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....

After filing a Freedom of Information Act request, the <a href="https://www.edf.org/">Environmental Defense Fund</a> has released emails surrounding last year’s decision to remove information about climate change from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>’s website. The emails indicate that newly appointed EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt oversaw the changes.

The Environmental Defense Fund – an international nonprofit advocacy group focused on climate, ocean and health issues – has <a href="https://www.edf.org/media/newly-released-records-refer-pruitts-personal-involvement-removal-climate-information-epa">released the emails</a> in a PDF on its website. 

In April 2017, information about climate change and even references to it on other pages disappeared from the EPA website. The changes came shortly after President Donald Trump appointed Pruitt – a former Oklahoma attorney general who <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-epa-scott-pruitt-lawsuits-20170505-story.html">repeatedly sued the EPA</a> during his tenure and who <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/scott-pruitt-epa-nonprofit-backers-233306">received campaign donations from the energy sector</a> – to lead the agency.

“The disappearance of these key web pages makes it harder for the public to access vital information about climate change and public health, including information about the Clean Power Plan,” EDF attorney Ben Levitan said in a press release. 

The EPA’s former page about the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Power_Plan">Clean Power Plan</a>, a global initiative to curb greenhouse gas emissions, was also scrubbed from the site. Any searches on the EPA website for the Clean Power Plan now redirect to a page about <a href="https://www.epa.gov/energy-independence">energy independence</a>. The old pages are available on an archive of the site.

“Obscuring information thwarts meaningful public participation in EPA’s work to protect Americans’ health and safety,” Levitan said. “It reinforces serious concerns that Pruitt has predetermined that he will repeal the Clean Power Plan, and that the current rulemaking process is a sham.”

The emails point to Pruitt’s personal involvement in the website changes. 

An early April email about the Clean Power Plan, from Pruitt advisor Lincoln Ferguson to EPA staffer J.P. Freire, reads, “How close are we to launching this on the website? The Administrator would like it to go up ASAP. He also has several other changes that need to take place.” 

Other emails about the website changes between agency leadership directly refer to Pruitt’s involvement.

The emails surrounding the website changes are among several recent FOIA requests submitted by the Environmental Defense Fund. In December, the EDF submitted a request for any agency records related to the <a href="https://www.definersdc.com/">Definers Public Affairs Corporation</a>, a political consulting firm, and has asked the EPA’s Inspector General to investigate a <a href="https://www.edf.org/media/edf-files-foia-request-and-asks-inspector-general-investigate-epas-120000-no-bid-contract">$120,000 no-bid contract</a> with the firm.

Definers has been accused of submitted at least <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/15/us/politics/epa-scott-pruitt-foia.html">40 of its own FOIA requests</a> to scrutinize employees’ email and uncover any resistance against the president.

The Environmental Defense Fund has also joined a coalition of nonprofits and community groups to <a href="https://www.edf.org/media/edf-allies-sue-epa-over-failure-implement-smog-standard-protect-health-100-million-americans">sue the EPA</a> over its alleged failure to uphold smog standards. 

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Report: Scott Pruitt responsible for removing climate change information from EPA website

After filing a Freedom of Information Act request, the Environmental...

President Donald Trump dropped climate change from the list of global threats in his new National Security Strategy released in December 2017. Then <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-cut-clean-energy/">as we reported</a> just this week, the Trump administration also aims to cut clean energy research by 72 percent.

But despite the Commander-In-Chief, the Pentagon has released <a href="https://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/tab-b-slvas-report-1-24-2018.pdf">a new report</a> assessing the increasing threat that climate change poses to U.S. military bases and installations around the world. 

According to a report from <a href="http://time.com/5129002/climate-change-donald-trump-military/">TIME</a>  Congress requested that the Pentagon investigate how the threat of climate change could impact the U.S. Armed Forces.

The report found that at least 50 percent of U.S military installations worldwide are at risk of flooding, drought, and other common climate change-related threats. 

For the report, military officials from bases worldwide were surveyed on damage from past weather events to see if there was a heightened risk of any climate-related threats in future. 

For example, if a base is close to flood-prone areas, it might be considered at risk of flooding from climate change. 

The report noted that many military bases across the country were either at risk of flooding and storm surges, drought, or wildfires. 

The Pentagon and <a href="https://www.defense.gov/">Department of Defense </a>(DOD) site the report as being necessary to the missions’ of the DOD and military. 

“If extreme weather makes our critical facilities unusable or necessitate costly or manpower-intensive workarounds, that is an unacceptable impact,” the report states. 

The report also stresses the need for fortifying and strengthening those locations at risk of climate change, and discusses how the increasingly severe weather also affects conflict areas where the US military is stationed. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pentagon: Military bases are at risk from climate change

President Donald Trump dropped climate change from the list of...

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> have established a direct link between man-made earthquakes in Oklahoma and the depths at which wastewater is injected into the ground by the oil and gas industry.

Damaging earthquakes have become a fact of life in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dozen-earthquakes-oklahoma/">Oklahoma</a>, impacting residents and even leading to legal charges against well operators. Induced earthquakes pose a growing threat to commercial infrastructure, such as the oil storage facility at Cushing.

Although the connection between earthquakes and deep water injection has been previously established, an unprecedented surge in earthquake activity has raised serious concern. 

At the peak of seismic activity in Oklahoma since 2011, the annual number of earthquakes increased by 800 times. During this same time frame, well operators injected an average of 2.3 billion barrels of wastewater each year.

Fluids are typically disposed of at depths far below the level of freshwater sources, one or two kilometers beneath the ground. As a result of the current study, researchers have determined that the frequency of Oklahoma's earthquakes is strongly linked to the depth of wastewater injection.

“Our new modelling framework provides a targeted, evidential basis for managing a substantial reduction in induced seismicity in Oklahoma, with extensive possibilities for application elsewhere in the world,” said lead author Dr. Thea Hincks. “This marks a step forward in understanding the evolution of seismicity in the Oklahoma region.”

The research team investigated the connection between injection volume, depth, and location over the course of 6 years. They used an advanced computer method to combine data on wastewater injection with earthquake data from the U.S. Geological Survey.

The team discovered that the depth and volume of the injections have a critical influence on potential seismic activity. Injection volume becomes more significant at depths where layered sedimentary rocks meet crystalline basement rocks because fractured basement rocks are much more susceptible to earthquakes.


“The underlying causes of Oklahoma's induced earthquakes are an open and complex issue, not least because there are over 10,000 injection wells, with many different operators and operating characteristics, all in an area of complex geology,” explained co-author Dr. Tom Gernon.

“Thanks to an innovative model capable of analysing large and complex data sets, our study establishes for the first time a clear link between seismicity and fluid injection depth.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wastewater from oil and gas industry linked to Oklahoma quakes

Researchers at the University of Bristol have established a direct...

Global temperatures could soon surpass those limits set by the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris Climate Agreement</a>, which planned to keep temperature rise “well below” 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. 

The Paris Agreement is a collaborative effort between countries to reduce emissions, keep global temperatures from increasing, and mitigate the effects of man-man climate change.

However, according to the <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/">Met Office</a>, the UK’s national weather service, global temperatures could exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in the next five years. 

The new numbers were predicted based on the possibility of an El Nino weather pattern in the Pacific in the near future, which would further drive up temperatures. 

“Given that we've seen global average temperatures around 1°C above pre-industrial levels over the last three years, it is now possible that continued warming from greenhouse gases along with natural variability could combine so we temporarily exceed 1.5°C in the next five years,” Stephen Belcher, chief scientist at the Met Office. 

El Nino occurs when tropical Pacific trade winds die out, and the shifting weather patterns cause parts of the Pacific to heat up which in turn increases temperatures. 

Even without an El Nino, 2017 was the third hottest year on record, and this new data shows that the warming trend will only continue. 

The primary reason temperatures are increasing more in the past decade than any time in recorded history is because of greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. 

“The long-term temperature trend is far more important than the ranking of individual years, and that trend is an upward one,” said Petteri Taalas, the Secretary-General of the <a href="https://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a>. “Seventeen of the 18 warmest years on record have all been during this century, and the degree of warming during the past three years has been exceptional.”

The Met Office prediction is trouble, as climate change has already worsened major weather extremes, drought, one of the world’s worst hurricane seasons, wildfires, food shortages, and mass flooding. 

If temperature increase does surpass those levels set by the Paris Accord, it would have devastating consequences. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global warming could exceed 1.5 Celsius within 5 years

Global temperatures could soon surpass those limits set by the...

The <a href="http://www.easac.eu/">European Academies’ Science Advisory Council</a> (EASAC) has determined that carbon removal technologies will not be effective enough in combating global warming. The scientists are advising European policymakers that more effort must be made to reduce emissions.

When government leaders from across the globe came together for the 2015 Paris Accord, they agreed to make the changes necessary to limit global warming to no more than two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Thus far, collective efforts by these countries to reduce emissions are not enough to meet this target.

According to the the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/oceans-remove-carbon-dioxide/">carbon dioxide</a> (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas driving global warming and climate change. Rising atmospheric levels of CO2 pose serious global risks such as political instability, extreme weather, and food insecurity.

Various techniques to remove existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, or negative-emissions technologies, have been proposed.The EASAC analyzed the potential outcome of using such technologies, which include carbon capture and storage, reforestation, and ocean fertilization.

The experts found that the large-scale deployment of negative-emissions techniques would not only have high economic costs, but could also negatively impact plants and animals. Furthermore, the EASAC determined that carbon removal technologies have “limited realistic potential to remove carbon from the atmosphere.”

The study authors wrote: “Technologies capable of taking out CO2 from the atmosphere are certainly no silver bullet - a point that should drive policymakers to renewed efforts to accelerate emissions reductions.”

“However, the world will need all possible tools to limit warming and some of these technologies can make contributions to remove CO2 from the atmosphere even now, while further research, development and demonstration may allow others to make a limited future contribution.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Techniques to remove CO2 from atmosphere have limited potential

The European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC) has determined that...

Recent research shows that the Earth’s global temperatures in the past decade were warmer than those of the past 11,000 years. 

Researchers from the<a href="http://www.uwyo.edu/"> University of Wyoming</a> ran several climate simulations and found that the Earth's natural climate fluctuations would have actually led to a cooling today without the interference of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">human activity</a>. 

The study was published in the journal Nature and involves climate simulations starting at the beginning of the Holocene, which is our current geological period. 

The Holocene began at the end of the last ice age around 12,000 to 11,500 years ago. 

By running climate simulations, the researchers were able to closely match real temperature data and show how accurate the simulations were at forecasting future temperatures. 

For the study, the researchers collected 642 sediment samples from lakes and ponds across North America. 

Using fossil pollen found within the sediment, the researchers were able to reconstruct temperatures dating back to the beginning of the Holocene. 

“When we collect sediment from the bottom of the lake, we can recognize sequences of plants that grew in a given area based on the shape of the fossil pollen left behind,” said Bryan Shuman, leader of the research. “Because different plants grow at different temperatures, we can constrain what the temperatures were in a given place at a certain time.”

The temperature forecasts were compared to climate models from the<a href="http://www.noaa.gov/"> National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Center_for_Atmospheric_Research">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NCAR). 

The results of the sediment-based simulations were within one-quarter of one degree Fahrenheit of the NCAR models. 

The results show that cooling was the major trend of the Holocene Epoch and that the last decade has been warmer than the past 11,000 years. 

“In the absence of people, the trend would have been cooling,” said Shuman.“The last ten years have, on average, been as warm as a normal one year in 500 warm spell.”

The study reconciles previous climate simulations and models that try and incorporate the recent warming trend basing temperatures on marine and coastal temperatures, which the researchers note are unreliable sources and can skew data. 

The research is also important in that it not only shows climate trends without human interference and greenhouse gas emissions, but could also help predict future climate changes. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The past decade was warmer than the previous 11,000 years

Recent research shows that the Earth’s global temperatures in the...

<a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) administrator <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scott-pruitt-doubts-global-warming/">Scott Pruitt</a> has suspended a clean water regulation that was established during the Obama administration just weeks before the directive would have been implemented. 

Suspending the Clean Water Rule, also known as the Waters of the United States rule, was one of President Trump’s top priorities when he took office. The law was intended to keep drinking water safe and to protect vulnerable waterways by limiting the use of chemical fertilizers and other pollutants.

The legislation would have required farmers and landowners to safeguard the streams and tributaries that flow through their property and merge with larger bodies of water. The Clean Water Rule was met with fierce opposition by critics who believed that expanding federal authority to regulate smaller bodies of water would ultimately hurt the economy.

Obama defended the measure, saying that it would “provide the clarity and certainty businesses and industry need about which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act, and it will ensure polluters who knowingly threaten our waters can be held accountable.”

The EPA has now officially filed the necessary documents to suspend the rule for two years while an updated version is drafted, which is expected to be much more lenient and industry-friendly.

Scott Pruitt said in a statement: “Today, E.P.A. is taking action to reduce confusion and provide certainty to America’s farmers and ranchers. The 2015 WOTUS rule developed by the Obama administration will not be applicable for the next two years, while we work through the process of providing long-term regulatory certainty across all 50 states about what waters are subject to federal regulation.”

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) plans to file a lawsuit to lift the suspension, stating that this move by the EPA puts significant water supplies at risk. Jon Devine is the environmental advocacy group’s senior attorney and formerly worked at the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Devine said in a <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/jon-devine/truth-behind-trumps-brazen-attempt-kill-clean-water-rule">blog post</a> that he has witnessed hundreds of federal regulatory actions and yet he has “never seen anything as unlawful and reckless as the Trump administration’s scheme to repeal the Clean Water Rule.”

“After the Clean Water Rule, American families could be more confident that the creeks, ponds, and marshes they use for swimming and fishing - and depend on for drinking water - would not be recklessly polluted and would be cleaned up if they became contaminated,” said Devine.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Clean water rule suspended by the Trump administration

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Scott Pruitt has suspended a...

A new report from <a href="http://next10.org/">Next 10</a> has revealed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-water-conservation-benefits/">California</a> can easily reach its target of having 1.5 million electric cars on the road by 2025. In 2017, electric car sales were nearly 30 percent higher than the previous year in California. According to the publication, sales need to improve by just 20 percent each year through 2025 to meet the state's goal.

So far, there have been 350,000 zero-emission vehicles sold in California. The increase in sales has been primarily attributed to the rising demand for electric cars, reduced battery costs, and overall lower pricing.

Last week, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an executive order which set an even more ambitious target of getting 5 million zero-emission vehicles on the state's roads by 2030. The directive also detailed the governor's plans of investing $3.75 billion to bring a quarter million vehicle-charging stations to California by 2025.

Brown pointed out that vehicle emissions contribute 50 percent of the state's harmful greenhouse gases and 80 percent of the pollutants that cause smog.

“This executive order aims to curb carbon pollution from cars and trucks and boost the number of zero-emission vehicles driven in California,” Brown said in a statement. “In addition, the cap-and-trade investments will, in varying degrees, reduce California's carbon footprint and improve the quality of life for all."

Both Britain and France have plans to completely end sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2040 in an effort to curb pollution and carbon emissions, while India is considering a complete transition to electric vehicles by 2032. China is also setting aggressive goals to increase sales of alternative fuel vehicles.

F. Noel Perry is a venture capitalist and philanthropist who founded the non-profit organization Next 10.

“The movement around the globe to move away from gas-powered vehicles is very significant and California is at the center of that,” said Perry. 

The full analysis by Next 10 can be found <a href="http://next10.org/zev">here</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

California plans to hit 1.5 million electric cars by 2025

A new report from Next 10 has revealed that California...

Earth’s magnetic field has shown signs of weakening, which could indicate the poles are about to flip in the not-so-distant future.

A reversal of the poles would cause chaos far beyond throwing your trusty compass out of whack. An event like this could cut out power for months, make modern living exceedingly difficult, and increase exposure to harmful radiation.

Daniel Baker, a director of the <a href="http://lasp.colorado.edu/">Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics</a> at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado</a>, released a new report that highlights the possible signs of upcoming reversal.

The poles have flipped before, typically switching places every 200,000 years, but scientists say we are now long overdue for another reversal. 

Earth’s magnetic field is incredibly important. According to the <a href="http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Swarm/Introducing_Swarm">European Space Agency</a>, the field is like a “huge bubble, protecting us from cosmic radiation and charged particles that bombard Earth in solar winds.” 

However the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-field-cracked-new-report-reveals/">magnetic field</a> is constantly in flux. North wanders, the poles flip, and recent satellite data from the ESA’s Swarm trio of satellites focused specifically on monitoring the magnetic field shows the field is now weakening significantly. 

The molten iron and nickel in the Earth’s core are draining energy and causing the field to lose strength which is a major indicator that a reversal could happen. 

Author and journalist Alanna Mitchell discusses Baker’s report and her own research in an essay for <a href="https://undark.org/">Undark</a>, suggesting a pole flip is imminent and detailing just what that would mean for life on Earth. 

“Like factions planning a coup, swirling clusters of molten iron and nickel are gathering strength and draining energy from the dipole,” Mitchell writes. “The north magnetic pole is on the run, a sign of enhanced turbulence and unpredictability.” 

Although the scientific community is not expecting an immediate pole reversal, the weakening field among other signs could mean it’s a possibility. 

“At the moment, we cannot accurately determine whether or not the Earth’s field is about to flip,” Colin Forsyth from the<a href="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/mssl"> Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London</a> told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5334421/Earths-magnetic-poles-signs-FLIP.html">Daily Mail</a>.  “We have only been recording the Earth’s field for around 170 years; about 1-15 percent of the time a flip is expected to take.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Are the Earth’s magnetic poles about to flip?

Earth’s magnetic field has shown signs of weakening, which could...

The Trump administration plans to slash the Department of Energy’s renewable energy programs by 72 percent, according to a new report from the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/white-house-seeks-72-percent-cut-to-clean-energy-research-underscoring-administrations-preference-for-fossil-fuelsv/2018/01/31/c2c69350-05f3-11e8-b48c-b07fea957bd5_story.html?utm_term=.93a53e7d7343">Washington Post</a>.

The administration’s new budget for the 2019 fiscal year is will be released next month, and further underscores their commitment to fossil fuels and blatant disregard for the effects of climate change.

Just last night, during his State of the Union address, Trump made mention of what he called “beautiful clean coal,” despite the dirty nature of the rock itself and the damage it causes to the environment. 

As we reported <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-confuses-climate-change/">last week</a>, during an interview with Piers Morgan, Trump confused climate change facts in an embarrassing commentary. “There is a cooling, and there’s a heating,” Trump said. “I mean, look, it used to not be climate change, it used to be global warming. That wasn’t working too well because it was getting too cold all over the place.”

Then there was his now-infamous tweet during a January cold spell:

“In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year’s Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against,” <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/946531657229701120">Trump tweeted</a>. “Bundle up!”

Of course, by this point, few environmentalists are surprised by the president’s lack of information or concern for the health of the Earth. The good news is that Congress will likely revise the the proposed budget to offset some of the deep cuts to renewable energy research. 

In addition, new research has found that the power of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/divestment-fossil-fuels/">divestment</a> from fossil fuels could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the absence of governmental regulation.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/white-house-seeks-72-percent-cut-to-clean-energy-research-underscoring-administrations-preference-for-fossil-fuelsv/2018/01/31/c2c69350-05f3-11e8-b48c-b07fea957bd5_story.html?utm_term=.93a53e7d7343">Washington Post</a>

Trump admin aims to cut clean energy research by 72 percent

The Trump administration plans to slash the Department of Energy’s...

A new study has revealed that hydropower dams in the Andes region of the Amazon are disturbing the flow of life within the area's rivers. As a result, many natural and human systems that are supported by these rivers will also suffer.

The findings of the study contradict earlier reports on the the dams, suggesting that their impacts have been underestimated.

At least 30 million people rely on the rivers of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/andes-eastern-amazon-sank/">Andes Amazon</a> for their main sources of food and income. Because of this, the study authors say that greater cooperation in water management processes is extremely important.

Even though the rivers of the Andes Amazon are critical to the region’s economy, the influence of hydropower dams on river connectivity had not been established prior to this study.

A research team led by Elizabeth P. Anderson used satellite imagery along with the locations of dams to examine river fragmentation in Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 

The study revealed that the number of dams that are either operating or under construction have been under-reported, while the footprint of hydropower development has been significantly underestimated.

The researchers found that hydropower dams have affected tributary networks, but have not yet affected river mainstreams. If proposed dams are constructed, however, the impacts will likely become much more widespread.

According to the research team, the migration patterns of freshwater fish will be altered greatly by current and proposed dams, while 100 percent of sediment will be trapped in downstream dams. This will change not only the natural flow of the river, but also the cultural processes of the region.

The study is published in <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</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
Image Credit: Elizabeth Anderson

Hydropower dams disrupt the environment in the Andes Amazon

A new study has revealed that hydropower dams in the...

The smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) are a family of air-polluting chemical compounds. They are key to the formation of ground-level ozone, and contribute to health problems such as heart disease, asthma, and other respiratory issues. NOx is a central component of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-risk-death/">air pollution</a>, which causes 1 in 8 deaths globally according to the World Health Organization.

While fossil fuels have long been known to be a major source of NOx pollution, a previously unknown source has been found to contribute up to 40 percent of the nitrogen oxide emissions in the U.S. state of California, reports a study led by the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>. 

The Central Valley in California is one of the most highly productive agricultural areas in the world, producing about half of the fruits and nuts grown in the United States. But this area is now also home to some of the state’s worst air quality problems, and additionally contains some of the poorest communities in California.

In a study published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>, the researchers compared computer models with data collected from scientific flights over the San Joaquin Valley. The results showed that between 25 and 41 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions come from soils with heavy nitrogen fertilizer applications. 

While it’s important for farmers to continue to use fertilizer in an effort to keep with the demand for these foods, it shouldn’t have to come at the expense of their health or the health of those that live in these regions. “We need to increase the food we’re making,” says lead author Maya Almaraz, a postdoctoral fellow at UC Davis. “We need to do it on the land we have. But we need to do it using improved techniques.”

The authors don’t just identify the problem, they also suggest some potential solutions for reducing nitrogen oxide soil emissions. These suggestions include increasing the use of slow-release fertilizers, which deliver nutrients in a way that more closely resembles nature, and have been show to significantly improve the nitrogen use efficiency of crops as well as reduce nitrogen emissions into the environment. 

Additionally, healthy soil programs that restore carbon in the soil can also help combat climate change, and are also likely to increase nutrient retention and cycling to crops. Precision agriculture practices also help improve efficient use of water and fertilizer.

California also began a program this past year that helps growers work in coalitions to gather information on efficient nitrogen use so they can determine how and where the state should manage nitrogen in agricultural areas. The goal is to reduce nitrate in the groundwater, but it could also have the benefit of reducing NOx emissions.

“Since this source of NOx can remain local, largely in rural farming communities, we need to develop a kind of ‘catalytic converter’ for soils and farms,” explains senior author Ben Houlton, a professor with the UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, and director of the John Muir Institute of the Environment. “It’s critical that new policies focus on incentives to bring the latest nutrient management technologies to farms so that growers can produce food more efficiently, increasing their bottom line and improving rural health.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fertilized soil contributing to pollution and smog in California

The smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) are a family of air-polluting...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

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



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



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



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



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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