The scorching heatwaves we experience, the wildfires that rage across nations, and the invisible carbon dioxide that fills the air are severely impacting our planet.



In 2023, the world saw extreme heatwaves that fueled substantial wildfires and induced severe droughts across the globe. 



What's more, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-wildfires-are-gaining-even-more-speed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adverse conditions</a> significantly weakened the land's ability to absorb atmospheric carbon. 



The result? A notable surge in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, growing the scale of concern about accelerating climate change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-and-atmospheric-carbon">Heat and atmospheric carbon </h2>



Data from Hawaii's <a href="https://gml.noaa.gov/obop/mlo/aboutus/aboutus.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mauna Loa Observatory</a> showed that atmospheric carbon concentrations skyrocketed by an alarming 86% in 2023 compared to 2012. This increase sets a new record high since tracking of these levels began in 1958.



Interestingly, the rise in carbon dioxide levels cannot solely be pointed towards fossil fuel emissions. These, it seems, only rose by roughly 0.6 percent.



So, what's the primary culprit behind the spike in emissions? It's likely due to weakened <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-fire-risk-has-grown-exponentially-in-a-hotter-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon absorption</a> by natural ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-weakened-carbon-sink">Weakened carbon sink </h2>



An international team of scientists backed by the <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Extreme_heat_weakens_land_s_power_to_absorb_carbon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a> Science for Society Near-Realtime Carbon Extremes project - along with the Climate Change Initiative RECCAP-2 project - set out to investigate the root causes of this event.



The experts used global vegetation models and satellite data to expedite a carbon budget report for 2023.



Land typically absorbs about one-third of human-generated carbon dioxide emissions. However, in 2023, this absorption capacity fell to a mere one-fifth of its usual level, marking the weakest performance by land carbon sink in two decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-heat-and-carbon-storage-capacity">Extreme heat and carbon storage capacity </h2>



“Our research shows that 30% of this decline was driven by the extreme heat of 2023, which fueled massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ultrafine-particles-in-wildfire-smoke-change-weather-patterns/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfires</a> that ravaged vast areas of Canadian forest and triggered severe drought across parts of the Amazon rainforest," said Philippe Ciais, a scientist from France’s Laboratory for Climate and Environmental Sciences.



"These fires and droughts led to substantial vegetation loss, weakening the land ecosystem’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide. This was further compounded by a particularly strong El Niño, which historically reduces the carbon absorption capacity in the Tropics." 



The situation was made worse by a particularly potent El Niño, which historically reduces carbon absorption capacity in the tropics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-emitted-from-wildfires">Carbon emitted from wildfires</h2>



Widespread wildfires across Canada and droughts in the Amazon in 2023 released nearly the same amount of carbon to the atmosphere as North America's total fossil fuel emissions. 



This finding highlights the severe impact of climate change on natural ecosystems.



The Amazon rainforest, one of the planet's most essential carbon sinks, is showing signs of long-term distress. Some regions of the Amazon that no longer absorb carbon have shifted into net sources of carbon emissions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-declining-capacity-to-absorb-carbon">Earth's declining capacity to absorb carbon </h2>



The declining capacity of Earth's land ecosystems to absorb carbon dioxide may signify that these natural carbon sinks are nearing their limits. 



They won't be able to continue to provide the mitigation service of absorbing half of human-induced carbon dioxide emissions.



"Consequently, achieving safe global warming limits will require even more ambitious emission reductions than previously anticipated," Ciais adds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-earth-s-carbon-cycle">Saving Earth's carbon cycle</h2>



The study also highlights that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-models-underestimate-sea-ice-melt-and-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">current climate models</a> might be underestimating the pace and impact of extreme events such as droughts and fires on the degradation of these crucial carbon reservoirs.



"Understanding the knock-on effects of climate change on the carbon cycle is imperative, and the two ESA study projects demonstrate the importance of Earth observation in developing methodologies to provide rapid assessment of these impacts globally," said Stephen Plummer, <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a> Earth Observation Applications Scientist.



"These results are particularly alarming, especially considering the difficulty the world is having limiting warming to 1.5°C, as laid out in the Paris Agreement," noted Clement Albergel, ESA’s Acting Head of the Actionable Climate Information Section.



Given these alarming revelations, it's vital that we ask ourselves: how can we contribute to mitigating these effects? Can we consume less, recycle more, and seek out greener alternatives in our daily lives? The need for climate action could not be more urgent.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nsr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nsr/nwae367/7831648?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Science Review</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.



-----

Extreme heat of 2023  weakened Earth's carbon storage capacity

The scorching heatwaves we experience, the wildfires that rage across nations, and the invisible carbon dioxide that fills the air are severely impacting our planet. In 2023, the world saw extreme heatwaves that fueled substantial wildfires and induced severe droughts across the globe. What's more, these adverse conditions significantly weakened the land's ability to absorb atmospheric carbon. The result? A notable surge in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, growing the scale of concern about accelerating climate change. Heat and atmospheric carbon Data from Hawaii's Mauna Loa Observatory showed...

For most homeowners, a quiet neighborhood is an ideal place to live. But for fish looking for a home in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-protect-coastlines/">coral reefs</a>, noise is actually a good thing, according to a new study. 

Young fish use the noise from coral reefs to find a good home and place to mate. The sounds of a coral reef can be heard for miles and the species that call corals home use sounds to communicate with each other, warn others in case of predators, and for mating. 

Snapping shrimp, chirps from damselfish, and chattering clownfish create a symphonic soundscape that is a key indicator of a healthy reef. 

Over time, due to the increase in bleaching events, pollution, and habitat degradation, coral reefs have become much quieter and in turn, attract less fish. 

This was the major takeaway from research conducted by an international team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 

The researchers performed several field experiments on the Northern Great Barrier Reef and discovered that years of bleaching and cyclones due has put a literal damper on the “coral reef orchestra”. 

It’s had a silencing effect over the years and coral reefs are much quieter now compared to five years ago.  

“It's heartbreaking to hear. The usual pops, chirps, snaps, and chatters of countless fish and invertebrates have disappeared. The symphony of the sea is being silenced.” said Tim Gordon, the study’s lead author. 

The degraded reefs are now attracting 40 percent fewer juvenile fish, which put corals in even more danger, as fish are required for a healthy and thriving reef system. 

“If fish aren't hearing their way home anymore, that could be bad news for the recovery prospects of reefs,” said Harry Harding, a co-author of the research.  “Fish play critical roles on coral reefs, grazing away harmful algae and allowing coral to grow. A reef without fish is a reef that's in trouble.”

The team of scientists built experimental reefs to test how much sound plays a role in attracting fish. The researchers used underwater loudspeakers and played both healthy and degraded reef sounds to see which attracted more fish. 

The difference is audible, as sound clips from the research show just how stark and muted degraded reefs’ soundscapes are in comparison to healthy reefs. 

“Over the last 15 years my research group have discovered how important sound can be for fish to locate and select specific reefs,” said Steve Simpson, the senior author of the study. “We have marveled at the remarkable diversity and complexity of coral reef soundscapes. But in the last few years, the reefs we know and love have died before our eyes. And the deserted and crumbling rubble fields have turned eerily quiet.”

Coral bleaching has killed up 80 percent of some corals in the Great Barrier Reef and climate change continues to threaten marine ecosystems and reef recovery. The researchers say more must be done to keep reefs from going quiet. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Tim Gordon, <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>

Silence of the reefs: how quiet coral reefs are keeping fish away

For most homeowners, a quiet neighborhood is an ideal place...

Pika, Medecine Lake, Near Jasper, Alberta

American pikas are smaller relatives of rabbits and hares that live in the mountains of western North America. There have been concerns that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drought-wildfires-pacific-northwest/">global warming</a> will pose a threat to the survival of pikas, but the findings of a new study suggest otherwise.

Previous investigations found that, when the weather conditions became warmer and drier, pikas no longer occupied their usual sites in the Great Basin. It was assumed that pikas had sought refuge in higher grounds or had died. However, these studies were conducted in regions where pikas had lived historically, and other potential habitats were not explored.

The current study tracked the distribution of pikas across the entire Great Basin. Pikas were documented in territories and climate conditions they had never been observed in before. 

Pikas were found in wetter in colder conditions as well as warmer and drier conditions. They were discovered at sites ranging from 5,350 feet to over 13,000 feet in the mountain ranges of California, Oregon, Utah, and Nevada.

Study lead author Connie Millar is a senior research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service's <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/psw/">Pacific Southwest Research Station</a>.

“This evidence provides an important new perspective on the status of pikas in the Great Basin,” said Millar.”Pikas are persisting broadly across the region, and these findings give us reason to believe that the species is able to tolerate a wider set of habitat and climate conditions than previously understood.”


The researchers analyzed over 2,000 records of pika sites, and could not identify a consistent pattern in elevation or climate across these sites.

“Climate conditions do not adequately explain locations of the extirpated and ‘old-sign’ sites, suggesting that other factors interact with climate and contribute to the loss of pika populations in some environments,” said Millar.

Identifying other factors that may cause declines in pika populations will be important in predicting how they will respond to future climate conditions.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/uaar/current">Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

American pikas are adapting surprisingly well to climate change

American pikas are smaller relatives of rabbits and hares that...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-poles-flip/">we reported</a>, there has been recent speculation as to whether Earth’s magnetic poles may be on the verge of reversing, which would result in drastic consequences.

The role of Earth’s magnetic field can’t be overstated, as it protects us from harmful radiation and solar winds. The origins of the field lie in the Earth’s liquid outer core which is rich in iron, nickel, and other metals.

Research has shown that <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012-poleReversal.html">the poles have flipped before</a> on numerous occasions, but it has remained unclear when will it happen again, since we may be long overdue for another reversal.

It has been suggested that due to the weakening of the magnetic field over the last two hundred years, the Earth's poles could flip at any moment. 

But according to a new study conducted by an international team of researchers, a magnetic pole reversal is not as imminent as previously thought. 

“Our research suggests instead that the current weakened field will recover without such an extreme event, and therefore is unlikely to reverse,” said Richard Holme, a co-author of the study. 

The study was published in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

For the study, the researchers modeled two of the most recent geomagnetic excursions events: the Lashamp which happened around 41,000 years ago and the Mono Lake event which occurred around 34,000 years ago. 

Excursion events are not full reversals but periods of significant changes in the magnetic field. In both the Lashamp and Mono Lake events, the poles came close to flipping but eventually went back to normal. 

Neither of the fields modeled resulted in a complete reversal or excursion and even though there were similarities between the models and the earth’s current field structure, the sequence of events that led to previous excursions don’t match what’s happening with poles now. 

“There has been speculation that we are about to experience a magnetic polar reversal or excursion,” said Holme, a co-author of the study. “However, by studying the two most recent excursion events, we show that neither bear resemblance to current changes in the geomagnetic field and therefore it is probably unlikely that such an event is about to happen.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth’s magnetic field is not about to reverse, new study finds

As we reported, there has been recent speculation as to...

A new study from the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NCAR) has revealed that the United States is no longer making as much progress in reducing the air pollutants that cause <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fertilized-soil-pollution-california/">smog</a>. The results of the research suggest that it may be harder than previously thought to achieve target levels of ozone pollution.

“Although our air is healthier than it used to be in the 80s and 90s, air quality in the U.S. is not progressing as quickly as we thought,” said study co-author Helen Worden. “The gains are starting to slow down.”


An international team of researchers analyzed satellite and ground-based measurements of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. They found that levels of these pollutants, which contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, are not declining at a pace that is consistent with past years.

Levels of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide have declined significantly since the 1970 Clean Air Act, which led to emission-reducing technologies such as the development of catalytic converters for vehicles. On the other hand, the standards for ozone are not being met by a number cities and regions across the United States.

The researchers found that emission reductions dramatically stalled out between 2011 and 2015. In fact, nitrogen oxide concentrations dropped 76 percent more slowly from 2011 to 2015 compared to the previous decade from 2005 to 2009.

The Environmental Protection Agency had substantially underestimated the slowdown of these reductions in the same time frame, reporting that progress only declined by 16 percent.

The study authors have determined several reasons for the lingering prevalence of nitrogen oxides, including slower-than-expected reductions in emissions by diesel trucks and increasing emissions from industrial, residential, and commercial boilers and off-road vehicles.


Study co-author Brian McDonald is a scientist with the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> and the <a href="https://cires.colorado.edu/">Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences</a>.

“As you become effective at controlling emissions from cars and power plants, the other sources become more important and there's less information about them,” said McDonald.


The researchers explained that follow-up studies combined with more sophisticated satellite tools will provide experts with more accurate data to interpret how pollution is changing with emissions regulations.


“The top-down satellite measurements and the inventories provide complementary data that will enable us to get better estimates of the emission sources,” said McDonald. “It will be useful to learn more about why the discrepancies exist and why the trend toward better air quality is slowing down.”

The study will be published in the journal <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air quality improvement in the U.S. has slowed down

A new study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research...

New research has found that global warming will increase the frequency of summer droughts and wildfires in the forested Klamath region of the Pacific Northwest.

Northern California and southwestern Oregon house the Klamath region, a biodiversity hotspot covered in mountains, rivers, forests, and a temperate climate. The Klamath is home to 29 species of conifers and some plants that only exist in that part of the northwest. 

But if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europe-drought-regions-climate-change/">climate change</a> continues unabated, the impact it will have on the area could be staggering, according to a new study. 

The forests in the Klamath region have adapted to wildfires up to a point. But severe fires, like the Biscuit Fire in 2002 which burned 500,000 acres of tree cover, can do considerable damage. 

With the increase in summer droughts due to climate change, severe fires like the Biscuit Fire have a greater risk of occurring and could eradicate many of the conifer species, making way for quick growing shrubs and smaller plant species. 

“If the fire-free interval is too short or if the growing conditions are too dry, the shrubs can persist indefinitely, and the iconic conifers are squeezed out,” said Jonathan Thompson, the co-author on the study.

Researchers from <a href="http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/">Harvard Forest</a>, the <a href="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/conservation">Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute</a>, and <a href="https://www.pdx.edu/">Portland State University</a> conducted a study to measure the risk of biodiversity loss in the Klamath under five different climate scenarios. 

The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports and show the risks of severe wildfires and biodiversity loss under each scenario. 

The researchers simulated 100 years of forest dynamics in the Klamath under a range of scenarios starting with a continuation of climate trends, to projected shifts in global warming and precipitation. 

No matter the climate scenario, whether moderate or severe, the simulations predicted an increase in summer drought and reduced plant survival. The more severe projected climate trends resulted in an increase in record-breaking forest fires. 

However, even without drastic changes in climate, the risk of drought still increased and the simulations showed an increase in shrubs which would just create more fuel for fires. The Klamath could lose one-third of its conifers over the coming century. 

“As the climate continues to warm, big severe wildfires will be more frequent, and the dry conditions that follow will increasingly favor shrubs over conifers,” said Thompson. “The combination will mean less of the conifer forest that make the Klamath so distinct.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Thomas Link

Global warming to bring drought, wildfires to Pacific Northwest

New research has found that global warming will increase the...

Acanthochromis polyacanthus/ spiny chromis

An international team of researchers is reporting that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-saving-coral-reefs/">reef fish</a> are more equipped to handle global warming than previously realized. The experts have discovered that the ability to adjust to warming ocean waters is passed down in reef fish from parents to offspring.

The study, which was led by the <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/">ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies</a> (Coral CoE) is the first to demonstrate the potential for reef fish to adjust to global warming on a genetic level.

“When parents are exposed to an increase in water temperature, we found that their offspring improved their performance in these otherwise stressful conditions by selectively modifying their epigenome,” said senior author Professor Philip Munday.

Epigenetic changes are modifications of the DNA that signal genes to be expressed or suppressed. These adaptations are influenced by many factors, and the study revealed that heat stress has triggered such changes in reef fish.

The researchers found that when both parents and offspring were exposed to the same warmer water temperatures, epigenetic changes took place that enhanced the next generation’s tolerance of the elevated temperatures.

“We reared spiny chromis damselfish, a common Indo-Pacific reef fish, for two generations under three different water temperatures, up to 3 degrees Celsius warmer than current-day ocean temperatures,” explained study co-author Timothy Ravasi.

“The next generation appeared to be advantaged by parental exposure to elevated temperatures. The offspring's altered gene expression, also referred to as ‘acclimation,’ allowed them to maximize oxygen consumption and energy use.”

Professor Munday added, “Acclimation may buffer populations against the impacts of rapid environmental change and provide time for genetic adaptation to catch up over the longer term.”


While this is great news for reef fish, the study authors pointed out that these fish are still seriously threatened by climate change due to the loss of  their coral habitats.


The study is published in the journal <a href="http://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: ARC CoE for Coral Reef Studies/ Jennifer Donelson

Some reef fish have genetically adapted to global warming

An international team of researchers is reporting that reef fish...

<div id="titlewrap"></div>
36 million urban trees vanishing every year in the United States. The <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/">U.S. Forest Service</a> is reporting that trees are rapidly vanishing in urban regions across the United States. Between 2009 and 2014, approximately 175,000 acres of urban tree cover, which is the equivalent of 36 million trees, was lost annually.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quality-life-megacities-trees/">Trees</a> provide invaluable benefits to urban areas, such as absorbing harmful pollutants and combating noise pollution. Trees also cool the local air temperature, reduce heat islands, conserve water, and help to prevent flooding and soil erosion. Furthermore, urban trees significantly reduce energy costs.36 million urban trees vanishing every year in the United States

According to the report, the “estimated loss of benefits from trees in urban areas is conservatively valued at $96 million per year.”

The research team used aerial photographs to assess changes in tree cover from 2009 to 2014 within urban areas and urban communities across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

Overall, 23 states had significant tree cover loss, 25 states had no significant changes, and three states had an insignificant increase in tree cover. 

The biggest difference was found in urban areas, where one percent of tree cover disappeared during the study period. There was also a 0.7 percent drop in the number of trees located in communities surrounding urban areas. The greatest declines were found in Oklahoma, Washington D.C., Rhode Island, Oregon, and Georgia.

The researchers also noted that impervious surfaces, such as roads or cement, increased by almost the same amount as tree cover loss in cities and communities. The researchers estimated that around 40 percent of these new impervious surfaces existed in areas where trees once grew.

“The pattern of decreasing tree cover and increasing impervious surfaces indicate a synergistic pattern of loss of environmental benefits (e.g., air temperature cooling by trees) and increased environmental issues (e.g., air temperature increases associated with impervious surfaces),” wrote the study authors.

The experts warned that this emerging pattern will continue unless policymakers make tree cover more of a priority.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/urban-forestry-and-urban-greening/">Urban Forestry and Urban Greening</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

36 million urban trees vanishing every year in the United States

36 million urban trees vanishing every year in the United...

A study by researchers at the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> (UEA) has confirmed that a massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gulf-mexico-dead-zone/">dead zone</a> in the Arabian Sea is expanding. Underwater robots have provided evidence that the issue is more alarming than what experts had anticipated.

“The Arabian Sea is the largest and thickest dead zone in the world. But until now, no-one really knew how bad the situation was because piracy and conflicts in the area have made it too dangerous to collect data,” said lead author Dr. Bastien Queste.

“We barely have any data collected for almost half a century because of how difficult it is to send ships there.”


The growing dead zone was documented by underwater robots called Seagliders, which can reach depths of 1,000 meters and travel the ocean for months at a time.

“Dead zones are areas devoid of oxygen. In the ocean, these are also known as 'oxygen minimum zones' and they are naturally occurring between 200 and 800 meters deep in some parts of the world,” explained Dr. Queste.

“They are a disaster waiting to happen - made worse by climate change, as warmer waters hold less oxygen, and by fertilizer and sewage running off the land into the seas.”


Two robots deployed in the Arabian Sea’s Gulf of Oman for eight months collected data in underwater regions that had been previously inaccessible. The researchers retrieved information via satellite to assess oxygen levels and to examine the underwater mechanics that transport oxygen from one area to another. 

In a region where the researchers expected to find some oxygen, they found instead an area larger than the size of Scotland that had very little oxygen left.

“Our research shows that the situation is actually worse than feared - and that the area of dead zone is vast and growing. The ocean is suffocating,” said Dr. Queste.

“Of course all fish, marine plants and other animals need oxygen, so they can't survive there. It's a real environmental problem, with dire consequences for humans too who rely on the oceans for food and employment.”

“Another problem is that when oxygen is absent, the chemical cycling of nitrogen - a key nutrient for plant growth - changes dramatically. Nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than CO2 is produced.”

To investigate how oxygen is distributed in the Arabian Sea throughout different seasons, the team combined data from the robots with a very high-resolution computer simulation. The experts found that the dead zone shifts up and down between seasons, which causes fish to be confined to a thin layer of water near the ocean's surface.


Dr. Queste explained, “Management of the fisheries and ecosystems of the western Indian Ocean over coming decades will depend on better understanding and forecasting of oxygen levels in key areas such as the Gulf of Oman.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Growing dead zone in the Arabian Sea is now worse than feared

A study by researchers at the University of East Anglia...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a> have investigated how fish adapt their bodies to acclimate to the shifting water flow in streams caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-sea-levels-and-increased-urbanization/">urbanization</a>. A species of minnow was found to adjust to environmental changes in urban areas by becoming more streamlined and sleek, while a close relative species living in the country grew deeper-bodied.

Urban development creates conditions that make streams flow more rapidly and less predictably during rain storms. A team of biologists theorized that fish would respond by evolving a body shape to improve their swimming.

“We wanted to test rapid body shape evolution in western and central North Carolina stream fish in response to urbanization,” said study senior author Brian Langerhans. 

“While some species cannot handle the altered conditions and have disappeared or reduced in abundance, some remaining species may rapidly evolve adaptive trait changes to contend with the human-induced changes in their environment.”


The researchers documented patterns of different fish species in streams located in western and central North Carolina. They used fish in museums to track changes in body shape, and analyzed whether the changes were due to nature or nurture using lab experiments.

A minnow called western blacknose dace exhibited the changes in body shape predicted by the researchers, becoming more streamlined in urbanized areas. In rural areas, this minnow maintained its original body shape and was less sleek.

A cousin of the western blacknose dace, the creek chub, was found to evolve in the opposite manner. These fish adapted deeper bodies in urbanized areas surrounded by impervious surfaces such as sidewalks.

“One species showed morphological changes that nicely matched evolutionary predictions of increased streamlining to better handle the altered conditions, but the other species showed a change that did not match our simple prediction, highlighting how different species can solve similar problems in different manners,” explained Langerhans.

When creek chub minnows from both rural and urban areas were raised in a common environment in the lab, the same differences were found as those identified in the field. Urban creek chub individuals became less streamlined than rural individuals, demonstrating that changes in body shape were more influenced by nature than by nurture.

“Human activities are having real-time evolutionary impacts on the organisms capable of living in our human-dominated environments; some of these changes may be predictable and some may be difficult to predict,” said Langerhans.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</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:  Elizabeth Kern

City fish develop different body shapes than rural fish

Researchers at North Carolina State University have investigated how fish...

Two weeks ago, NASA posted a “puzzler” image from Operation IceBridge, asking readers if they could explain some mysterious holes spotted in the Arctic ice.

Recently, the agency posted the answer: The holes in the Beaufort Sea are areas where new ice is forming. Circular features around the holes show where the ice is still flexible. The area where the new ice is forming was most likely a long, linear area of water, the scientists said.

“The ice is likely thin, soft, and mushy and somewhat pliable,” Dr. Don Perovich of <a href="https://home.dartmouth.edu/">Dartmouth College</a> told <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>. “This can be seen in the wave-like features in front of the middle ‘amoeba.’”

Some “finger rafting” – where two thin ice floes meet – to the right of the image indicates that the ice could be forming in a generally left to right motion when looking at the photo, he said.

<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/icebridge/index.html">Operation IceBridge</a> researchers agreed with his assessment.

“It’s definitely an area of thin ice, as you can see finger rafting near the holes and the color is gray enough to indicate little snow cover,” IceBridge project scientist Dr. Nathan Kurtz said. 

Still, that doesn’t explain everything about the photo – particularly those circular, “amoeba-shaped” holes in the ice.

“I’m not sure what kind of dynamics could lead to the semi-circle shaped features surrounding the holes. I have never seen anything like that before,” Kurtz said.

A couple of experts on the Arctic suggested that seals might have created the holes so they could come up to breathe. But it could also be a feature of drainage or caused by warm spots of water, they said.

“The other possibility is that warmer water from Beaufort currents or out of the Mackenzie River is finding its way to the surface due to interacting with the bathymetry, just the way some polynyas form,” Dr. Chris Shuman of the University of Maryland said.

To read the full story, visit <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=92030&amp;eocn=home&amp;eoci=iotd_previous">NASA’s Earth Observatory</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer 

Image credit: NASA

Operation IceBridge offers theories on mysterious holes in Arctic ice

Two weeks ago, NASA posted a “puzzler” image from Operation...

How can reefs avoid coral bleaching as ocean temperatures rise? Practice, practice, practice, one new study suggests.

Coral reefs that weather frequent temperature changes can better withstand the conditions that cause bleaching, the international team of scientists discovered. 

The researchers looked at 118 reefs around the world. Noting that some of the reefs showed only patchy bleaching, the team set out to see how sections that resisted coral bleaching differed from areas that could not. 

They found that the areas that experienced frequent temperature changes were better able to survive warming events. Those that experienced more stable temperatures were more likely to fall to bleaching.

"Importantly, our results show that the resistance of corals to bleaching in areas of high-frequency temperature variability occurs in reef regions throughout the world,” co-author Dr. Gareth Williams of <a href="https://www.bangor.ac.uk/">Bangor University</a> said in a press release. 

In some cases, the researchers found, reefs just a few hundred meters apart – or even just a few dozen – had different temperature conditions and different responses to warming events.

The study offers some hope for coral reefs, many of which have been damaged by bursts of warm water temperatures in recent years. It could also help scientists better understand how and why coral bleaching happens.

But that doesn’t mean people should let their guards down, the research team warned. Warming events that damage coral reefs have become more frequent, they said. This is an issue of global concern, they said, because reefs are so vital to shoreline protection, fisheries and other important parts of the ocean ecosystem.

“This positive news should not distract from the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect coral reefs globally, but instead help guide strategic management actions in the inevitable interim,” Williams said.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04074-2">Nature Communications</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: Paul Marshall

Coral bleaching less likely in reefs used to temperature changes

How can reefs avoid coral bleaching as ocean temperatures rise?...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-tornadoes-southeast-louisiana/">Tornadoes</a> can happen anywhere around the world as long as weather conditions are just right, but nestled along the center of the United States is the aptly named “Tornado Alley,” an area where twisters are a common occurrence. 

According to the <a href="https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/climate-information/extreme-events/us-tornado-climatology">National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA), the United States experiences over 1,000 tornadoes every year. 

However, 2018 has been an unusually quiet year for tornadoes in the US so far. Kansas and Oklahoma haven’t had a single tornado yet, making it officially the latest start to a tornado season since the NOAA began keeping records in 1950. 

“On the whole, across the United States, we have seen around half the number of eyewitnessed tornado reports that we would normally expect by this time of year,” meteorologist Patrick Marsh told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/25/us/tornado-season-canada-trnd-wxc/index.html">CNN</a>. “Across the Plains, it is about as quiet as it can possibly be.” 

Tornado Alley includes north Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, and Iowa, and spring is the time of year when these dangerous storms reach their peak. 

Changing weather patterns, and shifts in warm air clashing with cold air create the ripe conditions for tornadoes.

This year though, the late arrival of spring in much of the U.S. has halted the normal weather patterns that would bring warm air and with it perfect tornado conditions. 

“This means the usual flow of warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico has deflected further east, and Tornado Alley has been stuck in abnormally colder, drier air,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/weather/features/43898995">the BBC </a>reported.

The string of spring snowstorms in the US, cooler than average temperatures in some regions, and a long cold snap in the UK that is partly driving the slow tornado season can be traced back to the Sudden Stratospheric Warming event that occurred earlier in the year. 

According to CNN, cold air coming in from Central Canada has also played a role. 

Even though it’s been a quiet, uneventful start to spring in tornado alley, all it takes is one storm to cause a major outbreak in twisters, and that the slow start doesn’t mean that there will be fewer or less severe tornadoes overall for the 2018 tornado season.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

A quiet start to the 2018 twister season in Tornado Alley

Tornadoes can happen anywhere around the world as long as...

<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...