Tire particles are an overlooked contributor to environmental pollution, and their impact is something we can no longer afford to ignore.



It's not just the emissions from your car's exhaust pipe that should concern you. Lurking beneath the notion of vehicular pollution is an underestimated adversary: tire particles. 



These microscopic pieces, shed from the tires of millions of vehicles worldwide, are raising alarming environmental and health concerns. All too frequently, they go unnoticed and unrecognized.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-tire-particles-are-unique-pollutants">Why tire particles are unique pollutants</h2>



Tire particles are steadily moving up the ranks of environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollutants-from-fossil-fuels-are-embedded-in-coral-skeletons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollutants</a>, and for several compelling reasons. 



They are responsible for almost a third of all microplastics, making them a leading source of this concerning waste. However, these are no ordinary microplastics. 



Tire particles are distinct both in size and chemical complexity, and they behave uniquely within ecosystems.



Henry Obanya at the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/research/research-groups-and-centres/revolution-plastics-institute" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth's Revolution Plastics Institute</a> explained the dire need for reclassification. He noted that tire particles contain hundreds of unknown chemicals, many of which leach into the environment and pose unprecedented risks. 



"Our study calls for TPs to be separated from traditional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microplastics</a> and recognized as a unique threat to environmental and public health. We need focused research to understand their pathways and impact," he stressed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-complex-nature-of-tire-particles">The complex nature of tire particles</h2>



Unlike the simpler polymer chains in traditional microplastics, tire particles offer a different face. Derived from rubber mixed with a sophisticated blend of synthetic and natural materials, they are chemically unique. 



Tire particles also contain various additives, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and stabilizing chemicals. As the particles degrade, they can potentially release these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-childrens-products-contain-harmful-chemicals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">harmful substances</a> into the environment.



And they are not only dangerous because of their chemical composition. Tire particles often exhibit a variable size distribution, which further complicates their impact.



These particles can travel via road runoff and wind, thereby polluting waterways and soils, and even infiltrating food chains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bridging-the-knowledge-gap">Bridging the knowledge gap</h2>



Even though tire particles pose such significant threats, understanding their environmental presence, transportation, and toxic impact remains largely unexplored. 



A recent study, published in the journal Environmental Research, identified ten priority research questions across four key areas: environmental detection, chemical composition, biotic impacts, and regulation.



Experts from countries worldwide, including the U.K., U.S., and Norway, have joined forces to emphasize the requirement of a standardized framework.



This would help quantify and manage these particles and their leachates, particularly as their global presence escalates.



One of the key issues addressed by the researchers is the need for more transparent information on the chemicals used in tire production. 



Industrial confidentiality currently shrouds the specific compounds within tire particles. However, evidence of these chemicals, particularly from leachates, has been found in rivers worldwide, with potential adverse impacts on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastic-pollution-found-in-every-aquatic-species-tested/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aquatic life</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-steering-toward-sustainable-solutions">Steering toward sustainable solutions</h2>



Addressing the issue of tire particles will require a global effort, with renewed focus on research, policy, and regulation. The establishment of an intergovernmental science-policy panel could be a significant step towards tackling this problem. 



Policymakers and regulators, by addressing these research priorities, can minimize scientific uncertainties and better assess the risks posed by tire particles to ecosystems and human health.



Dr. Farhan R. Khan, senior researcher at the Norwegian Research Center (NORCE) and a contributor to the study, highlighted the importance of a unified approach.



"By gathering experts that focus on different aspects of TP pollution, from environmental presence, analytical detection, toxic effects and regulation, this study provides an overview of the current state of research and what questions we should be focused on next. Importantly, this study provides a road-map for future research needs," said Dr. Khan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recognizing-tire-particles-as-a-major-threat">Recognizing tire particles as a major threat</h2>



According to Dr. Imari Walker-Franklin, a researcher at RTI International, this research not only presents some of the most urgent questions to address regarding tire particle pollution but also provides some actionable steps for researchers, industry and regulators to take.



"This study is a clear call for coordinated international efforts," said Obanya. "By recognizing TPs as a distinct environmental threat, we can drive meaningful research, guide policy, and ultimately work toward a healthier, more sustainable world."



The envisaged outcome? A clear classification and targeted regulatory framework that could guide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-urgent-plea-sustainable-climate-solutions-save-earth-humanity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustainable solutions</a> within the tire and automotive industries. This, say the researchers, aligns with global Sustainable Development Goals. 



Initiatives like this study highlight the need for coordinated international efforts to bring us closer to a future where the wheels of progress don't leave a trail of environmental damage in their wake. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0013935124021297" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Research</a>.



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Tire particles must be recognized as a distinct environmental threat

Tire particles are an overlooked contributor to environmental pollution, and their impact is something we can no longer afford to ignore. It's not just the emissions from your car's exhaust pipe that should concern you. Lurking beneath the notion of vehicular pollution is an underestimated adversary: tire particles. These microscopic pieces, shed from the tires of millions of vehicles worldwide, are raising alarming environmental and health concerns. All too frequently, they go unnoticed and unrecognized. Why tire particles are unique pollutants Tire particles are steadily moving up...

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/chile-declares-emergency-zone-due-to-huge-toxic-algal-bloom/">Algal blooms</a> occur regularly around the world, and can be harmful to the environment – as well as the economy – in the coastal communities they effect. Occasionally, these blooms will produce toxins that are destructive to marine animals and humans when the toxins accumulate in seafood. In particular, high-dose exposure to domoic acid, which is produced by a type of phytoplankton known as diatoms, can lead to amnesic shellfish poisoning. The condition is characterized by seizures and short-term memory loss, can even be fatal.

A recent study in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a> reports that scientists have now identified a cluster of genes associated with production of the toxin domoic acid in this species of plankton. The research team, led by scientists from <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/">Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego</a> and the <a href="https://www.jcvi.org/">J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI)</a>, are the first to determine the molecular basis for the toxicity of these plankton, despite decades of prior research. 

Their work advanced research that was done in 2011 by David Hutchins of the <a href="https://www.usc.edu/">University of Southern California</a>, who is a co-author on this study. Hutchins found that when phosphate is limited and the amount of carbon dioxide in the ocean increased, diatoms end up producing large quantities of domoic acid. This was a major finding, as it is known that our oceans have been acquiring more carbon dioxide due to fossil fuel use. Along with rising ocean temperatures, it has resulted in domoic acid events occurring more frequently, becoming more toxic, and lasting longer than ever before.

The researchers at Scripps used the results of Hutchins’ study to identify the genes responsible for the production of this toxin. 

“We found it very interesting that a combination of phosphate limitation and increased carbon dioxide could have such a strong yet nuanced effect on domoic acid production in culture,” says Andrew E. Allen, an ecologist and diatom genomics expert with dual appointment at Scripps and JCVI who is also a senior author on the study. “We were able to directly correlate gene expression to toxin production, and this observation led us straight to the genes encoding domoic acid.”

They were able to determine that these newly discovered genes contain the biological instructions for making the toxin and are “turned on” when a diatom is producing domoic acid. 

“By identifying the genes that encode domoic acid production, we can now ask questions about various oceanic conditions that turn the genes on or off,” explains Scripps Institution of Oceanography and JCVI PhD student Patrick Brunson, one of the lead authors on the study. “This knowledge will allow us to track the development of bloom toxicity at the genetic level.”

While the researchers state that it’s unlikely they’ll ever be able to prevent these algal blooms, this breakthrough gives us the opportunity to better monitor the early stages of the production of domoic acid, and should be able to complement current monitoring strategies.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How do algal blooms become so toxic and destructive?

Algal blooms occur regularly around the world, and can be...

The 2017 hurricane season in the North Atlantic was abnormally intense. With a total of six major storms, the sheer volume of individual hurricanes was almost two standard deviations above the average number in a normal year. Three of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-harvey-slams-texas/">hurricanes</a> made landfall over the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean, resulting in enormous loss and damage. 

Now, a new study published in <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a> has found that the warming of the tropical Atlantic relative to the rest of the world’s oceans may have been a key factor in this outlier of a hurricane season. By using high-resolution computer models, Hiroyuki Murakami of the <a href="https://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/">Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory</a> at <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> and colleagues assessed the season from July 1st to November 30th, and found that moderate 2017 La Niña conditions – where water cools in the equatorial Pacific and can result in hurricane activity – were actually not the major causes of the enhanced hurricane activity that year. 

The researchers found that local Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies were highly correlated with increased hurricane activity. They ran additional simulation experiments under the predicted trend of a warmer climate linked to human-caused forces. Not surprisingly, the experiments showed a continued risk of high hurricane density over the Caribbean, U.S. Coast, and northern North Atlantic open ocean.

In their study, the research team also predicts that a similar pattern of sea surface warming in the North Atlantic will likely lead to an increased number of hurricanes in future years, as it occurs in parallel with increases in greenhouse gas concentrations and decreased aerosol pollution. While they state that further refinement is needed in the simulation models in order to determine the impact of specific human-made activities on hurricanes, it’s clear that hurricane season is not getting calmer anytime soon.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

What made the 2017 hurricane season so violent?

The 2017 hurricane season in the North Atlantic was abnormally...

WAR &amp; CONFLICT BOOKERA:  WORLD WAR II/WAR IN THE WEST/GERMANY

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a> have found that the impact of World War II bombing raids could be felt at the edge of outer space. As the Allied forces detonated massive bombs across European cities, the shockwaves forcefully ripped through the Earth's atmosphere.

The scientists found evidence that the shockwaves weakened the electrified upper atmosphere, or the ionosphere, 1000 kilometers away. The findings will be used to better understand how Earth's upper atmosphere is affected by natural forces from below, including <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/california-bridge-sensors-earthquakes/">earthquakes</a>, volcanic eruptions, and lightning.

Study co-author Chris Scott is a professor of Space and Atmospheric Physics.

“The images of neighborhoods across Europe reduced to rubble due to wartime air raids are a lasting reminder of the destruction that can be caused by man-made explosions,” said Professor Scott.”But the impact of these bombs way up in the Earth's atmosphere has never been realized until now.”

“It is astonishing to see how the ripples caused by man-made explosions can affect the edge of space. Each raid released the energy of at least 300 lightning strikes. The sheer power involved has allowed us to quantify how events on the Earth's surface can also affect the ionosphere.”

The team reviewed daily records at the Radio Research Centre in Slough, UK, collected between 1943 and 1945. The researchers also sent sequences of radio pulses to heights of 100 to 300 kilometers above the Earth's surface. This revealed the height and electron concentration of ionisation within the upper atmosphere.

While it is known that the strength of the ionosphere is strongly influenced by solar activity, there are far more variables that cannot yet be explained using current models. The ionosphere itself affects a range of modern technologies such as radio communications, GPS systems, radio telescopes, and some early warning radar.

The investigation was focused on the ionosphere response records during 152 large Allied air raids in Europe. The analysis showed that the electron concentration in the ionosphere significantly dropped after the bombs exploded near the Earth's surface.

“Aircrew involved in the raids reported having their aircraft damaged by the bomb shockwaves, despite being above the recommended height,” said study co-author Professor Patrick Major. 

“Residents under the bombs would routinely recall being thrown through the air by the pressure waves of air mines exploding, and window casements and doors would be blown off their hinges. There were even rumors that wrapping wet towels around the face might save those in shelters from having their lungs collapsed by blast waves, which would leave victims otherwise externally untouched."

“The unprecedented power of these attacks has proved useful for scientists to gauge the impact such events can have hundreds of kilometers above the Earth, in addition to the devastation they caused on the ground.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.annales-geophysicae.net/">Annales Geophysicae</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: US Air Force

Shockwaves from WW2 bombing raids reached the edge of space

Researchers at the University of Reading have found that the...

Apis mellifera

Researchers at <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">The University of Texas at Austin</a> have discovered that the most commonly used weed killer in the world may be inadvertently killing bees. The study provides evidence that weed killers are contributing to the declines of honey bees and other bee populations worldwide. 

When bees are exposed to the active ingredient in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cancer-suit-weedkiller-roundup/">Roundup</a> called glyphosate, they lose important gut bacteria and become more susceptible to infection and death from harmful bacteria.

Graduate student Erick Motta co-led the study with Professor Nancy Moran.

“We need better guidelines for glyphosate use, especially regarding bee exposure, because right now the guidelines assume bees are not harmed by the herbicide,” said Motta. “Our study shows that's not true.”

While glyphosate has long been assumed to be non toxic to animals, including humans and bees, the current research suggests otherwise. Glyphosate compromises a bee’s ability to fight infection by modifying the gut microbiome, which plays an important role in health and disease.

For their investigation, the researchers exposed honey bees to glyphosate at levels that would be common in crop fields or anywhere that the herbicides are used. Three days later, they observed that exposure to the weed killer significantly reduced healthy gut microbiota. 

Of the eight dominant species of healthy bacteria, four were found to be less abundant after exposure. Snodgrassella alvi, a microbe that helps bees process food and defend against pathogens, was affected the most.


The study also revealed that the bees with impaired gut microbiomes were far more likely to die from Serratia marcescens, a widespread opportunistic pathogen that infects bees around the world.

“Studies in humans, bees and other animals have shown that the gut microbiome is a stable community that resists infection by opportunistic invaders,” said Professor Moran. “So if you disrupt the normal, stable community, you are more susceptible to this invasion of pathogens.”


The study authors recommend that farmers, landscapers, and homeowners avoid spraying glyphosate-based herbicides on flowering plants that bees are likely to visit.


“It's not the only thing causing all these bee deaths, but it is definitely something people should worry about because glyphosate is used everywhere,” said Motta.

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Alex Wild/University of Texas at Austin

Most popular weed killer linked to declining bee populations

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered...

Global warming can in part be attributed to <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/the-greenhouse-effect/">the greenhouse effect</a>, where an increase in greenhouse gas emissions traps heat in the atmosphere and this heat warms the planet.

The Earth releases heat both from its surface and atmosphere, but researchers have observed a linear relationship between the Earth’s surface temperature and its outgoing heat despite the complex climate processes on Earth.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT) conducted a study to better understand this linear relationship and the results could help improve climate modeling and future projections for atmospheric CO2.

The results of the study were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

As the Earth emits heat into space from its surface and atmosphere, the increase in greenhouse gas emissions traps the heat in the atmosphere because the air can hold more water vapor.

The researchers found that the water vapor feedback cancels the rate of heat emissions from the atmosphere, even though the atmosphere is holding more heat. This helps explain why the heat released from the Earth has maintained such a linear relationship.

For the study, the researchers developed a radiation code that showed how the Earth emits heat into space. Earth is visualized as a vertical column and the researchers were able to calculate the amount of radiation that escapes from the column thanks to the code.

Once they had the code developed, the researchers then tackled what processes were driving the release of radiation.

“So the radiation code gave us what Earth actually does,” said Daniel Koll, a co-author of the study. “Then I started digging into this code, which is a lump of physics smashed together, to see which of these physics is actually responsible for this relationship.”

The researchers programmed various climate components into the code such as convection, humidity and water vapor, increasing and decreasing the levels of each to see how it impacted heat release.

The team had to break down the entire spectrum of infrared radiation into 350,000 wavelengths to see which wavelengths were being absorbed by water.

Water vapor absorbs heat at certain wavelengths even though the Earth is getting hotter and more heat should be released.

“It's like there's a window, through which a river of radiation can flow to space,” said Koll. “The river flows faster and faster as you make things hotter, but the window gets smaller, because the greenhouse effect is trapping a lot of that radiation and preventing it from escaping.”

The researchers also found that the direct relationship between heat release, and if global surface temperatures go above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes harder and harder for the Earth to release heat at the same rate the surface is warming.

If the Earth’s surface temperature were to reach temperatures of 152 degrees, the planet would start to look an awful lot like Venus, something that global warming wouldn’t be able to cause on its own, according to the researchers.

The researchers say the results shed light on how the Earth releases heat and could help improve climate change models as well our understanding of the varied climates of ancient Earth.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How Earth’s surface temps correlate with how much heat it emits

Global warming can in part be attributed to the greenhouse...

A new study describes how geoengineering projects could be used to slow down glacial melt and limit sea-level rise. The investigation was focused on the Thwaites Glacier in the Amundsen Sea, which is retreating at an accelerated rate.

Thwaites is one of the widest glaciers in the world and is predicted to be the largest individual source of future <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-rise-islands-uninhabitable/">sea-level rise</a>. 

“If (glacial geoengineering) works there then we would expect it to work on less challenging glaciers as well,” explained the study authors. 

The researchers found that an intervention the size of existing civil engineering projects may have only about a 30 percent chance of success, but that a more targeted approach would have better odds.  

Study co-author John Moore is a scientist at <a href="http://english.bnu.edu.cn/">Beijing Normal University</a> in China and a professor of Climate Change at the University of Lapland in Finland. “Doing geoengineering means often considering the unthinkable,” said Professor Moore.


Glacial geoengineering involves making changes to the geometry of the seafloor to form an ice shelf near glaciers that flow into the ocean, which could prevent them from melting further. Like the Thwaites ice stream, many glaciers are rapidly retreating and the impacts will affect millions of people living along the world’s coastline.

“Thwaites could easily trigger a runaway (West Antarctic) ice sheet collapse that would ultimately raise global sea level by about 3 meters,” explained study co-author and <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> researcher Michael Wolovick.

“The most important result (of our study) is that a meaningful ice sheet intervention is broadly within the order of magnitude of plausible human achievements.”

The team evaluated two glacial-geoengineering methods. One idea is to construct a massive underwater wall to prevent warm water from reaching the base of an ice shelf, which is very sensitive to melting. 

A simpler concept involves building artificial mounds or columns on the seafloor. The mounds would not block warm water but could help the glacier re-strengthen and re-develop by supporting it and holding it back.

“In either case, we were imagining very simple structures, simply piles of sand or gravel on the ocean floor,” said Wolovick.

Computer simulations demonstrated that even the least complex of the designs could slow down the rate of glacial melt, providing coastal communities with more time to adapt to rising sea levels. 

“We all understand that we have an urgent professional obligation to determine how much sea level rise society should expect, and how fast that sea level rise is likely to come,” said Dr Wolovick.

“However, we would argue that there is also an obligation to try to come up with ways that society could protect itself against a rapid ice-sheet collapse.”

While glacial geoengineering could work to hold off ice-sheet collapse, the study authors strongly emphasize that reducing greenhouse-gas emissions remains the number one priority in the fight against climate change.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.the-cryosphere.net/">The Cryosphere</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Construction of underwater walls may help slow the sea-level rise

A new study describes how geoengineering projects could be used...

Most fossil fuel economic research has focused on how higher income countries generally benefit from use of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/carbon-bubble-fossil-fuels/">fossil fuels</a> while developing countries bear the brunt of the negative environmental impacts.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ucsd.edu/">University of California San Diego</a>, the <a href="http://eiee.eu/en/home/">European Institute on Economics and the Environment (EIEE)</a> and the <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/">Carnegie Institution for Science</a> created the first quantifiable data set on the social cost of carbon (SCC) for most of the countries on Earth. 

The research is the first of its kind to measure the economic harm from carbon emissions for different countries, and results show that the most affluent countries on Earth will suffer the greatest economic impact from CO2 emissions. 

The United States, Saudi Arabia, and India make up the top three countries that could incur the greatest losses from C02 emissions. 

A study, detailing the data set and the researchers’ findings, was published in the journal Nature Climate Change. 

“We all know carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels affects people and ecosystems around the world, today and in the future; however these impacts are not included in market prices, creating an environmental externality whereby consumers of fossil fuel energy do not pay for and are unaware of the true costs of their consumption," said Kate Ricke, the lead author of the study. 

Currently, the most-trusted estimates of the SCC come from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)</a>, according to the study. 

The EPA’s latest SCC calculations say that carbon emissions could cost the globe $12 to $62 per metric ton of CO2 by 2020. 

However, the new University of California San Diego study found that this is a major underestimate. 

The researchers combined data from climate and carbon cycle modeling experiments to estimate country-level contributions to SCC. 

This allowed the researchers to measure SCC under different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios factoring in the carbon cycle and the environmental impact of CO2 emissions. 

What the researchers discovered was that the SCC could be anywhere between $180 and $800 per metric ton of carbon emissions. 

The SCC for the US is around $50 per ton more than what previous EPA estimates have calculated, and according to the researchers, annual CO2 emissions are costing the US economy 250 billion dollars. 

“Our analysis demonstrates that the argument that the primary beneficiaries of reductions in carbon dioxide emissions would be other countries is a total myth,” said Ricke. “We consistently find, through hundreds of uncertainty scenarios, that the U.S. always has one of the highest country-level SCCs.”

The study could help better inform climate policy where information is lacking in countries that have yet to recognize the risks of climate change, and the researchers say that the results call for more action on behalf of the US and other high-income countries. 

--

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="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>

CO2 emissions could cost US economy billions of dollars

Most fossil fuel economic research has focused on how higher...

Over the past several days, the<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-iceland-sells-risky-seismic-activity-tourist-attraction/"> highly active Icelandic volcano</a> Katla has received considerable media attention questioning whether or not an eruption is imminent. 

However, it turns out that many have misunderstood the results of a new study that found that Katla is emitting huge quantities of CO2, which can be a precursor to an eruption event.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">Leeds University</a> recently conducted the pioneering study examining CO2 emissions of the volcano, and the results could help with predicting volcanic eruptions in the future.

The study was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters and it’s one of the few to measure CO2 emissions from a volcano covered by glacial ice, which Katla is. 

Katla, which means Kettle, is one of Iceland's most active and largest volcanos with a history of erupting twice per century, although by those standards the volcano is now long overdue for its next eruption. 

Part of what makes Katla so interesting and difficult to study is that it’s partially buried under a glacier and the last eruption to break through its glacial cap occurred in 1918.  

Although volcanoes are a key source of CO2 emissions and a volcanic eruption of Katla would have a major impact on a global scale, emitting high ash plumes and potential tidal waves, it was previously assumed that Katla was a minor gas emitter according to the study. 

The researchers used high-precision airborne measurements and atmospheric modeling to better understand Katla’s emissions. 

What the researchers discovered was that not only is Katla not a minor emitter of CO2, Katla is responsible for up to four percent of all global non-erupting volcanic emissions. 

In other words, Katla is one of the largest volcanic sources of CO2 on Earth. 

While some media outlets have misinterpreted the study as pointing to an imminent eruption because the CO2 measurement could indicate that the volcano’s magma chamber is quickly filling up, the researchers and other volcano experts say otherwise. 

“There is no way of telling when it will erupt, just that it will,” Sarah Barsotti, co-ordinator for volcanic hazards at the <a href="http://en.vedur.is/">Icelandic Meteorological Office</a>, told <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/">the Sunday Times</a>. 

The lead author of the study, Dr. Evgenia Ilyinskaya of the University of Leeds, took to Twitter to clear up the confusion:

“Our new study on Katla #volcano in Iceland has received significant interest of the #media, which is great,” she tweeted. “However, an unwanted side effect is that the media can misrepresent and exaggerate scientific results. In our <a href="https://t.co/FzeyQsLuMo">study</a>, we discovered something extraordinary and unexpected about Katla. But we did NOT show whether or not it is building up to an #eruption.”

<a href="http://earthice.hi.is/institute_earth_sciences">Iceland’s Institute for Earth Sciences</a> recently released a statement on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/earthice.UI/">Facebook page </a>stating that the new research does not actually predict any future eruptions, but the study is no less noteworthy. 

But the research could help with predicting volcanic eruptions in the future and adds to our understanding of volcanic CO2 emissions.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Is the Icelandic volcano Katla about to erupt?

Over the past several days, the highly active Icelandic volcano...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California Berkeley</a> has found that human-induced climate change is causing <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-national-parks/">national parks</a> to become even hotter and drier than the rest of the country. This is the first investigation of its kind to estimate the extent of the effects of climate change on all 417 national parks. 

The analysis has revealed that over the past century, the average temperatures in national parks have risen at twice the rate of the rest of the United States. In addition, yearly rainfall has declined more in national parks than in any other region of the country.


The researchers also found that, with no action to limit harmful emissions, many small mammal and plant species will be pushed to their tipping point toward extinction by the end of this century. 


If emissions persist at the current rate, the team has predicted that temperatures in the most vulnerable national parks could increase by as much as nine degrees Celsius, or 16 degrees Fahrenheit, by the year 2100. This rate of climate change would be too rapid for many small mammals and plants to migrate elsewhere. 

UC Berkeley Professor Patrick Gonzalez is also a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which provides a summary of the most up-to-date scientific knowledge of climate change.

“Human-caused climate change is already increasing the area burned by wildfires across the western U.S., melting glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park and shifting vegetation to higher elevations in Yosemite National Park,” said Professor Gonzalez.

“The good news is that, if we reduce our emissions from cars, power plants, deforestation, and other human activities and meet the Paris Agreement goal, we can keep the temperature increase in national parks to one-third of what it would be without any emissions reductions.”

The locations of national parks and their unique ecosystems are what make them particularly vulnerable to climate change, Professor Gonzalez explained. Many national parks are found in regions that are known to be the hardest hit by global warming such as deserts, high mountains, or in the Arctic region of Alaska.

“National parks aren't a random sample - they are remarkable places and many happen to be in extreme environments,” said Professor Gonzalez said. “Many are in places that are inherently more exposed to human-caused climate change.”

Study co-author John Williams is a professor of Geography at the <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a>.

“It is important to note that even if we really do a strong mitigation of greenhouse gases, the national park system is still expected to see a 2 degree temperature change,” said Professor Williams. 

“At this point, it is likely that the glaciers in Glacier National park will ultimately disappear, and what is Glacier National park if it doesn't have glaciers anymore? So I think this adds weight to the importance of reducing our future levels of climate change and also extends the National Park Service mission to both adapt to these changes and educate all of us about these changes.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/erl">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 
Image Credit: Patrick Gonzalez

National parks hit harder by climate change than any other region

A new study led by the University of California Berkeley...

A thermal spring in <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/">Yellowstone National Park</a> has erupted, spraying steam to heights not recorded since 1957, according to park officials.

The seismic activity began Sept. 15 when Ear Spring, on Yellowstone’s Geyser Hill, erupted for the fourth time in the past 60 years. The thermal spring was dormant until last week’s activity. 

It’s no longer blasting steam and scalding water 20 to 30 feet high, but it has continued to erupt. The thermal spring has been sending up a near-constant two feet of hot water, park spokesman Neal Herbert told the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>.

Ear Spring is just one of the dozens of hot springs, geysers and other thermal pools that dot Yellowstone. Named because it’s similar in shape to the human ear, it last erupted 14 years ago.

Now it’s active again, and it’s not the only activity seen on Geyser Hill in recent days. Park officials closed a boardwalk to visitors in the Upper Geyser Basin after a number of new vents and surface fractures began erupting. The move was to keep visitors from being injured by superheated water spewing from thermal springs, geysers and other openings in the Earth’s surface.

Unlike a geyser, which has an obstruction that prevents hot water from reaching the surface except during eruptions, a thermal spring like Ear Spring has hot surface water most of the time. However, hot springs can still occasionally erupt. 

Ear Spring isn’t the first dormant site at Yellowstone to erupt this year. <a href="https://ktvq.com/news/local-news/2018/09/21/video-extra-steamboat-geyser-erupts-again-in-yellowstone-park/">Steamboat Geyser</a> has also been active in recent months. It erupted again earlier this week.

While scientists are keeping a close eye on the new activity, it’s not a sign that a volcanic eruption is imminent, Herbert said. The park sees significant and quick changes fairly frequently, he said.

The boardwalk may not be the last of the park’s closures, either.

“It's still in flux,” Herbert said. “There is still water flowing in new places and some of the springs that had been dormant have been erupting nearly constantly.”

Yellowstone thermal spring spews biggest eruption since 1957

A thermal spring in Yellowstone National Park has erupted, spraying...

After the hurricane, where does all of the water go? We are now well into hurricane season and many parts of the Carolinas are still recovering from the damage and flooding caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-florence-slams-carolinas/">Hurricane Florence</a>.  

With the massive amounts of rainfall and flooding caused by storms and hurricanes these past few years, it begs the question, where does all the water go? 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)</a> recently conducted a study examining how and where flood waters recede over time. 

The study was published in the journal Science Advances. 

The researchers tracked the water levels after Hurricane Harvey. Some parts of southeast Texas had more than five feet of rain due to the storm and it was the wettest recorded hurricane in U.S History. 

The researchers used GPS data from 220 ground stations from Texas to Louisiana to measure changes in the Earth’s elevation. 

Much of the floodwaters after Hurricane Harvey drained into the ocean and Galveston Bay, and some of the water was lost through evaporation and plant transpiration, according to Chris Milliner, the first author of the study.

However, 30 percent of the stormwater was captured or stored on land and slowly dissipated over a period of five weeks. 

While analyzing the GPS measurements, the researchers found that as stormwater accumulated over Texas, the Earth actually dipped under the pressure as evidenced by the changes in elevation measurements recorded by the GPS systems. 

“When you sit on a mattress, your weight depresses its surface. Earth's crust is also elastic and behaves in a similar way under the weight of water,” said Milliner. “GPS is measuring the amount of subsidence (or depression), which tells you how much water mass must be pressing on the surface and where that water is distributed.” 

The land around Houston, Texas sunk by 20 milliliters after Hurricane Harvey, but the GPS measurements slowly showed the land rebounding back as the water drained and evaporated according to the researchers.

The researchers had to specifically filter the GPS data to make these observations but now, future research will be able to easily quantify daily changes in water mass after a flood and understand where water is being stored and where it goes as it dissipates. 

The study could benefit cities like Houston in the coming years as policymakers and flood managers will have a better idea of water is stored on land after a flood. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

After the hurricane, where does all of the water go?

After the hurricane, where does all of the water go?...

Scientists have known for years that marine animals such as shellfish and fish can ingest plastics and be contaminated by the countless bits of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-fish-red-sea/">microplastics</a> in our oceans. But new research now shows that microplastics can also be transported by insects through the air.

In a study published in <a href="http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Biology Letters</a>, researchers report that plastic may be entering the food chain from insects eating tiny pieces of plastics while they hatch in the water. Insects like mayflies, dragonflies, midges, and mosquitoes can transport plastic from water sources into the food chain on land. This occurs when the insects are eaten by animals – such as birds and bats – which can lead to health risks for these creatures.

Researchers at <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">Reading University</a> tested this by observing mosquito larvae eating tiny microbeads of fluorescent polystyrene while they were hatching in a controlled environment. Microplastics are defined as being smaller than 5mm, and they were easily detected in adult flies by the researchers. 

Microplastics can be made of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene – among other material. They often get into the environment by passing through household waste water in high concentrations. Synthetic clothes are a major source of microplastics, as are bottles and plastic bags after they are broken down. 

“While mosquitoes were used here as a model organism, any freshwater insect that can ingest MPs [microplastics] will likely equally transmit plastics into a terrestrial adult stage,” the authors say. “This has implications for organisms that feed on adult mosquitoes with aerial and terrestrial animals accordingly open to MP exposure.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Microplastics spread through insects hatched in contaminated water

Scientists have known for years that marine animals such as...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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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