Researchers at Montana State University (MSU) have unearthed a remarkable ancient forest preserved under ice on the Beartooth Plateau, providing a rare look into how warming climates could reshape alpine ecosystems.&nbsp;



The study, published in the <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2412162121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, analyzes the remnants of a mature whitebark pine forest that once thrived at an elevation of 10,000 feet during a period of warmer temperatures roughly 6,000 years ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-exposed-by-melting-ice">Ancient forest exposed by melting ice</h2>



The forest, which endured for centuries before cooling temperatures forced it to retreat downslope, was sealed under ice approximately 5,500 years ago due to a shift in summer solar radiation and subsequent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-cooling-not-warming-caused-a-major-mass-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">volcanic cooling</a>.&nbsp;



“This is pretty dramatic evidence of ecosystem change due to temperature warming. It's an amazing story of how dynamic these systems are,” said David McWethy, one of the study’s authors and an associate professor in <a href="https://www.montana.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MSU</a>’s Department of Earth Sciences.



Unlike glaciers, ice patches do not flow and instead preserve deposited materials such as pollen, charcoal, and macrofossils in their frozen layers. These conditions allowed the forest to remain intact until recent warming caused the ice to melt, exposing the ancient remnants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collaborative-effort-to-decode-climate-history">Collaborative effort to decode climate history</h2>



The idea to explore the Beartooth Plateau for ancient climate clues stemmed from earlier discoveries by Craig Lee, now an assistant professor at MSU. In 2007, Lee uncovered a 10,300-year-old atlatl fragment in the region, suggesting that layers of ice held vast records of cultural and environmental history.



“Most of our best long-term climate records come from Greenland and Antarctica. It's not a small thing to find ice patches that persisted for that long a time period at lower latitudes in the interior continent,” McWethy noted.



Building on this discovery, McWethy, Lee, and Greg Pederson, a paleoclimatologist with the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Geological Survey</a>, began investigating the ice patches in 2016. By 2018, their team expanded the project to study additional alpine ice patches in the region.&nbsp;



This collaborative effort involved tribes, federal agencies, and multiple universities and focused on reconstructing the area’s long-term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-earths-temperature-has-changed-over-500-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate history</a> and its influence on Indigenous peoples.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reconstructing-the-ancient-alpine-ecosystem">Reconstructing the ancient alpine ecosystem</h2>



To piece together the story of the forest, the team examined multiple elements of this alpine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alpine-ecosystems-are-thrown-off-balance-by-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystem</a>. Using ice cores, they analyzed water isotopes and organic material, while Pederson harvested cross-sections of ancient wood for radiocarbon dating. 



The findings confirmed that during a period of moderate and moist climate, tree lines shifted upward, allowing whitebark pine forests to thrive for 500 years.



“The plateau seems to have been the perfect place to allow for ice patches to establish and persist for thousands of years, recording important information on past climate, human activity and environmental change,” Pederson said.



The study suggests that as today’s climate warms, tree lines could rise again, transforming areas of alpine tundra into forest. However, Pederson cautioned that factors such as precipitation, wind, and snowpack would influence the density, distribution, and composition of these potential new forests.&nbsp;



“Growing season temperatures are the primary control on tree line elevation and latitude, but other factors such as moisture, wind, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-driven-climate-change-is-to-blame-for-sharp-snowpack-declines-since-1980/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">snowpack</a> and human disturbance may play an important role in dictating forest structure and elevational limits,” he explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-alpine-ecosystems">Implications for alpine ecosystems</h2>



The researchers warn that these changes could have profound impacts on the region’s ecosystem and resources. Rising tree lines might alter high-altitude snowpack, which serves as a critical water source for irrigation and hydroelectric power.&nbsp;



Additionally, if forests encroach on tundra areas, they could increase the risk of wildfires due to changing fuel conditions.



Cathy Whitlock, a climate expert and MSU Regents Professor Emerita, emphasized the broader implications. She noted that reduced snowpack could strain water supplies, while McWethy added that the establishment of forests in tundra areas might fundamentally alter the region’s fire dynamics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-from-the-past-to-predict-the-future">Learning from the past to predict the future</h2>



The study emphasizes the importance of understanding past ecological changes to prepare for future challenges.&nbsp;



“That’s the reason why studies of past ecological change are more than interesting pieces of science. They have much larger implications for the resources we all depend on,” Pederson said.



As climate change accelerates, the Beartooth Plateau’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancient forest</a> serves as both a stark reminder of the Earth’s dynamic ecosystems and a window into the potential future of high-altitude environments.



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Frozen forest reveals climate impacts on alpine ecosystems

Researchers at Montana State University (MSU) have unearthed a remarkable ancient forest preserved under ice on the Beartooth Plateau, providing a rare look into how warming climates could reshape alpine ecosystems.&nbsp; The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analyzes the remnants of a mature whitebark pine forest that once thrived at an elevation of 10,000 feet during a period of warmer temperatures roughly 6,000 years ago. Ancient forest exposed by melting ice The forest, which endured for centuries before cooling temperatures forced...

Washington,Dc,,Usa,-,June,08,,2017:,An,Amazon,Prime

Although it aims to become carbon neutral by 2040 and power all of its operations with renewable energy by 2025, the retail giant Amazon’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-emissions-from-fire-are-controlled-by-soil-composition/">carbon emissions</a> grew by 18 percent in 2021, largely due to increased demands for its services during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to its latest sustainability report. The company revealed that it emitted 71.54 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent last year, marking the third straight year of increased emissions since 2019. Overall, Amazon’s carbon emissions have increased by 40 percent during the last three years.



“We operate businesses – delivery and transportation logistics, physical stores, grocery, manufacturing, and cloud computing services – that involve moving products, manufacturing goods, and creating computing capacity, all at scale,” Amazon officials said.&nbsp;“While some of these businesses – including cloud computing and e-commerce – offer greater efficiencies, some are more carbon-intensive endeavors.”&nbsp;



The company separated its emissions into three categories: emissions from purchased electricity, emissions from direct operations involving fossil fuels or refrigerants, and emissions from indirect sources. The largest growth was observed in the indirect category, from capital goods such as building construction, equipment and vehicles, and servers or other hardware.



In its quest to become carbon neutral, Amazon promises to construct more sustainable buildings, use more zero-emissions vehicles (such as electric delivery vans or carbo bikes), decarbonize its supply chains, and power all operations with fully renewable energy by 2025 (after reaching the milestone of using 85 percent renewable energy across their operations last year).



“The challenges we collectively face on the path to net-zero carbon are considerable,” Amazon officials wrote. “Many new technologies are showing promise in their ability to reduce carbon emissions, but may still require significant development. We need to both invent new solutions and scale and drive down the costs of known solutions.”



More detailed analyses of Amazon’s carbon footprint since 2019 - together with possible ways of reducing it - can be found <a href="https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/environment/carbon-footprint">here</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;

Amazon’s carbon emissions jumped 40 percent since 2019

Although it aims to become carbon neutral by 2040 and...

In the United States, lower-income homeowners have a greater risk of wildfire exposure, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a>. The experts report that these Americans also face canceled home insurance policies and rising premiums.&nbsp;



Tens of thousands of homes and livelihoods have already been threatened by this year's ongoing wildfire season in the United States. Deadly fires are currently raging in California, Idaho, and Utah, and roughly two million acres have burned throughout the region in the last month alone.&nbsp;



The researchers found that counties with moderate-to-high wildfire risk are more likely to have higher <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ambitious-climate-policies-would-help-reduce-extreme-poverty/">poverty</a> rates. The study also revealed that most of these counties are located in states that are dominated by just a few insurance companies.&nbsp;



“The overlap of wildfire risk, poverty and concentrated insurance markets should get people thinking about policies and interventions to help the most vulnerable homeowners,” said study lead author Matthew Auer.



The researchers compared the average number of acres burned each year between 2016 and 2020. They identified the 14 states with the highest wildfire risk in the country: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.



Across these states, there are 98 counties with a high wildfire risk. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed that about 60 percent of the high-risk counties had high rates of poverty. Only two of the 14 states - Oklahoma and Wyoming - did not have a high-risk county.



The researchers also found - based on data from the nonprofit First Street Foundation - that there were more counties at high risk of wildfire than what was previously estimated by the U.S. Forest Service.



“The First Street Foundation data should give everybody pause because in it there are entire states that have comparatively high wildfire risk,” said Auer. “States we tend not to think about as majorly susceptible to destructive wildfire are in harm’s way, including, for example, Nebraska and Oklahoma. None of us, really, in this day and age can be blasé about wildfire risk.”



The insurance companies that are not leaving wildfire-prone areas are raising the prices for coverage while reducing what their policies actually cover. According to the researchers, protection against wildfires may require government intervention in insurance industry.&nbsp;



“For folks who are in poorer counties, homeowners don’t have as much flexibility, and they don’t have the ability to afford all of the wildfire prevention strategies that may be required by the few companies willing to insure homes in wildfire-prone areas,” Auer said. “This issue hasn’t been addressed in some states, and it needs to be because the situation we see today is just going to get worse.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests">Forests</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

Low-income households are most threatened by wildfire

In the United States, lower-income homeowners have a greater risk...

Coaches and athletic officials in Texas would be wise to consider the risks students face as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humanity-should-brace-for-catastrophic-climate-change/">climate</a> changes, according to a study by researchers at <a href="https://www.rice.edu/">Rice University</a>.



A 22-question survey led by climate scientist Sylvia Dee received responses from 224 Texas coaches and officials, 51 percent of whom coach football. The results showed that while many are aware of the risks of outdoor workouts during the summer, not all are on board with adjusting for hotter weather. This is a concern, as climate change is already making Texas’ summers hotter.&nbsp;



For example, a 2021 report from the Texas State Climatologist’s office said Texans should expect the number of 100-degree days each summer to nearly double by 2036 compared to the average numbers from 2001-2020.



“It’s one thing to send out a survey, but we need to think ahead and have the tough conversations about what to do if it’s too hot to play football in the summer in the near future (or even now),” said Dee. “I want to hope that just receiving this survey got these athletic staff thinking about the problem.”



The survey of hundreds of coaches and athletic directors at Texas high schools, colleges and universities revealed that most are aware of the dangers of intensive workouts when temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit can put athletes at risk of heat-related illnesses.&nbsp;



Many are keeping a close eye on damaging heat, humidity and wet bulb temperatures and will adjust schedules as necessary. Surprisingly, some coaches indicated they do not acknowledge climate change or its implications for the health of athletes.



The study relied on simulations developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research to compare temperature, heat index, humidity and wet bulb temperature in Texas over two key periods: 1976-2000 and 2076-2100. The projections incorporated estimates for high- and low-carbon emissions scenarios through the end of the century.



The analysis showed that in the future,&nbsp; heat index values will regularly exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit in Dallas and 113 degrees in Houston, Austin and San Antonio - even in the lower-emissions scenario. In West and North Texas cities, maximum heat index values could be 30 degrees higher than they are now.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Wet bulb temperature is the temperature of a parcel of air at 100 percent humidity. This is the point at which we can no longer sweat to cool our bodies. According to one study, even the healthiest people would not survive a wet bulb temperature of 95 degrees for more than several hours in the shade. The wet bulb temperature is most important to consider for heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and exertional heat illness.&nbsp;



All survey respondents are aware of heat warnings and 88 percent indicated they factor those warnings into decisions on whether to cancel practice. However, only 54 percent take humidity into account, suggesting there could be a lack of understanding on how humidity affects temperature.&nbsp;



The researchers noted that “athletic staff placed heavier emphasis on and were more concerned about the impact of temperature rather than climate change.” Overall, 30 percent of respondents were “not concerned at all” about the effects of climate change.&nbsp;



There are state-level guidelines that discuss the risks of heat illness for various athletic activities. “But there’s certainly no acknowledgement of increasing risk in the future in any of these documents,” said Dee.



“It’s not surprising that it’s going to get really hot. But it was a little frightening that, in relation to the physiological limit, there’s a lot of evidence that it’s already too hot for student athletes to safely play sports outdoors.”



The research team is interested in a follow-up collaboration that goes beyond the athletic field.



“A lot will rely heavily on our colleagues in the social sciences and humanities to think about how we communicate the risks to people in a way that will help them change their minds.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/24711403">GeoHealth</a>.



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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

Many coaches are not planning for hotter days ahead

Coaches and athletic officials in Texas would be wise to...

The digestive system contains a beautifully dynamic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-pass-on-gut-microbes-to-urban-wildlife/">microbiome</a>. And when one element changes, other parts usually change as well. Dogs' guts follow this same pattern. With dietary changes, gut microbes shift as the different species find their role in a new environment. The change in microbial diversity affects what types of byproducts, known as metabolites, are produced in the gut.



Scientists already know this, which is why we are usually told to change our dogs' food gradually. Still, they were unsure how fast microbiomes adjust to a new diet.&nbsp;



"As long as I've been doing animal nutrition research, we've argued over how long we need to feed a new diet before collecting samples when everything's stabilized," said study co-author Kelly Swanson. "No one has ever tested it definitively."



The results of the study revealed that gut microbes in dogs are quick to find equilibrium. "Metabolites change really quickly, within a couple days. Bacteria responsively metabolize and deal with the substrates they're given in the new diet. Then it takes a few more days to sort out the microbial pecking order, if you will," explained Swanson.&nbsp;



"Our data show everything stabilizes by day six, so animal nutrition researchers could confidently sample and find a stable microbiome within 10 days."



To carry out their study, the researchers fed dogs dry kibble for two weeks and suddenly switched their diets. Half of the dogs ate high-fat, high-protein canned food, and the other ate high-fiber kibble. They repeated the study by swapping dogs with the opposite experimental diet the second time.



The experts took fecal samples two days after the switch, and every four days after that. They analyzed the poop and then linked metabolites with bacterial species, which is not an easy task.



"Oftentimes, we feed a diet and collect the feces, but there's kind of a black box in terms of what's going on in the gut. We know what some bacterial species metabolize, but definitely a lot of it is unknown," said Swanson."Our correlations are the starting point to connect some of the dots, but more targeted research still has to be done."



According to the researchers, the most surprising knowledge gathered from the study is just how quickly dogs' bodies can react to a change in diet. The experts believe other mammals could attain bacterial equilibrium within a similar timeframe.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study is published in <a href="https://animalmicrobiome.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42523-022-00194-9">Animal Microbiome</a>.



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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

Dogs can adjust to new diets very quickly

The digestive system contains a beautifully dynamic microbiome. And when...

Methane is considered the second most important greenhouse gas, after carbon dioxide. Freshwater systems account for 49 percent of all methane emissions. As a result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-could-reduce-human-risk-by-85/">global warming</a> and eutrophication, methane emissions are increasing.&nbsp;



Eutrophication is a buildup of nutrients in a body of water, often from runoff. The process leads to an overabundance of organic material and a lack of animal life due to oxygen depletion. Researchers at <a href="https://www.ru.nl/en">Radboud University</a> wanted to know if reducing eutrophication in lakes could reduce overall methane emission.&nbsp;



The experts tested 16 ponds. Some of the ponds were simply dredged, meaning that organic material was removed from the bottom of the lake. Others were treated with Phoslock (a phosphate-binding clay particle), and some were subjected to both methods.&nbsp;



“Dredging sediment from the ponds’ bottom reduced methane emissions by approximately 52 percent,” said study co-author Tom Nijman. “In the ponds where we used Phoslock, emissions were even reduced by 74 percent.”



“Phoslock leads to less phosphate in water, which in turn reduces the number of floating plants. Invasive plant species such as Azolla (also known as water fern) grow less fast with Phoslock, resulting in less methane being produced in the water."



"Dredging also allows us to remove organic material from the bottom, i.e. the carbon that produces methane. Our study shows that both methods reduce eutrophication in a lake, thereby also reducing emissions.”



Although this finding is encouraging, the researchers are cautiously optimistic. “These experiments first have to be repeated on a large scale. The first results are promising, but we want to measure the effect in more locations and over a longer period of time to see whether the positive effects lasts.”



Moreover, these techniques are costly and will not always be feasible. “An approach based on the use of Phoslock can easily be six to ten times more expensive than an approach that focuses on the environment surrounding the lake. This is not always possible in the Netherlands, think of lakes that are surrounded by trees or agricultural land, in some cases with little to no water flowing through," explained Nijman.



"In such places you cannot simply overhaul the entire environment, in which case it might be useful to use dredging or Phoslock. But in places where the environment can be adjusted, the latter is always preferable. Prevention is still better than a cure.”



This study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/science-of-the-total-environment">Science of The Total Environment</a>.&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

Study aims to reduce methane emissions from lakes

Methane is considered the second most important greenhouse gas, after...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – also known as “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-found-in-drinking-water-near-u-s-military-bases/">forever chemicals</a>” - are highly persistent human-made hazardous chemicals, which are currently spread globally in the atmosphere, and can be found in rainwater and snow in even the most remote locations on our planet. These chemicals have been associated with a range of serious health issues, including cancers, behavioral and learning problems in children, increased cholesterol, immunity problems, and infertility and pregnancy complications.&nbsp;



During the past two decades, guideline values for PFAS in drinking water, surface waters, and soils have decreased dramatically due to new insights into their extreme toxicity. According to a recent study led by <a href="https://www.su.se/cmlink/stockholm-university">Stockholm University</a> and <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html">ETH Zurich</a>, the current levels of PFAS in environmental media are now ubiquitously above guideline levels, defining a new planetary boundary for novel entities that has been exceeded.



“There has been an astounding decline in guideline values for PFAS in drinking water in the last 20 years. For example, the drinking water guideline value for one well known substance in the PFAS class, namely the cancer-causing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has declined by 37.5 million times in the U.S.” said study lead author Ian Cousins, a professor of Environmental Science at Stockholm.



“Based on the latest U.S. guidelines for PFOA in drinking&nbsp;water, rainwater everywhere would be judged unsafe to drink. Although in the industrial world we don’t often drink rainwater, many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink and it supplies many of our drinking water sources.”



By conducting laboratory and field work on the atmospheric presence and transport of PFAS for the past decade, Professor Cousins and his colleagues have found that the atmospheric levels of some of these chemicals are not declining notably, despite their phase out by several major manufacturers. Besides being highly persistent, their continued presence in the atmosphere is also due to natural processes that continually cycle them back to the atmosphere from the surface environment, such as the transport from seawater to marine air by sea spray aerosols.



“The extreme persistence and continual global cycling of certain PFAS will lead to the continued exceedance of the above-mentioned guidelines,” said study co-author Martin Scheringer, a professor of Environmental Science at ETH Zurich. “So now, due to the global spread of PFAS, environmental media everywhere will exceed environmental quality guidelines designed to protect human health and we can do very little to reduce the PFAS contamination. In other words, it makes sense to define a planetary boundary specifically for PFAS and, as we conclude in the paper, this boundary has now been exceeded.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c02765">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</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;

Forever chemicals are raining down all over the world

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – also known as “forever...

A research team led by the <a href="https://missouri.edu/">University of Missouri</a> has recently found a new method of assessing stress in plants: measuring levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) – a once maligned collection of molecules which are produced by anything that uses oxygen (including animals, plants, and humans), and were now discovered to have a crucial role as a communication signal indicating when plants are stressed out. Considering that plants are currently experiencing multiple stressors from droughts, heat, or flooding, these findings could open new ways of increasing plant resilience to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-produce-aspirin-in-response-to-environmental-stress/">environmental stress</a> in order to avoid crop loss.&nbsp;



“Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are key signaling molecules that enable cells to rapidly respond to different stimuli,” the study authors wrote. “In plants, ROS play a crucial role in abiotic and biotic stress sensing, integration of different environmental signals and activation of stress-response networks, thus contributing to the establishment of defense mechanisms and plant resilience.”



Although scientists have long known that plant stress is associated with crop loss, previous studies have typically focused on how crops react to just a single stressor. However, plants’ survival rates will often dramatically decrease as the number of stressors rises.&nbsp;



“When stressors from heat and drought are added together, plants don’t have ground water to draw from, so they close the stomata [leaf pores], and this makes the leaves become really hot,” explained study lead author Ron Mittler, an expert in Botany at the University of Missouri.



“This is why the combination of drought and heat is really dangerous, because the leaf temperature is much higher than with a plant subjected to just heat. The change can be anywhere between two and four degrees, and that can make the difference between life and death.”



Moreover, when the number of stressors further increases, the plants’ chances of survival diminish even more. According to Professor Mittler, the key to protect plants from environmental stress is to keep ROS levels in check. While either too much or too little ROS can be damaging, an optimum level will significantly protect the plants, increasing their resilience to a wide variety of stressors. Further research is needed to identify the optimal levels of ROS, and to develop reliable methods of controlling them in order to protect crops.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41580-022-00499-2">Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology</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;

Scientists find new way to measure stress in plants

A research team led by the University of Missouri has...

Eelgrass is one of the most widespread shallow-water <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-new-way-to-measure-stress-in-plants/">plant</a> in the world, with its range spanning from semi-tropical regions like Baja California all the way up to Alaska and the Arctic. While providing food and habitat for a variety of aquatic animals, eelgrasses also offer many services to humans, such as protecting coastlines from storms, sinking carbon, or reducing harmful bacteria in the water.&nbsp;



Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://serc.si.edu/">Smithsonian Environmental Research Center</a> has found that the ancient genetic history of eelgrass communities can play a stronger role than the present-day environment in determining their size and structure, as well as who lives in them. These findings could have implications for how well eelgrasses can adapt to imminent threats such as climate change.



Half a million years ago, when our planet was significantly warmer, some eelgrasses migrated from their homes in the Pacific to the Atlantic. Afterwards, a series of ice ages during the Pleistocene further affected how eelgrass populations spread, and ultimately left lasting signatures in their DNA: even today, eelgrass populations in the Atlantic are less genetically diverse than their counterparts in the Pacific. Thus, it appears that genetic legacy has a much larger role in shaping modern eelgrass communities than the current environment.



“We already knew that there was big genetic separation between the oceans, but I don’t think any of us ever dreamed that that would be more important than environmental conditions,” said study lead author Emmett Duffy, a marine biologist at the Smithsonian. “That was a big surprise to everybody.”



Since in most places where it grows, eelgrass is the dominant - or only - seagrass species, its survival is critical for the animals and people that live in its vicinity. The lower genetic diversity found in the Atlantic could make it much more difficult for some populations to adapt to rapid changes.



“Diversity is like having different tools in your tool belt,” explained study co-author Jay Stachowicz, an ecologist at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>. “And if all you’ve got is a hammer, you can put in nails, but that’s about it. But if you have a full complement of tools, each tool can be used to do different jobs more efficiently.”&nbsp;



Since ancient genetics can play such a strong role in the structure and functioning of modern eelgrass populations, scientists wonder whether eelgrass could adapt to more rapid changes. “I’m hopeful because our results illustrate long-term resiliency to repeated, major changes in thermal tolerances and the wide range of eelgrass habitats over about half the Northern Hemisphere,” said study co-author Jeanine Olsen, a professor emeritus of Marine Biology at the <a href="https://www.rug.nl/?lang=en">University of Groningen</a>.&nbsp;



Further research is needed to find out the best methods of conserving and restoring eelgrass populations. “Should you be restoring seagrass using plants from local environments, or should you be thinking to the future and trying plants with genetics better suited to future environmental conditions?” asked Dr. Stachowicz. “Or should you hedge your bets?”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2121425119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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;

Ancient genetics shape modern eelgrass populations

Eelgrass is one of the most widespread shallow-water plant in...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-could-reduce-human-risk-by-85/">Global warming</a> could become catastrophic for humanity, if temperature rises turn out to be worse than predicted – which has been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/07/19/world/uk-europe-heat-fires-weather">seen recently in the UK</a>, for instance – or cause unexpected cascades of events. Thus, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>, the world should start preparing for the possibility of a “climate endgame.”



The researchers call on the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) to dedicate a future report to catastrophic climate change - which should include outcomes ranging from a loss of ten percent of the human population to eventual human extinction -&nbsp; in order to galvanize research and inform the public.&nbsp;



“There are plenty of reasons to believe climate change could become catastrophic, even at modest levels of warming,” said study lead author Luke Kemp, a research associate at Cambridge’s <a href="https://www.cser.ac.uk/">Center for the Study of Existential Risk</a>. “Climate change has played a role in every mass extinction event. It has helped fell empires and shaped history. Even the modern world seems adapted to a particular climate niche.”&nbsp;



“Paths to disaster are not limited to the direct impacts of high temperatures, such as extreme weather events. Knock-on effects such as financial crises, conflict, and new disease outbreaks could trigger other calamities, and impede recovery from potential disasters such as nuclear war.”



By modelling possible bad-to-worst-case scenarios, Dr. Kemp and his colleagues have found that areas of extreme heat (with annual average temperatures of over 29°C) could affect over two billion people by 2070. The affected regions are not only some of the most densely populated in the world, but also some of the most politically fragile.



“Average annual temperatures of 29 degrees currently affect around 30 million people in the Sahara and Gulf Coast,” said co-author Chi Xu, an expert in ecological systems complexity at <a href="https://www.nju.edu.cn/en">Nanjing University</a>. “By 2070, these temperatures and the social and political consequences will directly affect two nuclear powers, and seven maximum containment laboratories housing the most dangerous pathogens. There is serious potential for disastrous knock-on effects.”



The scientists propose a research agenda including what they call the “four horsemen” of the climate endgame: famine and malnutrition, extreme weather events, conflicts, and vector-borne diseases. While rising temperatures could cause significant threats to the global food supply, hotter and more extreme weather might also lead to new infectious diseases outbreaks, as habitats for both humans and wildlife shift and shrink. Moreover, these climatic changes could also give rise to inequality, misinformation, democratic breakdowns, and even new forms of destructive AI weaponry.



Further research is needed to identify all possible tipping points leading to a “Hothouse Earth.” “The more we learn about how our planet functions, the greater the reason for concern,” said co-author Johan Rockström, the director of the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>. “We increasingly understand that our planet is a more sophisticated and fragile organism. We must do the math of disaster in order to avoid it.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2108146119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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;

Humanity should brace for catastrophic climate change

Global warming could become catastrophic for humanity, if temperature rises...

The North American West Coast is home to an underwater ocean highway - the California Current marine ecosystem (CCME), which extends from the southernmost tip of California up through Washington. Seasonal upward currents of cold, nutrient-rich water support a larger food web of krill, squid, fish, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seabirds-struggle-to-find-food-in-cloudy-ocean-water/">seabirds</a> and marine mammals.&nbsp;



Climate change and subsequent changes in ocean pH, temperature and oxygen levels are altering the CCME - and not for the better. In a new study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a>, experts warn that over the next 80 years, climate impacts will significantly affect twelve economically and culturally important species that make their home in the CCME.



The region can expect to see substantial losses of kelp, red urchins, Dungeness crab and razor clams. In addition, habitat for anchovy and pink shrimp is expected to decline.&nbsp;



The results demonstrate how complex climate research can be. For example, while some environmental changes will result in benefits such as a higher metabolism and increased growth, other changes are severe, and could decrease survival rates.&nbsp;



Physiological increases in size or consumption are not always beneficial. This is especially the case when resources such as food and oxygenated water are limited.



Of all the climate effects modeled, ocean acidification was associated with the largest decreases in biological rates in some species, and the largest increases in others. This emphasizes how climate modeling is critical to safeguarding coastal ecosystems and the future of fisheries.



These impacts will likely have socio-economic consequences across the West Coast, but they will likely not affect everyone and every place equally.&nbsp; Since the area is highly productive, supporting fisheries and livelihoods for tens of millions of residents will require the ability to predict expected change across a range of species. This could shed light on potential economic impacts and optimal adaptive measures for the future.



“The time to accelerate science-based actions is now,” said study first author Professor Jennifer Sunday..“Integrating scientific information, predictive models and monitoring tools into local and regional decision-making can promote stewardship of marine resources and contribute to human wellbeing as we face inevitable changes in the marine life that sustains us.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.



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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

Key ocean species on the West Coast face an uncertain future

The North American West Coast is home to an underwater...

People who live in socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods are about 20 percent less likely to conceive compared to those living in neighborhoods with more resources, according to a recent study from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a>. The researchers measured “fecundability,” or the monthly probability of getting pregnant without the use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-may-be-linked-to-female-fertility-issues/">fertility</a> treatments.



Neighborhoods were compared based on a measure of the socioeconomic resources in a neighborhood known as the area deprivation index score. Even among a relatively affluent, highly educated population, it was found that people living in more deprived neighborhoods had lower fecundability rates than people living in higher-opportunity neighborhoods.



“The world of fertility research is beginning to examine factors associated with the built environment. There are dozens of studies looking at how your neighborhood environment is associated with adverse birth outcomes, but the pre-conception period is heavily under-studied from a structural standpoint,” explained study lead author Mary Willis. “Turns out, before you’re even conceived, there may be things affecting your health.”



Public health research in the last decade has highlighted social determinants of health and that where you live is the greatest predictor for overall life expectancy, based on income, health care access, employment rates, education level and access to safe water.



“But the concept that your neighborhood affects your fertility hasn’t been studied in depth,” said Willis. “In addition, the world of infertility research is largely focused on individual factors, so when I came into this study as an environmental epidemiologist, I was thinking we should look at it as a structural problem.”



The study leveraged data from the Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO). The experts analyzed the outcomes of 6,356 individuals between the ages of 21 and 45, who were attempting to conceive without the use of fertility treatment.



The majority of people in the cohort were white, had completed a four-year college education and earned more than $50,000 a year.



Study participants filled out online surveys every eight weeks for up to 12 months, answering questions about menstrual cycle characteristics and pregnancy status. During the study period, 3,725 pregnancies were documented.



The participants were compared across different area deprivation index rankings at both the national and within-state levels, which used socioeconomic indicators including educational attainment, housing, employment and poverty.



The results showed that individuals in the most-deprived neighborhoods had a reduction in fecundability of about 20 percent compared with those in the least-deprived neighborhoods. The most-deprived neighborhoods saw a reduction in fecundability of up to 25 percent.



“The fact that we’re seeing the same results on the national and state level really shows that neighborhood deprivation can influence reproductive health, including fertility,” Willis said.



Fertility treatments are costly, and are often limited to families with significant resources. Investing in deprived neighborhoods to address socioeconomic disparities could lead to positive benefits for fertility.



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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

Where you live affects your ability to conceive

People who live in socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods are about 20...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aerosols-play-a-mysterious-yet-powerful-role-in-arctic-warming/">Aerosols</a> are tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere, which play a fundamental role in the formation of clouds. With aerosols significantly increasing due to human activities, many assessments of the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC)&nbsp;have suggested that these particles could have an important impact on climate change because clouds reflect sunlight and maintain lower temperatures.&nbsp;



A new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has found that aerosol particles in the atmosphere have a bigger impact on cloud cover than previously thought, but less effect on cloud brightness.



The scientists used 20 years of satellite cloud images from two different satellite platforms to compare the periods before and after the 2014 volcanic eruption from Iceland.&nbsp;



“This massive aerosol plume in an otherwise near-pristine environment provided an ideal natural experiment to quantify cloud responses to aerosol changes, namely the aerosol’s fingerprint on clouds,” said study lead author Ying Chen, an expert in aerosol-cloud-climate interactions at the University of Exeter.



“Our analysis shows that aerosols from the eruption increased cloud cover by approximately ten percent. Based on these findings, we can see that more than 60 percent of the climate cooling effect of cloud-aerosol interactions is caused by increased cloud cover. Volcanic aerosols also brightened clouds by reducing water droplet size, but this had a significantly smaller impact than cloud-cover changes in reflecting solar radiation.”



While previous models and observations suggested that cloud brightening accounted for the majority of cooling caused by cloud-aerosols interaction, this study sheds new light on the complex – and sometimes unexpected – ways in which these particles interact with the climate.



&nbsp;“Our earlier work&nbsp;had showed that model simulations could be used to disentangle the relative contribution of aerosol-cloud-climate impacts and potentially confounding meteorological variability,” said study co-author Jim Haywood, a professor of Atmospheric Science at Exeter.



“This work is radically different as it does not rely on models; it uses state-of-the-art machine learning techniques applied to satellite observations to simulate what the cloud would look like in the absence of the aerosols. Clear differences are observed between the predicted and observed cloud properties which can be used to assess aerosol-cloud-climate impacts,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-00991-6">Nature Geoscience</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;

Aerosols have a bigger impact on cloud cover than expected

Aerosols are tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere, which play...

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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



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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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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