A new study from the Silent Spring Institute reveals a troubling reality: almost one-third of Americans have been exposed to unregulated contaminants in their drinking water.&nbsp;



These harmful chemicals, not covered by current federal safety rules, could affect people’s health.&nbsp;



The study also shows that Hispanic and Black communities are more likely to face unsafe levels of these pollutants, often living closer to sources of pollution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extent-of-contaminated-water-nbsp">Extent of contaminated water&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers analyzed data from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) collected between 2013 and 2015. The team looked at 4,815 public water systems across the country.&nbsp;



The study revealed that 27% of these systems - serving about 97 million people - had detectable levels of at least one unregulated chemical.



Public water systems are required by law to test for nearly 100 specific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/u-s-drinking-water-often-contains-unsafe-levels-of-toxic-contaminants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">contaminants</a>. These tests ensure that dangerous levels of those substances do not enter our taps.&nbsp;



However, thousands of other chemicals are not regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. These unregulated chemicals can slip into groundwater and surface water, sometimes reaching the water we drink.



“We know there are thousands of other harmful chemicals that are not regulated that make their way into groundwater and surface waters, and some of these chemicals can ultimately end up in drinking water supplies,” explained Laurel Schaider, a senior scientist at the <a href="https://silentspring.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Silent Spring Institute</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-which-chemicals-are-in-our-water">Which chemicals are in our water?</h2>



Among the harmful substances found in drinking water are:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>1,4-dioxane: A solvent that is considered a probable human carcinogen. It can also be found in everyday consumer products.</li>



<li><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-filtration-system-removes-forever-chemicals-from-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PFAS</a> (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances): Chemicals used to make non-stick coatings and water-resistant fabrics. They are linked to various health issues, including cancer and thyroid problems.</li>



<li>Chlorodifluoromethane (Freon 22): A gas once used in refrigeration and manufacturing products like Teflon.</li>



<li>1,1-dichloroethane: A chemical used in making paints, plastics, and pesticides, which is also associated with cancer.</li>
</ul>



These chemicals are not regularly monitored by water systems, which means their levels could rise without triggering safety actions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disproportionate-impacts-across-communities">Disproportionate impacts across communities</h2>



The study found that communities with higher percentages of Hispanic and Black residents are more likely to have drinking water with these unregulated chemicals.&nbsp;



These communities often live closer to places that release pollution, such as industrial sites, waste treatment plants, airports, and military areas.



“Our findings show that the percentage of Hispanic and Black residents in a community is a consistent predictor of poorer water quality,” said Aaron Maruzzo, lead author of the study and a scientist at Silent Spring Institute.



This situation cannot be explained by income or socioeconomic status alone. The researchers suggest that systemic issues like racism and the historical practice of redlining - which led to placing industrial facilities near communities of color - contribute to the unequal distribution of pollution and contaminated water.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contaminated-water-across-the-nation-nbsp">Contaminated water across the nation&nbsp;</h2>



<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12940-018-0442-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Past research</a> by Silent Spring Institute has shown that Hispanic residents are more likely to drink water with high nitrate levels, which can lead to health problems like colorectal and bladder <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trained-dogs-can-detect-bladder-cancer-in-other-dogs/">cancer</a>.&nbsp;



Other studies found that community water systems serving majority Hispanic and Black populations often have higher PFAS levels.



The new study is notable because it examines disparities in exposure to PFAS and other unregulated contaminants across all U.S. states, Tribal lands, and territories, offering a comprehensive look at nationwide water quality issues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-growing-pfas-problem">The growing PFAS problem</h2>



PFAS chemicals are more widespread in drinking water than previously thought. As recent tests reveal, many more people may be affected by these substances than the data from 2013 to 2015 indicated.&nbsp;



This makes the study’s estimate of 97 million residents likely an undercount, highlighting an even larger problem.



In April 2024, the EPA set new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strict-pfas-limits-will-make-drinking-water-safer-for-100-million-americans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drinking water</a> standards for six PFAS chemicals, marking a step forward. However, the study underscores a larger need for federal action: regulating more harmful contaminants and addressing the disproportionate exposure that communities of color face.



“Ultimately, we need to do a better job at protecting source waters and reducing discharges of pollutants into water bodies that feed into our drinking water supplies,” Schaider emphasized.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moving-toward-safer-and-fairer-water-quality-nbsp">Moving toward safer and fairer water quality&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers hope that by making their inventory of unregulated contaminants publicly available, policymakers will be better equipped to create realistic plans for preventing and mitigating water contamination.&nbsp;



This data can guide efforts to ensure safe drinking water for everyone, especially those most at risk.



The study casts a spotlight on a critical public health issue: the uneven burden of contaminated drinking water on minority communities. 



Addressing this challenge involves not only setting stricter regulations for a wider range of chemicals but also tackling the environmental injustices that place these populations at higher risk. 



By improving source water protection and reducing pollution, society can work toward equitable access to safe drinking water for all Americans.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP14721" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Health Perspectives</a>.



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Nearly 100 million Americans exposed to contaminated drinking water

A new study from the Silent Spring Institute reveals a troubling reality: almost one-third of Americans have been exposed to unregulated contaminants in their drinking water.&nbsp; These harmful chemicals, not covered by current federal safety rules, could affect people’s health.&nbsp; The study also shows that Hispanic and Black communities are more likely to face unsafe levels of these pollutants, often living closer to sources of pollution. Extent of contaminated water&nbsp; The researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collected between 2013 and 2015. The...

Wind farms create clean energy but can disrupt marine animals. The findings of a new study could help reduce the environmental impact of offshore wind farm construction and conserve and manage marine ecosystems. 

More and more countries are shifting their attention towards renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. In the race to mitigate climate change and reduce emissions, finding alternative yet sustainable energy is critical.Wind farms create clean energy but can disrupt marine animals 

A team of researchers from Germany, Denmark, and the UK created a new model that measures the future impact of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-largest-wind-farm/">wind farm</a> operations on marine animals which could play an important role in future wind farm construction. 

The researchers published their findings in the journal Conservation Letters. 

Whether planning an offshore wind farm or adding solar panels to your home, it’s important to consider the environmental impacts of “clean energy.” In the case of wind farms, the noise of the construction and day-to-operations could be harmful to marine animals. 

For the study, a model was created that examines the potential impacts of exposure to noise pollution from wind farm operations. The researchers tested the model on the Northern Sea harbor porpoise population to show just how disrupting wind farm noise could be.

The model, named <a href="http://depons.au.dk/">DEPONS</a>, incorporates data on how noise and other disruptors impact and drive animal movements, foraging, and energetics. Although the researchers used porpoises to show the capabilities of the model, DEPONS is applicable to many different marine species. 

The researchers assessed the impact of wind farm construction on the North Sea harbor porpoise population by first monitoring population density during the construction of a Dutch offshore wind farm in the region. 

After recording echolocation sounds during construction, which is how the portoises navigate through the waters, the researchers created a virtual landscape that mirrored the Dutch wind farm and simulated the noise the wind farm generated. 

The simulated wind farm showed the researchers how noise pollution from wind farms would impact the porpoise populations under different scenarios. 

The model could help predict the impact of wind farm construction on other marine species and could be a critical tool for future marine management.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wind farms create clean energy but can disrupt marine animals

Wind farms create clean energy but can disrupt marine animals....

Days after Hawaii's Kilauea <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-erupts/">volcano erupted</a> on the Big Island, over 1,700 people are still displaced and unsure when they will find out if their homes are in the path of destruction. Some residents of Leilani Estates, one of two subdivisions evacuated, were allowed to return to their homes today to retrieve pets, medicine, and other important belongings.

Richard Rapoza is a spokesperson for the <a href="http://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/">Hawaii Emergency Management Agency</a>. He told <a href="https://weather.com/">The Weather Channel</a> that the residents “need to get in and out as quickly as possible.” 

Rapoza explained that the slow-moving walls of hot lava are in a relatively confined area. “The biggest danger is exposure to the gas,” he said, warning that masks sold in stores are not effective enough to protect people from the harmful effects of the toxic gas in the area, which contains extremely high levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2).

Emergency personnel are wearing devices that monitor SO2 levels, along with specialized gas masks and equipment. Authorities are warning sightseers to stay away from the region altogether.

Last Thursday’s eruption has been followed by an average of one earthquake per hour, the largest of which was a 6.9 magnitude quake on Friday. According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a> meteorologist Judson Jones, there were also quakes in the days before the volcano exploded, triggered by magma shifting underground.

Molten lava and toxic gas have been pouring out of a total of ten large cracks, or fissures, that continue to open up on the eastern side of the volcano. Walls of fiery lava are scorching the ground and burning everything in their path, including 26 homes and nine buildings.  

It is unclear when the volcanic activity will end, and experts are warning that it could continue for weeks. Hawaii's Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno said on Sunday, “There's no sign of this slowing down.” 

<a href="https://www.usgs.gov">U.S. Geological Survey</a> volcanologist Wendy Stovall explained that there is more magma present in the system. “As long as that supply is there, the eruption will continue,” said Stovall.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/view-new-fissure-luana-street-leilani-estates">USGS</a>

Kilauea volcano continues to threaten homes and neighborhoods

Days after Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupted on the Big Island,...

A new study has exposed the surprising fact that importing food can be just as damaging to ecological health as exporting food. Domestic farmers are sometimes forced to switch crops in response to the global food market, and this often leads to unforeseen environmental consequences.


Study senior author Jianguo “Jack” Liu is the director of the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability at <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a>.

“What is obvious is not always the whole truth,” said Liu. “Unless a world is examined in a systemic, holistic way, environmental costs will be overlooked.”


The study was focused on the global trade of soybeans, which are in extremely high demand in China for food products and animal feed. China intercepts over 60 percent of the global supply of exported <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breakthrough-in-growing-soybeans-could-help-feed-the-world/">soybeans</a> at a price that cannot be matched by China's domestic farmers.


Brazil is one of the largest producers of soybeans in the world, second only to the United States. As a result, massive amounts of rainforest have been converted to cropland in the country.

It would seem obvious that Brazil is incurring, by far, more of the environmental cost associated with soybean production compared to consumers like China. But now, the experts are describing how importers of crops are doing their own ambient damage as well.

Betsy Von Holle is a director of the National Science Foundation's <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18503/nsf18503.htm">Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems</a> program, which funded the study.

“This research demonstrates a surprising environmental impact of global agricultural trade,” said Von Holler. “If the importing country switches from a more sustainable crop, such as soybeans, to one that needs more water and nutrients, such as corn, the nitrogen pollution that results can harm the environment of the importing country.”


The team investigated the soil in China's top-producing cropland and found the largest increase in nitrogen pollution in fields that had been converted from soybeans to rice paddies or corn fields.

The researchers pointed out that decisions driven by global markets can also place heavy demands on water supplies.

“This study underscores the need to pay attention to both sides of international trade not rely on conventional wisdom,” said Liu. “The framework of telecoupling - a new integrated way to study human and natural interactions over distances - shows us unexpected outcomes that can stand in the way of sustainability.”

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The hidden environmental costs of importing food

A new study has exposed the surprising fact that importing...

The tourism industry has been growing quickly as international trade and travel has become more accessible than ever before. But now for the first time ever, a new study has calculated the environmental impact of the world’s tourism industry, ranging from flights, accommodations, and the cost of making souvenirs. 

The study, conducted by<a href="http://www.isa.org.usyd.edu.au/"> Integrated Sustainability Analysis</a> supply-chain research group at the <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a>, marks the first time that the global carbon footprint of tourism and travel has ever been fully calculated taking into account all aspects of the tourism supply chain. 

The results show that tourism is a major source of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-buffer-greenhouse-gas/">greenhouse gas emissions</a>, four times more than what was previously thought. 

Tourism’s environmental impact already accounts for one-tenth of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

The study was published in the journal Nature Climate Change and estimated the impacts of over one billion tourism supply chains throughout the world in order to measure the total global impact of tourism. 

“Our analysis is a world-first look at the true cost of tourism - including consumables such as food from eating out and souvenirs - it's a complete life-cycle assessment of global tourism, ensuring we don't miss any impacts,” said Arunima Malik, a corresponding author of the study. “This research fills a crucial gap identified by the <a href="http://unwto.org/">World Tourism Organization </a>and the <a href="https://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a> to quantify, in a comprehensive manner, the world's tourism footprint.”

One particular finding of interest was that even though the US is responsible for the majority of emissions from tourism, islands are disproportionately affected by international travel. 

Some islands face an increased risk of climate change including sea level rise and coral bleaching due to the fact that they are popular tourist destinations. Air travel is also a major contributor to tourism’s environmental impact. 

Tourism is projected to grow at a rate of four percent each year, and the researchers say that emissions from travel need to be taken into account as nations work to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. 

“Given that tourism is set to grow faster than many other economic sectors, the international community may consider its inclusion in the future in climate commitments, such as the Paris Accord, by tying international flights to specific nations,” said Ya-Yen Sun, a co-author of the study. “Carbon taxes or carbon trading schemes - in particular for aviation - may be required to curtail unchecked future growth in tourism-related emissions.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Calculating the carbon footprint of the world’s tourism industry

The tourism industry has been growing quickly as international trade...

According to a recent study from the from the <a href="https://www.unc.edu/">University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill</a>, aquatic animals in Marine Protected Areas will not be able to survive by the end of this century if harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reforestation-efforts-greenhouse-gas/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> continue at the current rate. Warming waters and reduced oxygen concentration will make conditions unsuitable for most of the species that are currently living in protected areas.

The researchers based their investigation on estimates from the “business-as-usual” scenario established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). They found that the average sea surface temperature in Marine Protected Areas will rise by 2.8 degrees Celsius this century, devastating the ecosystems preserved in these regions..

This event could cause some of the world's most unique creatures to become extinct and could completely alter the ocean food web.

The experts investigated how soon specific regions may reach the critical point when the ocean will become intolerable for vulnerable species. They found that many parts of the tropics could cross over this threshold as soon as the middle of the century.

"With warming of this magnitude, we expect to lose many, if not most, animal species from Marine Protected Areas by the turn of the century," said study lead author John Bruno.

 “To avoid the worst outcomes, we need to immediately adopt an emission reduction scenario in which emissions peak within the next two decades and then decrease very significantly, replacing fossil fuels with cleaner energy sources like solar and wind.”

There are over 8,000 Marine Protected Areas around the world, yet they only cover about 4 percent of the surface of the ocean. Sea-surface temperatures within these areas are projected to increase by 0.034 degrees Celsius per year.


Marine Protected Areas in the Arctic and Antarctic are predicted to experience the most rapid shift, threatening mammals such as polar bears and penguins.


Rich Aronson is a marine scientist at Florida Institute of Technology who conducted research for the study.

“There has been a lot of talk about establishing marine reserves to buy time while we figure out how to confront climate change,” said Aronson. "We're out of time, and the fact is we already know what to do: We have to control greenhouse gas emissions."

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rising ocean temperatures threaten Marine Protected Areas

According to a recent study from the from the University...

Many studies have been done on the effects that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noise-pollution-heart-disease/">noise pollution</a> from boats and large ships in our ocean may have on marine life. Species ranging from whales and dolphins to small fish can have their hunting abilities and communication patterns disturbed by the noise created underwater by our ocean-faring vessels. But what about the smaller disturbances we may present, such as activities like swimming, scuba diving, and kayaking?

Researcher Christine Erbe, director of the Centre for Marine Science &amp; Technology at <a href="http://www.curtin.edu.au/">Curtin University</a> in Perth, Western Australia, recently presented her work exploring the impact of man-made underwater noise on marine life. 

“Humans generate underwater noise the moment we take to the water,” says Erbe. “Many people don’t realize that sound travels extremely well and far underwater -- we can hear individual ships tens to hundreds of kilometers away. And when we’re out on the ocean, we can hear ships coming long before we finally see them appear on the horizon.”

Marine animals rely on sound for all of their major life functions, such as foraging, mating, and moving from place to place. To study how our activities may appear to animals underwater, Erbe deployed hydrophones – which are underwater microphones – to record the sound of people swimming in a pool.

“Thanks to simultaneous underwater video and audio recordings, we were able to match specific sounds with activities – including different swimming styles, diving, kayaking and scuba diving,” Erbe explains. “It turns out, most of the sound is related to bubbles that we generate at the water's surface. Every time your arms pierce the surface while swimming freestyle, you push a bubble cloud underwater, which vibrates and sends out an acoustic wave.”

The researchers found that swimming breaststroke was the quietest way for participants to move about. After a while, they were even able to tell which participants swam which style – just by listening to the sounds. 

“Some of us use much more force in swimming than others,” says Erbe. “For example, some swimmers exerted more energy vertically downward – pushing huge and noisy bubble clouds underwater, while other swimmers used their energy more in a forward-propelling sense and created much less bubble noise vertically below them.

When determining the noises made by kayaking, they found that the water falling off the edge of each paddle created a high-frequency dripping sound underwater, which was easily recognizable. “Scuba divers also create an alternating pattern of breathing in and out, which is clearly distinguishable underwater,” Erbe says.

Ultimately, the researchers determined that sounds from non-motorized water sports are unlikely to cause any harm to marine animals. But they want you to know that – although you may not be able to see them – marine animals are able to hear you.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Human activity creates marine noise pollution animals can hear

Many studies have been done on the effects that noise...

Levels of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere hit their highest levels ever recorded last month. And that’s not all. According to scientists, levels are the highest they’ve been in 800,000 years.

The <a href="https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop/mlo/">Mauna Loa Observatory</a> began recording average monthly parts per million of carbon dioxide in 1958. The data set, known as the Keeling Curve for its late founder Charles David Keeling, has seen carbon dioxide rise since its first measurement of 315 ppm. The “curve” portion of the name refers to how the numbers rise and fall seasonally, although the trend has been toward sharper rises and shorter falls for decades.

In 2013, CO2 levels passed 400 for the first time. In April, the monthly average was 410.31 ppm – the first time the observatory has recorded a monthly average over 410. 

“We keep burning fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide keeps building up in the air,” Ralph Keeling, the current Keeling Curve director, said in a <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/programs/keelingcurve/2018/05/02/carbon-dioxide-in-the-atmosphere-hits-record-high-monthly-average/">press release</a>. “It’s essentially as simple as that.”

The last time scientists believe the atmosphere had such high levels of carbon dioxide was 800,000 years ago, hundreds of thousands of years before anatomically modern humans walked the Earth. Homo erectus had not yet discovered how to control fire. 

Based on the information collected at Mauna Loa, the concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere has increased 30 percent in the 60 years since the first measurements were collected for the Keeling Curve data series.

Carbon dioxide is one of several “greenhouse gases.” They earned that nickname from scientists because these gases can trap solar radiation in the atmosphere. That can cause the Earth’s average global temperatures to rise, most climate scientists say.

Carbon dioxide occurs naturally, but it can also be created by human activity, such as burning fossil fuels. 

Follow the <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a>’s daily measurements on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/Keeling_curve">@Keeling_curve</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer

Earth shatters an 800,000-year-old carbon dioxide record

Levels of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere hit their...

Researchers are reporting that the poorest countries will be hit the hardest by larger and more frequent thermal fluctuations triggered by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a>.

The goal of the investigation was to predict how weather extremes such as heat waves and cold snaps may shift with the changing climate. The team analyzed 37 different climate models that were used for the last report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

According to the study, temperature variability will increase by up to 15 percent in southern Africa and Amazonia for every degree of global warming. In the Sahel, India, and Southeast Asia, this variability will rise by up to 10 percent.

Ironically, many of the wealthier countries that have contributed the most to climate change are predicted to experience a decrease in temperature variability. The experts referred to this trend as an “unfair pattern” that was revealed during their analysis.

“The countries that have contributed least to climate change, and have the least economic potential to cope with the impacts are facing the largest increases in temperature variability,” said lead author Dr. Sebastian Bathiany of <a href="https://www.wur.nl/en/wageningen-university.htm">Wageningen University</a>.

“The countries affected by this dual challenge of poverty and increasing temperature variability already share half of the world's population, and population growth rates are particularly large in these countries,” added co-author Tim Lenton, a professor at the at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. 

“These increases are bad news for tropical societies and ecosystems that are not adapted to fluctuations outside of the typical range.”


The experts also determined that the increased temperature fluctuations in the tropics will primarily coincide with droughts, worsening the strain on food and water supplies in poorer countries.


The study is published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Temperature fluctuations to strike the poorest countries the most

Researchers are reporting that the poorest countries will be hit...

Florida’s mangroves, a vital part of the ecosystem of the Everglades, could soon be completely submerged due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/freshwater-turtles-sea-level-rise/">sea level rise</a>, according to a new report.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.fiu.edu/">Florida International University</a> (FIU) conducted a study and discovered just how threatened the mangroves were.

Without mangroves, coastal communities are at risk of flooding and some marine animals like manatees would lose much of their habitat.

The Florida Everglades are home to the largest mangrove forest in North America, consisting of vegetation that thrives in saltier water.

According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/may/02/mangroves-everglades-florida-rising-sea-level">the Guardian</a>, mangroves have been on a “death march,” moving further and further inland but now have nowhere to go due to reaching a man-made levee. The mangroves could be completely submerged in the next 30 years. 

“There’s nowhere left for them to go,”  Randall Parkinson, a coastal geologist at FIU told the Guardian. “They are done. The sea will continue to rise and the question now is whether they will be replaced by open water. I think they will. The outlook is pretty grim. What’s mind-boggling is that we are facing the inundation of south Florida this century.”

For the study, the researchers collected sediment cores from mangroves and analyzed both aerial photographs and satellite imagery taken over the years. 

The researchers discovered that mangroves south of Miami were retreating about 100 feet a year. 

Wetlands provide a crucial safety net against flooding and storms, and there are concerns about what the retreating mangrove forests mean for Florida's coastal communities. 

When Hurricane Harvey tore through Texas earlier in 2017, much of the flooding that overwhelmed the city <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-harvey-why-houston-flooded-2017-8">could be attributed to diminishing wetlands </a>and the flat geography of the region. 

Besides the increased risk of flooding from storms and sea level rise, mangroves and the Everglades are crucial for many animals like the threatened manatee and Florida Panther. 

The Guardian reported that over the past century, the Everglades have shrunk by half as areas are drained to make room for population growth. 

Even through conservations are working to restore the Everglades, climate change is driving sea level rise at a rapid rate. 

In Florida, sea levels are rising <a href="https://sciencetrends.com/accelerating-rate-sea-level-rise-fate-coastal-ecosystems-urbanized-areas/">three times faster</a> than in other coastal areas, and this makes it difficult for conservation to keep up with the encroaching salt water flooding into the wetlands. 

“There will still be some mangroves in south Florida but areas will collapse into open water bodies,” said Stephen Davis, a wetland ecologist to the Guardian. “Unabated sea level rise will continue to eat away at the marshes. We should do everything we can to help restore the Everglades to reduce its vulnerability”

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Florida’s mangroves may soon be underwater from rising sea level

Florida’s mangroves, a vital part of the ecosystem of the...

The saying goes, ‘You are what you eat,’ so where does that leave those who eat trash, or even just plants?  The truth is that all species are connected to each other and the inanimate earth through the simple act of eating; by eating (broadly defined) we are all part of each other.  Consumption of food is one of the most direct impacts we can have on the world around us and it’s easily, even instinctively understood. To live, we must consume the lives of others. 

According to a study from the <a href="http://www.csiro.au/">Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation</a> (CSIRO), it is estimated that the food system creates between 19% and 29% of global greenhouse gas emissions as well as 70% of worldwide fresh water consumption.  According to the same source, larger portions of food contribute to a larger carbon footprint. According to a paper in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition">Frontiers in Nutrition</a>, livestock contribute 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions from human caused sources.  Vegetarians have long touted such statistics, pointing to the environmental benefit of their diet.  Vegans often claim an even lower impact than vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy, but a study on from <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a> found that the environmental impacts between vegetarians and vegans is similar.

The theory behind vegetarianism for the environment is simple.  Most cultivated plants such as corn or hay are grown for animal feed and aren’t very edible for humans.  Cutting out meat takes millions of acres out of production, freeing them up for wild animal habitat. 

Besides less land, plant crops also use less energy to create than animal products.  Animals still eat plants and due to inefficiency in energy transfer, use only some of the plant’s caloric energy to create meat, eggs or dairy.  According to a paper on <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/">iopscience.iop.org</a> by A. Shepon, et al, dairy and eggs are the most energy efficient of animal products at 17%.  Beef production is the least efficient, as only 3% of energy input is recaptured in meat. Chicken is the most efficient meat at 13%.  

Energy use also comes down to greenhouse gas production, and livestock contribute significantly to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/farming-changes-greenhouse-gases/">greenhouse gas</a> production, but plants on the other hand do not on their own.  In fact, plants actually reduce carbon in the atmosphere. In a paper in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/agriculture-ecosystems-and-environment/">Agriculture, Ecosystems &amp; Environment</a>, Isack Mathew, et.al. found that corn is the best crop for carbon sequestration.  

According to <a href="http://theconversation.com/au">The Conversation</a> about 25% of carbon produced by humans is absorbed by plants and about that same amount ends up in the ocean.  In a paper in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn">The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>, David &amp; Marcia Pimentel write that, 2 billion people live on a meat based diet while 4 billion live on a plant based diet globally.  In the United States, about 50% of land use is given over to agriculture, while 80% of water use and 17% of fossil fuel use is from agriculture.  Energy used to produce eggs and dairy for use in a vegetarian diet ends up being about half the energy used to produce meat. In the end though, no diet is without energy cost and in our modern world, that energy is often fossil fuels.  

There is one way out of this, at least for a percentage of people.  According to the <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">USDA</a>, food waste in the US is about 30-40% of food supply.  This means that even eating nothing but plants, there is a great deal of waste.  

It’s common knowledge that a lot of useful food ends up in dumpsters across the country.  There are those who eat from the dumpsters, collecting food that would otherwise be wasted.  Many people see collecting food waste from trash as disgusting but I think it’s more palatable when reframed.  It’s good to remember that all food was once part of a life form, valuable in and of itself beyond its usefulness to a human consumer.  

The fact is that agriculture is largely unsustainable and just a small part of a larger unsustainable lifestyle inherit in our civilization at this point.  Freeganism, the act of collecting food from trash, is a response to the unsustainability of our lifestyle. David Emanuel from <a href="https://freegan.info/">freegan.info</a> brought this up in an interview I did with him before for my <a href="http://zachofjungle.com">personal blog</a>:

“What struck me most about their various points of view was the idea that modern, industrial civilization is—by definition—unsustainable and what we perceive as “progress” is an illusion at best and a crime at worst. And they all (authors he was reading), in their own ways, highlighted the fact that all civilizations go through periods of creation, maintenance and decay and ours is no exception. In fact, it was highly likely that The American Way was in a period of decay or collapse.”    

Freeganism offers a chance to use food that’s already been produced, meaning you’re not contributing to any more pollution or energy use than would otherwise occur.  Freeganism even more than vegan or vegetarianism offers a solution, it offers a greater efficiency of consumption, of energy use on a systematic level from the actions of individuals.  It’s like buying clothes from a thrift shop: you’re not contributing directly to child labor or industrial problems, instead you get things at a cheaper price. Freeganism only requires an open mind and a bit of creativity to implement and the world is better for it.

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Whatever you eat impacts the environment and climate change

The saying goes, ‘You are what you eat,’ so where...

The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted late Thursday afternoon with lava spewing into residential areas and cutting through the forest. Video footage of the event shows fiery lava flows spewing debris and clouds of ash and smoke. 

Volcanoes are common in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hawaii-banning-sunscreens-kill-coral/">Hawaii</a> and Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. 

Earlier throughout the week, hundreds of earthquakes were reported in the area of the volcano, the largest being a 5.0 which prompted mandatory evacuations in residential areas near Kilauea. 

Since Monday, hundreds of earthquakes (most at a 2.0) were recorded in the area due to the collapse of a crater floor near the Kilauea. 

The tremors, though mostly small, were a major nuisance to residents nearby. 

“It has now become unnerving," Carol Shepard, a Big Island resident told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/04/us/kilauea-volcano-hawaii-earthquakes/index.html">CNN</a>. “It'd be like the house would shake. It'd be like somebody that weighs 300 pounds came in my living room, and jumped up and down.” 

Evacuations were issued for residents of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens and around 1500 people left their homes as part of the orders. 

The eruption occurred in the lower East Rift Zone of the Kilauea Volcano, according to the <a href="https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/status.html">United States Geological Survey (USGS).</a>

The USGS also reported that although the flows are no longer active, there remain concerns about sulfur dioxide, and sulfur gas has been observed in the area near the fissure. 

Exposure to sulfur dioxide can be life threatening and high levels of the toxic gas have been detected.

Evacuees will wait to return until it’s deemed safe, and the volatile nature of the eruption has many wondering if there is more to come in the next few days. 

“This stuff could go on for a couple days, weeks or months,” Leilani Estates residents Maja Stenback told the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/05/04/hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-finally-erupts-evacuations-underway-as-lava-threatens-communities/?utm_term=.213fe88448b6">Washington Post</a>. “Just the thought of everything now being gone — it’s just not real yet. Maybe the next time we go there the house might be under 30 feet of lava.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Kevan Kamibayashi / <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a>

Thousands evacuated after Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupts

The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted late Thursday...

Climate studies are vital for measuring the impact that climate change will have on the Earth’s ecosystems, environments, climate, and the water cycle. 

Lake evaporation, for example, is a strong indicator of how the earth’s lakes and oceans are responding to climate change, and it’s been predicted that lake evaporation will increase by 16 percent by the end of the century. 

A new study has found that the drivers of lake evaporation are not just solar radiation, which historically has been a primary controlling factor of evaporation. 

Instead, according to new research from <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale</a> published in the journal Nature Geoscience, shorter periods of freezing, earlier thaws, and a “reallocation” of energy due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a> will speed up lake evaporation.

“Typically we focus on the 'top-down' ways that the upper part of the atmosphere triggers feedbacks that enhance warming," said Xuhui Lee, the senior author of the paper. “But if we want to make accurate predictions of the hydrological changes we'll need to understand what's happening at the bottom of the atmosphere, including what's happening at the surface of lakes. Because those changes are driving the hydrological response to climate change.”

The researchers used a lake simulator model to assess the lake-atmosphere interactions for all the world’s major lakes starting in 2005 up to 2100. 

The model showed that half of the changes in evaporation were driven by variations in surface energy allocation and earlier thaws due to warmer winters and reduced snowmelt.

The warmer temperatures increase the amount energy needed for evaporation and so energy shifts create a feedback loop that further motivates evaporation. 

A large majority of the world’s lakes are located in altitudes where the water freezes for part of the year, but an increase in temperatures is creating shorter winters and earlier thaws, which increases the absorption rate of solar heat. Ice reflects more sunlight than open water does. 

The researchers also found that lakes at lower altitudes will warm slower than the air but high altitude lakes will warm faster, and these differences will also motivate radiation loss and evaporation. 

An increase in evaporation will create stronger precipitation events, according to the study.

The research shows how evaporation is impacted by climate change and that solar radiation will not be the primary driver of evaporation.

In regions with drier climates where water management is critical, the researchers note that understanding what impacts evaporation will help conservation and agriculture. 

“In dry climates, the increased rate of evaporation may be even higher,” said Lee. “So in some local regions the question of how you conserve water could become an increasingly important question.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change will accelerate lake evaporation by 16 percent

Climate studies are vital for measuring the impact that climate...

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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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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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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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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