Researchers from Japan and Thailand have found that microplastics are invading all three parts of coral anatomy - the exterior mucus, tissue, and skeleton. This alarming discovery may offer new clues about the "missing plastic problem."



A whopping 70% of the plastic litter that has entered the oceans has vanished without a trace. The researchers propose that corals may be the unsuspecting culprits, absorbing microplastics from the oceans, acting as a "plastic sink."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enormous-issue-of-plastic-pollution">Enormous issue of plastic pollution</h2>



We can’t deny, plastics have made our lives easier. But <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-infiltrating-the-human-body-even-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">at what cost</a>? The repercussions of our reliance on plastics are becoming evident, damaging ecosystems in ways that are still being unearthed. 



Picture this - an estimated total of 4.8 to 12.7 million tons of plastics make their way into marine environments each year.



Study lead author Suppakarn Jandang is a professor at <a href="https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kyushu University</a>’s Research Institute for Applied Mechanics (<a href="https://www.riam.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/index-e.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RIAM</a>) in Japan.



“In Southeast Asia, plastic pollution has become a significant issue. Collectively, nearly 10 million tons of plastic waste are dumped annually, equivalent to 1/3 of the world’s total,” said Professor Jandang.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extracting-microplastics-from-corals">Extracting microplastics from corals</h2>



To battle plastic pollution, RIAM partnered with Thailand's <a href="https://www.chula.ac.th/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chulalongkorn University</a> in 2022, initiating the Center for Ocean Plastic Studies. 



Led by Professor Atsuhiko Isobe from RIAM, the research team set out to explore the impact of microplastics on local coral reefs. The experts focused on the coast of Si Chang Island in the Gulf of Thailand, known for its reef flats and anthropological study potential.



Each coral has three anatomical parts: surface mucus on the outside, tissue on the inside, and a skeleton made of calcium carbonate deposits. The researchers developed a simple yet effective way to extract and identify microplastics from corals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-microplastics-in-corals">Identifying microplastics in corals</h2>



The team collected 27 coral samples, discovering 174 microplastic particles which were mostly the width of a human hair.



Among these particles, 38% were found in the surface mucus, 25% in the tissue, and a shocking 37% in the coral skeleton. 



The most common microplastics were nylon, polyacetylene, and PET. The findings suggest that corals might be playing a role in the missing plastic problem. 



“Since coral skeletons remain intact after they die, these deposited microplastics can potentially be preserved for hundreds of years. Similar to mosquitos in amber,” explained Professor Jandang.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-threat-to-marine-life">Threat to marine life</h2>



The infiltration of microplastics into coral anatomy represents a grave threat to marine biodiversity. As primary ecosystems in tropical waters, coral reefs support a vast array of organisms. 



However, when microplastics invade these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-seeding-increases-resistance-to-extreme-heatwaves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">corals</a>, the repercussions ripple through the food chain. Fish that depend on coral for shelter and sustenance may inadvertently consume these plastics, leading to bioaccumulation. 



This process not only adversely affects marine health but also poses a threat to human populations reliant on seafood. The delicate balance of these ecosystems is at risk, highlighting the urgency for targeted interventions aimed at mitigating plastic pollution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-action-is-needed">Global action is needed</h2>



Recognizing the profound implications of their findings, the research team advocates for stronger global initiatives to combat the proliferation of microplastics. 



Efforts to reduce plastic production and enhance waste management systems are imperative. On this front, international cooperation is essential for enacting regulations and fostering sustainable practices. 



Innovations in biodegradable materials and increased recycling rates could curtail further environmental degradation.



By emphasizing education and awareness campaigns, the scientific community can rally public support for policies aimed at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-process-converts-microplastics-into-valuable-graphene-wonder-material/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preserving our oceans</a>. Continued research will be pivotal in devising sustainable solutions to safeguard marine biodiversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-our-oceans">Future of our oceans</h2>



While the results are eye-opening, the team agrees that more global studies on an array of coral species are needed for a comprehensive understanding. 



“We also do not know the health effects of microplastics on coral and the larger reef community. There is still much to be done to accurately evaluate the impact of microplastics on our ecosystem,” said Professor Isobe.



The story of plastic's invasion in the oceans is still unfolding, and the role of corals in this narrative is just beginning to be understood.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724063666?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science of The Total Environment</a>.



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Microplastics found in the tissue and skeletons of corals

Researchers from Japan and Thailand have found that microplastics are invading all three parts of coral anatomy - the exterior mucus, tissue, and skeleton. This alarming discovery may offer new clues about the "missing plastic problem." A whopping 70% of the plastic litter that has entered the oceans has vanished without a trace. The researchers propose that corals may be the unsuspecting culprits, absorbing microplastics from the oceans, acting as a "plastic sink." Enormous issue of plastic pollution We can’t deny, plastics have made our lives easier....

A new study maps out a plausible plan for powering nearly 139 countries on only renewable clean energy, reducing the impacts of climate change and making blackouts a thing of the past.

The research was conducted by Mark Jacobson and colleagues from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> and published a manuscript in the journal Renewable Energy.

The report proposes three different options that will provide a reliable source of power to all the major energy sectors including transportation, heating and cooling, and agriculture.

Jacobson had previously published a study that suggested it was possible to transition 139 counties to be completely reliant on renewable energy by 2050, and this new research builds on these same principles.

“Our main result is that there are multiple solutions to the problem,” said Jacobson. “This is important because the greatest barrier to the large-scale implementation of clean, renewable energy is people's perception that it's too hard to keep the lights on with random wind and solar output.”

The central component of the new research is working towards transferring countries to rely on renewable energy without fear of power outages or inconsistent output.

The researchers needed to first understand the energy needs of 139 countries and match those needs with potential energy that could be provided by wind, water, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melbourne-tram-network-solar/">solar power</a>.

From this, Jacobson and his team were able to create a map of energy needs using computational modeling programs that matched supply and demand in 30-second increments for five years from 2050 to 2054.

By factoring in predicted weather patterns and solutions for storing excess energy, the researchers were able to estimate the amount of energy that could be produced through renewable energy in the future, and how reliable those sources of power would be.

The biggest concern facing renewable energy as a viable power source is its dependability, but Jacobson’s models saw no blackouts for all five years the researchers included in their study.

On top of that, the cost of implementing Jacobson’s methods would be relatively low and extremely cost-effective, the price of which was one quarter the cost of a business as usual scenario.

 “One of the biggest challenges facing energy systems based entirely on clean, zero-emission wind, water, and solar power is to match supply and demand with near-perfect reliability at reasonable cost,” said Mark Delucchi, co-author of the paper and a research scientist at the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>. “Our work shows that this can be accomplished, in almost all countries of the world, with established technologies.”

The results may seem too good to be true, but the researchers note that it will take cooperation on behalf of multiple national leaders and a coordinated effort to decide where renewable operations will be located. 

Despite its geopolitical complications, Jacobson’s work shows that large-scale switch to dependable renewable energy is possible in many countries around the world. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

139 countries could switch to 100 percent clean energy by 2050

A new study maps out a plausible plan for powering...

January heat waves across New Zealand broke temperature records and even caused a shortage of fans in the country.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-zealand-fault-line/">New Zealand</a> residents were encouraged to stay indoors and out of the heat, but many places are not equipped with air conditioning, causing problems for schools and businesses. 

“We have no fans left, and air conditioning is much less prevalent than in many other countries,” Ben Noll, a meteorologist form the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/30/new-zealand-heatwave-health-alerts-scramble-fans">The Guardian</a>.

Noll also explained that warm sea temperatures were contributing to much of the heat wave that took hold at the end of January. 

February has brought cooler temperatures thanks to a tropical storm and heavy rainfall, but climate experts have now confirmed that January was the hottest month on record for New Zealand.

January temperatures skyrocketed to over 90 degrees Fahrenheit and according to NIWA, temperatures averaged around 68.5 degrees Fahrenheit, which is more than three degrees above normal. 

Climate change is a major factor in the rising temperatures for New Zealand, and climatologists warn of the risk of sea level rise, drought, and disease that an increase in temperatures could cause. 

Severe weather events are happening with more and more frequency around the world. January may have been the hottest year on record for New Zealand, but parts of North America experienced brutal cold snaps and <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/26/us/erie-pennsylvania-snow-storm/index.html">record snowfall</a> during the month. 

Even though temperatures have cooled in New Zealand, Gregory Macara, a climate scientists with the weather agency, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/02/january-hottest-month-ever-recorded-new-zealand">The Guardian</a> that February will still be hotter than average. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

January was the hottest month ever in New Zealand

January heat waves across New Zealand broke temperature records and...

Over 15 million gallons of mercury is trapped in permafrost in the northern regions of the Earth, according to a new study. 

At the current rates of climate change, warming temperatures will melt Arctic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-thawing-permafrost/">permafrost</a> and mercury will slowly be released into the world's oceans and atmospheres with potentially deadly consequences. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://co-labs.org/labs?id=15">US Geological Survey in Boulder, Colorado</a> collected permafrost core samples in Alaska to assess exactly how much mercury was held in the Arctic ice.

“Twenty-four percent of all the soil above the equator is permafrost, and it has this huge pool of locked-up mercury,” said Paul Schuster, co-author of the study. “The consequences of this mercury being released into the environment are potentially huge because mercury has health effects on organisms and can travel up the food chain, adversely affecting native and other communities.”

Mercury is toxic to humans and can cause kidney and lung failure, among other health issues. 

For the study, the researchers collected 13 soil cores from different areas in Alaska between 2004 and 2012. The cores were then analyzed, and the research team measured how much carbon and mercury was within each core. 

These measurements were then used to calculate mercury levels in all permafrost north of the equator since the last Ice Age. According to the team’s estimations, there are more than 15 million gallons of mercury trapped within northern permafrost soil. 

The northern regions of the globe contain the world's largest reserve of mercury in both frozen and unfrozen soil. 

According to a recent report released by the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA), thawing of permafrost is happening faster than ever before, and the warming trend doesn’t show signs of slowing down. 

There have been concerns about the carbon contained in ice and soil that could potentially be released and further drive climate change, but now this new study shows that mercury levels also need to be factored into permafrost thaw research. 

“This study is very novel and makes a big discovery in an area that was previously somewhat ignored,” James Shanley, a member of the research team. “'It shows permafrost represents a huge source of mercury, and if it thaws due to climate change, the mercury could be released and could significantly add to the global mercury burden.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Melting permafrost could release millions of gallons of mercury

Over 15 million gallons of mercury is trapped in permafrost...

A collection of studies has revealed that the subject of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-risk-death/">air pollution</a> has a negative impact on people's conduct. The findings indicate that exposure to pollution, or even just the thought of it, may lead to unethical behavior such as crime and cheating. 

“This research reveals that air pollution may have potential ethical costs that go beyond its well-known toll on health and the environment,” said first author Jackson G. Lu. 

“This is important because air pollution is a serious global issue that affects billions of people - even in the United States, about 142 million people still reside in counties with dangerously polluted air.”

The findings of the analysis suggest that this association between pollution and misconduct could be caused by increased anxiety. Researchers have previously found that air pollution elevates feelings of anxiety, which is known to correspond with various unethical behaviors.

The research team analyzed air pollution and crime data for over 9,000 cities in the United States over a 9-year time frame. Pollution data from the Environmental Protection Agency included information about six major pollutants such as carbon dioxide and fine particulate matter. Crime data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) contained information on seven major offenses including murder and robbery.

The study revealed that cities with higher air pollution levels were more likely to have higher rates of crime. Researchers also developed a series of experiments to further establish this correlation in which they manipulated participants to imagine air pollution.

The results of the first experiment showed that participants who were shown images of a polluted area cheated more often on an assigned task than those who were presented with an image of a clean area.

Participants were also shown images of either a polluted or a clean scene in another experiment, and were instructed to write an essay about what it would be like to live there. 

Independent experts rated the essays to measure how much anxiety was expressed, and they detected higher levels of anxiety in the individuals who had written about living in a polluted area.

The study authors acknowledged that anxiety may not be the only mechanism linking air pollution and unethical behavior. 

“Our findings suggest that air pollution not only corrupts people's health, but also can contaminate their morality,” said Lu.

The study is published in <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/home/pss">Psychological Science</a>, a journal of the <a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/">Association for Psychological Science</a>.

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution may actually cause crime and unethical behavior

A collection of studies has revealed that the subject of...

When <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pine-trees-grow-toward-equator/">pine trees</a> are exposed to extreme levels of ultraviolet radiation, they become temporarily sterile. This has led scientists to believe that ozone depletion was a primary contributor to the biggest mass extinction in Earth's history at the end of the Permian Period 252 million years ago.

<a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>, graduate student Jeffrey Benca exposed 18-inch-tall pine trees to a level of ultraviolet radiation similar to what would have followed the massive volcano eruptions that occurred at the end of the Permian Period. 

Over the course of two months, all of the pine cones shriveled up within days of emerging and the trees became sterile. After the trees were moved outside, they were able to bounce back years later and produce healthy pine cones.

Scientists believe periodic volcanic eruptions that continued for over a million years and the subsequent ozone depletion could have been the driving force behind the Permian-Triassic extinction, but exactly how the event unfolded remains a mystery. While there would have been acid rain on a local level, this alone could not have wiped out nearly 70 percent of all land animals and 95 percent of the planet's marine life.

“During the end-Permian crisis, the forests may have disappeared in part or fully because of increased UV exposure,” said Benca. “With pulses of volcanic eruptions happening, we would expect pulsed ozone shield weakening, which may have led to forest declines previously observed in the fossil record.”

Benca explained that, even though the plants survived, the massive levels of radiation would have had a damaging effect on plant growth and reproduction. This could have destabilized the base of the food web, which would  have a devastating impact on animals.

“Paleontologists have come up with various kill scenarios for mass extinctions, but plant life may not be affected by dying suddenly as much as through interrupting one part of the life cycle, such as reproduction, over a long period of time, causing the population to dwindle and potentially disappear,” said study co-author Cindy Looy.

Co-author Ivo Duijnstee said that Benca’s theory of what happened during the end of the Permian Period is a great illustration of how extinction unfolds slowly, over tens or hundreds of thousands of years. 

“Global biodiversity catastrophes are not about death but about the pruning of evolutionary branches on the tree of life at a rate much higher than the sprouting of new shoots,” said Duijnstee.

The findings of the study suggest that caution must be taken when introducing new industrial chemicals that could be harmful to the ozone.

The study is published in the online journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ozone depletion contributed to Earth’s largest extinction event

When pine trees are exposed to extreme levels of ultraviolet...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/">University of York</a> have investigated the impact of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-climate-change-species/">climate change</a> on the land of Amboseli National Park in Kenya, and found that these effects happen more rapidly than previously realized.

The research team looked at environmental changes surrounding the African savannah and wetlands over the last 5,000 years. The experts discovered that this dynamic ecosystem had constantly transformed itself to adapt to shifting climate conditions.

The most notable changes have occurred over the last 500 years, which dates back to the arrival of the Maasai people and the start of the ivory trade. The sediment contained evidence that the Maasai people used fire to help cultivate the landscape, which altered the composition of the vegetation for a short time.


“East African savannahs support large human and animal populations, but are undergoing rapid developments and pressures on water resources,” said study co-author Esther Githumbi. 

“Changes are leading to reductions in wildlife habitats and biodiversity loss, so it is important to understand how various environmental factors have interacted in the past, particularly human influences, to get a realistic idea of what the future might look like.”


The vegetation, which consisted of sparse woodlands and shrubs 5,000 years ago, showed high variability in response to climate change and the expansion of the wetlands. Vegetation had also changed in response to the size of the herbivore animal population.

“You have to see all of these different climate, animal, and human interactions in one dataset in order to get a realistic sense of how each impacts on the other,” said co-author Robert Marchant. “By far the biggest impact to the landscape, both in the past and today, is human activity.

The study suggests that National Park boundaries may need stricter management to keep pace with the changing climate.

“Now that we know how rapidly these changes occurred in the history of this area we can better predict the future,” said Githumbi. “Our project is just one of many around the world looking at land-based climate changes.”

“Once we have full datasets from these countries, the aim is to combine the results to get a global picture of what is happening on land. For the savannahs of East Africa this could mean considering how decisions are made about boundary lines around protected lands, given that the ecosystems can change more quickly than previously thought.”

The research is published by the <a href="http://www.kva.se/en/">Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: University of York

African savannahs quickly changing in response to climate change

Researchers from the University of York have investigated the impact...

Roughly 307 million years ago, the Earth’s climate underwent a drastic transformation that wiped out many species, but some tetrapods (four-legged vertebrates) thrived. 

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/">University of Birmingham</a> discovered how this ancient climate change reshaped the future and shows how the conditions were favorable to the evolution of tetrapods. 

The Carboniferous period, which started around 359 million years ago, was a time when North America and Europe were connected and covered with dense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-largest-rainforests/">tropical rainforests</a>. The humid climate provided the perfect environment for tetrapods to thrive and diversify. 

However towards the end of the Carboniferous period the climate changed, and became much drier, the rainforests began to disappear, and the many species, including dominant plant groups, went extinct. 

While scientists were aware of how the change in climate affected different species and caused a mass extinction event, there is not much known about tetrapods, which prompted the new study.

The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B and fills in important gaps in the fossil record that shows the diversity of tetrapods both before and after the change in climate. 

For the study, the researchers compiled a new dataset from the Paleobiology Database and used advanced statistical methods to estimate tetrapods’ diversity. 

Not surprisingly, the results show that tetrapod diversity decreased after the shift to a drier climate. The rainforests began to disappear, and this led to habitat degradation for many tetrapods that had thrived in the humid and wet environments.

The researchers found that even though diversity decreased, the drier climate gave rise to some tetrapod migrations whose larger size made it easier for them navigate further away from the equator to find more hospitable habitats. 

“We now know that the rainforest collapse was crucial in paving the way for amniotes, the group which ultimately gave rise to modern mammals, reptiles and birds, to become the dominant group of land vertebrates during the Permian period and beyond,” said Emma Dunne, the lead author of the study in an interview with <a href="https://phys.org/news/2018-02-rainforest-collapse-million-years-impacted.html">Phys.org</a>. 

The study explains how some species were able to thrive even in the midst of a mass extinction that decreased tetrapod diversity. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Ancient climate change reshaped Earth’s climate and species

Roughly 307 million years ago, the Earth’s climate underwent a...

A new regulation created by the <a href="https://www.imo.org/">International Maritime Organization</a> requires that all marine fuels contain 80 to 86 percent less sulfur by 2020. 

The regulation was created in response to global health concerns about the pollution emitted from marine shipping operations. Sulfur particles, in particular, can cause many respiratory diseases and asthma in children. 

Air pollution from ships have the largest impact in coastal cities next to popular shipping routes, and almost 14 million cases of childhood asthma reported each year are linked to shipping fuels. 

Sulfur particles and pollutants from shipping also contribute to early deaths from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.

A new study examining the possible effects of reducing sulfur emissions from marine shipping found that cleaner fuel would reduce childhood asthma by 3.6 percent worldwide. 

However, the study also found that sulfur particles offset somewhat the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-5-years/">global warming</a>, and cleaner fuel could increase the impact of climate change. 

The study was conducted by an international team researchers from the <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>, the<a href="http://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/"> Finnish Meteorological Institute</a> (FMI), the <a href="https://www.rit.edu/">Rochester Institute of Technology</a> (RIT) in New York, and <a href="http://www.energyandenvironmental.com/">Energy and Environmental Research Associates. </a>

The researchers used satellite records to create a state-of-the-art models of global ship traffic. The model showed where emissions from shipping fuels were at their highest and what shipping lanes and emissions would be like in the coming years. 

Another model mapping emission disbursement highlighted those residential and city areas with the most exposure to sulfur and pollution from ships. 

The results show that while the new regulation will decrease sulfur particle emissions and decrease the risk of childhood asthma, it comes with several costs. 

The cleaner fuel adoptions will increase prices on goods for consumers and could detrimentally impact climate change. 

Sulfur particles, while damaging to health, also reflect sunlight and help diminish the warming from carbon emissions.

“The use of cleaner ship fuels will increase the rate of global warming by about 3 percent,” said Mikhail Sofiev, who led the climate-related research. “This means more attention may be needed to reduce greenhouse gases across all sectors of the global economy.”

Shipping traffic is also expected to increase, and with it, pollution from marine shipping fuels which will continue to adversely impact health. 

The study shows that even though a reduction in sulfur particles will have positive benefits on respiratory and cardiovascular health, other more stringent measures should be implemented in order to have a greater impact and still combat climate change, 

“Our results show that these regulations are beneficial, but also that more air pollution health benefits remain possible with less-polluting ships,” said James Winebrake, an authority on the environmental impacts of transportation, including health risk assessments.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer 

Image Credit: University of Delaware

New clean shipping fuel regulations come at a cost

A new regulation created by the International Maritime Organization requires...

In the first study of its kind, an international team of scientists has estimated the number of viruses circulating between the surface of the Earth and the atmosphere. They found that billions of viruses and millions of bacteria are falling back onto our planet daily.

Viruses and bacteria are carried by sea spray and soil dust up into the free troposphere, which is just below the stratosphere. These microorganisms can travel thousands of miles through the troposphere before being re-deposited onto the planet through dust storms and precipitation.

The team gathered samples from sites at high altitudes in the Sierra mountains to track the flow of viruses and bacteria to and from the Earth. The study revealed that over 800 million viruses per square meter are swept up above the planetary boundary layer on a daily basis.

The researchers also found that billions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-virus-present-humans/">viruses</a> per square meter return to the planet every day, along with millions of bacteria.

Curtis Suttle is a virologist at the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> and the study's senior author.

“Roughly 20 years ago we began finding genetically similar viruses occurring in very different environments around the globe,” said Suttle.”This preponderance of long-residence viruses traveling the atmosphere likely explains why it’s quite conceivable to have a virus swept up into the atmosphere on one continent and deposited on another.”

Despite how disturbing the findings of the study may seem, the researchers explained that this movement of organisms between the atmosphere and the planet is most likely a good thing.

“Rather than being a negative consequence, this deposition provides a seed bank that should allow ecosystems to rapidly adapt to environmental changes,” wrote the study authors.

The research is published in the <a href="http://www.nature.com/ismej">International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Billions of viruses fall to Earth on a daily basis

In the first study of its kind, an international team...

Researchers at the <a href="https://uoregon.edu/">University of Oregon</a> are reporting that ancient oceanic mountain ridges have preserved a record of volcanism for millions of years. The study reveals a global increase in magmatic activity in submarine volcanoes 66 million years ago, which was right after the Chicxulub meteor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-dinosaurs/">struck</a> Earth.

The findings of the research indicate that there was a shift in the strength of gravity above the seafloor, followed by the release of a large volume of magma. The molten lava left an imprint on the oceanic boundaries of tectonic plates.

Lead author Joseph Byrnes said that powerful seismic waves from the impact of the Chicxulub meteor likely triggered the worldwide eruptions. He explained that this heightened volcanic activity would have been active during the mass extinction of the world's non-avian dinosaurs.

A particularly large amount of lava was recorded across the Deccan Traps in India. Volcanic disasters on this scale catastrophically disturb the climate and are often linked to mass extinctions.

Ever since evidence of the Chicxulub meteor first emerged, there has been a debate about whether this event or volcanism in Deccan Traps was the main cause of dinosaur extinction.

In 2015, researchers at the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>, found that the two events may be connected. They theorized that the  impact of the meteor escalated volcanic activity across the Deccan Traps.

Co-author Leif Karlstrom explained that the current study adds another layer to this concept, suggesting that the meteor strike triggered volcanic activity at Deccan Traps and also around the world. He said that seismic waves radiating through the Earth likely accelerated volcanic activity that was already in progress along oceanic mountain ridges.

“Our work suggests a connection between these exceedingly rare and catastrophic events, distributed over the entire planet,” said Karlstrom. “The meteorite's impact may have influenced volcanic eruptions that were already going on, making for a one-two punch."

“This study does not say precisely that this volcanic activity is what killed the dinosaurs,” said Byrnes. “What we are adding to the conversation is global volcanic activity during the known environmental crisis."


The research is published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Asteroid that killed the dinosaurs triggered submarine volcanoes

Researchers at the University of Oregon are reporting that ancient...

As the issue of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-threat-land/">plastic pollution</a> is becoming increasingly threatening, researchers are scrambling to assess the extent of the impacts of plastic waste in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems. A new report from <a href="http://www.murdoch.edu.au/">Murdoch University</a> is warning that microplastics are particularly dangerous for filter-feeding animals such whales.

Filter feeders swallow thousands of gallons of water every day as part of their feeding process, putting them at a very high risk of ingesting microplastics. Filtering the plastic particles can damage their digestive tract and lead to developmental and reproductive problems.

“Despite the growing research on microplastics in the marine environment, there are only few studies that examine the effects on large filter feeders,” said lead author Elitza Germanov. 

“We are still trying to understand the magnitude of the issue. It has become clear though that microplastic contamination has the potential to further reduce the population numbers of these species, many of which are long-lived and have few offspring throughout their lives.”

The research team investigated the conditions of the Sea of Cortez in California, and found an average of 0.7 plastic items per cubic meter of water. Based on this measurement, the experts estimated that whales sharks could be ingesting as many as 171 plastic items in a single day.

The researchers also determined that fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea may be swallowing thousands of microplastic particles on a daily basis.

“Our studies on whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez and on fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea confirmed exposure to toxic chemicals, indicating that these filter feeders are taking up microplastics in their feeding grounds,” said study co-author Maria Cristina Fossi. 

“Exposure to these plastic-associated toxins pose a major threat to the health of these animals since it can alter the hormones, which regulate the body's growth and development, metabolism, and reproductive functions, among other things.”

Germanov explained that future research is most urgently needed in coastal regions where threatened species feed.

“Many areas are biodiversity hotspots and of economic importance due to fisheries and marine tourism,” said Germanov. “Targeting these with the backing of local government and industry will help ensure efforts to mitigate the plastic threat are employed to their fullest.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/home">Trends in Ecology &amp; Evolution</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

Whales and filter feeders ingest 171 plastic items per day

As the issue of plastic pollution is becoming increasingly threatening,...

Ecosystems and the species within them rely heavily on the timing of the changing of the seasons, making the predictability of temperature and weather patterns extremely important for the survival of many species.

Unfortunately, a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a> has found evidence that animal species are changing the timing of their seasonal activities – known as phenology – at different rates in response to shifting seasonal temperatures and precipitation patterns.

These effects on the daily functioning of ecosystems can also have significant impacts on human food supplies and the spread of diseases. 

“We rely on honeybees to pollinate seasonal crops and migratory birds to return in the spring to eat insects that are crop pests and vectors of human diseases,” explains lead author Jeremy Cohen, a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="http://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a> Department of Integrative Biology. “If the timing of these and other seasonal events are off, ecosystems can malfunction with potentially adverse effects on humans.”

After the researchers reviewed thousands of records of phenological shifts, dating back to the 1950s, they discovered some interesting patterns. The results showed that cold-blooded species and species with smaller body sizes are breeding or aggregating earlier than warm-blooded or large-bodied species in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earlier-spring-carbon-emissions/">spring</a>. 

“Our research elucidates the drivers of phenological responses and the traits of organisms that influence their ability to track changing climates,” says co-author Jason Rohr, PhD, a professor at the <a href="http://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a>. “We expect these findings to improve our ability to forecast the locations, systems and species that might be at the greatest risk from climate change and ideally mitigate any adverse effects that these changes might have on the services that ecosystems provide to humans.”

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Jeremy Cohen, PhD, <a href="http://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a>

Shifting seasons and changing weather are altering ecosystems

Ecosystems and the species within them rely heavily on the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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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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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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

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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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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

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