A recent study presents a new curve of global mean surface temperature, revealing that Earth's temperature has varied more than previously thought over much of the Phanerozoic Eon -- a period marked by the diversification of life, colonization of land, and multiple mass extinctions. 



The curve also confirms that Earth's temperature is strongly correlated with the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-the-temperature-of-earth-s-past">Studying the temperature of Earth's past</h2>



The Phanerozoic Eon began approximately 540 million years ago with the Cambrian Explosion, a time when complex, hard-shelled organisms first appeared in the fossil record.&nbsp;



Although researchers can create simulations dating back to this era, the temperature curve in the study focuses on the last 485 million years due to limited geological temperature data from earlier periods.



“It's hard to find rocks that are that old and have temperature indicators preserved in them - even at 485 million years ago we don't have that many. We were limited with how far back we could go,” said study co-author Jessica Tierney, a paleoclimatologist at the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-developing-the-temperature-curve">Developing the temperature curve</h2>



The researchers developed the temperature curve using an approach called data assimilation. This method allowed them to combine data from the geologic record and climate models to create a more cohesive understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-climate-change-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancient climates</a>.



“This method was originally developed for weather forecasting,” said Emily Judd, lead author of the paper and a former postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://naturalhistory.si.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History</a> and the University of Arizona. 



“Instead of using it to forecast future weather, here we're using it to hindcast ancient climates.”



Refining scientists' understanding of how Earth's temperature has fluctuated over time provides crucial context for understanding modern climate change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-way-back-to-predict-the-future">Looking way back to predict the future</h2>



Study co-author Scott Wing is a co-author on the paper and a curator of paleobotany at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.&nbsp;



“If you're studying the last couple of million years, you won't find anything that looks like what we expect in 2100 or 2500,” said Wing.



“You need to go back even further to periods when the Earth was really warm, because that's the only way we're going to get a better understanding of how the climate might change in the future.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-co2-is-the-biggest-driver-of-temperature-nbsp">CO2 is the biggest driver of temperature&nbsp;</h2>



The new curve reveals that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-global-temperature-exceeded-2c-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperatures</a> varied more significantly during the past 485 million years than previously thought.&nbsp;



Over this period, global temperatures ranged from 52 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Periods of extreme heat were most often linked to elevated levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.



“This research illustrates clearly that carbon dioxide is the dominant control on global temperatures across geological time,” Tierney said. “When CO₂ is low, the temperature is cold; when CO₂ is high, the temperature is warm.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rapidly-warming-temperatures-on-earth">Rapidly warming temperatures on Earth</h2>



The findings also show that Earth's current global temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit is cooler than it has been over much of the Phanerozoic.&nbsp;



However, greenhouse gas emissions from human-caused climate change are currently warming the planet at a much faster rate than even the fastest warming events of that eon, the researchers say.&nbsp;



This rapid warming poses risks to species and ecosystems worldwide and is causing a swift rise in sea levels. Some other episodes of rapid climate change during the Phanerozoic have sparked mass <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greater-temperature-changes-linked-to-worse-extinction-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extinctions</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-evolved-in-a-colder-climate">Humans evolved in a colder climate</h2>



Rapidly moving toward a warmer climate could spell danger for humans, who have mostly lived within a 10-degree Fahrenheit range for global temperatures, compared to the 45-degree span over the last 485 million years.



“Our entire species evolved to an 'ice house' climate, which doesn't reflect most of geological history,” noted Tierney. 



“We are changing the climate into a place that is really out of context for humans. The planet has been and can be warmer - but humans and animals can't adapt that fast.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-global-temperature-across-the-phanerozoic-nbsp">Earth's global temperature across the Phanerozoic&nbsp;</h2>



The collaboration between Tierney and researchers at the Smithsonian began in 2018. 



The team aimed to provide museum visitors with a curve that charted Earth's global temperature across the Phanerozoic, which began around 540 million years ago and continues into the present day.



The researchers collected more than 150,000 estimates of ancient temperatures calculated from five different chemical indicators preserved in fossilized shells and other types of ancient organic matter.&nbsp;



Their colleagues at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a> created over 850 model simulations of what Earth's climate could have looked like at different periods in the distant past, based on continental positions and atmospheric composition.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-accurate-curve-of-earth-s-temperature-variation">Accurate curve of Earth's temperature variation</h2>



By combining these two lines of evidence, the team created the most accurate curve of how Earth's temperature has varied over the past 485 million years.



Another significant finding from the study pertains to climate sensitivity, a metric of how much the climate warms with the doubling of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/good-news-plants-are-absorbing-more-human-produced-co2-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon dioxide</a>.



“We found that carbon dioxide and temperature are not only really closely related, but related in the same way across 485 million years. We don't see that the climate is more sensitive when it's hot or cold,” Tierney concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.adk3705" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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How Earth’s temperature has changed over the past 500 million years

A recent study presents a new curve of global mean surface temperature, revealing that Earth's temperature has varied more than previously thought over much of the Phanerozoic Eon -- a period marked by the diversification of life, colonization of land, and multiple mass extinctions.  The curve also confirms that Earth's temperature is strongly correlated with the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Studying the temperature of Earth's past The Phanerozoic Eon began approximately 540 million years ago with the Cambrian Explosion, a time when complex, hard-shelled...

Living shorelines are now being used to protect coastal communities and military bases from potent storms. 

Living shorelines are natural barriers made of sand, plants, and even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oysters-quickly-close-shells/">oyster</a> reefs, which are becoming more and more popular. 

These living barriers are meant to be a safer, eco-friendly alternative to bulkheads and concrete seawalls that have been used in the past to protect against storm surges. 

According to the <a href="http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/restoration/techniques/livingshorelines.html">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA), these human-made structures do more harm than good, increasing coastal erosion and degrading habitats for marine ecosystems. 

At first oyster reefs were planted in coastal areas as an experiment to test if oysters could act as natural water filters, but it was discovered that they also work as a buffer against storm damage. 

Now, military stations and environmental groups across the United States are planting oysters reefs to protect bases in Florida, Norfolk Virginia, Alabama, and South Carolina. 

Boze Hancock, a marine restoration scientist who is an expert in oyster reefs and living shorelines, told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5213285/Military-turns-oyster-reefs-protect-against-storms.html">Daily Mail</a> that living shorelines are much like a soft “sponge” that soaks up the force of the wave. 

“Waves are affected by the roughness of the bottom,” said Hancock. “'Picture a wave trying to roll over a huge sponge, compared to one rolling over an asphalt parking lot. 'The 'sponge,' or rough, uneven oyster reef, sucks the energy out of the wave as it rolls toward the shore.”

Living shorelines are so successful that Congress recently introduced a new bill, <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4525/text">The Living Shorelines Act</a>, that would allow the NOAA to give grants to local and state shoreline projects using natural materials. 

While oyster reefs are used as a way to mitigate wave damage from storms, they also have many added benefits. Natural shorelines encourage conservation, improve water quality, and create habitats for marine ecosystems. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Oyster reefs and living shorelines offer protection from storms

Living shorelines are now being used to protect coastal communities...

The world’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-method-ocean-microplastics/">oceans</a> contain some of the most vital ecosystems on Earth. But with greenhouse gas emissions on the rise and the oceans working as carbon storage facilities, marine habitats, and coastal communities are most at risk if climate change continues unchecked. 

The world’s oceans absorb a significant amount carbon pollution, which keeps us from experiencing the full impact of climate change. 

However, this means that even with mitigation strategies in place, we will be feeling the effects of climate change for many years to come.

The <a href="https://www.globalchange.gov/">US Global Change Research Program</a> recently released their fourth national <a href="https://science2017.globalchange.gov/">Climate Science Special Report</a>, focusing much of their research to the world’s oceans. 

The report discusses sea-level rise, future changes in major ocean currents, and ocean acidification, among other effects of climate change. 

According to the report, the world’s oceans have absorbed 93 percent of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gas emissions trapped in the atmosphere.

Ocean temperatures have steadily increased over the years, and according to the report, the oceans could warm as much as 5 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.

The climate assessment also reveals that since 1900, sea level has risen approximately eight inches. This, in turn, has triggered coastal flooding and could devastate coastal communities in the future. 

By taking a wide-reaching yet detailed look at the impacts of climate change, anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, and the warming oceans, the report shows that human activities are some of the leading causes of warming oceans today. 

“This assessment concludes, based on extensive evidence, that it is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century,” the authors write. “For the warming over the last century, there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How oceans serve as a buffer against greenhouse gas emissions

The world’s oceans contain some of the most vital ecosystems...

Researchers have collected and published the best scientific research on preventing coral-eating Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) outbreaks. The book will be a critical resource for informing management across the Indo-Pacific of COTS outbreaks.

The new publication, "Biology, Ecology and Management of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish," documents over 30 years of COTS research. The book explores scientific advances and emerging opportunities for targeted research.

The book is written by Professor Morgan Pratchett of <a href="https://www.jcu.edu.au/">James Cook University</a> and Dr. Sven Uthicke of the <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/">Australian Institute of Marine Science</a>, who are both world-renowned experts.

Professor Pratchett has researched COTS for the past two decades, and his work has greatly contributed to understanding both the causes and impacts of these outbreaks. He describes the COTS outbreaks as being “akin to locusts” and explained that there is still a lot to learn on the subject.

“Outbreaks occur on many reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific, including the Great Barrier Reef, and contribute to the widespread degradation of these valuable ecosystems,” said Professor Pratchett.

“Despite significant research on the biology and ecology of COTS, there are still some considerable knowledge gaps and opportunities for important discoveries. More than a thousand research papers have been written about these animals, reflecting the ecological impact and management concern surrounding COTS outbreaks."

Dr. Uthicke is a biologist and geneticist, and his work is focused on the development of new genetic tools to examine the early life-history of <a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/crown-of-thorns-starfish-acanthaster-planci/">COTS</a>. He said that researchers must embrace advancing technologies and opportunities to gain insight into COTS biology and behavior.

“We must focus on key questions that will improve management effectiveness in reducing the frequency and likelihood of outbreaks, if not preventing them altogether,” said Dr. Uthicke. 

"There is still a lot we do not know about these starfish and effective management is conditional upon improved knowledge of their biology, especially during the very early life stages, when the starfish are extremely small and very cryptic."

"Biology, Ecology and Management of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish" is published in the open access journal <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diversity">Diversity</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Crown-Of-Thorns starfish outbreaks damage coral reefs

Researchers have collected and published the best scientific research on...

An investigation into the conditions which promote wildfires has produced some unexpected results. Researchers at <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> have found that wet winters lead to more small wildfires in the fire season that follows. On the other hand, large <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-wildfires-climate-change/">fires</a> occur less frequently after a wet winter.

"This is the most surprising result from our study, because we would expect small fires to follow suit with larger fires," said study co-author Daniel Jensen. 

The researchers pointed out that the additional moisture from a wet winter promotes plant growth. Grasses and other small plants will experience rapid growth and then die at the end of the growing season, leaving behind dried out fuel for wildfires.

“It seems that the buildup of fuel content alone causes there to be more fires - but not necessarily more devastating fires,” said Jensen.

According to the study authors, large plants and trees retain more moisture after a wet winter, which likely prevents small fires from exploding into bigger ones.

The amount of moisture in a fuel supply can help experts more accurately predict how quickly a wildfire will spread. Previous studies have shown that soil moisture has a strong correlation with fuel moisture, so the scientists examined data on soil moisture for their analysis.

The team compared wildfires which occurred in the United States between 2003 and 2012 with soil moisture measurements and data on vegetation and landscape types. Despite the finding that each landscape type varied in average soil moisture and average number of fires, the researchers found that the number of small fires increased after a wet winter season in every landscape.

The study was developed in an attempt to understand the role of fuel moisture in wildfires. This could help experts predict how severe a fire season may be several months in advance.


The research is published in the journal <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wet winters may actually lead to more small wildfires

An investigation into the conditions which promote wildfires has produced...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-birth-defects/">Air pollution</a> is detrimental to health and wellbeing and has been linked to cardiovascular disease, reduced respiratory health, and even death. 

According to the <a href="http://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/sota/key-findings/">2017 “State of the Air Report”</a> released by the <a href="http://www.lung.org/">American Lung Association, </a>almost 4 in 10 people in the United States live in areas with risky levels air pollution. 

Now, a new study has found that even short-term exposure to air pollution levels below current quality standards increases the risk of death in older adults. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a>, Boston. 

The researchers analyzed data from Medicare patients between the years 2000 and 2012 from almost 40,000 zip codes across the United States. 

The team examined pollution levels including particulate matter and ozone levels and compared these to death rates among the Medicare data used for the study. 

The results show that daily growth in pollution levels increases the risk of death for more than 22 million Medicare patients. Even if the levels calculated by the research team were below legal limits, exposure to pollution still correlated with a risk of death. 

This means that air pollution levels may need to be re-evaluated and that people with Medicare living in areas with ozone and particle pollution below current standards are still at risk of health problems and now, as the study shows, even death.

As it stands now, the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-air-act">Clean Air Act</a> mandates that air quality standards for pollution be reviewed every five years, but with increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions, pollutants are becoming more and more harmful. 

The researchers say that in order to revise the acceptable levels of pollution, further studies will need to be done specifically examining the risk of death at differing levels of air pollution. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Even below legal limits, air pollution increases risk of death

Air pollution is detrimental to health and wellbeing and has...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto</a> have described the first known hybrid bird species of the Amazon rainforest. A series of evaluations and genetic tests confirmed that the golden-crowned manakin is, in fact, a hybrid species.

Associate professor Jason Weir is an expert on the biodiversity of New World birds and senior author of the study.

"While hybrid plant species are very common, hybrid species among vertebrates are exceedingly rare," explained Weir.

A hybrid species is developed when two species mate to produce a hybrid population, which is unable to interbreed with the parental species. In this particular case, the two parents are the snow-capped manakin and the opal-crowned manakin. 

Over the course of two separate trips to Brazil, the research team gathered genetic and feather samples. This enabled them to sequence a large portion of the new bird’s genome. 

After examining over 16,000 genetic markers, the researchers determined that 20 percent of the genome came from the snowy-crowned manakin while 80 percent of the inheritance was from the opal-crowned manakin.

Using a technique called coalescent modelling,  the team managed to establish that the golden-crowned split off from its parental species around 180,000 years ago when the two parental species originally mated. 

The experts also determined that both parental species diverged from a common ancestor about 300,000 years ago, meaning that all three species are relatively new. 

"Most Amazon bird species diverged from their most recent relative around 1.5 to 4 million years ago, so these are all young birds by comparison" said Weir.


The golden-crowned manakin lives in an area of the south-central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mining-deforestation-amazon-rainforest/">Amazon Rainforest</a> that is largely separated from areas where snow-capped and opal-crowned live by wide rivers that the hybrid species will not seem to cross. 

Weir explained that the species likely survived due to this geographical isolation from its parental species, when a past ice age caused the rainforest to shrink and wide rivers to form.

"Without geographic isolation, it's very likely this would never have happened because you don't see the hybrids evolving as separate species in other areas where both parental species meet,” said Weir.

The study will be published in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: University of Toronto Scarborough

First-ever hybrid bird species in the Amazon revealed

Researchers from the University of Toronto have described the first...

A new <a href="https://qzprod.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/6043f-meyers-fallout-mortality-website.pdf">study</a> from <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> economist Keith Meyers reveals that radiation from nuclear tests during the Cold War led to many more deaths than previously thought. 

Between 1951 and 1963, the United States conducted over 100 above-ground nuclear tests at sites in Nevada. Meyers has found that as many as 690,000 casualties resulted after radioactive pollution made its way into the environment and the food supply.

Exposure to high levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-travelers-fly-radiation-clouds/">radiation</a> can cause serious illness or death, and even low doses of radiation can cause cancer. The weapons developers were either unaware of these risks or just completely careless, and people working at test sites or living closeby were not the only ones in harm's way. Ultimately, millions of people were exposed to “tremendous" amounts of radiation.

“Counter-intuitively, the areas where fallout had the largest impact on the crude death rate was not in the region surrounding the test site, but rather in areas with moderate levels of radioactive fallout deposition in the interior of the country,” said Meyers.

Early attempts to calculate the extent of the fallout from nuclear tests were inaccurate because they did not account for the collateral damage that happened over time and space. 

“The largest health effects appear in areas far beyond the scope of previous scientific and medical studies,” explained Meyers. “The scientific and medical literature has studied the effects of atmospheric testing on populations residing in downwind counties in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.”

After the nuclear tests, pollution was carried far away by winds. In addition, cows consumed irradiated grass which leaked radioactive material into the milk supply.

To analyze the number of deaths which resulted from nuclear testing, Myers used an empirical alternative approach which combined measures of radioactive fallout exposure from the <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/">National Cancer Institute</a> and mortality data from across the continental United States. 

Meyers found that radioactive fallout was to blame for between 340,000 and 690,000 deaths from 1951 to 1973, which is up to fourteen times more casualties than earlier research had demonstrated. 

Meyers explained that putting a stop to nuclear testing inadvertently saved millions of Americans from additional exposure. He estimated that the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was responsible for saving between 11.7 and 24 million lives.

“The evidence presented in this paper reveals that the health cost of domestic nuclear
testing is both larger and more expansive than previously thought,” said Meyers. 

“The mortality estimates may understate the magnitude of the true number of deaths attributable to nuclear testing and the magnitude of the health costs of this polluting defense policy. It is plausible that
these estimates are lower bounds of the true health effects.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

1950s nuclear tests exposed millions to radiation

A new study from University of Arizona economist Keith Meyers...

There are thousands of premature deaths from particle pollution in the United States each year, and the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) has the responsibility of writing and enforcing regulations that will protect both the environment and human health. Researchers are reporting that the amount of lives saved by legislation from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scott-pruitt-doubts-global-warming/">EPA</a> has been substantially underestimated in the past.

Colette Heald is an associate professor of Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a>.

“In the United States, the number of premature deaths associated with exposure to outdoor particulate matter exceeds the number of car accident fatalities every year,” said Heald. “This highlights the vital role that the EPA plays in reducing the exposure of people living in the United States to harmful pollutants.”


The 1970 Clean Air Act and its amendments were proposed by the EPA to address the health effects of particulate matter. More specifically, the legislation regulated the emissions of air pollutants and promoted research into cleaner alternatives. 

The EPA reported in 2011 that the regulations set forth in the Clean Air Act had led to a substantial decrease in particulate matter in the atmosphere, and estimated that over 100,000 lives were saved every year from 2000 to 2010 as a result of the enforcement of the new laws. 

The report, however, did not account for organic aerosol, a major component of particle pollution, as a large contributor to the decline in particulate matter during this time frame. Organic aerosol is emitted directly from vehicles, residential burning, and wildfires, and is also chemically produced in the atmosphere from the oxidation of  hydrocarbons.

The research team examined surface measurements of organic aerosol from all over the country between 1990 to 2012, which enabled them to develop a comprehensive map of organic aerosol in the United States.

“Widespread monitoring of air pollutant concentrations across the United States enables us to verify changes in air quality over time in response to regulations,” said Heald. “Previous work has focused on the decline in particulate matter associated with efforts to reduce acid rain in the United States. But to date, no one had really explored the long term trend in organic aerosol.

The researchers discovered that there had been a much more significant decline in organic aerosol than previously thought, which suggested that more lives has been saved by the EPA than what was reported.  

“The EPA report showed a very large impact from the decline in particulate matter, but we were surprised to see a very little change in the organic aerosol concentration in their estimates,” explained study co-author David Ridley. “The observations suggest that the decrease in organic aerosol had been six times larger than estimated between 2000 and 2010 in the EPA report.”

The findings of the study are 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.google.com/earth/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Report: EPA clean air policies have led to longer lives

There are thousands of premature deaths from particle pollution in...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/remote-sensing-oil-palm-industry/">Oil palm</a> plantations wreak havoc on forest habitats, but the popularity of palm oil in everything from foods to cosmetics makes conservation policy difficult to regulate or put in place.

Mass deforestation has occurred to make way for oil palm plantations, as the fruit of oil palm trees are where palm oil comes from. 

New research has found that on top of habitat degradation, oil palm plantations also have a surprising effect on boar populations. 

A two-decade-long study, conducted by an international team of researchers led by the <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">Nanyang Technological University, Singapore</a> (NTU Singapore), found that oil palm plantations provide an easily accessed, rich source of food for wild boars and macaque monkeys. 

This, in turn, causes drastic increases in populations and the surrounding forests are irreversibly damaged. 

The researchers found that saplings and small trees near plantations were reduced by more than half because boar mothers harvest the plants for nests. 

“When oil palms start fruiting, wild boars quickly aggregate to feed in the plantations,” said Dr. Matthew Luskin, a member of the research team. “The abundant food allows them to reproduce, causing a massive surge in their population in the nearby forest. The biggest subsequent effect this leads to is when pregnant wild boars build nests, as this clears vegetation from the forest floor.” 

At first, the researchers were puzzled at the loss of habitat, but after years of field studies, it was obvious that oil palm plantations have a wide-reaching effect not previously realized. 

Future studies are needed to understand the long-term effects of plantations beyond deforestation, and because of how many plantations there are in Southeast Asia, the impact could be devastating. 

The researchers note the need for conservation policy and regulations in order to combat these effects. 

“Through impactful studies on the effect of agricultural expansion and wildlife population, we hope to provide insights for countries and policymakers who seek to protect our environment for future generations better,” said Fidel Costa, an associate professor and Acting Chair of NTU's Asian School of the Environment.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Oil palm plantations damage ecosystems in a number of ways

Oil palm plantations wreak havoc on forest habitats, but the...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-crisis-india/">India</a> has launched a new weapon to combat air pollution. The “anti-smog gun” rapidly shoots out water droplets intended to flush pollutants out of the air. Some experts say this is not tackling the source of the problem and that infrastructural changes are what is really needed.

New Delhi is one of the most polluted regions of the world. Airborne particles and chemicals form toxic smog that lingers over the city, which is home to 19 million people. It has been reported that breathing the air when the smog is at its worst is roughly equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day.

In eastern New Delhi, Anand Vihar is an area which borders an industrial zone and often has the worst quality of air. According to the U.S. Embassy, levels of fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 registered 380 in Anand Vihar, which is more than 15 times the level that the <a href="http://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a> has deemed as “safe.”

The Department of Environment and the <a href="https://www.dpcc.delhigovt.nic.in/">Delhi Pollution Control Committee</a> are testing out the water mist cannon in Anand Vihar. The machine is hooked up to a water tank and mounted onto a truck, shooting out atomized water up to 230 feet in the air. The goal is to mimic the air cleaning effects of rain and bring dust particles to the ground.

Delhi’s environment minister Imran Hussain said, “If it proves to be successful, then we will roll these out on Delhi’s streets as soon as possible.”

Anumita Roy Chowdhury is Executive Director of the <a href="http://www.cseindia.org/">Centre for Science and Environment</a> (CSE). Chowdhury and other experts have pointed out that the water mist cannon does not provide a long-term solution.

“This can be an instant measure for local effect, especially if there are local gross dust generators,” said Chowdhury. “However, a more sustained and long-term measure is needed to bring systemic changes.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Anadolu Agency

India testing a water mist cannon to combat air pollution

India has launched a new weapon to combat air pollution....

One of the main concerns of climate change is the increasing prevalence of killer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-waves-increase-mortality-rates/">heat waves</a>, which will only become more common as the climate warms. But heat isn’t the only issue. 

A new global study states that, with the current trend of climate change, humidity will also increase in many areas and serve to magnify the effects of heat waves. In some cases, these conditions may surpass humans’ ability to work – or in some cases, survive.

Regions that could be affected include the southeastern United States, the Amazon, western and central Africa, southern areas of the Mideast and Arabian peninsula, northern India, and eastern China.

“The conditions we’re talking about basically never occur now – people in most places have never experienced them,” says Ethan Coffel, a graduate student at <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a>'s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the study’s lead author. “But they’re projected to occur close to the end of the century.”

While a warming climate has been predicted to make many currently dry areas even dryer, as global temperatures rise, this same change in precipitation patterns may also allow the atmosphere to hold more water vapor – and thus result in an increase in humidity in some climates. Chronically humid areas along coastlines or linked to humid-weather patterns may become even more humid. 

If you’ve ever been outside in hot and humid conditions, you know that the effects are noticeably less tolerable than hot and dry conditions at the same temperature. This is because we cool our bodies through sweating, where our sweat evaporates off our skin into the air, taking excess heat with it. But when the air is already heavy with moisture, evaporation off the skin slows down – and at a certain point, becomes impossible. When this cooling process is no longer working, our core body temperature rises and results in lethargy, sickness, and possibly death. 

The researchers did their study through using global climate models to map and project future “wet bulb” temperatures, which shows the combined effects of heat and humidity. They found that by the 2070s, high wet-bulb readings that now occur maybe once a year could happen 100 to 250 days per year in some parts of the tropics. Coauthor Radley Horton, a climate scientist at <a href="http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/">Lamont-Doherty</a>, believes these climate effects could be “transformative” for all areas of human activity – “economy, agriculture, military, recreation.”

Elfatih Eltahir, a professor of hydrology and climate at the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> who has studied the issue in the Mideast and Asia, says this new study “is an important paper which emphasizes the need to consider both temperature and humidity in defining heat stress.”

Unless we curtail greenhouse gas emissions, many people will be put at risk of health problems as a result of overheating, and nations’ economies could be severely affected. One silver lining is that, if we substantially cut emissions in the next few decades, we can avoid the worst effects.

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change to make some places too humid for humans

One of the main concerns of climate change is the...

Scientists are reporting that snowfall in south-central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snowfall-alaska-mountains-doubled/">Alaska</a> has drastically increased thanks to climate change, but not many regions of the world are as fortunate. In fact, diminishing snowfall and rainfall totals across the globe are causing some major issues, both economically and environmentally.

Snowpack is an important component of both recreational and professional winter sports. More importantly, snow provides fresh water for rivers and streams and supplies drinking water in the spring and summer months. In some areas, snowfall is more consistent than others. The following list describes the places in the world that have the most impressive and reliable snowfall totals.

&nbsp;

Chamonix, France

This French resort was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924 and for good reason. Chamonix usually gets about 32 feet of snow and the winter season here lasts six months.

&nbsp;

Niseko, Japan

With an annual average snowfall of 49.5 feet, Niseko is undoubtedly one of the snowiest destinations on the planet.

&nbsp;

Nagano, Japan

Nagano is home to a world-renowned ski resort known as Hakuba, which is located in the northern Japanese Alps. Every year, the city gets an average of 36 feet of snow.

&nbsp;

Aomori City, Japan

This mountain town receives an average of 26 feet of snow per year. This good fortune is attributed to the city's location high in the Hakkoda Mountains, and also to its proximity to the ocean.

&nbsp;

Alyeska, Alaska

Winter sports are abundant in Alyeska, where an average of 33 feet of snow falls every year. This ski resort is located about 30 miles from Anchorage.

&nbsp;

Sapporo, Japan

Sapporo hosted the first-ever Winter Olympics in Asia in 1972 and is the capital of Japan's northernmost major island, Hokkaido. The city has an average snowfall of over 19 feet. 

&nbsp;

Toyama, Japan

Located near the Sea of Japan, Toyama is a prime target for Japan's heavy snow belt. The region receives around 12 feet of snow each winter season.

&nbsp;

Syracuse, United States

According to Accuweather, Syracuse University is the second snowiest college campus. This city gets over 10 feet of snow annually, and experiences a major blizzard that dumps about a foot of snow at least once per year.

&nbsp;

Saguenay, Canada

Saguenay is a relatively new town in Quebec, which sees an average of 11 feet of snow per year. Over 92 days out of the year, there is snow on the ground.

&nbsp;

Buffalo, United States

Located on the shore of Lake Erie in upstate New York, Buffalo sees its fair share of massive snowfall including lake effect snow. On average, Buffalo receives approximately 8 feet of snowfall per year.

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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

The top 10 snowiest places in the world

Scientists are reporting that snowfall in south-central Alaska has drastically...

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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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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

[sendtonews key="u0TYxxqfF7-2186404-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA’s...