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...

Grasslands – which account for almost 40 percent of land-based <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-can-earths-ecosystems-adapt-to-climate-change/">ecosystems</a> – provide habitat for a vast diversity of plants and animals, and contribute to the livelihood of over one billion of people all over the world. Moreover, they provide significant carbon sequestration and biodiversity benefits, and can be more resilient to a rapidly changing climate than forests. Unfortunately, during the past few centuries, ancient grasslands worldwide have been largely converted into farmland, used to grow trees, or been replaced by urban areas as citied expanded.&nbsp;



According to a new study led by the <a href="https://colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>, while the destruction of these pristine grasslands can occur very quickly, the complete recovery of grassland biodiversity and essential ecosystem functions occurs much slower, if at all. These findings contradict prior scientific assumptions that grasslands’ ecological development is quick and their recovery is rapid, posing new challenges to their successful restoration.



“Old growth grasslands have a unique suite of characteristics that develop over a really long time. Recovering grasslands do not have the same species or the same characteristics as they did prior to soil tilling or tree planting, and they take centuries to redevelop,” said study senior author Katharine Suding, a plant community ecologist at CU Boulder. 



“If you plant trees in an older grassland or till it for agriculture, you will probably never get many of the unique diversity and belowground characteristics back. It is irreversible. It’s an important reminder that we need to conserve the ancient grasslands that are still intact.”&nbsp;



Compared to newer, younger grasslands, old growth grasslands are unique in their underground structure and biodiversity and need a long time to be restored. “We should think of restoration as more of guiding a trajectory. Some species don’t come in right at the start, and the disturbance that maintains the grassland needs time to grow and be tweaked as these species get established and the soil develops. These processes take time,” explained Professor Suding.&nbsp;



While planting trees has become a popular “natural solution” worldwide to remove carbon from the atmosphere in order to mitigate climate change, many scientists warn than planting trees on natural grassland may create more problems than it solves. “We would lose a huge element of the biodiversity on Earth if we planted trees in old growth grasslands. I think we need to be a little bit more careful about what’s best for the globe, in terms of where to restore what,” warned Suding.



“Viewing grassland restoration as long-term assembly toward old-growth endpoints, with appreciation of feedbacks and threshold shifts, will be crucial for recognizing when and how restoration can guide recovery of this globally important ecosystem,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abo4605">Science</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;

Ancient grasslands take a long time to recover

Grasslands – which account for almost 40 percent of land-based...

On June 29, 2022, Earth recorded its shortest day on record when its 24-hour rotation was shortened by 1.59 milliseconds. Experts say this is a normal fluctuation that should not cause concern. At the same time, it may become necessary to add the first-ever "negative leap second" to the global clock - the International Atomic Time (TAI) - to remain aligned with the planet's rotation.&nbsp;



The accelerated rotation is baffling to scientists in the field, as Earth has actually been slowing down ever since its formation around 4.5 billion years ago. In fact, a leap second has been added to the TAI 27 times since 1972.



In 2016, a study led by astronomers at <a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/">Royal Observatory Greenwich</a> revealed that overall, Earth's rotation has slowed by about 6 hours in the previous 2,740 years. This averages out to a 24-hour day being lengthened by about 1.78 milliseconds over the course of a century, according to the <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/ancient-eclipses-show-earth-s-rotation-slowing">research</a>.



Now, a report published on July 27 by the Norwegian time zone tracking website <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/">timeanddate.com</a> said the Earth completed one rotation on June 29 in 1.59 milliseconds less than 24 hours. This report noted that it was Earth's shortest day since scientists began using atomic clocks to measure the planet's rotational speed.&nbsp;



Experts believe that there are a number of possible explanations, such as climate change, seismic activity, changes in ocean circulation, or the so-called "Chandler Wobble," which changes the spin of Earth on its axis.&nbsp;



'The Chandler wobble is a component of Earth's instantaneous axis of rotation motion, so called polar motion, which changes the position of the point on the globe where the axis intersects the Earth's surface,' explained Dr. Leonid Zotov of the Sternberg Astronomical Institute. 'The normal wobble amplitude is about four meters at Earth's surface, but from 2017 to 2020 it disappeared.'



Professor Matt King is the director of the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) and a professor in the School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences at the University of Tasmania.&nbsp;



"It's certainly odd. Clearly something has changed, and changed in a way we haven't seen since the beginning of precise radio astronomy in the 1970s," Professor King told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.



"When you start looking at the real nitty gritty, you realize that Earth is not just a solid ball that is spinning," astronomer Fred Watson told ABC. "It's got liquid on the inside, it's got liquid on the outside, and it's got an atmosphere and all of these things slosh around a bit.”



---



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

Earth just experienced its shortest day on record

On June 29, 2022, Earth recorded its shortest day on...

Agri-environment schemes can effectively boost wildlife populations without affecting food production, according to a long-term study from the <a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/">UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology</a> (UKCEH).



Since the end of World War II, major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-loss-weakens-ecosystem-functioning/">biodiversity</a> losses in the UK have been caused by the intensification of farming practices. In recent decades, agri-environment schemes have been introduced to help farmers manage their land in a way that enhances the landscape and supports biodiversity.



For the current study, the researchers monitored a commercial farm called Hillesden, located in southeast England, where wildlife habitats were experimentally created more than ten years ago. These habitats include seed-bearing plants for birds and wildflowers for pollinators. 



The results of the UKCEH study showed that the creation of wildlife habitats on the farm significantly increased local bird and butterfly populations without damaging food production. 



The experts found that the majority of species had greater population numbers at Hillesden compared to farmed landscapes without agri-environment measures during the same timeframe. For example, 40 percent of butterfly species at Hillesden increased in population size between 2006 and 2016, compared to 21 percent elsewhere.



According to the study authors, the abundance of the common linnet more than doubled at Hillesden. The yellowhammer and chaffinch also fared better compared to birds at other sites.



"Investigating changes in populations over a significant period of time, and comparing these with other sites, means we can be confident that agri-environment options can bring long-term term benefits for bird and butterfly populations," said study lead author Dr. John Redhead.



"Hillesden is a typical, large arable farm with conventional agricultural practices, in an ordinary landscape with no large patches of natural habitat. Therefore, it is likely that the results of our long-term study indicate what can be achieved on other commercial farms with good planning, implementation and management of agri-environment measures."



A previous study from the UKCEH suggests that crop production does not suffer from agri-environment measures. The research showed that overall crop production at Hillesden was unaffected by the loss of agricultural land for habitat creation. In fact, some crop yields were even boosted.&nbsp;



"The Hillesden study shows that it is possible to balance wildlife conservation with efficient food production," said Marek Nowakowski of the Wildlife Farming Company. "I am confident other farmers could achieve similar results with the right training and advice."



Robin Faccenda, owner of the Hillesden estate, said it has never been more important to balance profitable farming with increased wildlife delivery than it is in these challenging times. "My advice to anyone wishing to improve the wildlife on their farm would be to get good advice and create a range of appropriate quality habitats."



The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652664">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>.



---



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

Agri-environment schemes can bring wildlife back to farms

Agri-environment schemes can effectively boost wildlife populations without affecting food...

Scientists have long known that seagrass – the only underwater flowering plant on Earth – is not only vital for biodiversity, but also absorbs carbon dioxide, making it a valuable ally in the fight against climate change. However, by considering the value of seagrass beyond carbon removal in the context of the&nbsp;<a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals">UN Sustainable Development goals</a>, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk/">Swansea University</a> has found that, in fact, conserving and restoring seagrass meadows could actually contribute to achieving 16 out of the 17 goals.&nbsp;



“With the increasing realization of the planetary emergency that we face, there is growing interest in using seagrasses as a nature-based solution for greenhouse gas mitigation,” said study lead author Richard Unsworth, an associate professor of Biosciences at the Swansea University and the founding director of the marine conservation charity&nbsp;<a href="https://www.projectseagrass.org/">Project Seagrass</a>. “But if the ecological state of seagrasses remains compromised, then their ability to contribute to nature-based solutions for the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis remains in doubt.”



Since seagrass sensitivity to environmental stressors is acute, the risk of seagrass degradation and loss persists in many regions around the globe. Thus, fundamentally rethinking the conservation of this valuable natural resource is critical to understanding and safeguarding their part in fighting our planetary emergencies.



“Seagrasses are of fundamental importance to the planet but compared with terrestrial grasses, and even seaweeds, the body of research within seagrass is magnitudes smaller,” said Professor Unsworth. “However, there are substantial ecological, social, and regulatory barriers and bottlenecks to seagrass restoration and conservation because of the scale of the interventions required.”



“Now advances in marine robotics, molecular ecology, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence all offer new opportunities to solve conservation problems in difficult environments at unprecedented global scales. It is only by looking beyond carbon and recognizing the true value of seagrass meadows can we place it on a pathway to net zero loss and ultimately net gain,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abq6923">Science</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;

Seagrass is of "fundamental importance" to Earth's future

Scientists have long known that seagrass – the only underwater...

Rising temperatures pose major challenges to the dairy industry. For instance, the milk production of Holstein cattle can decline by 30 to 70 percent in hot weather. According to a research team from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>, heat-stressed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dairy-cows-exposed-to-wildfire-smoke-produce-less-milk/">dairy cows</a> often develop gut permeability (leaky gut), which contributes to a significant reduction in milk production. However, the experts found that milk production can be partially restored by feeding the cows organic acids and pure botanicals.&nbsp;



“This has immediate application,” said&nbsp;study senior author Joseph McFadden, an associate professor of Dairy Cattle Biology at Cornell. “And we hope it serves as a catalyst for the field and ignites further research into dietary approaches.”



Climate change is already causing reduced milk production in Holsteins, the dominant dairy cattle breed in the United States. Even in the New York state, where the climate is generally cooler, these cows’ health and productivity are threatened, since they start experiencing heat stress at about 75 degrees Fahrenheit.



“In New York state,&nbsp;we’re projected to have an increase in heat-stress events in the next decade, but the precipitation is supposed to stay. With major droughts and water demands in other areas of the country, there may be an increased emphasis on maintaining the strength of the Northeast dairy industry, but we’ll still have more heat-stress events, and we have to be proactive and ready,” Professor McFadden urged.



Heat stress is causing the cows to eat less, and this reduced food intake accounts for 30 to 50 percent of the drop in milk production. According to McFadden and his team, the remaining decline develops due to an increase in intestinal permeability, which activates the immune system. “The general working hypothesis was that an activated immune system partitions energy away from milk production to support immune function,” he explained.&nbsp;



“When the gut becomes permeable, it allows bacteria to enter the cow that activate the immune system and cause inflammation. But there had never been a study that directly confirmed that heat-stressed dairy cows developed leaky gut. Prior data only inferred this possibility.”



Fortunately, the scientists discovered that the consumption of organic acids and pure botanicals significantly reduces cows’ gut permeability and increases food intake and milk production, restoring up to three kilograms of milk per day. Moreover, cows kept on this diet showed increased nitrogen efficiency, thus reducing emissions of this harmful substance.



Further research is needed to assess the efficacy of different additives, and recommend changes to the staple diet of cows in the U.S. through optimization of the&nbsp;<a href="https://cals.cornell.edu/animal-science/outreach-extension/publications-resources-software/cornell-net-carbohydrate-and-protein-system#:~:text=The%20Cornell%20Net%20Carbohydrate%20and,supplying%20nutrients%20to%20meet%20requirements.">Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System</a> (a model used to determine what dairy and beef cattle should eat). “That model helps nutritionists formulate diets for cows. If we can improve that model and understand the nutrient requirements that a cow has during a heat-stress event, we can ensure she’s getting what she needs to maintain optimum health and performance,” McFadden concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-21820">Journal of Dairy Science</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;

Dietary changes improve milk production in heat-stressed cows

Rising temperatures pose major challenges to the dairy industry. For...

Beauty,Transparent,Drop,Of,Water,On,A,Green,Leaf,Macro

In a paper published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41929-022-00817-z">Nature Catalysis</a>, Dr. Shafeer Kalathil of Northumbria University describes new technology developed to help combat climate change and alleviate global demand for fossil fuels. Dr. Kalathil is part of a team that has discovered a chemical process that transforms <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sunscreen-ingredients-make-sunlight-toxic-for-corals/">sunlight</a>, water, and carbon dioxide into acetate and oxygen to create fuels and chemicals powered by renewable energy.&nbsp;



One of the advantages of this process is that it uses bacteria cultivated in an environment that doesn't need organic inputs, doesn't create harmful toxins, and remarkably doesn't require electricity. The main objective of Dr. Kalathil's project is to create another form of energy to complement renewable sources like wind and solar.&nbsp;



"There has been an increase in electricity generation from renewable sources such as wind and solar, but these are intermittent in nature. To fill the gap when the wind doesn't blow or the sun doesn't shine, we need technologies that can create storable fuels and sustainable chemicals. Our research addresses this challenge head on," explained Dr. Kalathil.



"Several incidents have demonstrated the fragility of the global energy supply, such as recent soaring gas prices in UK [sic], the outbreak of conflicts and civil wars in the Middle East and the ecological and humanitarian threat of a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima, Japan. The search for alternative energy sources is therefore of major global importance."



"As well as securing additional much-needed energy supplies, our sustainable technology can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and play a key role in the global drive to achieve net zero."



Tackling the global energy crisis will not be easy and requires a wide breadth of knowledge. "The aims of the HBBE fit with what we're trying to achieve with our research – to address key environmental concerns facing our society today and in the future. This emerging field of research represents an interdisciplinary approach that combines the strengths of microbes, synthetic materials and analytical techniques for chemical transformation, and provides an excellent platform to produce high-value, environmentally friendly fuels and chemicals at scale," explained Dr. Kalathil.



"We're already in discussions with international chemical manufacturers and cosmetics producers, and the ultimate aim is to develop our technology on a commercial scale."



The team hopes their findings will motivate up-and-coming scientists to continue searching for not-yet discovered energy sources.&nbsp;



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

Transforming sunlight and water into renewable energy

In a paper published in Nature Catalysis, Dr. Shafeer Kalathil...

While climate change increases the occurrence of torrential downpours and floods in some locations, it seems to be sending more frequent and more severe droughts to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazons-carbon-emissions-jumped-40-percent-since-2019/">Amazon </a>Basin. This has far-reaching implications for the rainforest because moisture is at the heart of its very existence. New research now suggests that dry spells in this, the largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest on earth, may cause more extensive damage than was previously thought.



Water that falls over the Amazon rainforest in South America moistens the soil and is taken up by plants. The water is then recycled, through evaporation and transpiration, back into the atmosphere, where it contributes to the droplets in mist and clouds. In this way, the forest creates its own weather, generating as much as half of the rainfall over the greater Basin.&nbsp; When less rain falls, the entire water cycle is affected – not only over the region that experienced the drought, but over large parts of the entire Amazon.



A team of researchers, led by Nico Wunderling of the Potsdam Institute of Climate Action Research, has now used network analysis to understand the complex workings of one of Earth’s most valuable and biodiverse carbon sinks.&nbsp;They have found that even if a dry spell affects only one specific region of the forest, its harm stretches beyond that region by a factor of one to three. &nbsp;As lack of rain strongly decreases the water recycling volume, there will also be less rainfall in neighboring regions, which puts even more parts of the forest under significant stress.



“More intensive droughts put parts of the Amazon rainforest at risk of drying off and dying. Subsequently, due to the network effect, less forest cover leads to less water in the system overall, and hence disproportionately more harm,” explained Wunderling. “And while we’ve investigated the impact of drought, that rule also holds for deforestation. It means essentially, when you chop down one acre of forest, what you actually are destroying is 1.3 acres.”



Extraordinarily dry seasons, that used to occur once a century, now occur twice a decade (for example in 2005 and 2010), and climate models predict they will become the new normal from 2050 onwards.&nbsp;



“These recurrent droughts are already producing quantifiable changes to the Amazon’s moisture network. We use these observations to understand and model the consequences of a future climate that resembles a permanent drought state," explained Henrique Barbosa, assistant professor of Physics at <a href="https://umbc.edu/">University of Maryland Baltimore County</a>.



In the Amazon forest, different regions experience different environmental conditions and the trees are adapted to these. Some parts already experience a dry season and have vegetation with a certain adaptive capacity. However, the researchers think that future changes in the moisture regime will run at a faster pace than the trees can adapt. “We specifically acknowledge these local adaptations as they can be a blessing or a curse under climate change,” said Boris Sakschewski from the Potsdam Institute.



The results of the network analysis reveal that, despite this adaptation, a future climate characterized by permanent drought conditions could trigger a transition to an open canopy state, particularly in the southern Amazon where human activity has already cleared large areas for pasture and crops.



“So we find that even the dry season-adapted parts of the Amazon forest won’t necessarily survive a new climate normal, and the risk of tipping into savannah or no trees at all is high,” said Sakschewski. “The consequences for biodiversity would be disastrous, but the same goes for the local, regional, and global climate.”



“Yet not all is lost,” said study co-senior author Ricarda Winkelmann. “That is because a good part of the forest is still in relatively stable conditions. The network effects of dry spells are likely limited to certain areas in the forest’s southeast and southwest –which happen to be those areas where the forest has been suffering from the human hand already, in clearing forest for pasture or soy.”



“There is still a lot we can do to try and stabilize the Amazon, as preserving it and its ecological services is of utmost importance for local, regional and global climate stability. And we know how we can do that: by protecting the rainforest from logging, and by rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit further global warming.”



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



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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

The Amazon is drying out, with far-reaching consequences

While climate change increases the occurrence of torrential downpours and...

Apart from providing clean food and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-make-water-resources-less-predictable/">water</a>, and countless useful raw materials, nature benefits human well-being in numerous ways. Nature may inspire us, give us a sense of place, a cultural identity and surroundings for recreation and tourism. It may provide us with opportunities for cognitive development, spiritual enrichment, reflection and pleasing aesthetic experiences.&nbsp;



Many of these nonmaterial benefits are difficult to quantify because they are spiritual or cultural in nature and may have different significance and value to different people. But it is undeniable that nonmaterial contributions from nature are hugely important in our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health.&nbsp;



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo </a>&nbsp;have now undertaken a systematic review of 301 academic articles on “cultural ecosystem services” (CES) that has enabled them to identify how these nonmaterial contributions from nature are linked to and significantly affect human well-being. Although hundreds of CES studies have previously explored the connections between nature and human well-being, these have often made use of different methods, focused on different services in different places and quantified the benefits in different ways.&nbsp;



This fragmentation has made it difficult to identify common patterns between studies and to understand overarching CES benefits to people. The current study aims to understand better how these intangible contributions from nature really affect human well-being so that policy-makers can make decisions about the environment that benefit all members of society.&nbsp;



Graduate student Lam Huynh from the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science at the University of Tokyo, and team, identified 227 unique pathways through which interaction with nature positively or negatively affects human well-being.&nbsp;



“We identified 227 unique linkages between a single CES (such as recreation or aesthetic value) and a single constituent of human well-being (such as connectedness, spirituality, or health)," said Huynh.“We knew that there are many linkages, but we were surprised to find quite so many of them,” said Huynh. “Then, through further critical reading, we could identify major commonalities.”



Through further reading, the researchers identified 16 distinct underlying “mechanisms,” or types of connection, which refer to the different ways that people’s interactions with nature affect their well-being. For example, there can be positive interactions through “cohesive,” “creative,” and “formative” mechanisms, but also negative interactions through mechanisms such as “irritation” and “destruction.” Ten of these mechanisms were newly defined, showing that our well-being is linked to the intangible aspects of nature in many more ways than previously thought.



According to the paper, the negative contributions to human well-being came mainly through the degradation or loss of CES, and through ecosystem “disservices,” such as annoyance at wildlife noise, which can affect some people’s mental health. On the other hand, the highest positive contributions of CES were to both mental and physical health, which were generated mainly through recreation, tourism and aesthetic value.



“It is particularly interesting to note that the identified pathways and mechanisms, rather than affecting human well-being independently, often interact strongly,” explained study co-author Professor Alexandros Gasparatos. “This can create negative trade-offs in some contexts, but also important positive synergies that can be leveraged to provide multiple benefits to human well-being.”



Despite the comprehensiveness of the review, the researchers acknowledge that they may not yet have identified all possible links between CES and human well-being.&nbsp;



“We hypothesize that missing pathways and mechanisms could be present in ecosystem-dependent communities, and especially traditional and Indigenous communities, considering their very unique relations with nature,” said Professor Gasparatos.



“Another of the knowledge gaps we identified is that the existing literature on these nonmaterial dimensions of human-nature relationships mainly focuses on the well-being of individuals rather than on collective (community) well-being,” explained Huynh. “This significant gap hinders our capacity to identify possible synergies and trade-offs in ecosystem management research and practice.”



The team has now received a grant to explore the effects of CES provision to human well-being in the urban spaces of Tokyo. “This project is a logical follow-up to test whether and how some of the identified pathways and mechanisms unfold in reality and intersect with human well-being,” said Gasparatos.



The researchers hope that this study will make it possible to apply the key findings from this complex and diverse body of knowledge to enable real-world impact. Study co-author Professor Kensuke Fukushi from IFI summarized their hope that “an improved understanding of nature’s many connections to human well-being, and the underlying processes mediating them, can help policymakers to design appropriate interventions. Such coordinated action could leverage the positive contributions of these connections and become another avenue to protect and manage ecosystems sustainably.”



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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

Nurturing benefits of nature are crucial for human well-being

Apart from providing clean food and water, and countless useful...

Demand for hops have risen significantly over the past years, as the craft <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lager-beer-is-beneficial-for-mens-gut-microbiome/">beer</a> industry has grown, largely fueled by hop-forward beers such as India pale ales. As a consequence, hop growers and breeders are increasingly focused on the aromatic potential of hops and their contribution to beer flavor. At the same time, the increasing appreciation for regionally or locally produced beer has provided growers, breeders, and brewers with an opportunity to add value to their products by better understanding hop traits which are influenced by a growing region, sub-region, or even a single field, thus giving rise to the concept of “hop regional identity.”&nbsp;



A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> (OSU) has now investigated the impact of the growing environment on the aroma of hops and beers brewed with them, and discovered that hops of the same variety grown in Oregon and Washington and the resulting beers have different chemical properties and aroma profiles.&nbsp;



“Like winemakers, brewers want to know: Will hops grown in different regions be different? And, if so, why?” said&nbsp;study senior author Thomas Shellhammer, an expert on the chemistry of hops at OSU. “This study shows compelling evidence that there are differences you can attribute to the region.”



Together with his team, Professor Shellhammer analyzed Cascade and Mosaic hops from the 2020 harvest year grown at 39 different locations in Washington’s Yakima Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley. By chemically analyzing the acids and compounds in the hops and convening a trained sensory panel to analyze the hop aromas, they discovered significant between-state and within-state differences for both varieties.&nbsp;



While Cascade hops grown in Oregon were characterized by strong citrus, floral, fruity, herbal, and resinous aroma, those from Washington displayed a more tropical and sweaty aroma. As for the Mosaic hops – those grown in Oregon exhibited a strong citrus, floral, fruity, and tropical aroma, while those in Washington had a more sweaty, vegetal, and woody aroma.



“These results will help hop growers in the Pacific Northwest of the United States as well as brewers utilizing hops from these major hop-growing regions to produce regionally unique beers or to blend hops in a way that results in standardized and constant beer quality,” Professor Shellhammer said.



In future research, the scientists aim to investigate whether regional differences exist among other hop varieties and between different harvest years, and to clarify the impact of environmental parameters - such as soil characteristics, the microbiome, weather, and climate – and agricultural parameters, including irrigation, fertilization, and harvest date.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03610470.2022.2089010">Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists</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;

Growing environment impacts the aroma of beer and hops

Demand for hops have risen significantly over the past years,...

As glaciers retreat due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-severely-impact-birds-by-2080/">climate change</a>, managers of national parks need to know what’s on the horizon to prepare for the future. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> has measured 38 years of change for glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park. The 670,000-acre park hosts various types of glaciers that terminate in the ocean, in lakes, or on land.



The researchers identified trends in the glacier types that are disappearing the fastest. The results showed that 13 of the 19 glaciers show substantial retreat, four are relatively stable, and two have advanced.&nbsp;



"These glaciers are a big draw for tourism in the park - they’re one of the main things that people come to see,” said study lead author Taryn Black, a UW doctoral student. “Park managers had some information from satellite images, aerial photos, and repeat photography but they wanted a more complete understanding of changes over time.”



Lake-terminating glaciers, which include the popular Bear Glacier and Pedersen Glacier, are retreating fastest. Bear Glacier retreated by five kilometers (three miles) between 1984 to 2021, and Pedersen Glacier retreated by 3.2 kilometers (two miles) during the same time period. Glacier retreat in Alaska is driven by climate change.&nbsp;



“These glaciers are at really low elevation. It’s possibly causing them to get more rain in the winter rather than snow in addition to warming temperatures, which is consistent with other climate studies in this region," said Black.



One surprising finding was that Holgate Glacier has advanced in recent years. Local boat operators had reported seeing newly exposed land near the glacier’s edge in 2020. The new analysis shows that the overall glacier has been advancing for five years, and appears to go through regular cycles of advance and retreat. The edges of most of the other tidewater glaciers were relatively stable over the study period.



The six land-terminating glaciers all showed an intermediate response, with most retreating in summer months, but at a slower rate than the lake-terminating glaciers. The Paguna Glacier is covered in rock debris from the 1964 Alaska earthquake which insulates the glacier from melting. It was the only glacier to advance during the study period.&nbsp;



These findings provide a baseline to study how climate change - including warmer air temperatures and changes in precipitation - will continue to affect these glaciers.&nbsp;



The study can support park managers by helping to quantify the changes that have been occurring. “We can’t manage our lands well if we don’t understand the habitats and processes occurring on them,” said study co-author Deborah Kurtz of the U.S. National Park Service in Seward, Alaska.



“These data will allow us to provide scientists and visitors with more details of the changes occurring at each specific glacier, helping everyone to better understand and appreciate the rate of landscape change we are experiencing in this region."



The study was conducted as part of an internship originally intended to take place at Kenai Fjords National Park. Instead, Black did the research remotely from Seattle and visited local glaciers at Mount Rainier. The project was partially funded by the National Park Service’s Future Park Leaders program, a partnership between the Ecological Society of America and the U.S. National Park Service.



The findings are published in the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-glaciology">Journal of Glaciology</a>.



Image Credit: U.S. National Park Service



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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

Decades of change: how climate is affecting glaciers

As glaciers retreat due to climate change, managers of national...

Recently, record amounts of foul-smelling sargassum seaweed have flooded huge areas of the Atlantic Ocean shoreline, leading U.S. Virgin Islands governor Albert Bryan Jr. to declare a state of emergency. In June 2022, the amount of these algae found in the tropical, central west and east Atlantic, as well as in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, reached 24.2 million tons – a significant increase from 18.8 million in May.



“If you put all this biomass side by side, the entire area is equivalent to six times of Tampa Bay,” said Chuanmin Hu, an expert in Optical Oceanography at the <a href="https://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a>. According to Governor Bryan, “the seaweed overrunning our beaches also brings the potential for disruption to businesses and other negative financial impacts to our economy.”



While the seaweed usually provides habitat and feeding grounds for a large variety of aquatic animals, such as crabs, dolphins, eels, and different species of fish, once washed ashore it starts to rot, emanating a foul smell and releasing toxic gases that can cause humans in their vicinity heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness. In addition, the large floating mats are clogging fishing gear and impeding navigation at sea, while the seaweed that sinks to the bottom of the sea could smother coral reefs and other ecosystems.



According to a 2019 article published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaw7912">Science</a>, sargassum seaweed – which was once predominant in the northern regions of the Atlantic – has become increasingly widespread in the south since 2011, most likely due to the unusually strong winds and currents the Atlantic experienced a year before.



Those hoping to have seaweed-free Caribbean beaches in the next summers should not set their expectations too high, warned Dr. Hu. Most probably, massive sargassum blooms in the coastal waters will become a “new normal,” causing massive disruptions to ecosystems and the economy. However, since seaweed has many uses – from being turned into fertilizer, bricks, or even tennis shoes to being eaten in salads – this crisis could also provide new opportunities.



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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;

Caribbean shores are choked by seaweed

Recently, record amounts of foul-smelling sargassum seaweed have flooded huge...

Many studies have shown that, in children, ambient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severity-of-covid-symptoms-linked-to-air-pollution/">air pollution</a> can lead to allergic sensitization, respiratory problems, and ultra-structural and cellular changes to their lungs and airways. Due to their higher intake of contaminants and greater lung surface area relative to their body weight, children are more susceptible to the damaging effects of pollution compared to adults.&nbsp;



A study led by the<a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/"> University of California, Davis</a> has now found children exposed to high levels of air pollution also have elevated markers of inflammation (such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Interleukin-6.aspx">interleukin 6</a>), and lower cardiac autonomic regulation, which impacts how fast the heart beats and how hard it pumps.



The scientists examined blood samples from over 100 children aged 9-11 in the Sacramento area of California where significant levels of pollutants were recorded by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA). The analysis revealed that 27 children who were exposed to particulate matter carried by wildfire smoke had markers of systemic inflammation and lower cardiac autonomic regulation.



“By examining daily and monthly levels of particulate matter in relation to children’s inflammation and autonomic physiology, this study further demonstrates the immediate consequences of exposure to air pollution, which may increase risk of future disease,”&nbsp;said study lead author Anna Parenteau, a doctoral student in Psychology at UC Davis.&nbsp;



“As climate change continues to impact children and families, it is paramount to understand the impact of environmental contaminants such as air pollution on children’s physiology.”



According to Parenteau and her colleagues, children exposed to pollutants released during wildfires are likely to develop long-term health conditions, including asthma, decreased lung function, and a host of neurodevelopmental problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, memory issues, and deficits in school performance.



Continued developmental research on environmental contaminants is necessary to sound the alarm about the hazardous effects of air pollution and inform policy changes that could promote long-term population health.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cad.20474">New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development</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;&nbsp;

Air pollution increases risk of future disease in children

Many studies have shown that, in children, ambient air pollution...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[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



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 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



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.

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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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

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