In an era characterized by rapid technological development and growing environmental concerns, photosynthesis stands as a remarkable example of nature's enduring efficiency and sustainability.



This fundamental process, which has powered life on Earth for billions of years, exemplifies a balance that modern science strives to emulate.



Consequently, the need for innovative and sustainable solutions has become more pressing than ever, driven by the urgency to combat climate change and reduce our reliance on finite resources. 



One potential answer lies in harnessing and replicating the natural processes that sustain ecosystems.



Mimicking photosynthesis may hold the key to transforming <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-hydrogen-energy-production-just-got-a-lot-easier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy production</a>, creating renewable pathways, and promoting a cleaner, more resilient future for generations to come.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-artificial-photosynthesis-and-clean-energy">Artificial photosynthesis and clean energy</h2>



In a decisive step towards the future, a team of brilliant minds from the <a href="https://www.jaist.ac.jp/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology</a> (JAIST) and the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tokyo</a> have taken a leaf out of nature's book. 



They have created an inventive new hydrogel that could drastically improve clean energy production by harnessing the power of natural processes.



This bioinspired hydrogel is capable of producing hydrogen and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-oxygen-discovery-deep-ocean-no-photosynthesis-baffles-scientists/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxygen</a> through a process that closely mirrors photosynthesis, offering a unique method for energy generation. 



Sunlight, instead of electricity, is used to split water molecules, leading to the generation of hydrogen - a clean, renewable, and efficient source of energy that holds great potential for future energy systems.



This is a remarkable breakthrough, as explained by Professor Kosuke Okeyoshi, who led the research team. He emphasized the significance of this achievement in advancing renewable technologies.



"Hydrogen is a fantastic energy source because it is clean and renewable. Our hydrogels offer a way to produce hydrogen using sunlight, which could help sustainably reshape energy technologies," said Professor Okeyoshi.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-behind-the-sun-soaked-gel">Science behind the sun-soaked gel</h2>



The hydrogels were developed by Professor Okeyoshi, his doctoral student Reina Hagiwara at JAIST, and Professor Ryo Yoshida at the University of Tokyo. They function based on their meticulously planned polymer networks.



These networks govern the vital electron transfer required for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/removing-carbon-dioxide-from-seawater/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water-splitting</a>. Packed with functional molecules, like ruthenium complexes and platinum nanoparticles, the hydrogels replicate photosynthesis. 



"The biggest challenge was figuring out how to arrange these molecules so they could transfer electrons smoothly," noted Professor Okeyoshi. "By using a polymer network, we were able to prevent them from clumping together, which is a common issue in synthetic photosynthesis systems."



“What’s unique here is how the molecules are organized within the hydrogel," said Hagiwara. "By creating a structured environment, we’ve made the energy conversion process much more efficient.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bright-prospects-for-clean-energy">Bright prospects for clean energy</h2>



This innovative hydrogel tackles one of the key limitations of previous artificial photosynthesis systems - molecule aggregation. 



By averting this, the researchers were able to enhance the activity of the water-splitting process and produce more hydrogen than older methods.



This discovery has significant implications for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bronze-age-technology-is-a-modern-solution-for-clean-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clean energy</a>. The dawn of a future where renewable hydrogen could drive industries, transport, and energy storage systems is closer than ever.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-artificial-photosynthesis">The future of artificial photosynthesis</h2>



Nevertheless, there are still hurdles to overcome. “We have shown the potential, but now we need to refine the technology for industrial use. The possibilities are exciting, and we’re eager to continue pushing forward," said Professor Okeyoshi.



Going forward, the team aims to accomplish precise integration within the hydrogels to further increase their energy conversion efficiency. 



Their continued efforts will be pivotal in bringing this innovative technology closer to practical, sustainable energy solutions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scaling-up-and-potential-applications">Scaling up and potential applications</h2>



While this breakthrough marks an exciting step forward, the path to practical implementation still poses challenges. 



Transitioning this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-hydrogel-can-extract-unlimited-amounts-of-water-from-the-air-even-in-deserts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hydrogel</a> technology from research to real-world applications will require further innovation and testing. 



Ensuring that the hydrogels can be produced at a larger scale and integrated into existing energy systems is key to unlocking their potential.



The promise of sunlight-driven hydrogen production could extend to various industries - powering vehicles, supporting energy storage, and fueling large-scale facilities.



If successfully adopted, this technology could significantly contribute to reducing dependence on fossil fuels and advancing global sustainability efforts.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/cc/d4cc04033c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chemical Communications</a>.



Image Credit: Kosuke Okeyoshi from JAIST



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Artificial photosynthesis could transform power generation

In an era characterized by rapid technological development and growing environmental concerns, photosynthesis stands as a remarkable example of nature's enduring efficiency and sustainability. This fundamental process, which has powered life on Earth for billions of years, exemplifies a balance that modern science strives to emulate. Consequently, the need for innovative and sustainable solutions has become more pressing than ever, driven by the urgency to combat climate change and reduce our reliance on finite resources. One potential answer lies in harnessing and replicating the natural processes that...

Urban areas are home to a large proportion of the world’s population and represent places where environments and ecosystems are altered to suit the needs of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-decide-which-plants-win-or-lose-and-most-are-losing/">humans</a>. Urban environmental change can influence evolutionary processes, such as the ways in which plants and animals adapt to local conditions and selection pressures. Most of the known examples of animal or plant adaptation to urban environments involve a single city, or a few cities in the same region, making it unclear whether species can adapt to urban habitats in similar ways across cities throughout the world.&nbsp;



This would be an example of parallel evolution, where populations evolve in similar ways in response to similar environmental selective pressures in cities all over the world. Urbanization can lead to similar environmental changes across cities, but whether this convergence causes parallel evolution has never been examined at a global scale.



In a study published today in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</a>, 287 scientists from around the world collaborated to test whether a common species of plant, the white clover (Trifolium repens), has undergone similar evolutionary changes in 160 different cities in 26 countries. The Global Urban Evolution Project (GLUE) was led by evolutionary biologists at the University of Toronto, Mississauga, and their report gives the clearest evidence yet that humans can be a dominant force driving evolution.&nbsp;



White clover is a cosmopolitan species that is found in cities and in rural areas all over the world. In addition, it produces hydrogen cyanide (HCN) as a means to deter herbivores that feed on its leaves, and to cope better with water stress. The collaborating scientists tested the levels of HCN produced by white clover plants in cities and in the nearby rural areas, with the premise that herbivory would be less of a selection pressure in cities.&nbsp;



The research found that clover growing in cities was, in fact, less likely to produce HCN than clover growing in nearby rural fields. The probability that a plant produced HCN increased by 44 percent on average from the center of an urban area to the furthest rural population, indicating that there is less pressure from herbivory in cities and more in rural ecosystems.&nbsp;



The results also found that clover growing in a city was more similar to clover in other cities than it was to clover growing in nearby rural fields, despite the fact that genetic exchange between urban and rural populations took place freely. This result indicated repeated adaptation to conditions prevalent in urban environments. Humans change urban environments in many ways, but the reduction in herbivores appears typical of cities everywhere.



“We’ve long known that we’ve changed cities in pretty profound ways and we’ve dramatically altered the environment and ecosystems,” said study co-lead&nbsp;author James Santangelo. “But we just showed this happens, often in similar ways, on a global scale.”



In addition to observing global adaptation by clover plants to living in cities, the researchers also identified the genetic basis of this adaptation. From the more than 110,000 samples of clover collected by the collaborating scientists, 2,500 individual genomes were sequenced and used to assess genetic differentiation between city and rural populations. This has created a massive dataset that will be of use to scientists for years to come.



“This study is a model to understand how humans change the evolution of life around us. Cities are where people live, and this is the most compelling evidence we have that we are altering the evolution of life in them. Beyond ecologists and evolutionary biologists, this is going to be important for society,” said Professor Rob Ness, who co-led the project with Professor Marc Johnson and their PhD student Santangelo.



The study was made possible by the collaboration of several hundred scientists from around the world, something that Johnson refers to as a model for inclusive science. Men and women were equally represented on the team, and it included not just established researchers, but also students at all levels and from all inhabited continents across the world.



“Nearly everyone we asked to collaborate said yes – and that was kind of remarkable, because we were asking people to take on a lot of work,” said Johnson, who coordinated the more than 280 other researchers who participated in the study. “Our collaborators recognized the importance of this project. There has never been a field study of evolution of this scale, or a global study of how urbanization influences evolution. It would have been impossible to do this without our global set of collaborators.”



Now that the potential impact of humans as drivers of evolution in city ecosystems is understood, this can be used to develop strategies to conserve rare species and allow them to adapt to urban environments. It can also help us better understand how to prevent unwanted pests and diseases from adapting to human environments, says Johnson.&nbsp;



“Urbanization is increasingly transforming rural and natural environments into unique ecosystems that Earth’s biodiversity has never experienced, and these changes are altering the evolution of life," concluded the study authors. "If adaptation to urban environments is common, then this could have cascading effects on populations and ecosystems.”&nbsp;



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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

Humans change the evolution of life around us

Urban areas are home to a large proportion of the...

Floating microplastics have been found to pervade the oceans of the world, including the Arctic Ocean, which is far from the sources of many of these plastic particles. The miniscule fibers and particles are carried by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-species-can-hitchhike-on-ocean-plastic/">ocean</a> currents and may drift for decades, eventually accumulating in marine areas and even becoming part of the animal species that live there.



Mats Huserbråten, a scientist at the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, teamed up with colleagues to determine whether it was possible that European rivers were one of the sources of microplastics that end up in the Arctic Ocean. 



The team developed a model that simulated the release of microplastics from 21 major rivers across northern Europe and the Arctic every day over a ten year period and modeled the movements of the floating plastics over decades. The experts then combined models of ocean currents between 2007 and 2017 with the simulations of floating microplastic movements.&nbsp;



In order to gauge whether their simulations tallied with reality, they compared the results of their model with the distribution of floating microplastics in 121 seawater samples that were collected from 17 sites off the west coast of Norway between May 2017 and August 2018.



The results of the research, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>, predicted that, once released from the rivers, most simulated particles would drift along two main pathways. Approximately 65 percent of the particles drifted along the Norwegian coast towards the Laptev Sea (north of Russia) before being transported into the Arctic Ocean, by means of trans-polar drift pathways. A further 30 percent of the simulated particles would drift along the Norwegian coast before moving southwards via the Fram Strait and then along the east and south coasts of Greenland, before traveling further south along the northeast coast of Canada.



After the simulations had run 20 years of data, there were clear areas in the world’s oceans where floating microplastics had accumulated due to the movements of the oceans’ currents. These areas included the Nordic Seas, the Nansen Basin in the Arctic Ocean, the Barents Sea and Laptev Sea – located between the Arctic Ocean and north Russia – and Baffin Bay, which is located between Greenland and Canada.&nbsp;



Data from the analysis of seawater samples collected off the west coast of Norway showed a distribution of floating microplastics that was consistent with what the authors’ model predicted would be the situation after 10 years of microplastic release from the 21 major rivers. This indicates that floating microplastics may have been circulating throughout the Arctic for at least the past ten years.



The authors suggest that the circulation of floating microplastics could have serious consequences for the health of Arctic ecosystems. Their noted that their findings highlight the importance of better plastic waste management.



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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

Arctic Ocean microplastics originate in European rivers

Floating microplastics have been found to pervade the oceans of...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.uni-mainz.de/eng/">Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz</a> (JGU) have collaborated with 32 scientific organizations to analyze the effect of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-social-nature-of-ants-will-them-tolerate-climate-change/">climate</a> change on Fagus sylvatica, a type of beech tree found in Europe. They discovered that these magnificent trees are threatened by climate change, especially in southern Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Beech is one of the most important forest species in Europe from an ecological and socio-economical perspective," wrote the study authors. "Beech played a dominant role in postglacial reforestation, rapidly spreading from its Mediterranean refuges to the central and northern regions of the continent."&nbsp;



"Currently, in the face of rapid climate change, beech may be endangered in its geographical and ecological range. However, the species’ resilience to predicted changes and its ecological plasticity across the distribution range are not well understood."



The scientists gathered 780,000 ring measurements on 5,800 beech trees at 324 sites across Europe, from the north of Scotland to mainland Greece to carry out the analysis. Not only were the researchers able to extrapolate past growth rates, but they were also able to predict future growth by looking at the growth record for the past 60 years.&nbsp;



By comparing two 31-year periods, 1955 to 1985 and 1986 to 2016, the experts determined that as time passed, beech tree growth had declined in almost all regions studied. In southern Europe, beech tree growth had been reduced by 20 percent.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Based on this information, study lead author Dr. Edurne Martinez del Castillo predicts that over the next 70 years, we will continue to see a considerable decrease in beech tree growth.&nbsp;



"We expect high productivity declines due to increased drought severity, especially at the southern limits of the beech's distribution range," said Martinez del Castillo.



"Even assuming a relatively optimistic climate change scenario, we will see sharp growth reductions of up to 30 percent in southern Europe between 2020 and 2050 compared to the 1986 to 2016 period."



Climate scientists base those numbers on an increase in warming of one-degree Celsius. However, a pessimistic model that expects a five-degree warming predicts a more significant loss in production. "In southern Europe, losses could even exceed 50 percent," said Martinez del Castillo.



Even in northern, mountainous areas such as Sweden and Norway, where climate change could boost beech growth, this growth will not counter the losses sustained in the rest of Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Moreover, this situation could cause a positive feedback loop because beech forests serve as carbon sinks. Fewer and smaller beech trees will lead to less carbon taken up by the trees and more in the air.&nbsp;



The researchers suggest that we implement forest adaptation efforts to avoid detrimental environmental and economic impacts.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications Biology</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

Beech trees in southern Europe are facing drastic growth declines

Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have collaborated with...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">CU Boulder</a>, researchers have compared the frequency and intensity of fires in the United States, including 28,000 fires from 1984 to 2018. The intensity of the fires was gauged by using a combination of satellite photos and federal fire records.&nbsp;



The experts found that there were more fires in the period from 2005 to 2018 than in the twenty years before. The study revealed that fire frequency had doubled in the western and eastern part of the US, and quadrupled in the Great Plains.&nbsp;



The results also showed that fires in the United States grew larger and ignited more frequently in the 2000s compared to previous years.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Due to climate change, fires are expected to increase and grow in intensity into the future. Their impacts are also likely to increase.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Projected changes in climate, fuel and ignitions suggest that we’ll see more and larger fires in the future. Our analyses show that those changes are already happening,” said study lead author Virginia Iglesias, a research scientist with CU Boulder’s <a href="https://earthlab.colorado.edu/">Earth Lab</a>.



"Anthropogenic effects are likely to have influenced fire patterns across the country not only indirectly through regional aridification, but also in a direct manner," wrote the study authors. "During the last 21 years, for example, human ignitions caused 84 percent of all fires in CONUS, representing approximately 40,000 fires per year."



"Concurrent ignition and dry fuels are prerequisites for burning. By introducing ignitions into dry landscapes, humans have tripled the length of the fire season and expanded the size of fire-prone areas. These ignitions are notoriously important in regions with sufficient dry fuel to support fires but where lightning concurrent with dry fuel is rare, such as large portions of the Great Plains and eastern United States."



The research also shows that the ecology of fire prone areas is already changing. Forests themselves are being altered by fires as well as by changes in precipitation.&nbsp;



“More and larger co-occurring fires are already altering vegetation composition and structure, snowpack, and water supply to our communities,” explained Iglesias. “This trend is challenging fire-suppression efforts and threatening the lives, health, and homes of millions of Americans.”



The researchers suggest that to properly control fires, their changing nature and the resources they impact must be taken into account.&nbsp;



“These convergent trends, more large fires plus intensifying development, mean that the worst fire disasters are still to come,” said study co-author William Travis.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The worst fire disasters are "still to come" in the United States

In a new study from CU Boulder, researchers have compared...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/">University of Liverpool</a>, experts set out to determine how ants will respond to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-is-not-the-only-thing-changing-the-behavior-of-birds/">climate</a> change. According to the researchers, the answer is complicated. Overall, they found that the social nature of ants will enable them to adapt to climate change in ways that will not be possible for solitary organisms.



"Ants are one of the most dominant terrestrial organisms worldwide. They are hugely abundant, both in terms of sheer numbers and biomass, on every continent except Antarctica and are deeply embedded within a diversity of ecological networks and processes," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"Ants are also eusocial and colonial organisms - their life cycle is built on the labor of sterile worker ants who support a small number of reproductive individuals. Given the climatic changes that our planet faces, we need to understand how various important taxonomic groups will respond; this includes the ants."



The researchers reviewed existing studies on ants and their response to temperature changes. The results of the analysis suggest that some populations should have no trouble adapting to a warming climate.&nbsp;



For example, ants that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungus-farming-ants-work-hard-to-maintain-healthy-gardens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nest underground</a> will be less vulnerable to rising temperatures. These groups will have the option to relocate to lower, cooler areas. Ants in the world's more temperate regions will also be able to tolerate - and possibly even benefit from - higher temperatures. 



“How climate change affects ant populations and the wider impact this will have on the ecosystem is not particularly well understood. This study sheds new light on this issue," said lead author Professor Kate Parr.&nbsp;



"Ants are the most dominant insect in almost all ecosystems and play key roles in many ecosystem processes so any changes to their abundance and loss of some species will therefore have cascading consequences through the ecosystem.”



“Our research highlights those species and regions at risk from climate change but also those that may be capable of adapting to it."



According to Professor Parr, further research is needed to better understand how ants respond to altered precipitation, carbon dioxide or ultraviolet radiation levels.&nbsp;



"Across the globe, ants are considered key contributors to many ecosystem processes, including seed dispersal, pest control, and soil bioturbation, and are thought to structure invertebrate communities via predation and competition," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"In consequence, changes to ant abundance and occurrence patterns due to ongoing climate change are likely to have significant implications for the structure, integrity, and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems."



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

The social nature of ants will help them tolerate climate change

In a new study from the University of Liverpool, experts...

A climate warming event 56 million years ago resulted from the release of greenhouse gases, most likely from a volcanic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tonga-eruption-will-not-contribute-much-to-global-cooling/">eruption</a>. The warming event, the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), also triggered ocean acidification. A new study shows that just before the PETM there was a short, causal burst in atmospheric CO2, with carbon levels similar to ours today.&nbsp;



“The PETM is an important geologic climate event because it is one of best comparisons to current climate change and can help inform us how the Earth System will respond to current and future warming,” explained study lead author Dr. Tali Babila, a postdoctoral research associate at the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a>.



To study the historic levels of atmospheric carbon, the scientists looked to the shells of microscopic sea creatures called foraminifera. First. foraminifera were collected in sediment core drillings off the eastern United States. Using a laser, the fossilized shells were vaporized and the pH levels were measured, thus revealing the extent of acid in the ocean and carbon in the atmosphere.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This had previously been suggested as a possible trigger for the large scale global warming that followed but scientists lacked a direct measure of carbon dioxide until this study,” explained Dr. Babila, “Usually, this type of analysis would require thousands of fossils which would not have been possible because of the scarcity of samples. Our novel application of the laser sampling technique is a major geoscience advancement bringing new and incredible detail never before seen in Earth’s past."



The carbon levels revealed a portrait of an Earth very similar to ours now in terms of greenhouse gases and global warming. Seeing this change in the past may allow us to plan better for the future.&nbsp;



“Whilst natural geological processes such as rock weathering and carbon burial eventually meant Earth eventually recovered from the PETM, it took hundreds of thousands of years," said Dr. Babila. "So this is further proof that urgent action is needed today to rapidly cut the amount of carbon being release into the atmosphere to avoid long-lasting effects.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fossil shells reveal details of historic climate warming

A climate warming event 56 million years ago resulted from...

Savannas cover about a fifth of the Earth’s surface, and have been increasingly targeted for their potential to capture carbon. This is because projections have shown that the world’s savannas capture 280 tons of carbon per hectare. Despite having fewer trees, this projection is the same amount of carbon stored in dense tropical forests.&nbsp;



One proposed strategy to address climate change is to increase savanna tree cover by planting new trees or by suppressing fires. This has been considered a viable method to increase the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide.&nbsp;



A new <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale</a>-led study of African savannas suggests that this approach is far less effective than previously estimated.



“Increasing tree cover in savannas, whether via afforestation or fire suppression, is unlikely to yield the substantial gains in ecosystem carbon storage that have been advertised,” said study senior author Carla Staver, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences.



Tropical savannas account for more than half of the planet's fire-related carbon emissions. This prompted researchers to question the projected benefits of afforestation (introducing new trees to an area that has previously not been forested).&nbsp;



The research team used data from an experiment in South Africa, where for 68 years, scientists have studied how fire management affects the landscape. This allowed the team to evaluate whether increased tree cover from fire suppression increases carbon sequestration.



To measure the amount of carbon stored in savannas, researchers used measurements of tree and grass biomass taken from the South African experiment. This was combined with remote sensing techniques and analysis of soil samples.



The results showed that frequently burned savannas store carbon in roots and soil more than previously estimated. Storing carbon in roots and soil occurred even when burns were prescribed annually. This highlights the importance and value of natural savannas in the fight against climate change.&nbsp;



However, it was found that suppressing fire to increase tree cover did not correlate with a consistent increase in carbon storage. For example, a 78 percent increase in tree cover only resulted in 35 percent more carbon overall.&nbsp;



This is equal to total gains of 23 tons of carbon per hectare. While this sounds like a big number, it is less than 10 percent of previous estimates.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Previous models relied on sparse data to promise a very large carbon storage benefit to increasing tree cover in savannas,” said Professor Staver. “But our direct measures show that these were not good assumptions.”



To understand how this impacts global carbon storage, researchers emphasized that this study should be replicated around the world. More data is needed to determine if other savanna sites respond in the same way.&nbsp;



“But the findings are substantial,” said Professor Staver. “We need to recalibrate our assessments of the role savannas play in the global carbon cycle. And we should not be relying on afforestation to save us from accelerating human-driven carbon emissions.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.&nbsp;



---



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

Savanna tree cover may not be a reliable climate strategy

Savannas cover about a fifth of the Earth’s surface, and...

Although heavy road traffic is most often associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-low-level-air-pollution-is-dangerous-for-health/">air pollution</a>, a new study led by the <a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/home/">University of Toronto Scarborough</a> has found that it is also a major contributor to water pollution. Chemicals commonly used in vehicle fluids, tires, and paints were found to be much higher in rivers located nearby roads with heavy traffic.



“We found a strong relationship between traffic and the concentration of these chemicals,” said study lead author&nbsp;Tife Awonaike, a recent PhD graduate in Physical and Environmental Sciences. “These roads also appear to be a major source of a surprisingly wide array of contaminants.”



The researchers collected a series of samples from Mimico Creek and Little Rouge Creek and found 35 different contaminants from chemicals used in oils, lubricants, windshield de-icing fluids, tires, paints, coatings, and vehicle furniture. After being emitted onto road surfaces, they get washed into nearby streams when it rains, most often together with road dust.



Such contaminants are highly damaging for aquatic ecosystems. For instance, organophosphate esters (commonly added to materials as flame retardants) or triphenyl phosphate (a kind of organophosphate used in electronic equipment, vehicle interiors, and upholstery) have been linked to neurotoxicity in fish.



“Urban waters in general are not in good shape. They’re really a soup of a whole slew of contaminants,” said study co-author Frank Wania, an environmental chemist at the University of Toronto Scarborough. “Let’s put it this way — places like the Mimico Creek are not very healthy bodies of water, and it would be very difficult for a healthy aquatic ecosystem to exist there.” &nbsp;



According to Professor Wania and his colleagues, in order to solve these problems, switching to electric vehicles will not be enough. Although some of the contaminants are related to burning fossil fuels, others found in paints, tire particles, coatings, or de-icing fluids are also used in electric vehicles.



These chemicals used to manufacture vehicles should be controlled by regulatory agencies and governments. Regular street sweeping could also help by collecting road dust before it gets flushed away in the nearby waters. Moreover, on an individual level, there are some activities that could help too.



“Regular maintenance of your vehicle is important. You can make sure to fix a leaky car or flaking paint chips,” said Dr. Awonaike. “You can also raise awareness about this issue. We don’t want these contaminants ending up in our water where they can do quite a bit of damage to aquatic ecosystems.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac5c0e">Environmental Research Letters</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

Road traffic is a major source of water pollution

Although heavy road traffic is most often associated with air...

According to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac4f10">Environmental Research Letters</a>, immediate action to reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-suggests-that-all-living-organisms-produce-methane/">methane</a> emissions could help preserve Arctic summer sea ice. While previous research has predicted that the Arctic summer sea ice may disappear by mid-century if no urgent mitigation actions are taken, scientists now argue that drastic cuts in methane and carbon dioxide emissions could help preserve the ice through 2100 and even beyond.



Preserving Arctic summer sea ice is important not only because it is a vital part of Arctic communities and ecosystems, but also because its melting could rapidly accelerate the speed of global warming. The loss of bright reflective sea ice will expose more dark water surface that, by absorbing sunlight, would create additional warming and additional permafrost thawing.



Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and is responsible for over 25 percent of global warming. According to researchers, during the next two decades, the methane that is emitted today may capture over 80 times more heat than an equal amount of carbon dioxide.&nbsp;



“Reducing current methane emissions represents a huge opportunity to help pump the brakes on global warming,” said study lead author Tianyi Sun, a climate scientist at the <a href="https://www.edf.org/">Environmental Defense Fund</a>. “Quickly cutting methane along with CO2&nbsp;is our best chance at preserving Arctic summer sea ice within our lifetimes and for future generations. We must do both.”



According to Dr. Sun and her colleagues, if we manage to reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 and rapidly enact methane reductions using all currently available solutions, the chances of saving Arctic summer sea ice this century could increase from nearly zero to more than 80 percent.&nbsp;



Preserving this ice is crucial for maintaining intact habitats for walruses, polar bears, and other Arctic wildlife, and for the well-being of indigenous Arctic communities that rely on hunting and fishing for their subsistence. Moreover, it could help deter geopolitical complications which could arise from open access to Arctic waterways.



The largest sources of methane emissions are cattle farming, leaky equipment related to oil and gas production, processing and transportation, and organic matter decomposing in landfills. According to scientists, the most affordable methane reductions could be deployed at the world’s oil and gas facilities.&nbsp;With existing technologies, this industry could reduce over 75 percent of its methane emissions.&nbsp;



Moreover, advancements in methane detection technologies, such as the development of methane detecting satellites, would make it faster and easier to find and fix this industry’s largest methane leaks.



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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

Reducing methane could save Arctic summer sea ice

According to a new study published in the journal Environmental...

Big trees play major roles in old-growth <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thirsty-mountain-forests-leave-lower-elevations-with-less-water/">forests</a>, from providing fire resistance to producing genetically strong offspring. A new study led by Utah State University’s <a href="https://qcnr.usu.edu/wild/">Department of Wildland Resources</a> has found that these trees also protect melting snowpacks in water-stressed environments.



Having a sufficient supply of water helps trees endure hot summer temperatures, survive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-is-taking-a-toll-on-the-wine-industry/">wildfires</a>, and fend off invasions of bark beetles. Yet, during hot summers, there is not much precipitation. Thus, maintaining a good, thick snowpack for as long as possible during the spring or even summer months is extremely helpful to the forests.&nbsp;



The longer the water is released into the soil and available to “thirsty” trees, the better these forests fare. Moreover, melting snow is also part of the runoff filling the West’s reservoirs and benefiting human communities.



Ironically, one of the biggest hindrances for building snowpacks in a forest are the trees themselves. Their branches catch snow before it hits the ground and give it back to the atmosphere through evaporation or sublimation. Moreover, large trunks emit a significant amount of heat, or longwave energy, that contributes to melting. For these reasons, the ground beneath large trees tends to build only a shallow snowpack.&nbsp;&nbsp;



However, researchers found that, in the case of big trees, the same wide branches that prevent the snow from reaching the ground directly under a tree also provide a cooling stretch of shade which blocks direct sunlight from melting the snow under a wide radius surrounding the trees. These savings can outweigh the detriment of canopy cover and longwave energy.



The scientists performed calculations to determine what a forest looked like that maximized the benefits of shade and minimized the negative impact of canopy and longwave energy. They discovered that big trees were surrounded by doughnut-shaped zones where snowpack could best endure – away from the longwave energy produced by the trunk, but still within reach of the cooling shade. The best forests for long-lasting snowpacks had trees spaced in such a way that these doughnut-shaped zones bumped up against each other, but did not overlap. However, in order for this equation to work though, the spaced-out trees need to be both big and healthy.



“Snow is a key resource for fresh water supply and ecosystem function. Our study highlights that conserving big trees - the very trees that often survive forest fires - in forest ecosystems where fire is part of the ecological cycle can help facilitate both,” concluded lead author Michaela Teich, a senior researcher at Utah State University.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/eco.2414">Ecohydrology</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

Big trees protect forests by maintaining snowpack

Big trees play major roles in old-growth forests, from providing...

A recent study showed that green spaces within 300 meters of one’s home can reduce the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-and-tea-may-reduce-the-risk-of-stroke-and-dementia/">stroke</a> by up to 16 percent. The research was a joint study carried out by scientists at the <a href="https://www.imim.cat/en_index.html">Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute</a>, the Catalan Health Quality and Assessment Agency (AQuAS) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).&nbsp;



The scientists analyzed air pollution exposure among 3.5 million adults over the age of 18 who had not had a stroke at the beginning of the study. The researchers focused specifically on particulate matter, nitrous oxide and soot near the study participants homes. This data was compared to the proximity of green spaces.



"It should be borne in mind that, unlike other air pollutants, which have various sources, NO2 is mainly caused by road traffic. Therefore, if we really want to reduce the multiple risks that this pollutant poses to people's health, we need to implement bold measures to reduce car use," said study co-author Cathryn Tonne.



The study found that the risk of stroke rises with exposure to each of the air pollutants considered in the research. In fact, the risk of stroke was increased even when the air pollutants were present in levels that are considered safe by governmental standards.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Despite compliance with the levels set by the European Union, we are faced with the paradox that there is still a health risk, such as the one we identified in this study, where there is a direct relationship between exposure to pollutants in our environment and the risk of suffering a stroke", explained study lead author Dr. Rosa Maria Vivanco, "The danger is still present and many more measures need to be taken"



Thankfully, the research had some good news as well. The study showed that the risk of stroke could also be reduced, by living near a green space. This research may be useful for the future of urban planning and to assist those who may be at risk for stroke and other health related issues.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international">Environment International</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Living near green space reduces the risk of stroke

A recent study showed that green spaces within 300 meters...

Lead is a toxic metal with no known physiological functions in the bodies of animals. In fact, it is known to have negative effects on most body systems. Once absorbed, usually through the gut after ingestion, it passes into the blood stream and then into soft tissues, such as kidneys and liver, and into bone. Although the levels in the soft tissues may decrease over time, lead poisoning remains in the bones of an animal for its entire lifetime.&nbsp;



Humans have a long history of lead use but, because of the known risks posed by this metal to human health, most of its uses are now strictly regulated in Europe and most other developed countries. However, this is not true of the use of lead in the manufacture of ammunition (shotgun pellets, slugs and rifle bullets). And although it has been shown that lead poisoning contributed to the population declines of iconic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-is-not-the-only-thing-changing-the-behavior-of-birds/">birds</a> such as the American bald eagle and the Californian condor, bans on the use of lead ammunition have met with little success in Europe.



Birds that scavenge carrion, such as vultures, may ingest lead pellets and fragments of ammunition in the flesh of animals that have been shot by hunters and then lost or left behind in the field or forest. Birds of prey (raptors) may catch live prey that have previously been shot by hunters but have survived. This prey may have lead pellets embedded in their flesh that have not killed them. Raptors will also scavenge when the opportunity arises and may ingest lead ammunition in this way as well, which results in poisoning.



Until recently, there was not enough data on concentrations of lead in the tissues of raptors in Europe to assess the impacts of lead poisoning on populations of these birds. However, a recent review of the topic has stimulated more interest. Although the review study documented tissue lead concentrations, it did not attempt to assess the numbers of raptors killed by lead poisoning throughout Europe.&nbsp;



A new study by scientists from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>, UK, has now compiled updated information on the levels of lead poisoning in 22 raptor species across Europe and used these data to estimate the impacts on populations of some of these species. The experts hypothesized that variation in lead poisoning between species and between countries is related to the intensity of hunting activities.&nbsp;



The researchers used measurements of lead concentration in the livers of over 3,000 raptors found dead or dying in the wild in 13 countries. This data had been collected by scientists in the various countries since the 1970s. They considered birds to have died from lead poisoning if they had 20 ppm (dry weight), or more, of lead in their tissues.&nbsp;



Their results, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/science-of-the-total-environment">Science of The Total Environment</a>, showed that 10 species of raptors are particularly affected by lead poisoning. The worst affected are species like eagles that are naturally long-lived, rear few young per year and breed later in life.&nbsp;



However, even populations of species familiar to bird-watchers across the different countries, such as the common buzzard and red kite, were affected. The researchers estimate that the overall European populations of these 10 raptor species are at least six percent smaller than they should be, due solely to the effects of lead poisoning from gun ammunition.&nbsp;



Europe’s white-tailed eagle population is estimated to be 14 percent smaller than it would have been in the absence of more than a century of exposure to lethal levels of lead in some of its food. Golden eagle and griffon vulture populations are 13 and 12 percent smaller, respectively, and numbers of northern goshawks are six percent lower than they should be. Red kites and western marsh harriers were estimated to have populations with three percent fewer individuals than they should have.&nbsp;



And even though common buzzard populations are only 1.5 percent smaller than they would be in the absence of lead poisoning, this still equates to almost 22,000 fewer adults of this widespread species, say the researchers. &nbsp;



A range of alternatives to lead shot and rifle bullets are widely available to hunters and some countries have had great success legislating for the use of these alternatives in hunting. Currently, only two European nations – Denmark and the Netherlands – have banned lead shot. Denmark plans to follow this up with a ban on lead rifle bullets. Both the European Union and the UK are considering legal bans on all lead ammunition due to its effects on wildlife and the health of human consumers of game meat. However, many hunting groups oppose this change, according to researchers.



The same authors published results of a previous study just last month which showed that over 99 percent of pheasants killed in the UK are still shot with lead, despite hunting groups urging members to switch to non-toxic gunshot in 2020. In addition, X-ray studies of wild ducks in the UK have shown that about a quarter of live birds currently carry lead shot in their bodies.



“The continued blanket use of lead ammunition means that hunting as a pastime simply cannot be considered sustainable unless things change,” said study lead author and conservation scientist Professor Rhys Green. “Unfortunately, efforts to encourage voluntary shifts away from lead shot have been completely ineffective so far,” he said.



“The kinds of reductions in raptor populations suggested by our study would be considered worthy of strong action, including legislation, if caused by habitat destruction or deliberate poisoning."



“It’s taken decades for researchers from across Europe to amass sufficient data to enable us to calculate the impacts of lead poisoning on raptor populations,” explained study co-author Professor Debbie Pain. “We can now see just how substantial population impacts can be for some of our most charismatic and vulnerable species - species that are protected by EU Regulation and the UK Wildlife &amp; Countryside Act.”



“The avoidable suffering and death of numerous individual raptors from lead poisoning should be sufficient to require the use of non-toxic alternatives. These population-level impacts make this both doubly important and urgent,” she emphasized.



The researchers also investigated the association between the number of lead poisonings in each country and the “hunter density. ” This was taken to be the average numbers of hunters per square kilometer in each country, using data from the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation. Not surprisingly, the incidences of lead poisoning were positively correlated with the density of hunters. In addition, countries with no hunters using lead ammunition had virtually no lead-poisoned raptors.



In conclusion, the researchers stress the importance of introducing and enforcing laws to ban the hunting of animals using lead ammunition. They expect that the populations of bird species currently most impacted by lead poisoning would be substantially larger if their exposure to dietary lead could be reduced to a low level.&nbsp;



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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

Lead poisoning from hunting is killing Europe's most charismatic birds

Lead is a toxic metal with no known physiological functions...

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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



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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> 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

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.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

[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features 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

[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center&nbsp;



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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