The unique light environment of the Earth's polar regions creates conditions that foster the formation of circumpolar hybrid zones around both the North and South Poles, according to a new study.&nbsp;



These extreme conditions synchronize the reproductive phenology of various species, forcing them into a shorter window for reproduction, which may sustain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-biodiversity-will-get-a-boost-from-rising-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a> in the long term.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-polar-light-influences-biodiversity">Polar light influences biodiversity</h2>



In a recent research article, Professor Kari Saikkonen from the <a href="https://www.utu.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Turku</a>, Finland, and his colleagues presented a new theory on how the polar light environment influences biodiversity over millions of years. 



The research, published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.08.002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">One Earth</a>, explores the role of the unique light cycles near the poles in shaping long-term biodiversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-cycles-of-polar-light">Extreme cycles of polar light</h2>



Daylight patterns on Earth vary significantly depending on latitude. At the Equator, day and night are nearly equal year-round, with only minor seasonal variation in day length as one moves away from the Equator.&nbsp;



However, closer to the poles, there is substantial seasonality, resulting in phenomena like the “midnight sun,” where there is 24-hour daylight in the summer, and the “polar night,” where the sun does not rise for months during the winter in regions within the Arctic and Antarctic circles.



“At the center of our theory is the hypothesis that the extreme light environment of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-polar-regions-changing-fundamental-alarming-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polar regions</a> creates hybrid zones in both polar regions,” Saikkonen said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seasonal-changes-in-day-length-nbsp">Seasonal changes in day length&nbsp;</h2>



Unlike temperature, which can vary unpredictably with local and global climate, day length is a stable environmental factor that changes consistently with latitude.&nbsp;



Many organisms, especially photosynthetic ones like plants and some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-seabed-bacteria-play-a-crucial-role-in-sustaining-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbes</a>, have adapted to using seasonal changes in day length as signals to time their reproduction.



Since many organisms rely on light as a cue, the polar light environment increases the likelihood that closely related plant species will flower simultaneously. 



This creates opportunities for hybridization, where organisms reproduce with individuals from a different species or variety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-polar-light-and-hybridization">Polar light and hybridization </h2>



Saikkonen noted that although <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hybridization-reduces-vulnerability-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hybridization</a> is common in almost all groups of organisms, its role as a force for sustaining biodiversity has not been fully understood. 



“Hybridization may also involve backcrossing, where hybrid individuals mate with members of the original species. This allows genes to be transferred between species, creating new adaptive gene combinations suited to different environmental conditions,” explained Saikkonen.



At lower latitudes, where day length changes only slightly between seasons, the timing of reproduction among distinct populations or subspecies is less likely to overlap, and thus hybridization is less common.&nbsp;



However, in polar regions, the unique light cycles may promote more frequent hybridization, leading to new biodiversity over long geological periods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-biodiversity-nbsp">Evolution of biodiversity&nbsp;</h2>



“Species' range shifts across latitudes during the Earth's cooler and warmer cycles cause recurrent isolation and contact among species. This results in mixing and differentiation of species, leading to new biodiversity over long periods of time,” said Saikkonen.



Microbes have played a crucial role in the evolution of biodiversity since the origin of life, and they continue to have a significant impact on maintaining and promoting global biodiversity.



“Microbes are ubiquitous, and mounting evidence reveals their high adaptive potential due to their short life cycle. Many microbes are light-sensitive and affect the well-being of virtually all plants and animals. Since all plants and animals have diverse microbiota, they should be treated as a whole,” Saikkonen said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-polar-regions-are-warming-rapidly">Polar regions are warming rapidly</h2>



In their study, the experts hypothesize that photosensitive microbes may play a role in helping plants adapt to the extreme light conditions of polar regions.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracking-arctic-climate-change-is-much-more-difficult-since-russia-invaded-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate change</a> and biodiversity loss are among the greatest global threats to ecosystems today. The polar regions, in particular, are warming at a much faster rate than the global average - up to 2–4 times faster.



“Climate models predict that Arctic sea ice will melt by the end of this century. Over the same period, Antarctica's ice-free area will increase from approximately 2% today to almost 25%,” said Saikkonen.



The melting of the western Antarctic glaciers alone could cause sea levels to rise by five meters, threatening 10% of the world's population and many of the world's coastal ecosystems over the next decades or centuries.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-driven-biodiversity-loss">Climate-driven biodiversity loss</h2>



The researchers argue that the conventional species-focused approach to biodiversity must expand to include the genetic diversity of organisms and the importance of microbial associates in plants and animals.



“We propose that biodiversity can, in the long term, recover after disturbances and mass extinctions, but ecosystems will restructure as novel species assemblages,” said Saikkonen.



“This calls for increased attention to the importance of ensuring sufficient genetic diversity, species diversity, and species interaction potential to support future diversification and ecosystem functions and services. Tackling climate change-driven biodiversity loss is crucial.”



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Polar light sustains biodiversity over millions of years 

The unique light environment of the Earth's polar regions creates conditions that foster the formation of circumpolar hybrid zones around both the North and South Poles, according to a new study.&nbsp; These extreme conditions synchronize the reproductive phenology of various species, forcing them into a shorter window for reproduction, which may sustain biodiversity in the long term. Polar light influences biodiversity In a recent research article, Professor Kari Saikkonen from the University of Turku, Finland, and his colleagues presented a new theory on how the polar light...

If climate change mitigation were up to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-coal-emissions/">President Trump</a> alone, it’s not hard to imagine that any progress to cap emissions would be completely undone.

While Trump is exercising his power to undo many of many Obama-era climate change policies, the courts in the United States have been crucial to the enacting of many climate change regulatory policies. 

Court rulings like the Supreme Court case that mandated the regulations of greenhouse gases make it impossible for the administration to completely ignore climate change or the impact of emissions. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.gwu.edu/">George Washington University</a> recently conducted a study examining how lawsuits over the past 26 years have shaped new climate policies and the public’s awareness of climate issues. 

“This first-of-a-kind study outlines the types of climate change lawsuits that are more likely to win or lose, and why,” said Sabrina McCormick, the lead author of the study. “Efforts to affect U.S. climate change policy should consider current trends in the courtroom.”

The researchers reviewed 873 climate change-related cases dating 1990 through 2016 and interviewed 78 lawyers, environmental advocates, and scientists who had been involved in the cases examined. 

After analyzing the cases, the researchers found that lawsuits asking for emissions reductions through more regulations were often lost in court. 

Coal-fired power plant emissions and pollution were the most common issues brought before a judge according to the study’s results. 

When it came to cases involving major power plants, the researchers found that the courts often weighed in favor of the plant as emission regulations could affect productivity. 

“At the same time, litigants who want to address climate change often win renewable energy and energy efficiency cases,” said McCormick. “The courts favored the pro-regulatory positions in these kinds of cases by a ratio of 2.6 to 1.”

The researchers found that winning was not the only way to help bring about much-needed change, and in some instances lost cases still garnered enough attention and led to a public debate on the issues of the case. 

With the recent announcements of Trump’s proposals and plans to freeze fuel efficiency standards and limit state options for reducing coal power plant emissions, the study shows that the courts could be a crucial aid in enacting climate change mitigation. 

“The Trump Administration's refusal to even acknowledge human contributions to climate change, no less pursue any meaningful action to mitigate or adapt to it, coupled with Congress's persistent inaction on climate issues, makes efforts to address climate change in the courts all the more important,” said Robert Glicksman, a co-author of the study. “Our study assesses how such efforts have fared.”

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: MPH@GW, Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

The power of the court system in fighting climate change

If climate change mitigation were up to President Trump alone,...

A global hotspot for biodiversity and home to many threatened or endangered species in Southern California recently offered a unique look at how vital ecological hotspots respond to weather extremes brought on by climate change.

The Carrizo Plain National Monument has been the subject of a long-term study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> and the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>.

What began as a study of the of the area’s giant kangaroo rat population and other endangered species that are found in the Carrizo Plains morphed into a look at how the many different species in the area dealt with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-drought-killed-102-million-trees-across-state/">California’s historic drought.</a>

The results, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, show that weather extremes like drought caused drastic species decline but also created space for some species to thrive.

This pattern of winners and losers could be crucial for understanding how different ecosystems respond to climate change around the world.

“The Carrizo Plain is one of the global hotspots of endangered species, with endangered species at every trophic level: plants, rodents, carnivores,” said Laura Prugh, the study’s lead author. “It also is an ideal laboratory to see how an exceptional climate event affects a whole ecosystem.”

After the California drought that began in 2012, the researchers noticed that dominant predator species like owls and foxes declined because their main food source, the kangaroo rat, also declined.

However, the researchers noticed that these declines in predators gave way for other populations to increase.  

“We think that even though these extreme climate events, in the short term, can be pretty devastating for some populations, in the long run they might be important in maintaining biodiversity in the system, by keeping inferior competitors from getting pushed out of the system entirely,” Prugh said.

For the study, the researchers collected data on plants, birds, reptiles, mammals, and insects starting from 2007. The researchers conducted field studies to count how many species there were in the area and how the drought impacted biodiversity and populations.

Of the 423 species that the researchers focused on for the study, four percent were considered “winners” because of their increasing population numbers during the drought.

Today, the Carrizo Plain area has since recovered from the drought that ended in 2015, but the results of the study could have important implications for other global hotspots.

“In terms of implications for climate change, it gives some cause for optimism in showing that ecosystems have a remarkable ability to handle some of these extreme events,” said Prugh.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Laura Prugh/<a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a>

The winners and losers of the historic California drought

A global hotspot for biodiversity and home to many threatened...

The Trump administration will soon announce plans to increase emissions from coal plants and reduce the individual freedoms of states in making policies to reduce or limit those emissions. 

Trump has long been a friend of the coal industry, from his famous declaration that he was chosen to represent “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/01/politics/paris-pittsburgh-trump-nationalist-decision/index.html">Pittsburgh not Paris</a>” and would withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, to Trump’s support of “clean coal.” 

The administration has also worked hard to undo any climate change mitigation policies put in place by President Obama, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-freeze-fuel-efficiency-standards/">freezing fuel efficiency standards</a>. 

This latest proposal to put control back into the hands of coal is slated to be announced by Trump at a rally on Tuesday, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/climate/trump-clean-power-rollback.html">New York Times.</a>

Several people who read the proposal spoke to the Times about the details of Trump's plan, and many environmental and renewable energy advocates are concerned about the ramifications of imposing a plan that so entirely erases any progress made in climate change regulation. 

Instead of finding a way to advance with the growing trend of renewables and allowing states more freedom to curb emissions on their terms, the new plan could cause emissions to spike and leave states powerless to do anything about it. 

With the new proposal, control over coal power plant emissions would be left to the coal plants themselves and any measures put in place would have to be done on site. 

The Trump administration seems determined to act in the face of mounting evidence that climate change is causing more weather extremes, impacting agriculture, and degrading vital habitats. 

“The science is just getting clearer and clearer every day,” Janet McCabe, the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> air chief under the Obama administration told the New York Times.  “I don’t know how many times people need to hear that we’re having the warmest summer on record or how many storms people need to see. This is no fooling.”

According to the New York Times, the new proposal may also be savvy political move to help gain more of a foothold in the midterm elections. 

The move certainly won’t assuage fears that Trump’s administration policies will cause an increase in emissions, create health and safety hazards with increases in pollution, and exacerbate climate extremes like heat waves, droughts, sea level rise, and increasingly severe hurricanes seasons. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Trump to announce plan to give states control of coal emissions

The Trump administration will soon announce plans to increase emissions...

A team of experts has conducted the first comprehensive review of research on summer weather stalling. The researchers have found growing evidence to support the idea that human activities are disturbing air circulation patterns and triggering the stalling effect.

When summer weather conditions stall, they can turn into extreme events such as wildfires, droughts, and intense rainfall. The study was focused on the influence of the disproportionally strong warming of the Arctic that is caused by harmful greenhouse gas emissions. 

The researchers determined that burning fossil fuels is likely changing air circulation patterns, which are affecting local and regional weather patterns. The human influence on the weather can turn catastrophic, and a study conducted by a second research team has demonstrated this influence on the devastating 2016 wildfire in Canada near Alberta.

Hans Joachim Schellnhuber is a co-author of the second study and the director of the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/pik-frontpage">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK).

“Giant airstreams encircle our globe in the upper troposphere - we call them planetary waves,” said Schellnhuber. “Now evidence is mounting that humanity is messing with these enormous winds. Fueled by human-made greenhouse-gas emissions, global warming is probably distorting the natural patterns.” 

The waves usually travel eastward between the Equator and the North Pole.

“Yet when they get trapped due to a subtle resonance mechanism, they slow down so the weather in a given region gets stuck. Rains can grow into floods, sunny days into heat waves, and tinder-dry conditions into wildfires,” said Schellnhuber.


PIK scientist Dim Coumou is the lead author of the review paper and a co-author of the wildfire case study.

“While it might not sound so bad to have more prolonged sunny episodes in summer, this is in fact a major climate risk,” said Coumou. “We have rising temperatures due to human-caused global warming which intensifies heat waves and heavy rainfall, and on top of that we could get dynamical changes that make weather extremes even stronger - this is quite worrying.” 

This <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/uk-heatwaves/">summer</a> is a perfect example of how stalling weather can impact societies, as hot and dry weather conditions persist across Western Europe, Russia, and parts of the United States.

Under global warming, the Arctic warms more than the rest of the Northern hemisphere, which reduces the temperature difference between the North Pole and the Equator. It is this temperature difference that primarily drives the airstreams.

Simon Wang from <a href="https://utahstateaggies.com/">Utah State University</a> is a co-author of the review paper.

“There are many studies now, and they point to a number of factors that could contribute to increased airstream stalling in the mid-latitudes - besides Arctic warming, there's also the possibility of climate-change-induced shifting of the storm tracks, as well as changes in the tropical monsoons,” said Wang.

"Under global warming, the Indian summer monsoon rainfall will likely intensify and this will also influence the global airstreams and might ultimately contribute to more stalling weather patterns. All of these mechanisms do not work in isolation but interact.”

“There is strong evidence that winds associated with summer weather systems are weakening and this can interact with so-called amplified quasi-stationary waves. These combined effects point towards more persistent weather patterns, and hence more extreme weather.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Summer weather stalling increases risk of wildfires, flooding

A team of experts has conducted the first comprehensive review...

Water levels at Lake Mead, the world’s largest reservoir, have dropped around 130 feet since the 1990s. The unprecedented rate of drying up is evidenced by the growing “bathtub ring” around the lake, where the newly exposed rock from the water levels dropping starkly contrasts to the rock face above. 

Lake Mead is just one major water source along the Colorado River Basin, a system of reservoirs and rivers that supply water to 40 million people and 6,300 square miles of farmland, according to the <a href="https://www.apnews.com/3789860ef4e44f17b5b6de7000aaa4a7/Vital-US-reservoir-OK-for-now,-but-shortages-are-looming">Associated Press. </a>

Because so many people rely on the river basin, and that seven states must work together to determine water distribution, the Colorado River Basin is controlled through a complex network of treaties and agreements. 

The policies that dictate how the Colorado River Basin is divided up are completely unique to the needs of the people and states that draw water from it. 

While <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colorado-river-drought/">Lake Mead</a> and the river system may be able to meet water demands for now, the long-lasting drought that the southwest has been experiencing shows no signs of letting up and could lead to major shortages after September 2019. 

The Associated Press reported on a forecast from the <a href="https://www.usbr.gov/">U.S Bureau of Reclamation </a>that shows that demand will increase and water levels will continue to drop which will prompt mandatory rationing in the southwest. 

“If these projections materialize, we're very quickly going to lose control of how to manage the deteriorating conditions on the Colorado River,” John Entsminger, general manager of the <a href="https://www.snwa.com/">Southern Nevada Water Authority</a> told the Associated Press. 

How Nevada, Arizona, and the other states that need water from the river system will handle any impending shortages will depend on contingency plans set in place to avoid rationing and the amount of snow and precipitation that the area sees in the coming months. 

Even so, according to the Bureau, there is a 52 percent chance that a shortage will occur in 2019. 

Plans and negotiations to deal with the shortage are taking longer than expected because of how the area is governed. 

Currently, Arizona is having the most difficulty coming to a unified position which would enable negotiations for water management to continue effectively. 

The new forecast spells out a bleak future from the Colorado River Basin and it looks like Lake Mead’s infamous bathtub ring is only going to get wider as more and more of the water system dries up. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Major water shortages forecast as crucial reservoir levels drop

Water levels at Lake Mead, the world’s largest reservoir, have...

Contact lenses are convenient, and new innovations have prioritized comfort, eye health and ease of disposal. 

But maybe disposable lenses are too easy.

The vision correcting devices may be adding to pollution, especially of microplastics, in the Earth’s rivers, lakes and oceans, according to new research presented at the 256th National Meeting &amp; Exposition of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> last week.

"I had worn glasses and contact lenses for most of my adult life," said Dr. Rolf Halden of <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a>, who led the study. "But I started to wonder, has anyone done research on what happens to these plastic lenses?" 

Halden, doctoral student Charlie Rolsky and graduate research assistant Varun Kelkar – a three-person team that had already been researching microplastics pollution – set out to determine what happens to disposable contact lenses after they’re used.

A huge number, they discovered, are washed down the drain. As much as six to 10 metric tons of plastic contact lenses end up in wastewater in the U.S. alone, the team of researchers said. Because of their weight, most of the lenses sink to the bottom of waterways, where they may be eaten by bottom-feeding marine life.

"We began looking into the U.S. market and conducted a survey of contact lens wearers. We found that 15 to 20 percent of contact wearers are flushing the lenses down the sink or toilet. This is a pretty large number, considering roughly 45 million people in the U.S. alone wear contact lenses," Rolsky said.

However, there were some difficulties when it came to determining just how much flushed contact lenses are affecting the environment. Unlike other plastic waste, which mainly contains polypropylene, contact lenses are intended to be softer and more breathable for eye health. It’s unclear how much wastewater treatment might affect contacts’ blend of poly(methylmethacrylate), silicones and uoropolymers.

But it may not be good. The team looked at polymers used by five contact manufacturers, then studied samples from wastewater treatment plants. The lenses appear to break down more quickly and easily than some other plastics, the researchers found.

"When the plastic loses some of its structural strength, it will break down physically. This leads to smaller plastic particles which would ultimately lead to the formation of microplastics," Kelkar said.

The team admits that more research is needed – but that’s exactly what they’re hoping their research will encourage.

"Ultimately, we hope that manufacturers will conduct more research on how the lenses impact aquatic life and how fast the lenses degrade in a marine environment," Halden said.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: Charles Rolsky, Arizona State University

How disposable contact lenses are damaging the environment

Contact lenses are convenient, and new innovations have prioritized comfort,...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-humans-climate-change-2/">Climate change</a> isn’t a new occurrence on our planet. The Earth’s climate has been shifting through periods of warming and cooling ever since it was first formed over 4.5 billion years ago. In fact, one of these cooling periods occurred just 8,000 years ago, when around 6200 B.C.E., climates cooled across the planet. Scientists believe that giant glacial lakes in North America spilled into the Atlantic Ocean, changing sea currents and weather patterns, ultimately triggering what is now known as the 8.2-kiloyear event (as it occurred roughly 8,200 years ago).

This cooling event lead to much drier summers in the Northern Hemisphere, which would have certainly created some problems for ancient farmers. Now for the first time, an international team of researchers from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> and <a href="https://international.amu.edu.pl/">Adam Mickiewicz University</a> has found evidence of just exactly how people living during that time may have been affected. 

They did this through digging up fragments of clay pottery (or potsherds) buried in ancient trash piles in one of the world’s oldest protocities – known as Çatalhöyük. 

Çatalhöyük existed in what is now central Turkey. From around 7500 B.C.E. to 5700 B.C.E., early farmers grew wheat, barley, and peaks and raised cattle, goats, and sheep in this small city of about 10,000 inhabitants. When the 8.2-kiloyear event occurred, it would have dried up feed crops and grazing lands, as well as resulted in colder winters. This likely would have led to thinner livestock in reduced numbers. And because the people of Çatalhöyük stored animal meat in clay pots, the researchers imagined that they could assess the “chemical echoes” of the animals’ dietary distress. 

Using gas chromatography – a type of mass spectrometry that identifies elemental variants known as isotopes – the researchers looked at the hydrogen isotopes of the fat deposits in these clay pots. This helped them determine that the sherds dating to roughly 8,200 years ago had a ratio of isotope deuterium – or heavy hydrogen – that was 9 percent higher than other hydrogen isotopes from the sample. 

This is an important find, as previous research on the area’s climate and plant chemistry had found that lower precipitation rates were linked to higher ratios of heavy hydrogen. The livestock would have taken up more of this heavy hydrogen through grazing during the climate cooling. 

The researchers report the first direct archaeological evidence of this phenomenon in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>. It’s possible that through similar analysis of other fat-soaked pot sherds from different sites around the world, the researchers will be able to accurately recreate climate conditions for other ancient cultures.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ancient pottery shows effects of climate change on early humans

Climate change isn’t a new occurrence on our planet. The...

The ability of scientists to predict natural disasters such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-landslides/">landslides</a> and earthquakes is something that can save lives when applied correctly. While an instrument such as a seismograph can detail tremors leading up to an earthquake, it doesn’t give anybody nearby that much time to evacuate the area. 

Luckily, researchers from the <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/">University of Melbourne</a> have developed a software tool that uses applied mathematics and big data analytics to predict the boundary of where a landslide will occur – two weeks in advance. 

The researchers knew that there are always warning signs leading up to a collapse that causes a landslide, but it was difficult to determine what these signs are. 

“These warnings can be subtle. Identifying them requires fundamental knowledge of failure at the microstructure level – the movement of individual grains of earth,” says Antoinette Tordesillas, a professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics. “Of course, we cannot possibly see the movement of individual grains in a landslide or earthquake that stretches for kilometers, but if we can identify the properties that characterize failure in the small-scale, we can shed light on how failure evolves in time, no matter the size of the area we are observing.”

The early clues leading up to a landslide are patterns of motion that change over time, ultimately becoming synchronized. 

“In the beginning, the movement is highly disordered,” explains Tordesillas. “But as we get closer to the point of failure – the collapse of a sand castle, crack in the pavement or slip in an open pit mine – motion becomes ordered as different locations suddenly move in similar ways.”

Their model decodes the data on movement, turning it into a network that allows the researchers to extract hidden patterns on motion, and see how they change in space and time. The key is in detecting the ordered motions in the network as soon as possible, which is when these movements are at their most subtle. This new software is now focused on using algorithms and big data to formulate risk assessment and management actions that may be able to save lives.

“People have gone somewhat overboard on so-called data analytics, machine learning and so on,” says Robin Batterham, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. “While we’ve been doing this sort of stuff for 40 years, this software harnesses the computer power and memory available to look not just at the surface movement, but extract the relevant data patterns. We’re able to do things that were just unimaginable in a mathematical sense 30 years ago.”

With this new technology, it’s possible that we’ll be able to predict when a landfill or dam might break, when a mudslide may occur, or when a building’s foundation will crack or move. Being able to apply this throughout the world could save countless lives in the future.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New technology can predict landslides well before they happen

The ability of scientists to predict natural disasters such as...

Scientists have found that river estuaries and coastal waters are more vulnerable to acidification compared to deeper ocean waters offshore. The experts have also determined that this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-skeletons-coral/">acidification</a>, which has been detected in the Gulf of Mexico and off the western coast of the United States, can cause cognitive problems and disorientation among certain marine species such as salmon and sharks.

Neurological and behavioral effects have been observed in a range of marine species in regions where there is too much dissolved CO2 in seawater (pCO2). Some fish species become disoriented, losing their way or even swimming towards predators. This condition, known as ocean hypercapnia, occurs when the CO2 level rises above 1000 micro atmospheres (1000 μatm).

CO2 partial pressures tend to be around 400 μatm on the surface of the ocean, so it has been assumed that hypercapnia was not yet a problem in subsurface waters. But now, researchers from several marine laboratories across the United States have established that pCO2 levels can rise to levels which are threatening to the wellbeing of fish in subsurface coastal waters.

Dr. Richard Feely is a senior scientist from the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA) Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and the study’s lead investigator.

“We checked coastal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, and all along the U.S. West coast,” said Dr. Feely. “We found that the cold water changes the chemistry of the water, so that it can't buffer itself as effectively against changes in acidity. This can cause large fluctuations in the CO2 levels of the water according to the season, with colder areas being more vulnerable to large swings in pCO2. It is this increased pCO2 which threatens the well-being of marine life.”

The researchers analyzed water samples collected in 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016. The team found that there were significant differences in the quantities of CO2 dissolved in the water.

“Estuarine and coastal waters will be more severely impacted by the effects of ocean acidification more quickly than the open ocean, particularly if they are already impacted by nutrient, deoxygenation and fertilizer runoff, which can cause higher CO2 levels in subsurface waters,” said study co-author Dr. Wei-Jun Cai. “Unfortunately, many of our coastal waterways have elevated nutrient levels and have low oxygen concentrations in subsurface waters.”

“Colder waters further north are more susceptible to this increase in dissolved CO2. So for example, we found high levels of dissolved CO2 in coastal waters off the state of Washington, but lower levels in the Gulf of Mexico.”

“This means that some fish that inhabit these northern waters could suffer cognitive problems, in much the same way that humans exposed to too much CO2 (as can happen with scuba divers) and will lose track of things. Our work shows that cold coastal waters already have seasonal levels of pCO2 near 1000 μatm or even higher, levels observed to affect behavior in some species.”

The research was presented at the <a href="https://www.geochemsoc.org/programs/goldschmidtconference">Goldschmidt Conference</a> in Boston.

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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

Ocean acidification is threatening fish in coastal waters

Scientists have found that river estuaries and coastal waters are...

Volcanic activity is one of the largest natural contributors to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pacific-ocean-warming-arctic/">climate change</a>, and recent studies have found a correlation between volcanic eruptions and El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A team of scientists has now set out to identify the underlying mechanisms that drive this connection. 

It is critical to understand the influence of volcanic eruptions on ENSO cycles because of the impact they have on the global climate. ENSO causes fluctuations in sea surface temperature (SST) over the equatorial Pacific. 

The research team used the CESM Last Millennium Ensemble (LME) simulations to analyze the different impacts of northern, tropical, and southern volcanic eruptions on the tropical Pacific SST. 

This study revealed that the Pacific Ocean experiences a significant El Nino-like warm SST event around 5 to 10 months after eruptions in the northern and tropical regions.

Study first author ZUO Meng is a doctoral student from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the <a href="http://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>.

“In contrast to previous works on the impacts of volcanic eruptions on SST, our results are based on the CESM-LME simulation,” said Meng. “From a modeling perspective, ensemble simulations are the most helpful method to study volcano-forced responses.”

“Most importantly, the different mechanisms of SST response to three types of eruptions can help us better understand the divergent formation processes of SST anomalies. We hope the results are useful for the mitigation and adaptation of climate change after volcanic eruptions and the associated socioeconomic impacts, and can also provide insight for understanding future SST changes induced by large volcanic eruptions.”

"Differences are also seen among different models. The difference may result from the uncertainties in the reconstruction of external forcing volcanic aerosol data, model bias, and also the initial condition of volcanic eruptions.”

“We hope to deepen our understanding of the tropical Pacific responses to different volcanic forcing and the physical processes by using the VolMIP experiments which has defined a coordinated set of idealized volcanic perturbation experiments to be carried out in alignment with the CMIP6 protocol in the near future.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/loi/clim">Journal of Climate</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

Latitude impacts how volcanic eruptions change ocean temperature

Volcanic activity is one of the largest natural contributors to...

Backlash against balloons reveals their environmental impact. As the movement against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/americans-plastic-straws/">plastic straws</a> continues to gain momentum, plastic balloons are getting their fair share of negative attention as well. A growing list of cities and states are banning mass balloon releases, and a few towns in Massachusetts have even banned balloons altogether.

For decades, concern has been growing over the risk that balloons pose to the environment and also to wildlife. Balloons may look pretty and whimsical, but they become serious hazards when they enter the environment.Backlash against balloons reveals their environmental impact

After balloons are released into the air, they can travel hundreds to thousands of miles before returning to the Earth as litter. In the ocean, balloons often cause fatal injury to marine animals who mistake them for food and ingest them.

Dr. Jan Andries van Franeker of the <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en.htm">Wageningen University &amp; Research Centre</a> explains why degradable balloons are not the solution to the problem. 


“Animals mistake remains from balloons for food, which may cause blockage of stomach and intestines an may lead to starvation,” said Dr. Franeker. “Latex rubber, in spite of its natural origin, does not degrade quickly enough to avoid ingestion by marine wildlife and potential damage to their digestive system.”

States such as California, Connecticut, Tennessee, and Virginia have banned mass balloon releases and many people feel that these events should be banned everywhere, considering the fact that it is basically littering.

<a href="https://balloonsblow.org/">Balloons Blow</a> is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to educating people on the damaging effects of balloons. The group is calling for all University of Nebraska-Lincoln fans to help stop the tradition of releasing balloons.

The organization’s website says, “With Clemson University finally ending their game day balloon releases, UN-L is the last University in the United States holding onto this destructive, archaic tradition - regularly tossing thousands of latex deathtraps into the environment.”

Instead of a balloon release for a commemorative event or celebration, Balloons Blow recommends some eco-friendly alternatives including planting trees, blowing bubbles, or participating in a luminary.

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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

Backlash against balloons reveals their environmental impact

Backlash against balloons reveals their environmental impact. As the movement...

Record heatwaves aren’t just affecting those of us on land, as a new study has found that the ocean is dealing with its own long-lasting heatwaves. 

Research has shown that unusually hot temperatures will likely be the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/next-five-years-hot/">new norm in the coming years</a>, and new data collected by researchers from the <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a> shows that this trend will be mirrored in the world’s oceans. 

“Just like we have heatwaves on land, we also have heatwaves in the ocean,” Art Miller of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography told the <a href="https://apnews.com/2fc5e55909734cfa8be691c7cd6f2cfa">Associated Press</a>. 

The results of the study were published in the journal Nature. 

The researchers reviewed satellite data and records of sea-surface temperatures and found an increase in major marine heatwave events. The increase in marine heatwaves will only continue to rise as the impacts of climate change get more severe. 

Marine heatwaves have been on the rise, and unlike hot spells on land, the increased temperatures can last for days to weeks, making conditions unbearable for marine wildlife. 

“We knew that average temperatures were rising. What we haven’t focused on before is that the rise in the average comes at you in clumps of very hot days a shock of several days or weeks of very high temperatures,” said Michael Oppenheimer, a <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> climate scientist who was not involved in the study to the Associated Press. 

Already, researchers are recording record-breaking ocean temperatures, and at the beginning of August, record high seawater temperatures were recorded off the southern California coast. The seawater temperatures were the highest ever since regular recording began in 1916. 

The Scripps researchers found that if marine heatwaves follow their current trends it could put kelp forests, corals and the fish and wildlife that rely on them in serious danger. 

Coral reef studies have shown that rising ocean temperatures, sea level rise, and ocean acidification are threatening some of the ocean’s most vital coral ecosystems. 

Corals and kelp are mostly stationary and may not be able to migrate like other marine wildlife if ocean temperatures grow hostile in some key habitats.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Prolonged ocean heatwaves prompt record high water temperatures

Record heatwaves aren’t just affecting those of us on land,...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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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



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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



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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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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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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