Over the past 20 years, scientists have observed a subtle but widespread shift in the color of our oceans. While these changes might not be noticeable during a day at the beach, you can easily see them from airplanes and satellites in space.



This is happening on a massive, global scale, signaling to anyone paying attention that significant transformations are taking place beneath the surface of our seas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sounding-alarm-bells">Sounding alarm bells</h2>



Stephanie Dutkiewicz, a senior research scientist at <a href="https://www.mit.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a>, has been studying this phenomenon closely. She's part of a team that's raising concerns about what these color changes mean for the health of our planet.



"We hope people take this seriously," says Dutkiewicz. "It's not only models predicting these changes; we can now see them happening, and the ocean is changing."



In a study published in Nature, researchers from the <a href="https://noc.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Oceanography Center</a> in the UK and other institutions revealed that more than half of the world's oceans have experienced a shift in color. 



They found that these changes can't be chalked up to natural variations alone -- they're likely a result of human-driven climate change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greener-ocean-color-near-the-equator">Greener ocean color near the equator</h2>



Tropical regions near the equator have become noticeably greener over time. This isn't just a visual tweak; it's a sign that the ecosystems within the surface ocean are changing. 



The color of the ocean is influenced by what's in its upper layers, especially tiny organisms like phytoplankton.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_south-carolina-coast_landsat8_green-color_nasa-1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_south-carolina-coast_landsat8_green-color_nasa-1s.webp" alt="Winyah Bay (roughly midway between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) receives input from a number of blackwater rivers whose dark, reddish hues arise from the absorptive properties of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) which some have likened to nature's tea. Credit: NASA" class="wp-image-1951739"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Winyah Bay (roughly midway between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) receives input from a number of blackwater rivers whose dark, reddish hues arise from the absorptive properties of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) which some have likened to nature's tea. Credit: NASA</figcaption></figure>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-forest-of-phytoplankton-thrives-in-a-warming-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Phytoplankton</a> are microscopic, plant-like creatures that contain chlorophyll, giving them their green tint. They're a cornerstone of the marine food web and play a key role in capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 



Shifts in their populations can have ripple effects throughout marine ecosystems and impact the global carbon cycle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blame-the-humans-of-course">Blame the humans, of course</h2>



Lead author B.B. Cael from the National Oceanography Center points out that this isn't a random occurrence. 



"This evidence shows how human activities are affecting life on Earth on a vast scale," he says. "It's another way humans are impacting the biosphere, affecting even the most extensive environments on the planet."



Traditionally, scientists have monitored <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-algae-genes-chlorophyll-boost-crop-yields-land-plants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chlorophyll levels</a> to keep tabs on phytoplankton populations. But tracking changes using chlorophyll alone can take decades because of natural year-to-year fluctuations. 



Back in 2019, Dutkiewicz and her colleagues suggested that looking at the full spectrum of ocean colors could reveal climate change-driven trends more quickly. They estimated that such changes could become apparent within 20 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-spot-the-difference">Satellites spot the difference</h2>



The team analyzed data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (<a href="https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MODIS</a>) on NASA's Aqua satellite. 



Since 2002, this instrument has been observing ocean color across seven visible wavelengths. Their analysis showed a clear trend over two decades, lining up with what their models had predicted.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_new-zealand-coast_modis-satellite_nasa_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_new-zealand-coast_modis-satellite_nasa_1s.webp" alt="Phytoplankton blooms are evident throughout the South Pacific Ocean with sediment re-suspended from the ocean floor by waves and tides along much of the New Zealand coastline. Credit: MODIS/NASA" class="wp-image-1951737"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Phytoplankton blooms are evident throughout the South Pacific Ocean with sediment re-suspended from the ocean floor by waves and tides along much of the New Zealand coastline. Credit: MODIS/NASA</figcaption></figure>



Cael explains that these trends match up with the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-induced-changes-in-ocean-salinity-threaten-biodiversity-and-marine-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human-induced</a> climate change, not just random shifts in the Earth's system. 



This means the changes in ocean color are a direct response to how we're altering the planet's climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-ocean-color-matter">Why does ocean color matter?</h2>



So, what's the big deal about the ocean turning a bit greener? It suggests that the types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plankton-at-risk-global-warming-threatens-the-oceans-lifeline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phytoplankton communities</a> are changing. 



Different phytoplankton have varying abilities to capture carbon and support marine life. Changes in these communities can affect the entire food web, from tiny marine organisms all the way up to fish and whales.



Dutkiewicz emphasizes that these shifts will impact all creatures that rely on plankton for food. 



"Different types of plankton influence how much carbon the ocean can absorb," she notes, highlighting the broader implications for climate regulation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-visible-sign-of-invisible-changes">Visible sign of invisible changes</h2>



This research shines a light on the far-reaching effects of climate change on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/overfishing-and-habitat-degradation-have-devastated-marine-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine ecosystems</a>. Monitoring ocean color offers a tangible way to detect and understand these shifts. 



The findings are a stark reminder of the significant impact human activities have on Earth's complex systems.



"The evidence is clear: human activities are altering the very color of our oceans," says Cael. This isn't just about aesthetics; it's about the intricate balance of marine life that keeps our planet healthy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-we-do-to-help">What can we do to help?</h2>



This shift in the ocean's hue is more than just a scientific curiosity -- it's a call to action. 



Scientists are continuing to study these trends to grasp the full impact on marine ecosystems and the global climate.



By keeping a closer eye on the full spectrum of ocean colors, researchers hope to gain a quicker understanding of how climate change is affecting the oceans.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_lake-erie_great-lakes_modis_nasa_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/earth-ocean-waters_lake-erie_great-lakes_modis_nasa_1s.webp" alt="At the end of winter the ice is nearly all gone from Lake Erie, and growing phytoplankton populations are revealed mingling with suspended sediments in this relatively shallow Great Lake. Credit: MODIS/NASA" class="wp-image-1951741"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">At the end of winter the ice is nearly all gone from Lake Erie, and growing phytoplankton populations are revealed mingling with suspended sediments in this relatively shallow Great Lake. Credit: MODIS/NASA</figcaption></figure>



This could lead to faster responses and more effective strategies to lessen the impacts.



As we face the realities of climate change, understanding what's happening in our oceans is crucial. Changes in the oceans can affect weather patterns, sea levels, and biodiversity on a global scale.



Addressing these challenges isn't something scientists can do alone. It requires all of us to pitch in -- from reducing our carbon footprints to supporting policies that protect marine environments. 



Every action, no matter how small, contributes to the bigger picture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-color-climate-change-and-human-health">Ocean color, climate change, and human health</h2>



To sum it all up, scientists have noticed that over the past 20 years, more than half of the world's oceans have subtly changed color. 



Stephanie Dutkiewicz points out that this shift matches what climate change models have been predicting. 



The color change is linked to alterations in phytoplankton communities -- tiny, plant-like organisms with chlorophyll that give the ocean its green tint. 



These little guys are essential for marine life and play a big role in capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



By analyzing satellite data, researchers found that these changes aren't just natural fluctuations; they're consistent with human-driven climate change. 



The shift in ocean color suggests significant changes in marine ecosystems, which could impact the entire food web -- from microscopic organisms to large marine animals. 



This finding highlights how human activities are affecting the planet in profound ways, even down to changing the very color of our oceans. It's a clear sign that we need to take climate change seriously and start making changes now.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06321-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Earth's oceans are rapidly changing colors, and it's too late to stop it

Over the past 20 years, scientists have observed a subtle but widespread shift in the color of our oceans. While these changes might not be noticeable during a day at the beach, you can easily see them from airplanes and satellites in space. This is happening on a massive, global scale, signaling to anyone paying attention that significant transformations are taking place beneath the surface of our seas. Sounding alarm bells Stephanie Dutkiewicz, a senior research scientist at MIT, has been studying this phenomenon closely. She's part...

Overheated,Woman,Sitting,On,Couch,,Waving,Orange,Paper,Fan,Close

A consequence of climate change is a greater frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme heat events. According to new study published in the <a href="https://www.onlinecjc.ca/article/S0828-282X(21)00653-X/fulltext">Canadian Journal of Cardiology</a>, such events are associated with a greater risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-tea-and-coffee-lower-the-risk-of-fatal-cardiovascular-events/">cardiovascular</a> incidents, particularly in people with preexisting heart diseases.



Extreme heat events pose a significant risk to human health. The heatwave from 2003, for instance, caused 70,000 deaths in Europe, and that from Russia in 2010 caused 55,000 deaths. By conducting a comprehensive review of epidemiological studies, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.umontreal.ca/en/">University of Montreal</a>, Canada, has found that heatwaves increase the risk of cardiovascular incidents such as ischemic heart diseases, strokes, or heart failures.



“<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) recently reported that global temperatures are rising at a greater rate than previously projected, and that the number of extreme heat days will significantly increase across most land regions,” said study senior author Daniel Gagnon, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.icm-mhi.org/">Montreal Heart Institute</a> and the University of Montreal. “Although we don’t yet fully understand the reasons, people with cardiovascular disease are at greater risk of hospitalizations and death during extreme heat events.”



According to Gagnon and his colleagues, heat exposure puts too much strain on the heart, especially for people with preexisting cardiovascular disease, and increases the risk of blood clots in the blood vessels supplying the heart.



Preventive strategies to minimize cardiovascular risk during extreme weather events should aim to reduce the extent of dehydration and hyperthermia by insuring that people drink a sufficient amount of cold fluids and ideally have access to air-conditioning.



“Air conditioning is the most effective strategy that can be recommended since it effectively removes the heat stimulus and minimizes the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes,” said Dr. Gagnon. “However, less than one third of global households own air conditioning.” Some simple alternatives to air conditioning include electric fan use, skin wetting, or immersing the feet in tap water.



Further research is needed to better understand why heat is linked to cardiovascular disease, how cardiovascular medication affects the body’s physiological response to heat, and what cooling strategies are optimal for individuals with heart disease.



“Cardiovascular health professionals need to be aware of the negative consequences of extreme heat on cardiovascular health. A better awareness and understanding of the cardiovascular consequences of extreme heat, and of the measures to take to prevent and mitigate adverse events, will help us all assess the risk and optimize the care of patients exposed to an increasingly warm climate,” concluded Dr. Gagnon.



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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

Extreme heat increases the risk of heart disease

A consequence of climate change is a greater frequency, intensity,...

Woman,Looking,At,Night,Sky,With,Amateur,Astronomical,Telescope.

A deep partial lunar eclipse will occur on Friday, November 19, 2021 and will be visible to stargazers from most of the locations on the globe. This will be the longest partial lunar eclipse of the century, lasting 3.5 hours – an unusually long time for partial eclipses.



“When you have a total lunar eclipse, it’s not uncommon to have the entirety of that lasting for three-and-a-half hours, sometimes a bit shorter, sometimes longer. But for a partial eclipse to last this long, it’s just very rare,” said Rob Davidson, an astronomer at Auckland’s <a href="https://www.stardome.org.nz/">Stardom Observatory</a>.&nbsp;



“Most of the eclipse will be dominated by the shadow moving across the moon, with a brief period where it will appear as a blood micromoon in our night sky.”



According to Davidson, this is a rare event not only because it is such a long partial lunar eclipse, but also due to the position of the moon in its orbit. 



“The moon is at apogee, which means it’s at the farthest point from Earth in its orbit. The moon’s orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle, it’s an ellipse which means as it goes around, it comes a little bit closer and then, as it swings around, it goes a little bit further away,” he explained.



“So when it’s at its closest point, it’s called perigee, and that’s when you get a so-called super moon – about 360,000 kilometres away. When it swings around to the other side, and is in apogee, it’s about 400,000 kilometres away.”&nbsp;



The reason this will be such a long eclipse - the longest one since 1440 - is that the moon moves slower during its apogee.



While this eclipse will be perfectly visible from locations such as North America, New Zealand, Asia, and Australia, from South America and Western Europe the later stages of the eclipse will not be visible since moonset will occur before the eclipse ends.&nbsp;



According to the <a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory">Royal Observatory, Greenwich</a>, the partial eclipse will be “barely visible in the UK” since it occurs when the moon is close to or below the horizon, and, sadly, it will not be visible at all from Africa or the Middle East.&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

Longest partial lunar eclipse of the century is happening on Friday

A deep partial lunar eclipse will occur on Friday, November...

A mass extinction which occurred 250 million years ago now has a new contributing factor. Published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>, the research shows that analysis of minerals from China suggest a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-eruptions-linked-to-collapse-of-chinese-dynasties/">volcanic</a> winter playing a role.  



The extinction event was the most severe of the the last 500 million years, killing 80 to 90 percent of both marine and terrestrial species. For decades, scientists have looked for clues that would point to the cause of this massive die off.&nbsp;



Some experts have looked at huge lava flows in Siberia and the subsequent global temperature rise caused by increased atmospheric carbon. This would also lead to lower levels of oxygen in the ocean, suffocating much of the sea life.&nbsp;



“As we look closer at the geologic record at the time of the great extinction, we are finding that the end-Permian global environmental disaster may have had multiple causes among marine and non-marine species,” said study co-author Michael Rampino, professor at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a>.



The research was carried out by dozens of collaborating scientists from institutions the world over looking for potential causes of the extinction. They found mineral deposits in the southern part of China - especially copper and mercury. The ages of these deposits coincide with the extinction events in terrestrial areas. These deposits were covered with layers of ash from a local volcanic eruption.&nbsp;



“Sulfuric acid atmospheric aerosols produced by the eruptions may have been the cause of rapid global cooling of several degrees, prior to the severe warming seen across the end-Permian mass-extinction interval,” said Professor Rampino.&nbsp;



The research suggests that volcanic eruptions in Siberia alone are not responsible for the global extinction. Regardless, these newly discovered eruptions in China likely played an important role.&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

New clues emerge in mass extinction mystery

A mass extinction which occurred 250 million years ago now...

A new study has confirmed a link between the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-can-increase-the-severity-of-covid-19-infection/">COVID-19</a> pandemic and the deterioration of Earth's ecosystems. The experts also identified a reinforcing feedback loop which suggests that pandemics could become more frequent in the future.&nbsp;



The study was conducted by <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> Master of Conservation Biology graduate Odette Lawler, who collaborated with a team of students in Professor Salit Kark’s Biodiversity Research Group,&nbsp;



According to Lawler, the links between biodiversity loss, habitat degradation and zoonotic disease transfer had long been understood, but it has taken an international pandemic to bring the issue to public attention.



“COVID-19 has shown the world that human health and environmental health are intricately linked,” said Lawler. “We’ve long known that issues like land-use change, intensive livestock production, wildlife trade, and climate change drive the emergence of zoonotic diseases, as they increase human-wildlife interactions."



“Now we’ve also found that these issues are being compounded by outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in feedback loops that are likely to promote future zoonotic disease outbreaks."



“For example, research has found that rates of deforestation have substantially increased in many regions around the world over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic."



“This is likely due to some combination of pandemic-related factors, including decreased enforcement of forest protections, relaxation of sustainability agreements and environmental deregulation, increased pressures on low-income communities, and threats to Indigenous land managers."



“This means that COVID-19 – a pandemic sparked by a pathogen spilling from animal to human populations – has played a part in fueling further deforestation, which in turn increases risk of future zoonotic disease emergence by increasing human-wildlife interactions.”



The researchers emphasized that responses to the current pandemic must include actions to protect biodiversity and ecosystems. Professor Kark said that such responses would benefit from adopting what is known in public health and conservation circles as a One Health approach.



“One Health is a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach that aims to optimise health outcomes for communities arising from factors operating, for example, at the intersections between people, animals and their shared environment,” explained Professor Kark.



“It’s an approach that can help holistically address outbreaks before they happen, working closely with the community and engaging people in preventative ecosystem and human health."



“Here in Australia, the emphasis should be on developing close, long-term collaboration and engagement with First Nations communities and other partners to address these risks."



“And, internationally, Australia has so many valuable ties, which can be strengthened through working together with other nations to address the drivers of zoonotic disease emergence. In this paper, for example, the team closely collaborated with a group based in Nepal working in the area."



“It’s vital we invest in protecting biodiversity and ecosystem health and address the drivers of zoonotic disease. If we don’t, we really are increasing the likelihood of future zoonotic disease emergence and further pandemics arising, and we now all know just how world-altering and high-impact they can be.”



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



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

To avoid future pandemics, we must protect nature

A new study has confirmed a link between the COVID-19...

The Narragansett Bay is New England’s largest estuary, covering over 150 square miles along the coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Currently, this estuary is under threat from changing patterns of land use in New England, as well as climate change. New research led by the <a href="https://www.umass.edu/">University of Massachusetts Amherst</a> (UMass Amherst) has used a system-based approach, integrating data from climate change and land-use models, in order to identify workable interventions that could guide the Bay’s restoration.



“I grew up on Narragansett Bay, 1,500 feet from the water,” said study lead author Evan Ross, a senior lecturer in Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst. “In 2003, I saw a massive fish kill, which resulted from nutrient runoff, and I’ve watched as Rhode Island has made significant investments in protecting the bay.”&nbsp;



According to Ross and his co-author and department colleague Timothy Randhir, conservation efforts could be wasted if they do not take into account how climate change and development interact in threatening Narragansett Bay. Since the Bay is much more than just a body of water, being connected to the rivers and streams that flow into it, the land through which those rivers and streams flow, and the overall climate, a system-based approach is needed to identify what conservation strategies should be employed.



By using a SWAT model which makes predictions on watershed processes, and integrating them with data from climate change and land-use models, Ross and Randhir discovered that, due to climate change, surface runoff, nutrient loading, and streamflow will increase dramatically over the next 60 years. Thus, while local and state government can enact policies to help mitigate these effects, the problem is global in scope and will require the intervention of more than a single state.



Nevertheless, this model also shows that at least some of the worst effects of climate change can be curbed by local governments by changing land-use patterns in the greater Narragansett watershed, through expanding forest coverage, or investing in “green infrastructure,” such as rain gardens, living roofs, and vegetated drainage swells in the urban regions of the watershed.



Although it is unlikely that the Narragansett Bay will ever return to its past ecological glory, these findings offer environmental managers important tools to solve some of the most pressing problems the Bay faces. &nbsp;“A model like ours can help us to identify what practices will have the most positive impact in the future,” Ross concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004896972106160X?via%3Dihub#!">Science of the Total Environment</a>.&nbsp;



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

Narragansett Bay needs a new approach for restoration

The Narragansett Bay is New England’s largest estuary, covering over...

New research published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/rsh">Public Health Perspectives</a> has revealed even more evidence of the potential health benefits associated with reducing air pollution. Previous studies showed that areas with higher pre-pandemic levels of air pollution also show higher levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-tons-of-covid-related-plastic-could-end-up-in-the-ocean/">COVID-19</a> infection rates, but the cause was unknown. 



“The problem is that previous studies were based on reported cases, which had been diagnosed, but missed all the asymptomatic or undiagnosed cases,” said study first author Manolis Kogevinas, a researcher at the <a href="https://www.isglobal.org/en">Barcelona Institute for Global Health</a> (ISGlobal).



The experts measured virus-specific antibodies in a group of adults living in Catalonia and combined this with data about their exposure to air pollution.&nbsp;



“This is the first study to perform mass screening of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies in an adult cohort to examine the association between their residential exposure to air pollution before the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and disease,” explained co-senior author Cathryn Tonne.



Of the 9,605 people who participated in the study, blood samples were taken from over 4,000 participants. Virus-specific antibodies were confirmed in 18 percent of these individuals.&nbsp;



Among those who were infected, there was no correlation with exposure to air pollution. However, a positive correlation was shown between exposure to pollution and severe symptoms.&nbsp;



“Our study provides the strongest evidence globally on the association of ambient air pollution and COVID-19," said Kogevinas.



"These results are in line with the association between air pollution and hospitalization described for other respiratory diseases such as influenza or pneumonia."



Air pollution could also contribute by favouring the development of cardiovascular, respiratory or other chronic conditions, which in turn increase the risk of severe COVID-19.



The scientists hope that this work combined with other research will help increase our understanding of COVID-19,&nbsp; and especially severe cases.&nbsp;



“The combination of individual genetic risks that we have previously identified in COVICAT individuals and this new data on environmental impact caused by air pollution exposure will contribute to understanding the complex interplay and mechanisms underlying the severity of COVID-19," said Rafael de Cid of the IGTP.



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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

Air pollution can increase the severity of COVID-19 infection

New research published in the journal Public Health Perspectives has...

Abstract,Ocean,Design,Template,With,Underwater,Part,And,Sunset,Skylight

Many different habitats, from sandy beaches and rocky shores, to the darkest of abyssal plains make up the oceans. Healthy and clean oceans benefit thousands of different living species as well as all of humanity. However, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-ecosystems-are-disrupted-by-small-temperature-changes/">ecosystems</a> and natural processes operating in oceans have become more and more threatened in the face of increasing industrialization and human population size.&nbsp;



The <a href="https://www.oceandecade.org/">United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development</a> was launched in January 2021, and will span the years 2021–2030. This “Ocean Decade” is an opportunity for ocean actors across the world to come together to generate knowledge and foster the partnerships needed to support a well-functioning, productive, resilient, sustainable, and inspiring ocean.



Today, a group of nine distinguished international experts, appointed to help the UN reach the goal of a clean ocean by 2030, will come together for the start of a three-day online conference. The Clean Ocean International Expert Group will present its manifesto, which includes lists of medium- and longer-term goals to be achieved in order to clean up the world’s oceans. In addition, they will outline strategies to reach these goals.&nbsp;



Co-Chaired by&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelika_Brandt">Angelika Brandt</a>&nbsp;of Germany, a Southern Ocean / Antarctica biodiversity expert, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icmyl.unam.mx/es/quienes_somos/personal_academico/elva-escobar-briones">Elva Escobar Briones</a>&nbsp;of Mexico, a deep sea biodiversity expert, the group’s manifesto concisely outlines "the challenges and some of the opportunities that the Ocean Decade can provide for a Clean Ocean.”



The Clean Ocean International Expert Group will begin their conference by presenting this manifesto, that lays out their goals for a clean ocean by 2030. With these objectives in place, specific pragmatic steps can be identified and efforts activated, with targets and timetables that map out progress.&nbsp;



The manifesto outlines the most direct route to a clean ocean in 2030, giving the following specific goals that should be achieved by that time.



Goals for a Clean Ocean in 2030:



<ul><li>Enlarge understanding of pathways for the spread and fates of pollutants.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Reduce and remove top-priority forms of pollution (e.g., marine debris) by large amounts, as much as 50 to 90 percent.</li><li>Prevent recurrence, reduce sources or emission of pollutants (e.g., anthropogenic noise, discarded plastic and harmful chemicals, farming practices adding harmful sediment outflow).</li><li>Improve dramatically the outcomes of control measures (e.g., to decrease amounts of mercury in tuna, die-offs of marine life, eutrophication).</li><li>Improve monitoring (often as part of the Global Ocean Observing System [GOOS]) for more accurate, precise, timely, comprehensive real-time tracing of spills and monitoring of ocean soundscapes; improve systems to provide timely warning of pollutants emerging and increasing.</li><li>Identify and accelerate development and adoption of technologies to promote a Clean Ocean. These could range from cleaner, more efficient motors and fuels to new forms of remediation and waste management; better ways to monitor, track, and map marine pollutants and progress toward a clean ocean (such as aerial remote sensing, genomics, and hydrophone arrays); and better technologies for emergency clean-ups.</li><li>Improve national mechanisms (legal, regulatory) for control and prevention, better align financial incentives, and lift compliance with international treaties.</li><li>Lift public engagement and understanding with access to information associated with behavioral shifts favoring the motto of “reduce, reuse and recycle”, and encourage participation in citizen science as part of events involving sailing, surfing, and other activities dependent on a Clean Ocean.</li></ul>



 The experts also set some more specific targets that should be reached by 2025, in order to facilitate the achievement of the ultimate goals for a Clean Ocean by 2030. They stated: "This process should aim to define and attract financial and other support to meet an initial set of goals for 2025, followed by goals for the end of the Ocean Decade in 2030.” Interim objectives for 2025



<ul><li>Quantify the global harm of marine pollution, from all major sources, on ecosystems and organisms and on human health; assessment methods need to take into account multiple stressors.</li><li>Survey the totality of anthropogenic chemicals flowing into the oceans.</li><li>Define a Clean Ocean, including acceptable levels of pollution to set threshold values, and define ecological boundaries or maximal levels of pollutants as well as their rates of degradation to maintain well-functioning ecosystems; this includes understanding tolerances of species and ecosystems to pollutants.</li><li>Develop a widely shared vision of a Clean Ocean.</li><li>Identify high-priority geographic challenges such as polar regions and urban coasts.</li><li>Identify barriers to action impeding scaling up solutions for regional and global impact; quantify possibilities for amelioration.</li><li>Identify key partners, including those who might be left behind, and provide engagement strategies for early career ocean professionals, indigenous peoples, and island communities.</li><li>Develop reference scenarios for industrialization of the oceans during the next decade, including tourism, seabed mining, windfarm development, for example, as they relate to a Clean Ocean.</li><li>Develop initial estimates of costs associated with transitions to a Clean Ocean.</li><li>Secure major financial commitments.</li></ul>



“By 2030 we want to achieve measurable improvement in monitoring and clear reduction of emissions and harm through a spectrum of technical and behavioral strategies,” said the researchers.



The three-day on-line conference (Nov. 17–19, 2021) will highlight more than 30 activities already in place or in development around the world that can make important contributions to a Clean Ocean by 2030. These include initiatives to:



<ul><li>successfully and consistently monitor marine debris from space as part of an Integrated Global Marine Debris Observing System;</li><li>operate deep sea observatories in the Atlantic that document and publicize multiple stressors;</li><li>observe the vast Southern Ocean to give early warnings of possible pollution hot spots in this relatively pristine ocean;</li><li>instrument 30 percent of coastal city ocean spaces to report on pollution changes, including restoration;</li><li>and identify and greatly reduce persistent organic pollutants globally.</li></ul>



The manifesto, which represents the views of the signatories, and not necessarily the official positions of their respective institutions, is also directed at other groups such as the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, the Economist magazine World Ocean Initiative, and the World Ocean Council. 



The group will share its manifesto with these groups, as well as with other expert groups, national committees, and with the&nbsp; endorsed projects and programs of the UN Ocean Decade in order to speed along the development of a strong set of Clean Ocean activities. Study lead author&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_H._Ausubel">Jesse Ausubel</a> is Director of the Program for the Human Environment at The Rockefeller University, New York City. “We want this decade to transition from increasing to decreasing the environmental problems of the oceans,” said Ausubel.



Further details of the conference may be found at: <a href="https://www.oceandecade-conference.com/en/a-clean-ocean.html">https://www.oceandecade-conference.com/en/a-clean-ocean.html</a>



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

Steps needed to achieve a clean ocean by 2030

Many different habitats, from sandy beaches and rocky shores, to...

According to Ellen Macarthur Foundation’s new <a href="https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/global-commitment/overview">Global Commitment Progress Report</a>, the global use of “virgin plastic” (plastic resin that is newly created without any <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/most-plastic-bottles-are-recycled-into-clothes/">recycled</a> materials) has peaked and is expected to fall significantly by 2025, due to the rise in recycled packaging.



The Ellen Macarthur Foundation is a UK-based charity that promotes a focus on “circular economy,” where material resources such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seabirds-are-damaging-their-health-by-eating-plastic/">plastic</a> are recycled and kept in use for as long as possible. According to the Foundation’s most recent report, committed brands and retailers all over the globe, including Nestlé,&nbsp;PepsiCo, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Mars, and L'Oréal, have reduced their collective virgin plastic by 1.2 percent between 2019 and 2020, following a 0.6 percent reduction between 2019 and 2019.&nbsp;



“If you put it in a historical perspective, virgin plastic use for this industry has been going up quite rapidly for decades,” said Sander Defruyt, the leader of the Foundation’s <a href="https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics">New Plastics Economy</a> initiative.&nbsp;



“Some of the largest brands and retailers in the world are showing [that virgin plastic reduction] can be done and that business growth can be decoupled from virgin plastic use.”



Progress on virgin plastic reduction has been driven by the growing use of recycled content in packaging. However, since discarded packaging still exists, this change is not yet enough to solve plastic pollution. Moreover, less than two percent of Global Commitment signatories’ plastic packaging is reusable, and over half of the signatories reported zero percent reusable plastic packaging.



While a company such as Unilever, for example, increased recycled content by 11 percent in 2020 and is on the track to reach its 25 percent target by 2025, other retailers such as Mars reported no recycled plastic packaging in 2020, despite a target of 30 percent reduction by 2025.



One of the current leaders in virgin plastic reduction is Coca Cola, which had 11.5 percent recycled content in 2020, up from four percent in 2019 and two percent in 2018.



“We appreciate the leadership of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in driving more consistent goal-setting and reporting on circular economy,” said a Coca Cola spokesperson.&nbsp;



“While we are proud of the progress we have made since we launched the World Without Waste program in 2018, there is more work we can do, and we look forward to engaging with outside stakeholders to take our work to the next level.”



The Ellen Macarthur Foundation hopes that if other large retailers will follow, an overall decrease of virgin plastic use by 19 percent could be expected by 2025.&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

Virgin plastic use may decrease significantly by 2025

According to Ellen Macarthur Foundation’s new Global Commitment Progress Report,...

The Sahel region, extending south of the Sahara desert from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east of Africa, used to be a fertile region in the past, but is now largely uncultivated due to increased <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/droughts-can-protect-vineyards-from-deadly-disease/">droughts</a>, poor agricultural methods, and overuse. The <a href="https://www.greatgreenwall.org/about-great-green-wall">Great Green Wall</a> initiative aims to compensate for and reverse this loss by mass planting 100 million hectares of land. According to a new study, implementing this project could bring significant economic benefits.



The Great Green Wall program was initiated in 2007 in order to restore degraded ecosystems across 11 countries in the Sahel region. Until now, this highly ambitious project is far from being achieved, due to lack of financial resources. However, earlier this year, several donor countries have pledged nearly $15 billion to this project at the <a href="https://www.unccd.int/news-events/one-planet-summit-biodiversity">One Planet Summit for Biodiversity</a>.&nbsp;



"In order to use these funds efficiently, we now have to ask ourselves where and for which measures they should be used most sensibly," said study lead author Dr. Alisher Mirzabaev, a senior researcher at the<a href="https://www.zef.de/zefhome.html"> Center for Development Research</a> (ZEF) at the University of Bonn.



By dividing the Sahel region into 40 million plots of 25 hectares each, Dr. Mirzabaev and his colleagues analyzed which restoration measures were possible and how much they would cost, and compared the results with the possible economic benefits that could be achieved.



"On the one hand, these include the so-called provisioning services," explained Mirzabaev. "These are the things that are produced by the ecosystems: Food and drinking water, raw materials such as wood or medicinal plants." Other benefits include a better climate, less wind erosion, and pollinator services.



According to the scientists, reforestation would be the most advantageous method, both ecologically and economically. However, since growing seedlings into trees takes decades, such investment would be fruitful only in the long term. In the short-term, a better option is to convert degraded areas into farmland, which would pay for itself rather quickly, although the profits will be lower.&nbsp;



“In our analysis, we work with different scenarios, some of which are aimed more at short-term benefits, while others are more long-term," said Mirzabaev. The baseline scenario, including both short- and long-term benefits, would yield an average net return of 20 cents for each dollar spent.



However, a significant problem with implementing such initiatives are the violent conflicts affecting many of the targeted areas. "This shows how much such disputes not only cause direct human suffering, but also prevent positive development of the affected regions," concluded Mirzabaev.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00801-8">Nature Sustainability</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

Africa’s Great Green Wall is economically worthwhile

The Sahel region, extending south of the Sahara desert from...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021GL095533">Geophysical Research Letters</a> has confirmed the existence of lunar carbon dioxide cold traps which could potentially contain solid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-carbon-dioxide-sink/">carbon dioxide</a>. This discovery will clearly have a major influence on future lunar missions, increasing the feasibility of human or robotic sustained presence on the moon.



In the permanently shadowed lunar poles, temperatures fall below those in the coldest areas of Pluto, thus allowing for the formation of carbon dioxide cold traps, where the carbon dioxide molecules freeze and remain in this form even during summer.



Although these traps have been predicted by planetary scientists for years, this study is the first to firmly establish and map their presence on the moon. By analyzing 11 years of temperature data from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/diviner-lunar-radiometer-experiment-dlre">Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment</a>, the researchers mapped 204 square kilometers of carbon dioxide traps, with the largest area (82 square km) located in the Amundsen Crater. In these regions, temperatures remain below 352 degrees Fahrenheit.



“I think when I started this, the question was, ‘Can we confidently say there are carbon dioxide cold traps on the moon or not?’” said study lead author Norbert Schörghofer, a scientist at the <a href="https://www.psi.edu/">Planetary Science Institute</a>. “My surprise was that they're actually,&nbsp;definitely there. It could have been that we can't establish their existence, [they might have been] one pixel on a map... so I think the surprise was that we really found contiguous regions which are cold enough, beyond doubt."&nbsp;



The existence of carbon dioxide cold traps on the moon will have significant implications for future lunar missions. These resources could be used in the production of steel, rocket fuel, and biomaterials, and they could offer new insights on how organic compounds form and what types of molecules can be produced in harsh environments such as the lunar one. Moreover, they could also help scientists understand the origins of water and other volatiles in the Earth-moon system.



“These should be high-priority sites to target for future landed missions,” said Paul Hayne, a planetary scientist at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado, Boulder</a>. “This sort of pinpoints where you might go on the lunar surface to answer some of these big questions about volatiles on the moon and their delivery from elsewhere in the solar system.”



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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

Carbon dioxide cold traps found on the moon

A new study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters...

Measurements of climatic parameters, such as temperature, often show ups and downs and it is difficult to tell if these variations mark significant climate changes or whether they reflect normal ‘noise’ in the system. A team of statisticians has now developed a method to test whether abrupt changes in climate data from the past reflect times when environmental tipping points have been reached.



The researchers from CNRS (France), UCLA, and Columbia University used an augmented Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test that has been successfully applied to data from other, inherently noisy systems, such as finance and signal processing.



The method compares two samples taken before and after the potential transition point to test whether they come from the same continuous distribution. If not, the transition point is identified as a significant, abrupt change that is indicative of a true climatic shift.



They used data about changes in the ratios of two isotopes of oxygen (oxygen-16 and oxygen-18) from Greenland ice cores, as well as data from mineral isotopes found in speleothems (cave mineral deposits such as stalactites and stalagmites). Since the proportion of oxygen-16 and oxygen-18 in ice change depending on temperature, the scientists were able to map the changes in the ice cores to changes in climate. In a similar way, changes in mineral isotopes in speleothems also reflect changes in temperature.



In the past, such matching was done by visual inspection, which could be very time-consuming, and tended to be subjective. The statistical method used in the case of this study is less prone to errors and does not rely on human judgement to decide whether a jump in the recorded parameter (for example, oxygen isotope proportions) marks a significant climatic transition or not.&nbsp;



"We applied our method to two paleoclimate records of the last climate cycle, a Greenland ice core and a speleothem composite record from China," said author Witold Bagniewski.



The researchers found that the statistical analysis identified changes in the oxygen isotope proportions in ice cores that coincided with the start or end of periods of cooler climate in Greenland’s past.&nbsp;



"Many of the abrupt transitions in the Greenland ice core record correspond to shifts between a warmer climate, known as Greenland Interstadials (GIs), and a colder climate, the Greenland Stadials (GSs)," said Bagniewski.&nbsp;



The existence of these two climate states, GI and GS, is an example of a bistable climate system, in which two distinct states are both stable. The climate may jump abruptly from one to the other after crossing a tipping point.



The authors of the study state that their statistical method correctly detected abrupt changes in climate in both sets of data. They hypothesize that these abrupt and significant transitions may have been caused by the climate parameters crossing a tipping point – where change has reached a point at which the entire system can no longer maintain a stable state and thus enters a period of dramatic change.&nbsp;



"Our methodology is very effective in correctly detecting abrupt transitions in climate records," said Bagniewski. "Its wider application may help reconstruct the chronology of Earth's climatic events."



In addition to helping identify these events in the climatic history of the Earth, this new methodology will also enhance our understanding of the potential consequences of the tipping points we may encounter in the near future, as the warming climate leads to instability in the Earth's physical systems and ecosystems.



The study is published by the <a href="https://www.aip.org/">American Institute of Physics</a> in Chaos:&nbsp;An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science.



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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

Past tipping points where the climate changed abruptly

Measurements of climatic parameters, such as temperature, often show ups...

An,Unidentified,Man,Walking,In,The,Streets,During,Smog.

India’s Supreme Court has recently called for a citywide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-altered-their-behavior-during-lockdowns/">lockdown</a> in the capital city New Delhi. While the city has already become accustomed to recent lockdowns caused by the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-on-antidepressants-are-less-likely-to-die-from-covid-19/">COVID-19</a> pandemic, this time the culprit is not the coronavirus, but air pollution. 



After being off the charts in some areas last week, with values even four times higher than the safe limit, this week’s <a href="https://app.cpcbccr.com/AQI_India/">Air Quality Index</a> increased slightly, being in the low 400s on a 500-point scale.



“After COVID,&nbsp;pollution has emerged as a major threat for public health particularly for children and senior citizens," declared Ashok Agarwal, national president of All India Parents' Association.



"We are getting 12-14 patients daily in the emergency room, mostly at night, when the symptoms cause disturbed sleep and panic," added Dr. Suranjit Chatterjee from Apollo Hospitals.



At a hearing this Monday, Indian officials ordered authorities to stop all nonessential travel on the roads in New Delhi, and close the schools and most offices in the area, shifting tens of millions of people to work from home.&nbsp;



Delhi’s chief minister said that although he is willing to impose a pollution-related strict lockdown, such measures will have a minimal effect if neighboring states, such as Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, will not impose similar restrictions. The officials from these states are currently meeting to discuss possible measures they could implement to mitigate this situation.



Although Indian farmers have often been blamed for exacerbating this country’s chronic pollution problem, government officials told the Supreme Court that crop-burning amounts to only about ten percent of the emissions. The larger part of the fault seems to lie in the emissions caused by factories, vehicles, and dust from constructions sites.



With over a million deaths per year caused by pollution, India should take urgent measures to curb its emissions. At the recent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cop26-deal-failure-or-historic-achievement/">COP26</a> climate summit, the country pledged to “phase down” rather than “phase out” coal emissions, and to reach a net-zero emissions scenario only by 2070 - 20 years after the United States and Europe, and ten years after China. 



According to COP26 president Alok Sharma, such measures might be insufficient for ensuring India’s – and our planet’s – current and future safety.&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

New Delhi is on lockdown due to pollution

India’s Supreme Court has recently called for a citywide lockdown...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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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

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

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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



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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



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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



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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



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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



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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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