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>.



-----



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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...

This Friday night, the full moon will turn blood red in the longest total lunar eclipse of the century. Mars will be visible directly below the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-moon/">moon</a>, and will appear the biggest and brightest that we have seen it in 15 years. 

During a lunar eclipse, the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon. As the moon enters into Earth's shadow, it's appearance will shift to a rusty orange or blood red color from the sunlight that is filtered through our atmosphere.

According to the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/">BBC</a>, the volcanic dust from eruptions in Hawaii and Guatemala could make this particular blood moon appear a deeper shade of red than usual. Mars will become visible directly below the moon, and Jupiter will be visible to some viewers in the southwestern part of the sky.

The total phase of the eclipse will last for one hour and 43 minutes, while the entire eclipse will last for over six hours. 

Unfortunately, the eclipse will not be visible from North America, with the exception of a small portion of eastern Canada and parts of the eastern Caribbean, because it will occur during the day. The next full lunar eclipse that can be seen from North America will take place on January 21, 2019.


The Delta Aquariids meteor shower, which peaks on July 30, may be more vivid to skywatchers Friday night because of a drop in natural light pollution during the total lunar eclipse.


Later in the event, the International Space Station will appear as it moves quickly across the sky from west to east. It will look like the brightest star in the sky, and can be distinguished because it does not twinkle.

Robin Scagell is the vice-president of the <a href="https://popastro.com/">Society for Popular Astronomy</a>.

“A total lunar eclipse, Mars, Jupiter and the International Space Station. What more could you want?” said Scagell.

“You may see this very eerie-looking deep-red moon rising. We've all caught on to this lovely word ‘blood-moon.’ It certainly will look very strange.”

“In early days experiencing a total lunar eclipse would have felt like the end of the world. It's not surprising people were terrified by it.”

Unlike a solar eclipse, no special glasses or equipment are needed for safe observation, and the event can be viewed the most clearly in an area with low light pollution. The next time there will be a total lunar eclipse that lasts this long will be June 9, 2123.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Blood moon eclipse will light up the sky on Friday night

This Friday night, the full moon will turn blood red...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.ibs.re.kr/">Institute for Basic Science</a> has identified the key mechanisms that cause El Niño events to be inconsistent. The international team of climate scientists found that the complexity and unpredictability of El Niño and La Niña events can be traced back to two atmosphere-ocean oscillations with different characteristics and frequencies.

Study lead author Axel Timmermann is the director of the IBS Center for Climate Physics (ICCP) at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusan_National_University">Pusan National University</a>.

“Our study reveals that there is a hidden structure in the seemingly chaotic and unpredictable occurrence of El Niño events,” said Timmermann.

El Niño events are characterized by an unusual period of warming in the central to eastern Equatorial Pacific that can last up to a year. Many of these events transition to a La Niña, or a cold state, which usually has a duration of one to two years. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-ninos-benefit-seabirds/">El Niño events</a> often result in a dry spell across Southeast Asia and the western tropical Pacific, while boosting rainfall near the coastline of the eastern Pacific in countries such as Ecuador and Peru. 

El Niño's remote “ripple effects” do not only have an impact on the atmosphere, but also influence ocean currents, ecosystems, extreme weather events, global markets, and national economies.


El Niño events are not predictable - some are relatively weak, while others are strong. In addition, they may occur in the central Pacific or emerge farther east. These differences determine which areas will be hit the hardest by climate extremes and which ones will be spared. The accurate prediction of an El Niño event requires an understanding of the diversity behind this  system.

Last year, a team of 40 climate scientists from 11 countries analyzed massive amounts of climate observations and computer model simulations to investigate what underlies El Niño diversity.

The research team found that El Niño events in the eastern Pacific are characterized by a return time of 3-7 years, while events in the central Pacific tend to return every 2-3 years. 

The different characteristics that emerge with these events are determined by how strongly the atmosphere and the ocean interact with each other. These interactions are an important source for El Niño irregularity, and limit how far in advance some of these events can be predicted.

Study co-author Fei-Fei Jin is a professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the <a href="https://www.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawaii</a>.

“Finally we can attribute the observed complexity of the most powerful natural climate engine to the co-existence of two oscillatory states of the underlying mathematical equations,” said Professor Jin.


Co-lead author Professor Jeongseong Kug added: “More comprehensive climate modeling studies have to be conducted now to test our new ideas in a more realistic setting and to determine whether we can expect shifts in El Nino characteristics in our warming world.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</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: <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a>

Makes makes El Niño so unpredictable?

A new study from the Institute for Basic Science has...

The U.S. is battling with another intense string of fires in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-western-united-states/">southwest</a>, now with more than 75 large fires extending from Oklahoma to Alaska. 

On Wednesday, July 25th, the Ferguson Fire in California intensified, prompting park closures around Yosemite Valley.

Although the fire has not reached the park yet, park officials, rangers, and firefighters ordered park evacuations and closed campsites and hotels so that fire crews could perform protective measures, according to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/07/25/yosemite-fire-thousands-evacuate-park-blaze-approaches/832">USA Today</a>. 

July and August are peak months for tourists in Yosemite and the closures have put a damper on many vacationers and hotel and campsite owners who depend on summer tourist revenue, but safety is a number one priority for park officials. 

At its closest point, the Ferguson Fire was two miles away from the park, according to <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-yosemite-closed-fire-20180725-story.html">Scott Gediman, a spokesperson for Yosemite</a>. 

An extremely dry and hot summer has made for perfect fire conditions around the Southwest and already the summer temperatures are on track to be the hottest on record in that region.

According to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/us/yosemite-national-park-fire.html">New York Times,</a> this year four million acres have been burned in fires across the country, eleven percent more than the yearly average. 

In Oregon, 15 active fires have burned up 110,000 acres, and in much of the western United States, drought has been a major contributing factor to the fires. Colorado, for example, had a very dry winter and little snow resulting in eight fires this summer so far. 

Little precipitation and hot sunny days cause vegetation to dry out, increasing the risk of fires and making it easier for fires to spread. 

For many of the fires this summer, lightning is to blame for starting the blazes.

The hot temperatures are not only increasing the risk of fires, it’s making conditions extremely hostile for firefighters who are working to contain the fires. 

In the Southwest, record-breaking heat has already caused six related heat deaths, according to the New York Times. 

“The conditions are incredibly strenuous, and we’re seeing triple-digit temperatures in places and some sections are extremely remote,” Dan McKeague, a spokesman for the <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/">United States Forest Service</a> told the New York Times. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wildfires rage dangerously close to Yosemite Park, prompting closures

The U.S. is battling with another intense string of fires...

Only 13 percent of the world’s ocean is still considered wilderness with very few disturbances from human interaction, according to a new study. 

The research was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>, and the results show just how little of our oceans are untouched or unaffected by overfishing, tourism, shipping, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-underestimated-how-quickly-oceans-are-losing-oxygen/">climate change</a>, and population increases. 

On land, wilderness is monitored, declines recorded, and protective measures put in place to ensure some regions of the Earth are preserved, but for the ocean, it’s a different story. 

The results were published in the journal Current Biology, and for the first time, the world’s marine wildernesses have been mapped out and analyzed. 

“We were astonished by just how little marine wilderness remains,” said Kendall Jones, the lead author of the paper. “The ocean is immense, covering over 70 percent of our planet, but we've managed to significantly impact almost all of this vast ecosystem.”

The researchers used comprehensive global data on 19 known human stressors that affect marine ecosystems including agricultural runoff, shipping, and fishing. 

These stressors and their cumulative impact on the world’s ocean was then used to map out marine wildernesses where impact from the 19 stressors was lowest. 

There are marine wildernesses in several regions across the globe but they can be found primarily in the Arctic, and the Antarctic as well as around remote Pacific Island Nations. Very few coastal marine wildernesses remain, according to the study’s findings. 

Of the marine wildernesses that do still exist on Earth, less than five percent are under any protections which means that what little remains could soon be overtaken by human activities. 

“This means the vast majority of marine wilderness could be lost at any time, as improvements in technology allow us to fish deeper and ship farther than ever before,” said Jones. “Thanks to a warming climate, even some places that were once safe due to year-round ice cover can now be fished.”

Marine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/government-wildness-wilderness/">wilderness</a> are crucial hotspots for biodiversity and can give researchers a unique look at thriving ocean ecosystems, the likes of which can’t be found anywhere else on the planet. 

“Pristine wilderness areas hold massive levels of biodiversity and endemic species and are some of the last places of Earth where big populations of apex predators are still found,” said Jones. 

Given how little of the ocean is considered marine wilderness and the minimal protective measures in place for those areas, the researchers urge policymakers to work together to create an international environmental agreement that recognizes marine wildernesses and orders conservation targets. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global map reveals how little ocean wilderness is left

Only 13 percent of the world’s ocean is still considered...

In the last decade, both wind and solar energy have experienced a boom in popularity across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-scale-deforestation-europe/">Europe</a>. These are both green alternatives to carbon-based energy, and have quadrupled in use between 2007 and 2016. 

Despite their popularity, these new forms of energy production do have their downsides. Both wind and solar are at the mercy of fluctuating weather patterns, which has been a cause for concern due to Europe’s proclivity for long periods of low winds or overcast skies. 

A new study from researchers in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland has found that long-term weather patterns could affect wind and solar renewable energy production in Europe. However, the findings suggest that the European power system will still be able to generate at least 35 percent of its electricity using just these two renewables alone, without any significant impacts on prices or system stability.

Published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/joule">Joule</a>, the study uses 30 years of meteorological data to assess and model the impact of renewable energy on the electricity sector through the year 2030. The researchers used decades of historic weather data to model the variability in wind and solar energy, as well as its effect on markets. While many previous studies have only focused on a single year or on one small country or region of Europe, this study analyzes the electricity system operation across European using wind and solar data spanning a 30-year period from 1985 to 2014.

Through analysis of long-term trends, the research team modeled how Europe would fare under five unique renewable energy scenarios with varying sustainability ambitions 12 years into the future. This breadth and depth of data made a major difference in the understanding of trends in CO2 emissions, system costs, and system operation. 

“When planning future power systems with higher levels of wind and solar generation, one year of weather data analysis is not sufficient,” says says Seán Collins, a researcher at MaREI, the Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy Ireland at the Environmental Research Institute in <a href="https://www.ucc.ie/">University College Cork</a>. “We find that single-year studies could yield results that deviate by as much as 9% from the long-term average at a European level and even more at a country level. When there are legally binding targets on carbon emissions and the share of renewable energy, or promises to avoid sharp price hikes, this makes all the difference.”

While their models showed that CO2 emissions and total energy generation costs fluctuate greatly in future scenarios, they also determined that Europe is able to handle this variability quite well due to its close integration. The researchers believe their models and data could be used to depict a number of future scenarios that would help policy makers understand the reliability and impact of renewable energy. They have made their models and data openly available, in hopes of advancing this search for data-driven knowledge.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mixed weather won’t hinder Europe’s renewable energy aspirations

In the last decade, both wind and solar energy have...

The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_National_Wildlife_Refuge">Arctic National Wildlife Refuge</a> (ANWR) may be soon be invaded by companies surveying the area to drill for oil and gas, if the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-administration-endangered-species-act/">Trump administration</a> succeeds in its mission. The ANWR, which has been protected for more than four decades, is currently the largest national wildlife refuge in the country.

The northeastern region of Alaska first became a federally protected region in 1960, which was later expanded in 1980. After Congress voted last year to open up the wilderness area to oil drilling, it has become vulnerable to major disruptions and changes. 

Both large corporations and small businesses are applying to execute seismic work this winter, in the first moves toward developing the region. 

According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us">The Guardian</a>, the Trump administration is considering a proposal to conduct seismic testing for oil and gas. If approved, this work will be carried out by diesel-powered equipment that will send tremors across Alaska's northern coastal plain.

Vehicles will be equipped with “shakers,” which are described as being capable of sending tremors through the Earth in an attempt to detect and map underground hydrocarbon deposits.

Despite the way that the public feels about the move, Alaska’s senators and the state's single representative in the House are all in favor of it. A news report in The Guardian states that the development of the Arctic Refuge is expected to bring in more than $1bn in federal revenue over the next 10 years.


One major firm that is bidding for the work, SAExploration, has pledged to minimize its impact on wildlife in the region by using large sleds and non-industrial vehicles along ice roads. Environmentalists, however, say that the harsh new activities will cause irreparable damage to the area.

Heather Bauscher is a wildlife biologist who has done extensive research in the Arctic.

“Things are happening more quickly than we can react,” Bauscher said to The Guardian. “We’re making policy decisions without a lot of information on the ground. In the current political climate, there’s not a lot of funding being put to the research, and that makes it even harder.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com/">Earth.com</a>

Trump admin looks to drill for oil in largest wildlife refuge

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) may be soon be...

Exif_JPEG_PICTURE

The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) occurred 27,000 to 20,000 years ago, when continental ice sheets extended deep into the middle latitude regions of North America and Europe. Stable ice sheets were believed to have existed for roughly 10,000 years before the ice slowly began to melt away. Although this period of time is important to our understanding of present day <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-water-coral-reefs-protection/">climate change</a>, it is still not well understood. Now, new analysis of the first Great Barrier Reef samples covering the period of time 22,000 years ago to 19,000 years ago has provided some detail to the LGM.

A research team led by Yusuke Yokoyama, a professor at the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo</a>, accrued data that now divides the LGM into two distinct periods. In period A (30,000 to 21,500 years ago) the sea level was relatively stable. In period B (21,000 to 17,000 years ago, the sea level was unstable with large, rapid fluctuations. This rapid drop in sea level believed to have occurred 21,000 years ago is of major importance, as it contradicts current understanding of this period. 

“This challenges the paradigm that glacier size can only change slowly, because rapid sea level changes mean water must melt or freeze rapidly,” explains Yokoyama.

These findings – published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/nature/">Nature</a> – could have a major impact on our current understanding of climate change and the associated impacts. 

“Current models of glacier dynamics may be too conservative,” says Yokoyama. “The possibility of rapid increases or decreases in sea level should be considered.”

Models predicting future changes in climate are tested on their ability to accurately calculate historic climate parameters that are backed by sample data. “Research teams like ours collect data about how the Earth used to be, and then other research groups use those data to continuously improve their models of the future climate.” Yokoyama explains.

Yokoyama’s team collected data by analyzing fossil coral reef samples that came from two sites on the east coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef was chosen as the sample site due to its ability to relay a clear picture of past glacier ice sheet behavior. Its position near the equator means it was and still is far from the immediate influence of glacier ice sheets, so sea level changes on the Great Barrier Reef reflect global sea level changes.

The researchers studied coral structure and algae layers within coral core samples in order to determine water depth. They then used radiocarbon and uranium-thorium dating to determine when the water was at certain levels. 

“Two death events of reefs are very clear in the coral cores we examined,” says Yokoyama.

When the ice sheets increased in size, the global sea level fell, causing coral to dry out and die – but deep-water corals survived. When the water became too deep, sunlight and nutrients became unavailable to deeper corals, causing the reefs to drown. The two death events the researchers found are consistent with a drop in sea level and a following rise in sea level. Dating suggests that both events happened over a period of only 4,000 years – which the study’s authors say is very quick.

Sea level rise and fall has a wide range of impacts beyond just affecting coral reefs. 

“It's really important to understand the size and location of ice sheets because large bodies of ice act like a freezer for the local environment – glaciers change ocean temperature and salinity, which affect ocean conditions,” says Yokoyama.  “Understanding ancient sea levels can reveal geological structures, such as land bridges, that could have been important for migration routes or species separation.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Hironobu Kan

Reef evidence shows rapid changes in sea level from glacial melt

The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) occurred 27,000 to 20,000 years...

Species loss in the tropics has become so dire that a new study in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nature/">Nature</a> has warned a global biodiversity collapse is imminent unless we take urgent and significant action. In this paper, an international team of researchers warns that failure to act quickly and decisively will greatly increase the risk of an irreversible species loss in the most diverse areas of our planet.

This study is the first high-level report on the state of the world’s four most diverse tropical ecosystems. These ecosystems are coral reefs, lakes and rivers, savannas, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amber-fossil-frogs-tropical-forests/">tropical forests</a>. Although the tropics cover just 40 percent of the planet, the authors determined that this ecosystem is home to over three-quarters of all the planet’s species, including almost all shallow-water corals and more than 90 percent of the world’s bird species. It’s estimated that millions of other species that inhabit the tropics have yet to be discovered by science.

“At the current rate of species description – about 20,000 new species per year - it can be estimated that at least 300 years will be necessary to catalogue biodiversity,” says Dr. Benoit Guénard, assistant professor at the <a href="https://www.hku.hk/">University of Hong Kong</a> and an author on the study.

In these tropical ecosystems, many species face the “double jeopardy” of being threatened by both local human pressures – like logging or overfishing – as well as pressures from climate change – such as droughts or heat waves.

And while many other species are being threatened, the declining health of the tropical ecosystems threatens our species as well. “Although they cover just 0.1% of the ocean surface, coral reefs provide fish resources and coastal protection for up to 200 million people,” says Jos Barlow, a professor from <a href="http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a> and lead author of the study. “And between them, humid tropical forests and savannas store 40% of the carbon in the terrestrial biosphere and support rainfall in some of the world’s most important agricultural regions.”

These findings may seem disturbing – and they are – but the authors also describe actions we can take in order to help save these important ecosystems. They call for a step-change in efforts to support sustainable development and effective conservation interventions to preserve and help restore these tropical habitats.

“The fate of the tropics will be largely determined by what happens elsewhere in the planet,” says Barlow. “While most of us are familiar with the impact of climate change on the polar regions, it is also having devastating consequences across the tropics – and without urgent action could undermine local conservation interventions.”

While it is clear that climate change and human impact has caused significant damage to these ecosystems, all is not lost. There must be a sense of urgency to our future actions in reversing the damage we have done. 

Barlow laments, “Fifty years ago biologists expected to be the first to find a species, now they hope not to be the last.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Alexander Lees/Manchester Metropolitan University

A tropical biodiversity collapse is imminent, scientists warn

Species loss in the tropics has become so dire that...

Ocean acidification causing fish to lose their sense of smell. A new study from the <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has found that ocean acidification causes fish to lose their sense of smell. The research suggests that elevated levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rice-lose-nutritional-value-co2/">carbon dioxide</a> will leave fish much more vulnerable to predators and other threats.

Fish rely on their sense of smell to perform the most essential functions, such as recognizing each other and avoiding predators. Fish also use their olfactory system to find food, safe habitats, and suitable spawning grounds. A reduction in their ability to smell could be extremely detrimental to their survival.

When carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, it reacts with seawater and produces acid. Since the Industrial Revolution, the amount of CO2 taken in by the ocean has risen by 43 percent, and oceanic CO2 is predicted to be 2.5 times higher than current levels by the end of the century.


“Our study is the first to examine the impact of rising carbon dioxide in the ocean on the olfactory system of fish,” said lead author Dr. Cosima Porteus. “First we compared the behavior of juvenile sea bass at CO2 levels typical of today's ocean conditions, and those predicted for the end of the century.”

Dr. Porteus explained that sea bass in acidic waters did not swim as often and were less likely to respond when they encountered the smell of a predator. She said that these fish were more likely to “freeze,” which is an indication of anxiety.

The experts also tested the ability of the sea bass to detect different smells by recording activity in the nervous system while their noses were exposed to water with different levels of CO2 and acidity.

“The sense of smell of sea bass was reduced by up to half in sea water that was acidified with a level of CO2 predicted for the end of the century,” said Dr. Porteus. 

“Their ability to detect and respond to some odors associated with food and threatening situations was more strongly affected than for other odors. We think this is explained by acidified water affecting how odorant molecules bind to olfactory receptors in the fish's nose, reducing how well they can distinguish these important stimuli.”

Study co-author Professor Rod Wilson is a professor of Integrative Animal Physiology at the University of Exeter.

“Our intriguing results show that CO2 impacts the nose of the fish directly. This will be in addition to the impact of CO2 on their central nervous system function suggested by others previously, which proposed an impaired processing of information in the brain itself,” said Professor Wilson.

“It is not yet known how rapidly fish will be able to overcome these problems as CO2 rises in the future. However, having to cope with two different problems caused by CO2, rather than just one, may reduce their ability to adapt or how long this will take.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</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: Dr. Cosima Porteus

Ocean acidification causing fish to lose their sense of smell

Ocean acidification causing fish to lose their sense of smell....

Experts at the <a href="https://www.footprintnetwork.org/">Global Footprint Network</a> are monitoring the world's ecological footprint each year and pinpointing the day that we have officially demanded more from nature than what the Earth can regenerate. This day, which is referred to as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-already-burned-earths-resources-2017/">Earth Overshoot Day</a>, is coming earlier and earlier every decade.

For 2018, Earth Overshoot Day falls on August 1st, which means it takes just 212 days for humans to use up our yearly supply of global resources. Scientists at the Global Footprint Network have created a chart that measures this day since the 1970s, when the globe did not use an excess of the year's resources until November or December.

According to the experts, humanity is now using the equivalent of 1. 7 planets. This is due primarily to the overharvesting of forests, overfishing, and carbon emissions that are too high to be captured and stored naturally by Earth's ecosystems.

Mathis Wackernagel is the chief executive and co-founder of the Global Footprint Network.


“Our current economies are running a Ponzi scheme with our planet,” Wackernagel told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us">The Guardian</a>. “We are borrowing the Earth’s future resources to operate our economies in the present.”

“Like any Ponzi scheme, this works for some time. But as nations, companies, or households dig themselves deeper and deeper into debt, they eventually fall apart.”

As desperate as the situation is becoming, the scientists at the Global Footprint Network says that is not too late to lower the world's ecological footprint, and that reducing carbon emissions would make the biggest difference.

*Reducing the carbon component of humanity’s Ecological Footprint by 50% would get us from consuming the resources of 1.7 Earths down to 1.2 Earths,” the experts explain. “This corresponds to moving the date of Overshoot Day by 93 days, or about three months.”

The international research organization also emphasizes the role that individuals could make in moving the Overshoot date by taking small steps in our daily lives to reduce the impact we have on our planet.

According to the Global Footprint Network: “If everyone committed to #MoveTheDate  5 days each year, we could get out of global overshoot by 2050.”

Learn more about Earth Overshoot Day and how you can take your first step to help #MoveTheDate at <a href="https://www.overshootday.org">https://www.overshootday.org</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humans are now using 1.7 times the amount of Earth’s resources

Experts at the Global Footprint Network are monitoring the world's...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antibiotic-resistance-climate-change/">Antibiotic-resistant bacteria</a> pose one of the biggest threats to public health around the world, and they are unfortunately on the rise, according to the <a href="http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance">World Health Organization</a> (WHO). 

Antimicrobial resistance describes bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, where treatments that were once simple and effective to cure bacterial infections no longer work. 

This means that some infections now considered easily treatable could be fatal and antibiotics could one day be ineffective in preventing infections. 

As scientists and doctors race to prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance, most of the focus has been on hospitals and clinics. However, a new study found that the environment plays just as big of a role in the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria across the globe.

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter Medical School</a> and published in the journal mBio.

“Our research shows just how important it is to take action to limit antibiotics entering the environment,” said William Gaze, a co-author of the paper. “So far a lot of research effort to tackle this problem has been around hospitals and reducing clinical prescribing, but we now know that the environment is likely to play a part in how resistance to antibiotics can evolve and spread. We all need to think more holistically about environmental management of waste, including how we treat our wastewater.”

The researchers found that even low concentrations of antibiotics that enter that environment through improper disposal increase antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

Antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria can enter the environment through toilet waste or people improperly disposing of antibiotic medications. The bacteria then spreads, contaminating watersheds and increasing the risk of transmittable infections to humans through close contact with infected animals or contaminated environments. 

The results also provide insight into the evolution of antimicrobial resistance in the body. If even small doses of antibiotics increase the risk of resistant bacteria, then antibiotics entering a person’s gut biome could increase the likelihood that those antibiotics won’t work. 

“Already, some commonly prescribed antibiotics are starting to prove ineffective for some infections,” said Aimee Murray, the leader of the research.  “Our research casts new light on how this problem may be spreading, and provides new evidence for the steps we may need to take in targeting the environment to try and stop this global problem. We now need more research to ascertain whether microbes evolve resistance to antibiotics when exposed to low levels in other settings than wastewater, such as in different areas of the body.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread through the environment, too

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose one of the biggest threats to public...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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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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



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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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

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



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



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



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



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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