Air pollution is a silent menace that can subtly worsen the heart conditions that many patients battle daily. Often, we are not aware of the full extent of this danger.



Unlike viruses or bacterial infections, which are more tangible and typically easier to detect and manage, this invisible threat arises from the very air we breathe, infiltrating our bodies with harmful particles that can exacerbate chronic heart issues.



A new study by heart researchers at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City finds that patients with heart disease, particularly those who have suffered heart failure, are especially vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution and poor air quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-air-pollution-and-heart-health">Air pollution and heart health</h2>



The results of the study were presented at the American Heart Association's 2024 Scientific Sessions international conference in Chicago.



The experts found that two inflammatory markers - CL27 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 27) and IL-18 (interleukin 18) - were elevated in heart failure patients who were exposed to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poor-air-quality-linked-to-cognitive-problems-in-infants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">poor air quality</a>, but did not change in those without heart disease.



This suggests that air pollution places additional stress on the bodies of patients with pre-existing heart conditions.



“These biomarkers rose in response to air pollution in people who already had <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-research-proves-that-air-pollution-causes-heart-problems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heart disease</a>, but not in patients who were heart disease free, showing that heart failure patients are not as able to adapt to changes in the environment,” said Dr. Benjamin Horne, the study's principal investigator, is a professor of research at Intermountain Health.



The findings emphasize the unique vulnerability of individuals with heart problems, and highlight the need for targeted protective measures to mitigate the harmful effects of poor air quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unraveling-the-research-process">Unraveling the research process</h2>



The retrospective study involved collaboration between Intermountain Health researchers and scientists from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a> and the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard School of Public Health</a>. 



They analyzed blood samples from patients enrolled in the Intermountain INSPIRE registry, which collects blood, biological samples, medical information, and laboratory data from both healthy individuals and those with various medical conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-air-pollution-peaks">Identifying air pollution peaks</h2>



The researchers examined blood for 115 different proteins that are indicative of increased inflammation.



The samples came from 44 heart failure patients and 35 individuals without heart disease. 



Blood was drawn on days with low air pollution (PM2.5 levels under 7 μg/m3) and days on which pollution spiked (PM2.5 levels of 20 μg/m3 or higher). This allowed the researchers to compare the samples and determine the effects of pollution spikes.



The spikes were due either to summer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preparing-for-disaster-raising-awareness-to-reduce-wildfire-risks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfire</a> smoke or winter inversions, where warm air traps pollution close to the ground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-proactive-measures-for-heart-patients">Proactive measures for heart patients</h2>



“It’s important that individuals with known heart disease, including those diagnosed with heart failure, need to be especially cautious during periods of poor air quality," said Dr. Horne.



"This includes exercising indoors, making sure to take their prescribed medications, and avoiding areas like roadways and highways where there’s a lot more traffic and pollution."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-air-quality-matters">Why air quality matters </h2>



The&nbsp;results&nbsp;of&nbsp;this study highlight a pressing need for enhanced public education and prevention among heart patients during times of adverse&nbsp;air quality.



Air pollution is an increasingly common problem, in both developed and developing countries. This is due, in part, to&nbsp;urbanization, industrial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-carbon-dioxide-emissions-hit-a-record-high-in-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a> and climate change. 



Individuals with heart diseases, along with many others, have increased susceptibility. The study reiterates the need for improved air quality monitoring and public health interventions that are centered on heart patients' needs. In terms of healthcare professionals, these findings pave the way for more focused education for patients with a comorbid condition. Physicians may advise that the suggested strategies be implemented, such as having <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bioengineered-super-plant-acts-as-natural-indoor-air-purifier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air purifiers</a> at home or not opening windows during days of poor air quality.



This proactive approach not only mitigates immediate health risks but also promotes long-term well-being for heart patients. In addition, policymakers may use research like this as the foundation for their advocacy of stronger air quality standards and environmentally conscious, sustainable urban planning that decreases pollution-emitting sources.



If&nbsp;stricter&nbsp;regulations&nbsp;on&nbsp;emissions&nbsp;are&nbsp;enacted,&nbsp;coupled&nbsp;with&nbsp;a focus on&nbsp;cleaner technologies, communities&nbsp;can&nbsp;protect&nbsp;more&nbsp;than&nbsp;just&nbsp;heart patients. The public in&nbsp;general&nbsp;will benefit by improving overall health, reducing healthcare burdens for governments.



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Heart disease patients have a unique vulnerability to air pollution

Air pollution is a silent menace that can subtly worsen the heart conditions that many patients battle daily. Often, we are not aware of the full extent of this danger. Unlike viruses or bacterial infections, which are more tangible and typically easier to detect and manage, this invisible threat arises from the very air we breathe, infiltrating our bodies with harmful particles that can exacerbate chronic heart issues. A new study by heart researchers at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City finds that patients with heart disease,...

On Monday, March 7, 2022, the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">United States Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) proposed a new rule to curb nitrogen oxide and carbon pollution from buses, delivery vans, tractor-trailers, and other heavy trucks. This is the first time in 20 years that tailpipe standards for the biggest polluters on the road have been tightened.



According to EPA officials, the pollution from diesel-powered trucks has a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and ethnic minorities who live near highways, ports, or other heavily trafficked areas. The surge in home deliveries during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-wreaks-havoc-among-immunologically-naive-populations/">pandemic</a> has worsened air pollution in some neighborhoods near the many warehouses built recently to satisfy America’s rise in online shopping habits.



“Seventy-two million people are estimated to live near truck freight routes in America, and they are more likely to be people of color and those with lower incomes,” said Michael S. Regan, the EPA administrator.&nbsp;



“These overburdened communities are directly exposed to pollution that causes respiratory and cardiovascular problems, among other serious and costly health effects. These new standards will drastically cut dangerous pollution by harnessing recent advancements in vehicle technologies from across the trucking industry as it advances toward a zero-emissions transportation future.”&nbsp;



EPA’s new draft rule would require heavy-duty trucks to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions by 90 percent by 2031, as well as to continue to reduce carbon dioxide emissions starting in 2024. According to EPA estimates, these new limits could prevent up to 2,100 premature deaths, 6,700 hospitalizations and ER visits, 18,000 cases of asthma in children, 78,000 lost days of work, and 1.1 million lost school days by 2045. Moreover, the economic benefits of the rules could be up to $250 billion.



Public health officials welcomed this first step in EPA’s “<a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-stronger-standards-heavy-duty-vehicles-promote-clean-air-protect">Clean Trucks Plan</a>”&nbsp; - a series of clean air and climate regulations which will be developed in the following three years to reduce pollution from heavy vehicles. “Cleaning up trucks is a critical step to achieving the president’s vision not only of environmental justice but also the cancer moonshot,” said Paul Billings, a senior vice president at the <a href="https://www.lung.org/">American Lung Association</a>. “Diesel gas is a known carcinogen.”



However, many truckers and manufacturers consider the new rule too stringent and costly. “This new standard simply may not be technologically feasible,” said Jed Mandel, president of the <a href="http://www.truckandenginemanufacturers.org/">Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association</a>. “We’re worried about the cost. There is a potential of adverse impacts on the economy and jobs.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



Regardless of the costs though, EPA’s new step towards the transition to a future of zero-pollution vehicles is timely and should be implemented as soon as possible in order to protect the health of millions of people and the environment. The <a href="https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/proposed-rule-and-related-materials-control-air-1">rule</a> will be open for public comment for 46 days, and hopefully finalized by the end of 2022.&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

Biden administration moves to curb emissions from heavy trucks

On Monday, March 7, 2022, the United States Environmental Protection...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a>, experts have confirmed that potted houseplants can substantially improve indoor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/better-air-quality-linked-to-lower-dementia-risk/">air quality</a> in homes and offices. The researchers found that houseplants were particularly effective in reducing levels of nitrogen dioxide. 



"Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a significant pollutant in both outdoor and indoor environments with exposure linked to serious respiratory illnesses, decreased lung function and airway inflammation," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Here, we investigate whether potted plants can contribute as a simple and cost-effective indoor air pollution mitigation technique."



The researchers conducted a series of experiments in which they monitored common houseplants that were exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The results suggest that plants can remove NO2 by up to 20 percent, depending on the conditions.&nbsp;



The study was focused on three species of houseplants: Spathiphyllum wallisii (peace lily), Dracaena fragrans (corn plant), and Zamioculcas zamiifolia (fern arum). The plants were individually placed in chambers which contained an amount of NO2 that could be realistically found in an office on a busy street.&nbsp;



The experiment showed that all of the plants, regardless of species, were able to remove around half the NO2 in the chamber within just one hour. &nbsp;



“The plants we chose were all very different from each other, yet they all showed strikingly similar abilities to remove NO2 from the atmosphere," said lead researcher Dr. Christian Pfrang.



"This is very different from the way indoor plants take up CO2 in our earlier work, which is strongly dependent on environmental factors such as night time or daytime, or soil water content.”



Based on the results of the experiment, the experts estimated how the plants would affect air in a small- or medium-sized office with different levels of ventilation. The team calculated that in a poorly ventilated small office with high levels of air pollution, five houseplants could reduce NO2 levels by around 20 percent.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The ability of houseplants to quickly and effectively remove nitrogen dioxide are clear, but the underlying mechanism remains a mystery.



"We don’t think the plants are using the same process as they do for CO2 uptake, in which the gas is absorbed through stomata - tiny holes - in the leaves," explained Dr. Pfrang.



"There was no indication, even during longer experiments, that our plants released the NO2 back into the atmosphere, so there is likely a biological process taking place also involving the soil the plant grows in - but we don’t yet know what that is.”



Dr. Tijana Blanusa is the principal horticultural scientist at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and one of the researchers involved in the study. He said the research complements RHS efforts to understand scientific detail behind what we know to be a popular passion. "Understanding the limits of what we can expect from plants helps us plan and advise on planting combinations that not only look good but also provide an important environmental service.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/11869">Air Quality Atmosphere &amp; Health</a>.



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

Houseplants can instantly reduce indoor air pollution

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

Less than a week into the new year of 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/lawsuit-launched-challenging-epas-failure-to-protect-endangered-species-from-hundreds-of-harmful-pyrethroid-pesticides-2022-01-06/">the Center for Biological Diversity announced its intention to sue</a>&nbsp;the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approving 300 pyrethroid insecticides over the past six years, without considering their potential harm to endangered species. The EPA is no stranger to such lawsuits; environmental groups have&nbsp;<a href="https://cen.acs.org/articles/89/i38/Pesticides-Endangered-Species.html">sued the agency repeatedly for decades</a>&nbsp;for failing to comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) when registering pesticides. The law requires the EPA to consult with other federal agencies when a pesticide has the potential to harm endangered species or their critical habitats, but the agency has rarely done this without litigation first being initiated.&nbsp;



But now, in what can be described as a paradigm shift, the EPA is taking the issue seriously and is being more proactive about assessing these substances’ compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), according to a feature article in&nbsp;Chemical &amp; Engineering News, an independent news outlet of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>.



Senior Editor Britt E. Erickson writes that in&nbsp;January 2022, the agency rolled out a policy stating it would now evaluate how active ingredients could impact endangered species before new pesticides are introduced to the market, instead of waiting to be sued after products are already commercially available. The EPA also appointed Ya-Wei “Jake” Li, a lawyer with experience in chemical regulation and endangered species conservation, as deputy assistant administrator for pesticide programs. Li’s top priority is improving the pesticide office’s compliance with the ESA.



“Incorporating ESA assessments into the registration process for new pesticides is a key component of EPA’s larger effort to meet the Agency’s ESA obligations efficiently and effectively,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-endangered-species-act-protection-policy-new-pesticides">Li said in a Jan. 11 statement announcing the policy</a>.



With the new policy, EPA also committed to consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service when appropriate. This is the process that is meant to take place when assessing the potential effects of a new pesticide, but it has not been successfully employed in many instances in the past. One of the issues is that the different agencies use different methods and criteria to determine the thresholds and risks of a pesticide for endangered species.&nbsp;



For example, in the case of malathion, the EPA predicted that nearly all endangered species would be negatively impacted, whereas the Fish and Wildlife Service stated that less than 5 percent would experience such consequences. Some groups say that the EPA’s models overestimate pesticide usage and potential impacts, forcing companies and farmers to use mitigation measures that aren’t necessary. In the meantime, litigation is likely to continue as a way to keep focusing attention on the issue.



Some environmental groups welcome the EPA’s change in approach, but are worried that the policy will only be applied to include new pesticide products, and not to the countless, toxic products already on the market.&nbsp;



The Center for Biological Diversity is urging the EPA to systematically evaluate pesticides by class for their potential to harm endangered species. In its latest intent-to-sue notice to the EPA, the group suggests starting with pyrethroids because of their acute toxicity to several endangered species.



“Despite pyrethroid pesticides representing one of the most dangerous and harmful groups of pesticides for aquatic wildlife, as well as causing significant harm to other wildlife and plants, the EPA has failed to take a single action to implement any on-the-ground conservation actions to protect any endangered species from these toxic chemicals,” the Center writes in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/pesticides_reduction/pdfs/Center-Notice-of-Intent-to-Sue-on-Pyrethroid-Class-of-Pesticides.pdf">Jan. 6 letter to EPA</a>&nbsp;administrator Michael Regan.



Although stakeholders are generally encouraged that the EPA is talking to parties on all sides of the issue in order to chart a path forward, they remain doubtful that this will be the year that the agency comes up with a workable plan to address the risks of pesticides to endangered species.&nbsp;



According to Hartl of the Center for Biological Diversity, if the agency fails to address the backlog of pesticides that have not undergone endangered species consultations, “we’ll bring lawsuits, class by class, to address the violations and force a queue to develop. We really do want to make sure that the most important places are protected,” he says, so that there aren’t “spraying or applications happening in a way that pushes species towards extinction.”



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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

EPA takes new stance on pesticide risks to endangered species

Less than a week into the new year of 2022,&nbsp;the...

A new analysis of high-resolution satellite images of the Amazon rainforest’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vegetation-helps-wild-honeybees-survive-the-winter/" data-type="news" data-id="1904584">vegetation</a> indicates that the forest is losing its resilience as it becomes less able to recover from perturbations such as droughts and fires. Ultimately, the forest is in danger of dying back and being replaced by drier habitat such as savannah.&nbsp;



This is the conclusion reached by Chris Boulton and Tim Lenton from the Exeter University and Niklas Boers of the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK). The researchers analyzed 30 years of satellite data in terms of forest biomass and greenness (productivity), and observed that about three quarters of the forest has shown signs of resilience loss since the early 2000s.&nbsp;



“Reduced resilience - the ability to recover from perturbations like droughts or fires - can mean an increased risk of dieback of the Amazon rainforest. That we see such a resilience loss in observations is worrying,” said Boers.&nbsp;



“The Amazon rainforest is home to a unique host of biodiversity, strongly influences rainfall all over South America by way of its enormous evapotranspiration, and stores huge amounts of carbon that could be released as greenhouse gases in the case of even partial dieback, in turn contributing to further global warming. This is why the rainforest is of global relevance.”



The results, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>, also indicate that the loss of ability to return to a previous equilibrium state has brought the forest closer to a tipping point, where it could undergo a sudden transition to a completely different habitat. The Amazon has long been considered vulnerable to the kinds of ecosystem changes that would result in loss of function, and a number of previous studies have highlighted this vulnerability.&nbsp;



“However, computer simulation studies of its future yield quite a range of results,” said Boers. “We’ve therefore been looking into specific observational data for signs of resilience changes during the last decades. We see continuously decreasing rainforest resilience since the early 2000s, but we cannot tell when a potential transition from rainforest to savanna might happen. When it will be observable, it would likely be too late to stop it.”



The research team used stability indicators that had previously been applied to monitor changes in the Greenland ice sheet and the Atlantic overturning circulation. These statistical indicators aim to predict the approach of a system towards a tipping point by identifying a critical slowing down of the system’s dynamics. The analysis of the two satellite data sets, representing biomass and the greenness of the Amazon forest, revealed the critical slowing down of the forest’s ability to recover after disturbances such as fire and drought.&nbsp;



”Our study shows that the Amazon is approaching a tipping point, but also that it has likely not yet crossed it,” said Boers.



To try and determine the reasons for the forest’s loss of resilience, the researchers explored its relation to rainfall in a given area in the Amazon that had experienced three ‘once in a century’ drought events. They found that drier areas are more at risk of resilience loss than wetter ones. “This is alarming, as the IPCC models project an overall drying of the Amazon region in response to anthropogenic global warming,” said Boers.&nbsp;



Another factor is the distance of an area to roads and settlements from where people can access the forest. More pronounced losses of forest biomass and productivity were observed within 200 kilometers of human land use, such as large farms and settlements. This illustrates the urgent need to minimize human land use in the Amazon region, as well as to limit greenhouse gas emissions globally.&nbsp;



“Our novel analysis of empirical data brings additional evidence to the worries about the forest’s resilience, especially in the near future,” said Lenton, Director of the Global Systems Institute. “It confirms that strongly limiting the logging, but also limiting global greenhouse gas emissions, is necessary to safeguard the Amazon.”&nbsp;



The research is part of the Tipping Points in the Earth System (TiPES) project, which is funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 program.



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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&nbsp;

Amazon rainforest is creeping closer to a tipping point

A new analysis of high-resolution satellite images of the Amazon...

Climate change is expected to lead to a significant increase in temperature-related mortality, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> (UCL) and the University of Reading. Researchers estimate that, under a warming scenario of 2°C from pre-industrial levels, temperature-related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-pollution-increases-mortality/">mortality</a> in England and Wales during the hottest days of the year will increase by 42 percent, leading to around 166 deaths per day.



At the current global warming level of approximately 1.21°C there is a slight decrease in temperature-related mortality in winter and a minimal increase in the summer. However, scientists argue that mortality rates may increase exponentially if temperatures rise above 2°C, with a 3°C warming leading to a 75 percent spike in mortality risk during heatwaves.



“The increase in mortality risk under current warming levels is mainly notable during heatwaves, but with further warming, we would see risk rise on average summer days in addition to escalating risks during heatwaves,” said study lead author Dr. Katty Huang, a postdoctoral researcher in Meteorology at UCL.



“What this means is that we shouldn’t expect past trends of impact per degree of warming to apply in the future. One degree of global warming beyond 2°C would have a much more severe impact on health in England and Wales than one degree warming from pre-industrial levels, with implications for how the NHS can cope.”



In England and Wales, temperature is currently associated with around nine percent of total population mortality. However, most of these deaths are related to the side effects of cold weather. As this new study shows, if climate change is not urgently curbed, this situation can change dramatically.



“As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change impacts report recently showed, it is increasingly common to examine how different levels of mean global warming raise the risk of significant harm to people and society,” explained study senior author Andrew Charlton-Perez, a professor of Meteorology at the University of Reading.



“Our study shows that because death rates will go up significantly if countries experience very high temperatures, limiting the average global rise in temperatures is likely to have substantial benefits for the overall health of the population.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac50d5">Environmental Research Letters</a>.&nbsp;&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

Temperature-related deaths could rise exponentially

Climate change is expected to lead to a significant increase...

Trees sprout and grow earlier in a warming <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-alter-outdoor-recreation-in-the-west/">climate</a>, but how this change affects overall tree growth is still unclear. A study conducted by Professor Eryuan Liang suggests that trees may benefit from an earlier growing season in cold and humid locations. Those in areas with dryer climates, however, will not necessarily benefit from the earlier springs associated with a warming climate.&nbsp;



To conduct the study, Professor Liang and his team at the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) at the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> looked at growth rings from trees worldwide and compared them based on latitude. In particular, they were looking at the width of the growth rings.



The study was focused on tree ring width because wood formation is a catalyst for xylem maturation and determines how long the xylem will grow. Slower growth of the xylem leads to wider growth rings, which represent larger trees and more carbon storage.&nbsp;



The researchers investigated when tree ring growth began and how that affected the final width of the ring. When they compared different latitudes, they found that trees located in areas above 60 degrees North benefited from an early spring. These areas include central Europe and the eastern and western coasts of North America.



However, trees on the Colorado and Tibetan plateaus, which are cold and dry, suffered from an early spring. This is likely because a longer growing season is associated with a greater likelihood of drought and spring frost.



"From these observations, we conclude that trees will grow faster under advanced springs, unless they are thirsty," said Professor Liang.



The researchers also looked at boreal forests in northern Asia and Europe. They found that increased growth due to an earlier growing season may result in the alleviation of cold stress caused by warmer conditions.&nbsp;



In Central Europe and across portions of the U.S. coastline, advanced spring improved growth, but not for the same reason. The experts found that tree growth was enhanced in these locations due to a longer growing season.&nbsp;



The research shows that a warming climate may be beneficial for tree growth in some areas of the world but detrimental for others - particularly for those areas that are cooler and dryer, and where trees may already have more environmental pressure.&nbsp;



"These emergent patterns of how climatic impacts on wood phenology affect tree growth at regional to hemispheric scales hint at how future phenological changes may affect the carbon sequestration capacity of extratropical forest ecosystems," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</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

Trees in dry areas will not benefit from warming climate

Trees sprout and grow earlier in a warming climate, but...

Last week in Nairobi, Kenya, the <a href="https://www.unep.org/environmentassembly/">United Nations Environmental Assembly</a> agreed to a mandate for the discussion of a legally binding treaty for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-waste-grows-relentlessly-as-recycling-falls-short/">plastic</a>. This mandate provides the guidelines for the treaty making process. 



The proposed treaty will address the full life of plastic products from production to disposal. The contract is to be drawn up by an International Negotiating Committee (INC) and ratified within the next two years.&nbsp;



If this treaty mandate becomes fully realized, it will be one of the most important international environmental laws in history, along with the Paris Climate Agreement.&nbsp;



The treaty mandate also reflects many of the demands called for by civil society groups, scientists and environmental non-profits. One of the non-profits pushing for legal changes to how we deal with plastics is the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The mandate calls for tackling the problem of all plastic garbage in any environment, stepping away from an early draft that only included the severely limited “marine plastics." The treaty should be legally binding, allowing for additional voluntary actions. It would also have technical and financial support, the details of which are still to be specified.&nbsp;



An important detail of the mandate is that it plans to tackle plastic from the beginning of production, not just after it becomes trash. This means slowing a quickly ballooning plastic creation industry. Plastic is set to increase four fold by 2050, while using up to 13 percent of global carbon budgets.&nbsp;



“It is promising that the mandate will look at plastic across its entire life cycle, shifting us away from problematic end-of-pipe interventions like <a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=GdeV-2BGRacAcdsd-2Fwwx16crl6aSP-2BjvGNOf3Ef2ZY-2BvGt7I1tvnoC7p1johgbLG7x4hpsAM7sRqKLCB0H3xs3Itm0Sxd6mn-2Bau604BhedOifUHsvA0ivSO436fHeyNu7CusVkzfJVzHt9v2XqLvdGYBJS7YP-2B8jlR1HG0myCEQF0-3DLcR8_CAutWfm8j05RwFS7sOyY4Te5MWVtGwYBuuvxnmVSDT70wrYq6on4oO5ji6MjyScWQvs213UDg9jiBOHKEZcc8PdHmJuFOjLaud3CNJGxx5fENYWvJqI0GTKRDnYg4yw8LkXbGPCZCvv7-2BjOtgGxI064ZsXAXBJb3QYJze8B65-2BBrismslyz3C5Q-2B3bYP1tDkD1zuvhfBxLEO-2FXBnA3IXHGqikJL6h26nKXarzZHwYN3iKZWcQMyHdWrAvWThSFwSwwGKYEe-2FTdvaCaO2xIhSiNril4tb-2BQaDIl8T3pKzWM7-2FuZ1TraKed-2Bsz73aitKKEeGcu6RVKyYVSBenwzTkqmFSFvis3voz7MKQMJmAnUpGHAXyRu7mnto-2B2TltQ8GB-2BuKHcDExRcxfuLwWKzk4ctA-3D-3D">waste incineration</a>, and instead addressing the issue further upstream, in its production phase,” stated Niven Reddy, GAIA Africa Coordinator. “This milestone could not have happened without a global movement pushing decision makers every step of the way.”&nbsp;



&nbsp;Another promising aspect of the treaty mandate is the inclusion of waste pickers as stakeholders. This is a hopeful step towards environmental justice for some of the world’s most disempowered people.&nbsp;



Moving forward, advocates for change will need to stay vigilant against misleading insertions from plastic industries, which could water down the proposed international law and slow change necessary to maintain global environmental health.&nbsp;



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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

International plastic treaty could become reality

Last week in Nairobi, Kenya, the United Nations Environmental Assembly...

According to a new <a href="https://bcse.org/factbook/">report</a> released on Thursday, March 3, 2022 by the <a href="https://about.bnef.com/">Bloomberg New Energy Finance</a> (Bloomberg NEF), solar and wind energy grew last year at the fastest rate in the history of the United States, and now account for a record 13 percent of the country’s power generation. 



Coming soon after after the grim <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ipcc-report-window-to-secure-a-liveable-future-is-rapidly-closing/">United Nations report</a> warning that humanity must act immediately to curb climate change in order to secure a livable future, the new Sustainable Energy in America Factbook&nbsp;offered some good news about what&nbsp;has already been done in this direction.



“It was not that long ago that critics of clean energy would snicker and say that its contributions amounted to a rounding error compared to total generation,”&nbsp;said Ethan Zindler,&nbsp;head of the Bloomberg NEF. “That's definitely no longer the case. Anyone who still calls clean energy 'alternative energy' is just so, so 2009.”



Renewable energy production in the United States, obtained from hydroelectric dams, wind turbines, and solar arrays, grew more than four percent last year, and – together with nuclear energy – met 40 percent of United States’ demand for carbon-neutral energy sources.



“Ten years ago that would have been unfathomable. Six years ago, people would have been incredulous,” said Dan Whitten, the vice president for public affairs at the <a href="https://www.seia.org/">Solar Energy Industries Association</a>.



Although natural gas remains the largest source of U.S. electricity generation (38 percent) and power from coal-fired plants increased slightly in 2021 (to 22 percent), the future for renewable energy is looking very bright, with a record of 37.3 gigawatts of wind and solar power installed last year. Considering that one gigawatt is enough to power over 750,000 homes, this new record provides hope that increasingly more Americans will use sustainable energy that will not harm the climate.



The use of renewable energy is likely to increase substantially over the following years, as federal and private investments in clean energy are rising, with $105 billion invested in the U.S.&nbsp;last year, and a total of&nbsp;$755 billion&nbsp;invested globally to aid the transition to carbon-neutral energy.&nbsp;



Although more investments are needed to continue this upward trend in the use of carbon-neutral energy sources and help the world reach its goal of maintaining temperature rises to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the costs of not meeting this goal will be significantly higher, according to Lisa Jacobson, the President of the <a href="https://bcse.org/">Business Council for Sustainable Energy</a> (BCSE).



“We are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, and it is extremely costly,” she warned. Thus, investments should continue in order to save our planet from the devastating effects of global warming.



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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

Solar and wind energy use hit new records in the United States

According to a new report released on Thursday, March 3,...

A recent press release from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that enforcement data has declined for ten years. From 2018 to 2021, there was a decline in the number of inspections, criminal investigations, and prosecutions by about 50 percent compared to averages between 2002 and 2017. The amount of fines paid by violators was also down by 28 percent for civil cases and by 49 percent for criminal cases.&nbsp;



A small sign of hope is that in the fiscal year 2021, fines were closer to normal when adjusted for inflation. Unfortunately, the number of cases referred to the justice department by the EPA for civil prosecution was less than 50 percent of the annual average for 2002-2017 and criminal cases opened and polluters charged was at its second lowest in twenty years. Fines and incarceration rates were at their lowest.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Eric Schaeffer is the executive director of the <a href="https://environmentalintegrity.org/">Environmental Integrity Project</a> and former director of the Office of Civil Enforcement at the EPA.&nbsp;



“From a long-term perspective based on twenty years of data, almost every measure of performance - inspections, criminal investigations, civil cases referred to or concluded by the Justice Department, criminal defendants charged, civil penalties or criminal fines paid, cleanup costs recovered from polluters - points to a serious decline in EPA’s capacity to enforce our environmental laws. That is a wake-up call the Biden Administration needs to answer before it is too late,” said Schaeffer.&nbsp;



“While the last four years saw new lows, EPA enforcement’s decline really began in the second term of the Obama Administration when the budget ax fell hard on EPA.”



Although fluctuations in enforcement from year to year are to be expected, the current numbers seem to reflect systematic decline. Over the last ten years, EPA has lost 700 enforcement staff, approximately 22 percent of its whole workforce.&nbsp;



The problem doesn’t fall entirely on the shoulders of presidents. Biden requested increases in staff for the EPA, but a dysfunctional Congress seems unlikely to approve it. The nominee for lead of EPA’s enforcement program, David Uhlmann, was put forward on June 22, 2021, yet is still waiting to be confirmed by the Senate.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



On his first day in the oval office, Biden pledged to “hold polluters accountable, including those who disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income communities.”&nbsp;



Without cooperation from the legislature, and states to rebuild and empower the EPA and other government institutions, it’s unlikely a commitment he can keep.



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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

EPA enforcement of environmental laws has seriously declined

A recent press release from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)...

Chile and Argentina are home to the Andes mountain range, made up of icefields that stretch for hundreds of miles. Sadly, these are some of the world’s fastest melting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-worlds-glaciers-contain-less-ice-than-previously-thought/">glaciers</a>. As these glaciers disappear, the ground beneath them is shifting and rising. A research team led by seismologist Douglas Wiens of <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University in St. Louis</a> recently completed one of the first seismic studies of the Patagonian Andes.&nbsp;



Wiens first visited Patagonia 25 years ago and is shocked by the changes he has observed. “The beautiful glaciers are being reduced in size,” said Wiens. “Over the coming decades, the ice fronts will recede higher up the mountains and farther into the interior, potentially making them more difficult to visit. I can easily see that the glaciers have shrunk since I first visited this area in 1996.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



A group of students helped the research team collect data from the seismographs as part of a field trip. This trip was cut short, and made complicated, by the pandemic. On the bright side, the study instruments were trapped on site for much longer than intended, gathering an additional 10 months of data.



Among the study’s key findings is that the mantle responds to deglaciation on the time scale of tens of years, rather than thousands of years



The experts discovered a link between recent ice mass loss, rapid rock uplift and a gap between tectonic plates that underlie Patagonia. This combination of ice mass changes and uplift is seen in places all over the world.&nbsp;



“Variations in the size of glaciers, as they grow and shrink, combined with the mantle structure that we’ve imaged in this study are driving rapid and spatially variable uplift in this region,” said study first author Hannah Mark.



Weins and Mark analyzed seismic data that demonstrated how a gap in the downwards tectonic plate has enabled hotter, less viscous mantle material to flow underneath South America.



Above this gap, icefields are shrinking and removing weight that previously caused the continent to shift downward. The scientists found very low seismic velocity within and around the gap, as well as a thinning of the rigid lithosphere overlying the gap. This activity is driving the observed changes in Patagonia.



“Low viscosities mean that the mantle responds to deglaciation on the time scale of tens of years, rather than thousands of years, as we observe in Canada for example,” said Wiens.&nbsp;



When glaciers melt, a tremendous weight is lifted from the ground that once supported them. The water that was previously held in ice, is released and flows towards oceans, while the earth rebounds and rises. This movement of land -&nbsp; ‘glacial isostatic adjustment’ -&nbsp; creates uncertainty in sea level rise projections under future climate warming scenarios.&nbsp;



Knowing more about what’s happening below the ground is important for future monitoring of icefields across the world.&nbsp;



“Plate tectonics and the properties of the deep earth are vitally important for understanding how the land responds to glaciation [and deglaciation],” said Wiens. “With better earth models, we can do a better job of reconstructing recent changes in the ice sheets.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</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

Patagonia rises as the glaciers melt below

Chile and Argentina are home to the Andes mountain range,...

Abalone mollusks – a type of giant sea snails that are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity – are threatened, endangered, or otherwise vulnerable in nearly every corner of the world. They face multiple, often intertwining threats ranging from warming ocean temperatures and disease to crashing kelp forests and habitat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/environmental-era-of-pandemics/">degradation</a>.



Abalone suction onto surfaces and have to be pried off for gonad inspection before spawning. However, these animals are very sensitive and can be easily harmed during this process.&nbsp;



As part of an effort to conserve federally endangered black abalone and find better ways to assess their reproductive health, a research team led by the <a href="http://archive">University of California Davis</a> has developed a technique that uses an ultrasound transducer to quickly and noninvasively detect when abalone are ready to spawn. Although this technique has already been used for gonad assessments on sturgeon and catfish, it has not been tested on sea snails before.



“There are not a lot of animal welfare methods applied to invertebrate animals, let alone for aquatic species,” said study corresponding author Jackson Gross, an assistant professor of Cooperative Extension in Aquaculture at UC Davis. “Here's a way to increase the welfare of an abalone without bringing added stress to them.”



The scientists found that ultrasounds could differentiate reproductive tissues from digestive tissues. By submerging the abalone underwater in its tank and placing the ultrasound transducer on the outside of the tank by the abalone’s foot, the researchers could assess the abalone’s reproductive readiness without touching it at all.&nbsp;



“This is very helpful for broodstock managers when trying to select individuals for a spawning season, whether for production aquaculture or conservation,” said study lead author Sara Boles, a postdoctoral researcher&nbsp;at UC Davis. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“We're excited to see how much faster we can use this technology to assess the health of these animals, especially in a world where climate change is making an impact,” concluded Professor Gross.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.784481/full">Frontiers in Marine Science</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

Ultrasound technology can help protect abalone mollusks

Abalone mollusks – a type of giant sea snails that...

Plastic debris is widespread throughout the oceans and may be carried far from its source when it catches the right waves or currents. As if the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-global-issue-of-plastic-trash-nears-a-tipping-point/">trash</a> itself isn’t bad enough, new research suggests that invasive species may be hitching rides to distant shores on ocean plastic. &nbsp;



The study documented a total of 15 non-native species, including bryozoans and other invertebrates, on beaches on the Catalan coast. There was even a shark egg case found attached to plastic trash. The research, which was led by the <a href="https://www.icm.csic.es/ca">Institut de Ciències del Mar</a> (ICM-CSIC), highlights the necessity of keeping an eye on plastic pollution problems.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"It is important to undertake constant monitoring to confirm the establishment of this and other non-native species in natural or artificial habitats on the Catalan coast, as in the future they could become invasive and, consequently, contribute to the reduction of natural biodiversity, making ecosystems less resilient to change," said study co-author Blanca Figuerola, a specialist in bryozoans.



Most of the species found on the plastics were from shallow water areas and most of the plastics were lighter than water. It seems that the only reason the plastics were found in the seabed at all was from the additional weight of attached organisms.



"This shows that the colonization of plastic surfaces by different organisms plays an important role in the sinking of plastic debris, so the identification of these organisms can provide us key information on the processes of plastic dispersion and transport in the oceans," explained Figuerola.



The scientists suspect that the plastic is only temporarily caught in the coastal zones but may sometimes be swept out to deeper waters by energetic currents.&nbsp;



"The presence of different species attached to the plastics found on the beaches suggests that this deposition is not permanent, and that these particles that have been deposited on the seabed may first be resuspended by currents, and then transported back to the coast due to the waves during storms," said study co-author Anna Sànchez, lecturer in the University of Barcelona.



The study points out an easily overlooked way in which plastic trash may be changing, and damaging, marine ecosystems. The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/marine-pollution-bulletin">Marine Pollution Bulletin</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

Invasive species can hitchhike on ocean plastic

Plastic debris is widespread throughout the oceans and may be...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

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



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



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



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



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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