None of us can live without freshwater. It is, arguably, the most crucial natural resource we have. 



But recent findings have set off alarm bells around the world. Scientists are gravely concerned. Once abundant, our global freshwater levels are now at serious risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-total-freshwater-levels">Earth's total freshwater levels</h2>



An international group of scientists analyzed data from NASA-German satellites and discovered that Earth's total freshwater levels experienced a sudden drop beginning in May 2014, with no signs of recovery since.



The researchers propose that this decline might indicate that Earth's continents have shifted into an enduringly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hotter-drier-deadlier-how-much-can-forests-tolerate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drier state</a>.



Matthew Rodell is a hydrologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.



“The average amount of freshwater stored on land - that includes liquid surface water like lakes and rivers, plus water in aquifers underground - was 290 cubic miles (1,200 cubic km) lower than the average levels from 2002 through 2014,” said Rodell. 



"That’s two and a half times the volume of Lake Erie lost.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellite-data-exposed-water-loss">Satellite data exposed water loss</h2>



The team used observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites, a joint effort by NASA and the German Aerospace Center, to identify this significant global decrease in freshwater. 



The GRACE satellites, which operated from 2002 to 2017, measured changes in Earth's gravity monthly, unveiling the shifts in water mass on and beneath the surface. The mission was succeeded by the GRACE–Follow On (GRACE–FO) satellites, which have been operational since May 2018. 



These satellites revealed that the drop in freshwater began with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/severe-drought-in-portugal-has-left-reservoirs-at-extreme-lows/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">severe drought</a> in northern and central Brazil, quickly followed by major droughts in Australasia, South America, North America, Europe, and Africa. 



Warmer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-were-a-driving-force-behind-2023s-record-heat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean temperatures</a> in the tropical Pacific during the 2014–2016 El Niño, one of the most intense since 1950, played a critical role in shifting atmospheric jet streams and altering global weather and rainfall patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-freshwater-levels-did-not-rebound">Freshwater levels did not rebound </h2>



However, the most troubling finding came after the El Niño event subsided: global freshwater levels did not rebound. Rodell noted that 13 of the world’s 30 most intense droughts observed by GRACE occurred since January 2015. 



This pattern raises concerns about whether global warming could be contributing to the sustained freshwater depletion. 



“Warming temperatures increase both the evaporation of water from the surface to the atmosphere and the water-holding capacity of the atmosphere, increasing the frequency and intensity of drought conditions,” said NASA meteorologist Michael Bosilovich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-freshwater-decline-and-global-warming">Freshwater decline and global warming</h2>



The relationship between global warming and freshwater loss becomes clearer when considering the impact of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-predicts-global-warmings-impact-on-extreme-weather/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extreme weather</a>. 



“Global warming leads the atmosphere to hold more water vapor, which results in more extreme precipitation,” Bosilovich explained. 



Although annual rain and snowfall totals may not change significantly, the time between these intense precipitation events can grow, causing the soil to dry out and become compact. 



“The problem when you have extreme precipitation is the water ends up running off,” Bosilovich added, meaning it doesn’t soak into the ground and replenish critical groundwater reserves.



This vicious cycle poses significant threats to agriculture, communities, and global stability. During prolonged droughts, the strain on water supplies forces cities and farms to rely heavily on groundwater, creating a loop of unsustainable extraction. 



The resulting depletion impacts farmers and communities, exacerbating poverty, health risks, and potential conflicts. 



A 2024 UN report on water stress highlights that people facing severe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-drought-has-caused-crisis-levels-of-food-and-water-scarcity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water shortages</a> may resort to contaminated water sources, increasing the risk of disease and famine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-our-water-resources">The future of our water resources</h2>



While scientists suspect global warming plays a significant role in these shifts, definitive links remain complex due to uncertainties in climate predictions and models. 



Susanna Werth, a hydrologist and remote sensing scientist at Virginia Tech who was not involved in the study, noted: “There are uncertainties in climate predictions. Measurements and models always come with errors.” 



This complexity highlights the challenge of forecasting future freshwater trends.



The pressing question remains: will global freshwater levels recover, stabilize, or continue to decline? 



Nine of the warmest years in recorded history coincided with this sharp drop in freshwater. “We don’t think this is a coincidence, and it could be a harbinger of what’s to come," said Rodell.



The data emphasizes the urgent need for action and adaptation strategies as we face a potentially drier future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10712-024-09860-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Surveys in Geophysics</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Satellites reveal a sudden drop in global freshwater levels

None of us can live without freshwater. It is, arguably, the most crucial natural resource we have. But recent findings have set off alarm bells around the world. Scientists are gravely concerned. Once abundant, our global freshwater levels are now at serious risk. Earth's total freshwater levels An international group of scientists analyzed data from NASA-German satellites and discovered that Earth's total freshwater levels experienced a sudden drop beginning in May 2014, with no signs of recovery since. The researchers propose that this decline might indicate that...

The Earth’s magnetic field is in a constant state of flux and every couple hundred thousand years or so, the poles undergo a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-poles-flip/">complete reversal and flip</a>. 

Throughout Earth’s history the poles have flipped many times and as <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012-poleReversal.html">NASA</a> points out, pole reversals are the “rule not the exception.” 

As a result, it’s not really a matter of if the poles will flip but when, and since we’re long overdue (roughly over 700,000 years) for a flip, many researchers are weighing on when the next flip may occur. 

A new study examining previous magnetic pole shifts through cave stalagmite samples found that a flip can occur within a matter of centuries.

More attention has been paid to the Earth's magnetic field because there is speculation that a flip may happen sometime in the near future. 

According to a piece in <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-an-anomaly-in-the-earths-magnetic-field-portend-a-coming-pole-reversal-47528">The Conversation,</a> the Earth’s magnetic poles are weakening and the strength of the magnetic field has been decreasing over the years. 

If a pole shift were to occur in our lifetime, researchers from the <a href="http://www.anu.edu.au/">Australian National University </a>recently discovered that, based on previous shifts, it could happen over the span of a century or more. 

The researchers collected and analyzed stalagmites from a cave in Southwestern China in order to map the paleomagnetic record form 107,000 to 91,000 years ago, according to <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6088607/Earths-magnetic-field-FLIP-sooner-previously-thought.html">the Daily Mail. </a>

Using both radiometric dating and magnetic analysis of a long stalagmite sample, the researchers discovered that the Earth’s magnetic field previously underwent a rapid reversal over a period of two centuries. 

The study provides important insight into the history of the Earth’s magnetic field and could help predict when the next flip will happen. 

If the poles were to flip in the immediate future, it could have devastating consequences. The Earth would be exposed to high concentrations of dangerous solar radiation and the Earth’s electric grid could go dark causing trillions of dollars in damage. 

That’s why it’s important to be as prepared as we can for an imminent flip. 

“Hopefully such an event is a long way in the future and we can develop future technologies to avoid huge damage, where possible, from such events,” Professor Roberts from the Australian National University’s Research School of Earth Sciences told the Daily Mail. “The record provides important insights into ancient magnetic field behavior,’ Professor Roberts said, ‘which has turned out to vary much more rapidly than previously thought.”

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Earth’s magnetic poles could flip relatively quickly

The Earth’s magnetic field is in a constant state of...

There is a growing collection of evidence that indicates Arctic warming will release massive amounts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-dioxide-record-broken/">carbon dioxide</a> sooner than what was previously estimated.

According to <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/">National Geographic</a>, a field experiment in northern Siberia has revealed that some surface layers of permafrost are no longer freezing, and land across the Arctic may be thawing much faster than what is understood.

Russian scientist Nikita Zimov led a team in April to drill into the soil in Cherskiy, located 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, which is normally one of the coldest places on the planet. The drilling uncovered thick, slushy mud up to a few feet underground.

Zimov told National Geographic that the ground in this region should be frozen solid until late spring. Usually, the topsoil of the Arctic freezes each winter and thaws in the summer. Zimov and his father Sergey, who is also a Russian scientist, said that this is the first winter they can remember that the soil simply did not freeze. 

Just beneath this layer of soil is permafrost that extends hundreds of feet deep, and has been frozen for hundreds to thousands of years. This permafrost, which stores billions of tons of carbon, will continue thawing at an accelerated rate without its protective layer of frozen ground.

A study published earlier this year in <a href="https://www.the-cryosphere.net/">The Cryosphere</a>, which was led by Nicholas Parazoo of NASA’s <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a>, also found that permafrost in the northern region of the Arctic is melting much sooner than anticipated. The scientists predicted that, during this century alone, the northernmost Arctic area will release just under 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide.

“We keep finding more surprises,” said Parazoo. “And the scary word in all of this is ‘irreversible.’ Once we thaw permafrost, it becomes very difficult to refreeze.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Permafrost is thawing and could release huge amounts of CO2

There is a growing collection of evidence that indicates Arctic...

After recent reports that over <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-plastic-waste-asia-africa/">eight million tons of plastic</a> enter the worlds ocean every year, efforts to combat the plastic pollution crisis have been on the rise.

From cities working to eliminate plastic bags from supermarkets to the recent announcement that the global coffee chain Starbucks will phase out<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2018/07/10/starbucks-to-ditch-plastic-straws-worldwide-for-adult-sippy-cups/#55ef0a04c9eb"> all plastic straws by 2020</a>, it seems more and more people are working to combat the dangers of plastic pollution in our waterways. 

However, these cleanup efforts often target the ocean and there is far less is known about how much plastic is entering and polluting freshwater lakes and rivers. 

One study found that microplastic particles <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0194970">were present in tap water</a> that was drawn from the Great Lakes in North America.

This means that plastic pollution could be just as pervasive and damaging in the crucial habitats of the Great Lakes as it is in the world’s oceans. But how do we estimate how much plastic is entering the lakes, where it comes from, and where it accumulates? 

Matthew J. Hoffman, an associate professor of Mathematical Sciences at the <a href="http://www.rit.edu/">Rochester Institute of Technology</a> used the calculations from the ocean plastic study and applied this to the Great Lakes. 

According to <a href="https://theconversation.com/tons-of-plastic-trash-enter-the-great-lakes-every-year-where-does-it-go-100423">The Conversation</a>, Hoffman’s estimates show that an estimated 10,000 tons of plastic enter the Great Lakes every year. Conversation author Chrissy Tyler worked with Hoffman to create simulations showing where the Great Lakes plastic accumulates, how it moves, and how it impacts freshwater wildlife. 

The researchers used similar computational methods used to map the movement of ocean plastic pollution to predict how large quantities of plastic would accumulate in Lake Erie, the 4th largest of the all the Great Lakes. 

What Hoffman and Tyler found was that unlike ocean plastic accumulation, the water currents and strong winds of Lake Erie would break up large patches of plastic and keep the plastic pollution moving. 

Much of any plastic in the Great Lakes would likely end up on the shores, and previous cleanup efforts have removed 16 tons of plastic on the beaches of the Great Lakes, showing that the simulations are accurate. 

The researchers also estimate that in regards to microplastic, currently four tons of microplastic is polluting Lake Erie and threatening its ecosystem. 

Three-dimensional distribution models also show that a portion of the plastic pollution in the Great Lakes will sink to the bottom. 

“According to our initial simulations, much of the plastic is expected to sink. This prediction is supported by sediment samples collected from the bottom of the Great Lakes, which can contain high concentrations of plastic,” the authors <a href="https://theconversation.com/tons-of-plastic-trash-enter-the-great-lakes-every-year-where-does-it-go-100423">wrote</a>. 

Understanding how plastic accumulates, travels, breaks up, and impacts wildlife is crucial for cleanup efforts. These recent projections prove that the Great Lakes and other major water sources besides than the ocean need to be considered in the conversation about plastic pollution. 

“Developing a complete picture of how plastic pollution travels through waterways, and which habitats are most at risk, is crucial for conceiving and testing possible solutions,” wrote Hoffman and Tyler. “With this information, government agencies and conservation groups can develop specific community education programs, target cleanup efforts and work with industries to develop alternatives to products that contain these materials.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

10,000 tons of plastic trash dumped in the Great Lakes each year

After recent reports that over eight million tons of plastic...

“In the land of the pale blue snow

Where it’s ninety-nine below,

And the polar bears are dancing on the plain,

In the shadow of the pole

Oh, my Heart, my Life, my Soul,

I will meet thee when the ice-worms nest again.”

-Robert Service, 1910

Glaciers initially seem barren of any sort of life.  I remember taking a bush plane off the glacial fields of Mount Denali, and the first small patches of green forest attack the senses with elation after weeks of icy monotones.  White, grey, blue and hues of the same are the dominant colors on glaciers. There is beauty in glacial scenery, no question about it, but it is a stark beauty stripped down to a limited pallet.  

Looking closer at ice though, changes perspective.  As hard as it is to believe, some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pine-island-glacier-shrink/">glaciers</a> actually contain worms living inside chunks of ice, relatives of the more common earthworm.  When exposed to any sort of heat, the glacial ice worms (Mesenchytraeus solifugus) will die and melt around 40° F.  The worms are tiny, only about ¼ of an inch in length but common on glaciers of the North Cascade range of Washington.  The <a href="https://glaciers.nichols.edu/iceworm/">North Cascade Glacier Climate Project</a> estimated as many as 7 billion ice worms on one glacier on Glacier Peak in Washington.  The ice worms are in the same family as earthworms but obviously have some extremely unique adaptations.  

Ice worms were first discovered in Alaska, where <a href="http://www.robertwservice.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=306">Robert Service</a> enlarged their legend with exaggerations in his poetry.  So far ice worms have been found in Alaska, Washington, Oregon and parts of Canada but nowhere else in the world.  It’s easy to understand that an animal which melts at 40°F would have a hard time crawling down from the mountains and spreading across the planet, even if there are glaciers elsewhere. 

Ice worms hide in glaciers during the heat of the day, coming to the surface of ice and snow during mornings and evenings.  Scientists aren’t sure whether the ice worms release a chemical antifreeze to create tunnels in ice or if they simply use cracks already there.  Interestingly the chemistry of ice worm proteins is different allowing (even obligating) them to live in cold environments. 

The diet of ice worms changes the common view of snow as pure and free from blemish.  Snowflakes are often formed when ice crystals bind to bacteria or other microbes living or dead.  <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-microbes-make-snow/">Scientific American</a> reports that microbiologist have found microbes at the center of snowflakes from places as far ranging as Canada, Montana, France and Antarctica.  Purified water without microbes has a harder time forming snowflakes. 

There’s also a lot more algae in snow than the casual observer is likely to guess.  Far from being pure or lifeless glacial ice and snow is full of microscopic or macroscopic but tiny life.  Some snow known as ‘watermelon snow’ can have a large density of a cold loving alga (Chlamydomonas nivalis) which colors it pink or reddish.  Even normal looking snow under closer examination reveals a thriving if simplified ecosystem which is sufficient to supply food for ice worms.  Ice worms have been observed with their tail end anchored in ice while their front (mouth) end moves through glacial melt-water, apparently searching for food.  Dissections of the worms have also revealed that their digestive content consists of single celled organisms, mainly algae but also bacteria and other microscopic creatures.

Given the number of ice worms found in some glaciers, their impact on local environments may be underestimated so far.  <a href="https://glaciers.nichols.edu/iceworm/">North Cascades Glacier Climate Project</a> estimated that with ice worms and other organisms living in glaciers, meltwater from glaciers could contribute over 500 million organisms to streams.

Sadly, the melting of glaciers may cause the end for the ice worm or at least some populations.  It’s impossible for ice worms to move from a melting glacier to a more stable one and although there are billions of the worms, they’re limited to a small part of the Earth.  

It isn’t just odd tiny worms making their lives out on the ice.  When I went to climb Mt. Denali I was a little bit surprised to learn that there were ravens willing to dig through feet of snow for buried food caches.  I was only a little surprised though; I’ve also seen corvids on Mt. Rainier’s glaciated slopes and in Rocky Mountain National Park in the winter. A few types of birds actually use glaciers as places to find food.  Smaller birds often eat worms and other invertebrates, while larger raptors sometimes eat other birds and small mammals on glaciers. 

Of course many penguins nest on ice sheets.  However, there is a less famous bird that nests on glaciers. The white-winged diuca-finch (Diuca speculifera) nests on glaciers through the Andes of Bolivia, Peru, northern Argentina and Chile.  A quick Google search yields images of typical round twig and grass type nests settled into the ghastly blue beauty of crevasses.  According to Wikipedia, the ‘glacier bird’ as the finch is sometimes called, lays two eggs in April or May, the young fledgling their nests in June or July.

According to <a href="https://www.audubon.org/">Audubon.org</a>, the white-winged diuca-finch is part of the Emberizidae family.  Distant relatives of the diuca-finch include Lapland longspur, American tree sparrow, and snow bunting.  All of these relatives breed in the Arctic but none of them actually nest on glaciers. Despite the dangers of nesting in a place as forbidding as an icy glacier, it certainly reduces the number of predators the white-winged diuca-finch must face.  At the moment, little is known about the glacier bird’s population but given its broad range, the <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22723169/0">IUCN</a> considers it a species of least concern in terms of conservation.  

<a href="http://earthsky.org/earth/how-many-different-animals-live-on-glaciers">Earthsky.org</a> reported on the many mammals visit glaciers.  It’s possible that large mammals with a good deal of fur visit glaciers simply to cool off, like a large shaggy dog I once saw rolling in alpine snow on a Colorado summer day.  Caribou, musk ox, bison, elk, pica, big horn sheep and other herbivores have all been found on glaciers. 

Wolverines have been observed catching prey in glaciers.  Undoubtedly, meat left in the virtual icebox of a glacier would last longer and smell less, thus attracting fewer other animals to steal the kill.  

Glaciers are difficult places to do research and organisms like ice worms are hard to study.  There is still a lack of data and observations on glaciers, even as they continue to melt. 

Other organisms like the overly fluffy Woolly Bear Caterpillar live in the remote Arctic but not on glaciers and have incredible adaptations to the harsh cold.  A handful of animals like musk ox, penguins and polar bears are commonly known from the coldest parts of our planet but many more like ice worms are largely ignored by the public.  Most people don’t know about the <a href="https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Amphibians/Wood-Frog">Wood Frog</a> (Lithobates sylvaticus), a species that freezes in the northern winter, it’s heart ceasing to beat, seemingly dead until being thawed and revived in warmer weather.  Few people would suspect that jellyfish live in boreal waters or that strange fish live below ice shelves in Antarctica. 

The greatest tragedy of loss would be not fully understanding the depth of it.  As glaciers melt and the planet warms, what strange creatures do we stand to lose?             

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

What exactly is living in those icy cold glaciers?

“In the land of the pale blue snow Where it’s...

Fatal landslides caused by human activity becoming more frequent. Researchers at <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">Sheffield University</a> collected data on over 4,800 fatal landslides that took place worldwide between 2004 and 2016, and found that around 56,000 lives were lost as a result. The study also revealed that deadly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predict-landslides/">landslide</a> events caused by human activities are on the rise.

Out of the fatal landslides analyzed by the team, over 700 could be linked to human activities. The biggest contributors were legal and illegal mining, construction, and the unregulated carving of hills.


“We were aware that humans are placing increasing pressure on their local environment, but it was surprising to find clear trends within the database that fatal landslides triggered by construction, illegal hill cutting and illegal mining were increasing globally during the period of 2004 and 2016,” said study lead author Melanie Froude.


While the trend of human-caused landslides was found to be rising across the planet, Asia experienced the most of these incidents. “All countries in the top 10 for fatal landslide triggered by human activity are located in Asia,” said Froude. 

India has the highest rate of increasing human-caused deadly landslides in Asia, followed by Pakistan, Myanmar, and the Philippines. Outside of Asia, where 75 percent of the landslides examined in the study occurred, the areas most affected are in Central and South America, the Caribbean islands, and East Africa. 

The researchers also found that 79 percent of the landslides in their database were triggered by rainfall. Most events happened during the summer season of the northern hemisphere, when cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons are more frequent and Asia has its monsoon season.


Fatal landslides are more common in settlements, along roads, and at sites rich in precious resources. According to the researchers, deadly landslides occur more frequently in poor countries and affect poor people disproportionately.

In the Himalayan mountain region, particularly in Nepal and India, many of the fatal landslides occurred on road construction sites in rural areas, while in China many took place in urban construction sites. 

“The prevalence of landslides in these settings suggests that regulations to protect workers and the public are insufficient or are not being sufficiently enforced,” said Froude. “In the case of roads, maintaining safety during construction is difficult when it is economically unviable to completely shut roads because alternative routes involve substantial 100 mile + detours.”

Landslides triggered by hill cutting are primarily an issue in rural areas, where many people illegally remove materials from hillsides to build houses.

“We found several incidences of children being caught-up in slides triggered as they collected coloured clay from hillslopes, for decoration of houses during religious festivals in Nepal,” said Froude. “Educating communities who undertake this practice on how to do it safely, will save lives.”

“With appropriate regulation to guide engineering design, education and enforcement of regulation by specialist inspectors, landslides triggered by construction, mining and hillcutting are entirely preventable.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.natural-hazards-and-earth-system-sciences.net/">Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Vaibhav Kaul, University of Sheffield

Fatal landslides caused by human activity becoming more frequent

Fatal landslides caused by human activity becoming more frequent. Researchers...

A billion years ago, the Sun was not nearly as bright as it is now, and scientists have speculated that atmospheric gases must have warmed the planet enough to sustain life. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.gatech.edu/">Georgia Institute of Technology</a> suggests that nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, may have made a large contribution.


While previous studies have established that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-dioxide-record-broken/">carbon dioxide</a> and methane were present on ancient Earth, they would not have been abundant enough on their own to warm the planet. This led scientists to theorize that the powerful greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) may have also existed.

For the current study, which was funded by the <a href="https://nai.nasa.gov/">NASA Astrobiology Institute</a>, the researchers used atmospheric computer modeling and experimentation to test out the N2O hypothesis. The investigation was focused on the middle of the Proterozoic Eon, over a billion years ago. 


“People in our field often refer to this middle chapter in Earth’s history roughly 1.8 to 0.8 billion years ago as the ‘boring billion’ because we classically think of it as a very stable period,” said study first author Chloe Stanton. “But there were many important processes affecting ocean and atmospheric chemistry during this time.”

“The ocean chemistry was completely different back then,” said study lead author Jennifer Glass. “Today’s oceans are well-oxygenated, so iron rapidly rusts and drops out of solution. Oxygen was low in Proterozoic oceans, so they were filled with ferrous iron, which is highly reactive.”


Lab experiments revealed that ferrous iron (Fe2+) in seawater reacts with nitrogen molecules to produce N2O in a process called chemodenitrification. The resulting N2O can then make its way into the atmosphere.


When higher levels of N2O were accounted for in the atmospheric model, the experts found that N2O levels could have been ten times what they are today with just ten percent of modern-day oxygen levels. This would have given the planet a boost of warming.

Prior to the Proterozoic, when oxygen was even lower, aquatic microbes could have been breathing N2O.

“It’s quite possible that life was breathing laughing gas long before it began breathing oxygen,” said Professor Glass. “Chemodenitrification might have supplied microbes with a steady source of it.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14724669">Geobiology</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: Georgia Tech/Allison Carter

Laughing gas may have supported life on Earth before oxygen

A billion years ago, the Sun was not nearly as...

Bird populations in the Mojave Desert region of California and Nevada have been declining and climate change is most likely the culprit. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a> surveyed 61 locations in the Mojave Desert region on both sides of the Nevada border as well sites in Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Park.

The team examined the areas for three years and the results of the study were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers monitored areas that had been surveyed in the early 1900s through 1947 by Berkeley biologists and this helped show the major changes in bird species biodiversity in the area. 

Over the past century, the researchers discovered stark reductions in bird species diversity, as the number of species dropped by 43 percent. 

Recent research has shown that in some ecosystems, species decline can lead to<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-drought-winners-losers/"> a pattern of winners and losers</a>, where some species’ numbers drop but that leads to other species thriving. 

This was evidenced in the global hotspot of the Carrizo Plain National Monument in California, but in Mojave Desert, the Berkeley researchers have found very little evidence of any winners. 

“The Mojave Desert is now nearly half empty of birds,' said Steven Beissinger, an author of the study.

What’s driving these declines in populations and biodiversity? The researchers say that decreases in precipitation and increases in aridity and temperature are the main drivers of species decline in the Mojave Desert. 

The region is becoming less and less suitable for many species of birds as a result of climate change, which is why bird populations are collapsing. 

“California deserts have already experienced quite a bit of drying and warming because of climate change, and this might be enough to push birds over the edge,” said Kelly Iknayan, a fellow author of the study. “It seems like we are losing part of the desert ecosystem.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.tom">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Image Credit: Chelsea Hofmeier photos

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Mojave bird populations see big declines due to climate change

Bird populations in the Mojave Desert region of California and...

Sea ice coverage in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-sea-ice-extent-low/">Arctic</a> is so low that thick patches of ice off the coast of Greenland once thought to be able to withstand the warming effects of climate change have broken up twice this summer. 

The thinning, breaking, and drifting of Arctic sea ice in this area is unprecedented and has never happened before in recorded history. 

It was long assumed that because Greenland’s waters are home to some of the thickest and oldest ice in the world, “the last ice area” as it’s been called in the past, would stay frozen and be the last region on Earth to experience melting. 

This is no longer the case. as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/21/arctics-strongest-sea-ice-breaks-up-for-first-time-on-record">The Guardian</a> recently reported that unusually warm temperatures and wind in February and August have driven sea ice declines, causing the thick ice to melt, break up, and drift away.

“Almost all of the ice to the north of Greenland is quite shattered and broken up and therefore more mobile,” Ruth Mottram of the <a href="http://www.dmi.dk/en/vejr/">Danish Meteorological Institute</a> told the Guardian “Open water off the north coast of Greenland is unusual. This area has often been called ‘the last ice area’ as it has been suggested that the last perennial sea ice in the Arctic will occur here. The events of the last week suggest that, actually, the last ice area may be further west.”

The gap of water now left open due to the drifting ice is problematic for many reasons because the ice will continue to drift to warmer areas which will increase melting. 

Meanwhile, the open water off the coast, once protected by ice, is now exposed to future warming which will slow refreezing. 

“I think that solar heating of the water column will increase during this opening and this will delay freeze-up and ice formation,” Rasmus Tage Tonboe, a sea ice expert at the Danish Meteorological Institute, told The Guardian. 

The Arctic has experienced a wave of unusual weather extremes including heatwaves and forest fires within the Arctic circle. 

Now, with these latest reports that the “last ice area” is shrinking, many experts are concerned about the future ramifications sea ice decline will have on the global climate.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

For first time, the oldest, thickest Arctic sea ice is melting

Sea ice coverage in the Arctic is so low that...

In the year 2005, there were so many tropical storms that the <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/">U.S. National Hurricane Center</a> ran out of tropical cyclone names. Towards the end of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-slowing-down-hurricanes-making-them-stronger/">hurricane season</a>, they had to begin calling tropical storms by letters of the Greek alphabet. 

The year 2005 was the biggest year for tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic since the 1940s, and by some measurements, the biggest in over 150 years. Suffice to say, scientists have been intensely studying any factors that may have contributed to this phenomenon ever since.

Now, a new study published in <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a> uses climate simulations and analysis of tropical cyclone activity to estimate the maximum number of tropical cyclones that might occur in the Atlantic in our current climate. Their findings show that this maximum number possible under existing climate conditions is very close to the number of storms that occurred in 2005 (28). 

The study involved thousands of years of climate model simulations being analyzed to determine if they could result in climate conditions more favorable for tropical cyclone formation than what occurred in 2005. The models rarely exceeded the observed 2005 cyclone numbers, producing more than 28 storms just about one percent of the time.

“It’s hard for the Atlantic climate to generate a lot more tropical cyclones in this region than occurred in 2005,” says lead author Dr. Sally Lavender of the <a href="https://www.csiro.au/">Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization</a> (CSIRO). “Even when we looked at thousands of years of climate model simulations, they didn’t really indicate a convincing possibility of many more tropical storms.”

The study’s authors look to refine their climate model simulations in order to increase the accuracy of the depicted relationships between climate and tropical cyclone formation rates. And while it may seem like a complicated attempt to predict an unpredictable future, this type of research is important for risk management and determining the potential for damage to infrastructure and endangerment to the public. The researchers also plan on assessing the potential for damage caused by future storms, and how climate affects that as well.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

2005 acts as a benchmark for maximum possible Atlantic hurricanes

In the year 2005, there were so many tropical storms...

The Imperial Woodpecker and the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, which were the once largest woodpeckers in North America, most likely became extinct at some point during the twentieth century. Researchers have now investigated the fate of their surviving cousin, the Pileated Woodpecker, in suburban areas of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seattle-bans-plastic-straws/">Seattle</a>.

The study revealed that the woodpeckers can coexist with developed land as long as the tree cover remains above a certain threshold.

Researchers Jorge Tomasevic and John Marzluf monitored 16 Pileated Woodpeckers at 9 sites with varying degrees of urbanization across Seattle. After tracking each bird for about a year using radio tags, the experts found that Pileated Woodpeckers are very resourceful, using forested areas such as parks as well as moderately urbanized areas where some trees had been retained. They also took advantage of backyard bird feeders.

Desiree Narango is an expert on avian urban ecology at the <a href="https://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>.

“As suburban sprawl becomes more and more ubiquitous, it's imperative that we consider which specific yard features can be promoted to share our neighborhoods with wildlife,” said Narango. “This paper is a nice example showing that even a mature forest specialist can use and navigate the suburban landscape if we provide the resources they need: large trees and some retained wooded areas.”


According to the research, Pileated Woodpeckers and other species that are associated with them can be sustained by preserving at least 20 percent of the forest cover in large suburban areas. This includes dead trees that are still standing.

“You'd think that such large bird would be easy to find, especially when carrying a transmitter, but they did a very good job hiding,” explained Tomasevic. “It was also very challenging to work in populated areas. I have so many anecdotes, good and bad, about dealing with people and people dealing with me doing my work.” 

“Some people were very friendly, but some were a little nervous with me walking around the neighborhood. I tried to look as official as possible, with University of Washington logos on my jacket, and I created a website for the project and printed some business cards. It was a great opportunity to do outreach, and I'm still friends with some of the neighborhood residents.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.americanornithologypubs.org/loi/cond">The Condor: Ornithological Applications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: J. Tomasevic

Urban development and woodpeckers coexist in Seattle

The Imperial Woodpecker and the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, which were the...

With <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/medical-marijuana-stress-depression/">marijuana</a> being legalized across the country and world, the demand for it has rapidly grown and as the economic principle goes, so has the supply. New marijuana farms have been popping up to meet the needs of this new demand, but what effect will more legal growing practices have on the environment? 

There are a few key factors to be aware of when trying to dissect the potential impact of this newly legal crop. First off, it has proven difficult for researchers to accurately measure how exactly legalization is changing marijuana’s footprint on the environment since many farming practices that have existed in the past have primarily been underground and illegal, outside of the handful of farmers who were permitted to provide medical marijuana. But researchers from <a href="https://www.unc.edu/">University of North Carolina</a> at Chapel Hill and <a href="http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a> in the U.K. have called upon federal bodies to begin doing just that. 

One thing that researchers do know though is that illegal operations were worse for the environment since they did not need to comply with any environmental standards. This led to some externalities of growing the crop that may not otherwise occur with legal farming practices. The intensive taxing of local streams and creeks to meet water needs of the thirsty crop is one such occurrence. 

It’s estimated that in California alone, illegal grow sites have been depleting over a billion gallons of water away from sources reserved for human consumption in cities like San Francisco and Sacramento. Marijuana plants require more water than most crops used in agriculture, and <a href="https://www.oregon.gov/olcc/marijuana/Documents/CEBP/WorkingDocument_CEBP_08162016.pdf">a report from Oregon discovered</a> that a mature plant needs at least 23 liters of water a day, whereas a grape plant used in winemaking only needs about 13 liters. 

Another <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0120016">report out of California</a> confirmed that clandestine operations were responsible for the drying up of several creeks in four different northern California watersheds. Reports from <a href="http://www.iercecology.org/">Integral Ecology Research Center</a> also show evidence of water sources that continue to flow are at high risk of being contaminated by unmonitored insecticides and rodenticides which are used to protect the secret crops from pests. The impacts can be devastating to local wildlife as the poisons move up the food chain. It will be important to see how and when legalization will affect the production of illegal marijuana and its damaging impact to the local ecosystems.

Researchers hope illegal sites will be replaced with legal practices that have to meet environmental standards. However, the legal farming of marijuana also comes with its own plethora of environmental problems. 

For example, prime growing season in California is only May through September. Since farmers want to grow the entire year under optimal conditions to make sure their yield is as profitable as possible, many are turning to indoor cultivation. Between the many high-intensity light bulbs, dehumidifiers, air-conditioners, and ventilation, it is an extremely electricity intensive practice. 

In a 2012 study conducted by researcher Evan Mills published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy-policy">Energy Policy</a> (far before legalization), it was reported that 3% of California’s electricity usage was for these indoor farms. Unless states require the use of clean energy for farmers, like in Oregon and Colorado, tons of carbon dioxide could be produced from this energy consumption. In Boulder, CO growers must offset 100% of their fuel footprint by using only renewable sources or by paying into a fund dedicated to offsetting their energy use. 

The best of both worlds so far that appeases both the environment and the needs of growers and consumer demand comes in the form of greenhouses. Crops are in a controlled environment that takes advantage of natural sunlight and air systems. Greenhouses are also much more likely to be used now that the crop is legal and does not need to be concealed in the woods or inside warehouses - a clear win for legalization.

--

By <a href="mailto:bianca@earth.com">Bianca Vierra</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

How the growth of the marijuana industry impacts the environment

With marijuana being legalized across the country and world, the...

The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the guidelines of its proposed <a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-affordable-clean-energy-ace-rule">Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule</a> today. The legislation would replace former president Obama's Clean Power Plan (CPP), which set ambitious targets to close outdated coal-burning plants and cut back on carbon dioxide emissions. 

Instead of shutting down aging power plants, the ACE rule would <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-coal-emissions/">allow states</a> to lower their pollution standards and keep these plants operational by making minor improvements. In addition, the plan would give individual states the authority to regulate harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

A news release from the EPA states: “Many believed the CPP exceeded EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act, which is why 27 states, 24 trade associations, 37 rural electric co-ops, and three labor unions challenged the rule.”

After reviewing the CPP, the EPA made some major changes to allow states “adequate time and flexibility” to develop their own strategies for improving the efficiency at existing power plants and moving toward emissions reductions.

The EPA defends its decision to replace the “overly prescriptive and burdensome Clean Power Plan (CPP)” by insisting that the legislation overstepped its authority. The EPA claims that the ACE rule “instead empowers states, promotes energy independence, and facilitates economic growth and job creation.”

But, as the details of the proposed ACE rule emerge, not everyone is singing its praises. According to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">The New York Times</a>, the EPA itself acknowledges in the fine print of its proposal that the devised plan would lead to higher carbon dioxide emissions and could cause up to 1,400 premature deaths every year.

California governor Jerry Brown posted on Twitter: “This is a declaration of war against America and all of humanity - it will not stand. Truth and common sense will triumph over Trump’s insanity.”

The <a href="http://www.lung.org/">American Lung Association</a> released the following statement in response to the ACE rule:

"With today's proposal, President Trump and Acting EPA Administrator Wheeler abandon much-needed public health safeguards against power plant pollution, placing the health of all Americans at risk, and especially those who are most vulnerable, including children, older adults, and people with asthma and heart disease.”

“Today's proposal is a dangerous substitute for the Clean Power Plan and a careless giveaway to polluters that will delay meaningful progress in the future. The United States must aggressively limit power plant carbon pollution to protect human health from the impacts of climate change, including degraded air quality and more extreme weather threats, such as hurricanes, wildfires and floods.”

The EPA will accept comments for 60 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register, and a public hearing will also be held. More information, including a fact sheet, is available at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/proposal-affordable-clean-energy-ace-rule">https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/proposal-affordable-clean-energy-ace-rule</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Trump admin’s new coal rules will lead to poorer U.S. air quality

The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

[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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="u0TYxxqfF7-2186404-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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