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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Extreme heat of 2023  weakened Earth's carbon storage capacity

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

National parks play an important role in conservation, preserving delicate ecosystems, and continuing biodiversity. 

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/risk-wildfires-europe-increase/">climate change</a> worsens with the increase in trapped greenhouse gasses, these protected areas will be even more important to the survival of many bird species. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.audubon.org/">National Audubon Society</a> wanted to examine how the impacts of climate change would affect local populations of birds in national parks. 

In the United States, national parks protect birds from invasive and ecological threats, but little has been known about how climate change would impact local bird populations in protected areas. 

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0190557">PLOS ONE. </a>

The researchers gathered data from two major bird population and distribution surveys, the<a href="https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/"> North American Breeding Bird Survey</a> and the <a href="http://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count">Audubon Christmas Bird Count</a>. 

Distribution models from these two surveys were then compared with climate data starting with the early 2000s and projected to the years 2041 through 2070 in order to see how climate impacted and would continue to affect population numbers. 

The researchers also modeled several different scenarios depending on high and low levels of greenhouse gas emissions. 

These projections were then used to estimate the future of 513 bird species across 274 national parks to see what climate conditions would cause local populations to go extinct, also known as extirpation. 

The results of the analysis showed that in the coming years, bird species would be much more likely to colonize 60 percent of the national parks studied rather than experience local extirpation.  

If their projections held true, then the average park would have 29 percent more species in winter and 6 percent more species in summer. 

National parks will become a safe haven for birds in the face of climate change, according to the study authors. 

“Over the next few decades, the majority of birds currently found across the National Park System are expected to experience changes in climate conditions, which on average may lead to turnover of nearly a quarter of the bird community per park,” said Gregor Schuurman, the co-author on the study. “Despite these changes, parks will become increasingly important as refuges for birds in the future.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

National parks will be crucial for birds in changing climate

National parks play an important role in conservation, preserving delicate...

Researchers have developed microscopic robots, similar in size to a speck of dust, that could be used for a wide range of applications including scanning large areas for pollutants, monitoring long stretches of pipeline, and even sailing around a person’s gut in search of disease. 

The robots, or “proto-robots,” are comprised of super thin 2-D electronic circuits attached to miniature particles that can float through the air. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT) created the new mini-machines, but first had to find a way to create a closed circuit that would be compatible with certain particles. 

“You can make electronic circuits that are a single atom thick, which is just insanely thin,” said Michael Strano, a member of the research team. “One creative use no one has thought of until now is taking these electronics and grafting them onto a colloidal particle. The particle, which can float in the air like a speck of dust, has simple computing functions. You can bring these new electronics to environments they otherwise could not access.” 

The research team went through a number of different circuits working to find one that matched the specific energy and power requirements. 

Eventually, the researchers found success with a biocompatible material called SU-8 that was used to create micrometer particles. The particles were then lithographically etched into a closed circuit that had a power source, a detector, and a memory device. 

The particle could then hypothetically travel or float using its own power source, detect an environmental agent, and record any findings with its memory device. 

During the test phases, the researchers aerosolized or sprayed the tiny machines towards a chosen target and the particles traveled a couple of feet with this method. 

The potential uses for these revolutionary machines are numerous. Currently, detecting and monitoring areas for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wine-cure-bad-breath/">bacteria</a>, toxic fumes, or spores is a labor intensive and expensive process. With the aerosol method, large areas could be monitored and data easily retrieved via the memory device. 

“For readout, the particles have designated metallic connections, like a socket: Once you insert two probes, you can read out the device's state," said Volodymyr Koman, a fellow member of the research team. 

The researchers will present their work at the 255th National Meeting &amp; Exposition of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en.html">American Chemical Society</a>.  

The flying proto-bots could have many exciting applications and the research represents a new step in nanotechnology. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Image Credit: Michael Strano

Floating microscopic robots can detect pollution, disease

Researchers have developed microscopic robots, similar in size to a...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/conservation-lobster-populations/">Conservation</a> efforts are vital to recovering lost and degraded habitat and ensuring the continued survival of many species. 

But what happens when sweeping conservation policies and programs, which have been reported as ecological triumphs, negatively impact the farmers and residents that have enrolled in the programs? 

Researchers from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> set out to answer this question in a new study. The team examined popular payments for ecosystems services (PES) programs and their long-term impact on the residents and farmers of southwestern China's Wolong Nature Reserve. 

The concept of a PES program is fairly straightforward: farmers and residents who live and work on cropland are compensated for their land which is restored to a natural habitat. The farmers would then have the opportunity to seek work elsewhere or even move. 

The results, published in the journal Science Advances, show that even though the programs initially benefit both sides, the compensations do not account for the realities of the job market or inflation. 

For the study, the researchers focused on farmers in the Wolong Nature Reserve who were part of two PES programs, Grain-to-Green and Grain-to-Bamboo. 

A systems approach was used to investigate how the residents and farmers were managing after joining the programs. 

Although ecologically successful, the conservation benefits outweighed the economic gains for the Wolong farmers. 

Finding work elsewhere, one of the advertised advantages of the PES programs, proved difficult. The tourism industry, a major part of the economy in the Wolong area, left little room for local residents to make a profit. 

Moving to a larger city to find work also negatively affected the farmers as jobs in the city came with lower quality healthcare insurance. 

What’s more, the compensation did not change with inflation as the years went on. Ultimately, the researchers found that the residents of the Wolong area would have been better off not taking part in the programs. 

“We can now see the payments were oversimplified in these cases,” said Hongbo Yang, a co-author of the study. “It's a common issue in payment for ecosystem services programs, that the focus is on the current circumstances. We're showing that it's also important to consider opportunity costs at the beginning, and be prepared to monitor and reexamine all the costs and benefits over time.”

The results of the study highlight the importance of thoroughly examining the benefits, outcomes, and costs to both sides of a PES program before implementation, as well as finding ways to ensure that farmers and residents can economically thrive. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a>

Paying farmers for conservation land isn’t always a fair deal

Conservation efforts are vital to recovering lost and degraded habitat...

A new ocean-life zone has been identified between 400 and 1,000 feet deep in the Caribbean Sea. Fish that appeared to belong in shallow reefs were observed on a deep reef system in Curaçao just below the mesophotic reef zone.

The new zone, called the rariphotic, may have become a refuge for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-saving-coral-reefs/">reef fish</a> to escape warming ocean waters and deteriorating coral habitats. Many scientists have speculated that these deep reef areas, often referred to as the “coral reef twilight zone,” may serve as refuges for shallow-water fish.

The findings of the study reveal how little is actually known about the biodiversity of reef fishes.

Lead author Carole Baldwin is the Curator of Fishes at the <a href="https://naturalhistory.si.edu/">National Museum of Natural History</a> and the director of the Smithsonian's Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP).

“It's estimated that 95 percent of the livable space on our planet is in the ocean,” said lead author Carole Baldwin.

“Yet only a fraction of that space has been explored. That's understandable for areas that are thousands of miles offshore and miles deep. But tropical deep reefs are just below popular, highly studied shallow reefs--essentially our own backyards. And tropical deep reefs are not barren landscapes on the deep ocean floor: they are highly diverse ecosystems that warrant further study. We hope that by naming the deep-reef rariphotic zone, we'll draw attention to the need to continue to explore deep reefs.”

More than 40 researchers, including experts from the <a href="https://stri.si.edu/">Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute</a> (STRI), have extensively studied deep-reef fishes and invertebrates off Curaçao since DROP began in 2011.

Approximately 80 submersible dives provided depth observations of around 4,500 fishes representing 71 species. Most of the species found in the rariphotic zone turned out to be related to shallow reef fish rather than to deepwater fish.

The scientists named six new genera and about 30 new species as they examined the 0.08 square mile area of reef.

“About one in every five fish we're finding in the rariphotic of the Caribbean is a new species,” said study co-author D. Ross Robertson. “So far, my favorite is Haptoclinus dropi.”

The researchers found that shallow-water reef fish are equipped to live at least two times deeper in the ocean than previously realized.

“Reef ecosystems just below the mesophotic are globally underexplored, and the conventional view based on the few studies that mention them was that mesophotic ecosystems transition directly into those of the deep sea,” said Baldwin. “Our study reveals a previously unrecognized zone comprising reef vs. deep-sea fishes that links mesophotic and deep-sea ecosystems.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</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: Carole Baldwin, Smithsonian

New ocean-life zone discovered and named in the Caribbean

A new ocean-life zone has been identified between 400 and...

If immediate measures are taken to drastically reduce carbon emissions worldwide, it could save millions of lives, according to a new study. 

The study was conducted by researchers from <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a> and calculated the number of lives that could be saved in 154 different urban areas if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/co2-emissions-energy-costs/">emissions</a> were reduced sooner rather than later. 

Published in the journal Nature Climate Change, the research is the first of its kind to show the preventable number of deaths from air pollution on a city by city basis. 

Although capping emissions is a top priority, the more favorable plan is postponing major emission cuts in order to reduce the cost of restructuring the energy sector. 

“The lowest-cost approach only looks at how much it will cost to transform the energy sector,” said Drew Shindell, the study’s first author. “It ignores the human cost of more than 150 million lost lives or the fact that slashing emissions in the near term will reduce long-term climate risk and avoid the need to rely on future carbon dioxide removal.” 

The researchers projected the number of preventable deaths by running computer simulations of three future emission scenarios. 

The simulations projected pollution levels under different emissions regulations and their associated health risks. 

The first scenario examined the impact of accelerating carbon emissions with no negative emissions over the remainder of the 21st century. The second scenario used higher carbon emissions in the short term but still met the Paris Climate Accord goals by the end of the century. 

The third scenario simulated the effects of radically accelerating carbon emission reductions.  Each scenario projected pollution levels, and from this, the researchers could infer the health risks and mortality rates linked to varying levels of CO2 pollution. 

The scenario with the quickest reduction of carbon emissions had the greatest benefit regarding preventable deaths. 

In India, over 8 million lives could be saved in major urban areas like Delhi and Kolkata. Thirteen Asian and African cities showed one million preventable deaths, and in 80 cities that number was at least 100,000. 

The results call into the question current emission standards and plans for reducing CO2 pollution. The health risks from increased pollution and emissions should be a priority when working to mitigate climate change. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Quickly reducing carbon emissions could save 153 million lives

If immediate measures are taken to drastically reduce carbon emissions...

A new study has found that certain pollutants such as diesel fumes may be damaging the scents of flowers, making their fragrance less potent and harder to detect from further away. 

This effect could also be making it difficult for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-pesticides-lack-nutrition/">bees</a> to detect where flowers are located and could be further hurting their population numbers.

The research was conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a> and led by Robbie Girling. 

Girling has been examining the effects of diesel fumes on flower scents for quite some time, and an earlier study confirmed that five single compounds in floral odors could be altered by pollution. 

If you have noticed that flowers don’t smell quite like they used to in the spring, it may well be because pollution like nitrogen oxide from diesel cars is disrupting the chemical makeup of the flowers’ unique scents. 

Lavenders, daffodils, roses, snapdragons, and lilies are all reportedly affected by pollution. 

In an article for the <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23731650-200-dirty-talk-how-pollution-is-snuffing-out-plants-scent-messages/">Daily Scientists</a>, Marta Zaraska describes how flowers “talk” to one another with their scents. 

“If you stroll through a forest and take a deep breath, you can smell the ‘words’ – complex, volatile chemicals such as beta-pinene, which smells fresh and piney,” writes Zaraska. “Plants produce thousands of these, combining them to create ‘sentences’.”

The scents and sentences help bees find where they can collect pollen and feed on nectar. 

An increase in diesel emissions is interrupting this natural language process in plants and the scents, in turn, grow weaker. 

Girling suggests that the pollution is making it difficult for bees to find flowers when pollution levels are at their peak. 

“I have spoken to amateur beekeepers in the past who insist during rush hour they cannot smell the flowers in their garden,” said Girling. 

The continuing research by Girling and his colleagues could explain part of the reason why bee colonies may be facing such steep declines. The results also illustrate another reason to reduce urban pollution and emissions. 

---

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pollution is stunting the scents of flowers

A new study has found that certain pollutants such as...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> have developed a new tool that demonstrates why a particular region receives rain or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-snow-north-america/">snow</a> in near-freezing conditions. The experts created a map of the Northern Hemisphere that shows precipitation variability is primarily influenced by humidity and location.

While the air temperature threshold for rain versus snow is commonly considered to be 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the new research indicates that this is not always an accurate predictor of which type of precipitation will fall.

The researchers found that coastal areas have a cooler threshold for rain, which means that below-freezing temperatures may still produce rain. On the other hand, inland and mountainous areas are more likely to receive snow when the temperature approaches the threshold, even at several degrees above freezing.

“In Denver, Colorado, it might be 40 degrees and snowing. But in Charleston, South Carolina, it could be 28 degrees and raining,” said co-author Noah Molotch. “This study shows these fine-grain differences on a hemisphere-level scale for the first time.”

The research was focused on nearly 18 million precipitation observations spanning over 100 countries and four continents across the Northern Hemisphere.

“Snow and rain differ greatly in the ways they affect climate,” said study co-author Ben Livneh. “Snow acts as a water reservoir and reflects incoming sunlight, whereas if the same amount of precipitation falls as rain, that can dramatically change water resource management decisions.”

Up until now, land surface models have mainly predicted rain and snow based on the air temperature threshold of 32 degrees. The new research shows that relative humidity and surface pressure must be factored in as well.

“The rain-snow air temperature threshold is primarily a function of relative humidity and methods incorporating humidity and elevation are more likely to predict rain and snow correctly,” said lead author Keith Jennings. “If you just use 32 degrees Fahrenheit across the board, your estimates will be wrong in lots of places.”

The United States had the most rain-snow variability of any country examined in the study. The research could be used to inform future climate and land surface models, which would allow scientists to make more accurate weather predictions.

The ability to differentiate rain from snow is extremely important for monitoring the Earth's hydrologic cycle. This information is also critical for water management, particularly in areas that experience a lot of drought.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humidity and location determine if there will be rain or snow

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a...

Many people still seem surprised to learn that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/agriculture-higher-methane-emissions/">methane emissions</a> from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cowspiracy-film-review/">cows</a> are a major contributor to climate change. But now, a new study has revealed that meat-heavy diets account for almost half of the food-related greenhouse emissions in the United States. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> and <a href="http://tulane.edu/">Tulane University</a> examined the carbon impact of typical diets in the United States and found that just 20 percent of Americans are actually responsible for half of diet-related greenhouse gas emissions.

“Previous studies of diet-related greenhouse gas emissions have focused mainly on the average diet in a given country,” said Diego Rose, the principal investigator on the project. “This study is the first in the United States to look instead at self-reported dietary choices of a nationally representative sample of thousands of Americans.” 

The study was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

For the study, the researchers created a database that calculated the environmental impacts involved in producing more than 300 types of foods.

The database was then linked to the findings of a nationally representative one-day dietary recall survey of more than 16,000 U.S adults. 

With both the database and survey, the researchers were able to rank different types of diets by their carbon footprint and the greenhouse gases they produced.

Diets that included a lot of beef or dairy had the highest impact and produced more greenhouse gases than the other diets. 

In total, 20 percent of the diets with highest carbon footprint produced 46 percent of total diet-related greenhouse emissions.

“A big take-home message for me is the fact that high-impact diets are such a large part of the overall contribution to food-related greenhouse gases,” said Martin Heller, the first author of the paper. 

The results show the high levels of emissions from the meat and dairy industry, and the researchers recommend that people with high impact diets reduce the amount of meat they consume as an easy and sustainable solution for reducing emissions. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Meat-heavy diets are a major contributor to greenhouse emissions

Many people still seem surprised to learn that methane emissions...

Researchers at the <a href="https://en.unibs.it/">University of Brescia</a> have developed a new class of sustainable hybrid materials that have the potential to replace activated carbon as the preferred choice for reducing wastewater and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-crime-behavior/">air pollution</a>. 

The material, which can be made inexpensively by mixing solid waste and a polymer that is found abundantly in nature, is more effective in absorbing pollutants than activated carbon.

“This paper shows the simple synthesis of a new porous hybrid material, obtained by using low cost and by-product materials,” explained lead author Dr. Elza Bontempi. 

“The material was designed on the basis of The European Commission's request to develop an affordable, sustainable and innovative design-driven material solution that can reduce the concentration of particulate matter in urban areas.”

Particulate matter is found across the globe in both urban and rural areas. In addition to this pollution, millions of tons of industrial waste is dumped into the world's waterways every year.

Activated carbon is the most common adsorbent used to reduce air and wastewater pollution, but it is expensive to produce. Experts have been working to find a low-cost alternative.

In the current study, researchers combined sodium alginate, a polymer that can be commonly found in seaweed and algae, with a byproduct of silicon metal alloy processing.

“The article reports preliminary results about the new material's capability to capture particulate matter,” said Dr. Bontempi. “It can also be used for wastewater remediation. In particular, its ability to replace activated carbon is demonstrated.”


The research team tested the effectiveness of the new material in removing toxic substances from wastewater using a methylene blue dye as a pollutant. Even at high concentrations, the hybrid material adsorbed and removed 94 percent of the dye.

In addition, the production of the material proved to be a much more environmentally friendly process compared to that of activated carbon.

The substance can be applied like paint, which makes it very versatile. It can be brushed, sprayed, or used in 3D-printing. 

The sustainable material is also easy to scale up, and could be used in the development of water filtration units or to cover exterior building surfaces to remove particulate matter.

The study is published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry">Frontiers in Chemistry</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New low-cost, green material helps reduce water and air pollution

Researchers at the University of Brescia have developed a new class...

Smoking foods can bring out incredible flavor, but can also produce harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/firefighters-increased-risk-cancer/">carcinogens</a>. When researchers set out to eliminate these compounds, they tested out a method used in the automobile industry by running the smoke through a zeolite filter. This technique not only removed harmful compounds from the smoke, but also produced a superior flavor in smoked foods.

“The smoking process can cause carcinogens to form in foods,” said study lead author Jane K. Parker. “Not all smoked foods are dangerous, but we do know most can contain low levels of these substances, so we should try to remove them. If we could produce a smoke with fewer carcinogens, but that still has the same great taste, that would be ideal.”

“Zeolite filters, which are put in a tailpipe, have been used in the car industry to reduce environmental pollutants, but they haven't been applied to food yet. We want to change that.”

Zeolite is a porous mineral that can be used to absorb heavy metals and other toxic substances. Parker, who is at the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a>, teamed up with engineers from a company that specializes in natural smoking called Besmoke to optimize filters made from zeolite.

The goal was to remove carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from smoke. PAHs are a secondary result of fuel consumption, which are known to increase the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

One filter that was developed by the team removed as much as 93 percent of a known carcinogen called benzo[a]pyrene.

“There have been a couple of attempts to reduce carcinogens in smoke using other technologies, but they aren't as effective as our approach,” said Parker. 

Next, the researchers set out to determine whether the filtered smoke could produce as good of a flavor as unfiltered smoke. The team smoked tomato flakes and added them to cream cheese, and then used the smoked water to brine chicken.

They enlisted the help of expert tasters trained to describe differences in flavor profiles using standard terminology. 

“To the tasters, the chicken made with filtered smoke had a bit of a 'Christmas ham' aroma and a more rounded balanced flavor,” said Parker. Foods made with the unfiltered smoke, however, were compared to the flavor profiles of an “ashtray” and “acrid smoke.”

The researchers will next attempt to understand why the filter selectively removes these compounds. 

“We think there is interesting science at work,” said Parker. “If we can figure out how the higher molecular weight compounds are sticking to the filter, we can manipulate the zeolite to improve the removal efficiency.”

The research was presented at the 255th National Meeting &amp; Exposition of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en.html">American Chemical Society</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New filters make smoked food safer and taste better

Smoking foods can bring out incredible flavor, but can also...

Scientists from different fields of research have teamed up predict incidences of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-trees-resist-drought/">drought</a> and famine in an effort to save lives.

An early warning system designed by a multidisciplinary team of climatologists and food security and resource experts has already proven successful at mitigating severe food shortages from drought in Africa. 

In 2016, 81 million people worldwide experienced food insecurity, and 80 percent of that group live in Africa. 

Food insecurity in Africa can be traced back to several factors including civil war, but drought due to climate change is a large part of the recent shortages.

Climatologists from the <a href="http://chg.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara’s Climate Hazards Group</a> have studied the relationship between warm sea-surface temperatures and drough to create accurate predictions that could help those in high-risk areas adequately prepare. 

The UC Santa Barbara team collaborated with the <a href="http://www.fews.net/">Famine Early Systems Network</a>, the <a href="https://eros.usgs.gov/">Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science</a>, and the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. </a>

Understanding the relationship between sea surface temperatures and drier rainy seasons was a key part of the research. 

“Sea surface temperatures create opportunities for prediction because a really warm ocean often triggers changes in atmospheric circulation that produce droughts in some places and more rainfall in others," said Chris Funk, a member of the early predictions research team. “If we pay attention and watch where those exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures are, we then can produce better drought forecasts that help prevent food insecurity in Africa.”

The researchers came up with a series of predictions and effectively created an early warning system for a series of droughts that swept through parts of Africa in 2015. In June of that year, the researchers projected a drier than usual rainy season. 

The predictions ultimately came true, and what little rainfall that did occur in southern Africa  came far later than usual. Soon after, the area experienced a severe drought that could have resulted in many more fatalities had it not been for the early warning given. 

The researchers also predicted and prevented major crises from droughts in 2016 and 2017 in the Eastern Horn of Africa, eastern Ethiopia and southern Somalia. 

The early warning system illustrates the potential of bringing scientists, experts, and policymakers from different fields together to battle food insecurity.
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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Predicting drought and famine to help save lives

Scientists from different fields of research have teamed up predict...

In 2010, an unprecedented marine heat wave in Western Australia drove water temperatures up by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius for over two months. Researchers discovered that the loss of seagrass meadows at Shark Bay, which is one of the largest seagrass ecosystems on the planet, resulted in major carbon dioxide emissions.

Ultimately, seagrass loss at Shark Bay led to 9 million metric tons of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reforestation-efforts-greenhouse-gas/">carbon dioxide emissions</a> over the three years following the heat wave. This amount is roughly equivalent to driving 1.6 million cars for a year or the annual carbon dioxide output of 800,000 homes.


“The widespread losses in the summer of 2010/11 were unprecedented,” said first author Ariane Arias-Ortiz. “The net loss of seagrass extent was accompanied by a dramatic shift in seagrass cover. What remained was sparser with 'dense' seagrass areas that had declined from 72 percent in 2002 to 46 percent in 2014.”

The researchers used satellite imagery from the <a href="https://www.dbca.wa.gov.au/">Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions of Western Australia</a> and soil samples from 50 sites to estimate the potential carbon dioxide emissions.


Professor Carlos M. Duarte is a professor at <a href="https://www.kaust.edu.sa/">King Abdullah University of Science and Technology</a> and the lead author of the study.

“This decrease is significant because seagrass meadows rank among the most intense CO2 sinks in the biosphere, giving them the name 'Blue Carbon ecosystems.’ They take up and store CO2 in their soils and biomass through biosequestration. The carbon that is locked in the soils may remain there for millennia if seagrass ecosystems, which offer physical protection to these stocks, remain intact,” explained Duarte.

Study co-author Dr. Oscar Serrano added: “When you have an event such as the losses at Shark Bay, not only do you lose the benefits of CO2 uptake by seagrasses but also any carbon sequestered by the seagrasses is released back into the atmosphere as CO2 when the seagrasses decompose.”

Arias-Ortiz pointed out that climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of extreme weather events. Now that these carbon stores have been compromised, she said, it further stresses “the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and implementing management actions to avoid adverse feedback on the climate system.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Image Credit: Oscar Serrano

Heat wave kills seagrass resulting in major CO2 emissions

In 2010, an unprecedented marine heat wave in Western Australia...

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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

[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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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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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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