could give rise to significant quantities of H2O2. Movement of the Earth’s crust not only generates earthquakes but riddles the subsurface with cracks and fractures lined with newly-exposed, highly reactive rock surfaces. Add to this an elevated temperature and the conditions are perfect for generating H2O2.



In the laboratory, study lead author Jordan Stone simulated these conditions by crushing granite, basalt and peridotite – rock types that would have been present in the early Earth’s crust. These were then added to water under well controlled, oxygen-free conditions at varying temperatures. The experiments showed that substantial amounts of hydrogen peroxide – and as a result, potentially oxygen – were only generated at temperatures close to the boiling point of water.&nbsp;



Interestingly, these conditions for the formation of hydrogen peroxide (and oxygen) are exactly those that suit some of the most heat-loving microbes on Earth, the hyperthermophiles. Some of these remarkable bacteria and archaea are similar to ancient oxygen-using microbes that were around in the early days before the advent of photosynthesis. Today they are typically found in deep-sea hydrothermal vents, such as the Mariana Trench.&nbsp;



In recent genetic studies tracing the common genes found in today’s archaea and bacteria back to a putative Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA), researchers have concluded that the LUCA was indeed a thermophile or hyperthermophile that was autotrophic (fixed its own CO2), and dependent on hydrogen (H2). Moreover, the LUCA’s inferred genome contains genes for cycling of H2O2&nbsp;and O2, which is pretty strange since the Archaean ocean waters would have contained only miniscule amounts of these substances.&nbsp;



The authors suggest that these genes were required by a hyperthermophilic LUCA to deal with, and potentially make energetic use of, the H2O2&nbsp;and O2 produced from the reaction of exposed or crushed rock with water during the stressing and fracturing of the Earth’s early crust. The generation of oxygen under these circumstances may even have influenced early evolution, and feasibly even origin, of life in hot environments on Earth, prior to the evolution of photosynthesis.



"While previous research has suggested that small amounts of hydrogen peroxide and other oxidants can be formed by stressing or crushing of rocks in the absence of oxygen, this is the first study to show the vital importance of hot temperatures in maximizing hydrogen peroxide generation," said Stone.



“This research shows that defects on crushed rock and minerals can behave very differently to how you would expect more ‘perfect’ mineral surfaces to react," said Dr. Jon Telling, the study's principal Investigator. "All these mechanochemical reactions need to generate hydrogen peroxide, and therefore oxygen, is water, crushed rocks, and high temperatures, which were all present on the early Earth before the evolution of photosynthesis and which could have influenced the chemistry and microbiology in hot, seismically active regions where life may have first evolved.”



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

Oxygen may have come from ancient rocks of early Earth

Single-celled organisms were around on Earth long before plants began...

A new review study led by the <a href="https://www.uni-lj.si/university/">University of Ljubljana</a> in Slovenia has found that the record levels of physical inactivity and obesity among today’s children will have a negative impact on their health as temperatures rise globally, putting them at greater risk of developing heat-related health problems, such as dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke. Unfortunately, current <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humanity-should-brace-for-catastrophic-climate-change/">climate change</a> policies fail to adequately address these issues and encourage children to make exercise part of their daily lives in order to increase their resilience to a hotter world.&nbsp;&nbsp;



By conducting a comprehensive review of over 150 medical and scientific studies on the relationship between children’s physical fitness and heat, study author Shawnda Morrison – an environmental exercise physiologist at the University of Ljubljana – discovered that overweight children were more than twice as likely to have difficulty regulating their body temperature than normal weight youngsters when exercising outdoors. In addition, she found that attendance at emergency departments in children’s hospitals was higher during hotter days, with younger children particularly likely to need emergency care.



The review also revealed that children’s aerobic fitness is currently 30 percent lower than that of their parents at the same age, while children’s physical activity levels have steadily declined worldwide, particularly over the last three decades. Most children are failing to meet <a href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a>’s guideline of performing at least one hour of physical activity each day – a problem further exacerbated by the lockdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Dr. Morrison, rising temperatures could further restrict children’s physical activity when parents perceive outdoor temperatures as “too hot to play,” making it more difficult for unfit children to maintain the physical activity levels needed to remain healthy.



“Fitter adults are better able to tolerate higher temperatures, due to a combination of physiological, behavioral, and psychological factors,” Dr. Morrison said. “Yet, as the world warms, children are the least fit they have ever been. It is imperative that children are encouraged to do daily physical activity to build up, and maintain, their fitness, so that they enjoy moving their bodies and it doesn’t feel like ‘work’ or ‘a chore’ to them.”



In order to solve these problems, parents and teachers should ensure that children engage in active play and structured games, and have access to physical education lessons in school. “Do what you love to do, whether it's a family bike ride or rollerblade, a stroll through the woods or walking the dog,” Dr. Morrison urged.&nbsp;



“Make sure the activity raises everyone's heart rate, enthusiasm, and positive energy and importantly, try not to completely avoid the heat but choose times of the day that are less hot (mornings/evenings) to keep active, since we need to keep ourselves moving in this new warming world,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23328940.2022.2102375">Temperature</a>.



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

Global warming will compound health risks in children

A new review study led by the University of Ljubljana...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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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



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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 how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Saturn,-,High,Resolution,3d,Images,Presents,Planets,Of,The

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



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.

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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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.

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



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.

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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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.

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



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.

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



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.

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



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.

Kangerlussuaq Glacier 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 the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



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.

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video 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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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Aerial,Photo,Of,River,In,Amazon,Rainforest,Jungle,In,Peru

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center</a> describes how scientists are using autonomous sound sensors to monitor deforestation in the Amazon. By recording soundscapes, the experts can determine which animals are present through their distinct sounds.&nbsp;



Using this method, sounds can be used as scientific measurements to analyze the effects of deforestation. The researchers will gain a better understanding of how the acoustics of a forest can be used to measure its health.&nbsp;



"From space, parts of the Amazon rainforest that have previously been logged or burned may look lush and green, like a place buzzing with activity and full of sounds. But inside the rainforest, the animal life may tell a different story, of a harsh environment and a quieter soundscape," says NASA.



Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center&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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

[sendtonews key="u0TYxxqfF7-2186404-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA’s...