The 2024 United Nations Global Nitrous Oxide Assessment, unveiled at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, highlights the accelerating impact of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions on climate change and the ozone layer. 



Conducted by the <a href="https://www.unep.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">United Nations Environment Program</a> (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the report raises serious concerns about the rapid rise in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrous-oxide-emissions-have-increased-at-an-unprecedented-rate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">N₂O emissions</a>, emphasizing that immediate action is required to mitigate its severe environmental and health consequences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-potent-than-carbon-dioxide">More potent than carbon dioxide</h2>



Nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas approximately 270 times more potent than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-carbon-dioxide-travels-in-the-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon dioxide</a> in warming the planet, currently accounts for around 10% of net global warming since the start of the industrial era. 



While it’s predominantly released through agricultural practices like synthetic fertilizer and manure use, it’s also emitted by the chemical industry, making it the third most impactful greenhouse gas and the top ozone-depleting substance still entering the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-n₂o-emissions-jeopardize-climate-goals">N₂O emissions jeopardize climate goals</h2>



The report underscores that rising N₂O emissions jeopardize the ability to limit <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-volcanic-past-reveals-the-shocking-reality-of-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global warming</a> to 1.5°C, warning that failure to reduce emissions could derail efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement’s climate targets. 



Without urgent action on rising N₂O emissions, there is no viable pathway to limiting global warming to 1.5°C, the report states, advocating for reductions that could lower emissions by over 40% from current levels.



The potential health impacts of unchecked N₂O emissions are equally alarming. Continued emissions could raise global UV exposure, leading to increased skin cancers and cataracts.&nbsp;



Proactively addressing N₂O would also support the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ozone-hole-may-fully-recover-by-2066/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ozone layer</a>’s recovery, which protects human health by reducing exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation.



“Addressing nitrous oxide emissions is essential for ensuring sustainable, inclusive, and resilient agriculture that simultaneously helps countries achieve their climate and food security goals,” said Kaveh Zahedi, Director of FAO’s Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-n₂o-could-prevent-millions-of-deaths">Reducing N₂O could prevent millions of deaths</h2>



In addition to its climate impact, reducing N₂O emissions would provide substantial public health benefits. The report estimates that simultaneously reducing N₂O, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia emissions could prevent up to 20 million premature deaths globally by 2050, largely due to improved air quality.&nbsp;



By transforming agricultural practices and reducing excessive nitrogen use, societies could also improve water and soil quality, which are essential for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-plays-critical-role-ecosystem-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystem health</a>.



“A sustainable nitrogen management approach not only reduces nitrous oxide emissions but also prevents the release of other harmful nitrogen compounds,” explained A.R. Ravishankara, Co-Chair of the Assessment and atmospheric scientist at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a>. 



“This could improve air and water quality, protect ecosystems, and safeguard human health, all while maintaining food security.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pathways-to-reduce-emissions-nbsp">Pathways to reduce emissions&nbsp;</h2>



The UN assessment outlines a series of cross-sectoral strategies to cut N₂O emissions significantly, including optimizing nitrogen use in agriculture and adopting cleaner practices in the chemical industry.



“Abating N₂O emissions could avoid up to 235 billion tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions by 2100 - this is equivalent to six years' worth of current global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels,” said David Kanter, Co-Chair of the Assessment and associate professor at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York University</a>.



To achieve these reductions, the report advocates for a holistic approach to nitrogen management. By reducing nitrogen application and employing targeted fertilizer practices, the agricultural sector could decrease N₂O emissions while maintaining productivity.&nbsp;



This would not only help to stabilize the climate but also reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/excess-nutrients-are-creating-ocean-dead-zones/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nutrient</a> runoff that negatively impacts aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-securing-the-ozone-layer">Securing the ozone layer</h2>



The report emphasizes that reducing N₂O emissions would aid the recovery of the ozone layer, which has been a focus of global environmental protection since the Montreal Protocol’s inception.&nbsp;



“The ozone layer is crucial for all life on Earth,” said Megumi Seki, Executive Secretary of the Montreal Protocol Ozone Secretariat.&nbsp;



“For decades, parties to the Montreal Protocol have worked hard to safeguard it. This UN assessment highlights the need for continued vigilance, commitment, and action for the ozone layer to recover.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-relatively-forgotten-super-pollutant-nbsp">Relatively forgotten super pollutant&nbsp;</h2>



Martina Otto, head of the Secretariat of the UNEP Climate and Clean Air Coalition, stresses that immediate action could yield wide-ranging benefits across climate, air quality, and health.&nbsp;



“This assessment sounds the alarm on a relatively forgotten super pollutant that contributes greatly to climate change and air pollution,” said Otto. “By using the abatement tools highlighted in the assessment that are already available to us, we can yield multiple benefits across climate, clean air, and health.”



The assessment calls for urgent implementation of these strategies, emphasizing that coordinated action to reduce N₂O emissions could bring about significant improvements in global health and environmental stability.&nbsp;



With the tools and knowledge now available, governments, industries, and individuals can contribute to a cleaner, healthier planet, aligning efforts to meet critical climate, food security, and health goals.



The report can be found <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/report/global-nitrous-oxide-assessment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



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Nitrous oxide emissions are a growing threat to human and planetary health

The 2024 United Nations Global Nitrous Oxide Assessment, unveiled at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, highlights the accelerating impact of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions on climate change and the ozone layer.  Conducted by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the report raises serious concerns about the rapid rise in N₂O emissions, emphasizing that immediate action is required to mitigate its severe environmental and health consequences. More potent than carbon dioxide Nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas approximately 270 times more potent than...

Chinese officials have approved an emissions trading system (ETS) in an effort to drastically reduce the country's carbon emissions. China has vowed to reach a peak in carbon emissions by 2030. By launching what will be the world's largest carbon market, experts say this goal can be reached.

As the biggest contributor to carbon emissions, stricter regulations on fossil fuels in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strategies-air-pollution-china/">China</a> will have a major impact on the world's overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Each power plant will be allowed only a certain amount of emissions, a limit that will gradually decline. Those sites that manage to stay below their allotted usage can sell their excess permits. 

The ETS will initially target 1,700 stationary sources in China's power sector, which contribute around 39 percent of the country's total emissions. The program will ultimately be extended to include seven other branches of industry as well, including iron and steel and civil aviation.

While the plans for the trading system were first drafted in 2015, the concept has been under review by the Chinese government for over ten years. When the program is fully implemented by 2020, it is projected to cover 5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) President Fred Krupp said that the new carbon market will put China in a great position to keep its Paris Agreement pledge to peak carbon emissions by 2030, and he pointed out that this “more ambitious target" will make it possible for China's emissions to peak well before then.

“The world has never before seen a climate program on this scale,” said Krupp. “It is important that the world’s largest emitter should lead on climate, and that is precisely what China is doing by launching its national emissions trading system. China has stepped up its climate leadership dramatically in recent years, and is now increasingly seen as filling the leadership void left by the U.S.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

China to launch a trading system to reduce CO2 emissions

Chinese officials have approved an emissions trading system (ETS) in...

The world's second largest mining company has conducted a review of 21 industry associations and their positions on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-conference-fossil-fuels/">climate</a> and energy policies. As a result, B.H.P. Billiton has released a <a href="https://www.bhp.com/media-and-insights/news-releases/2017/12/bhp-releases-industry-association-review">report</a> announcing its plans to withdraw from the World Coal Association (WCA).

The report states that were “seven material differences in position” with the WCA, and also with the The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) and The United States Chamber of Commerce. While B.H.P. says it will remain a member of the MCA, the company has set forth plans to formally communicate the differences in opinion and will “request that the MCA refrain from policy activity or advocacy in these areas.”

B.H.P. will further investigate the nature of the differences between itself and The Chamber of Commerce while considering the future of its membership. In addition, the group will notify the World Coal Association of their intent to exit, and will invite responses from the organization before making a final decision on March 31, 2018.

B.H.P.’s Chief External Affairs Officer Geoff Healy said that the publication of this report demonstrates the company's support for action on climate change and commitment to transparency.

“Active participation within industry associations is an opportunity for BHP to improve its own performance and to support industry as a whole in making a positive contribution,” said Healy.

“This review makes clear the principles for our ongoing participation in industry bodies. While we won’t always agree with our industry associations, we will continue to call out material differences where they exist and we will take action where necessary, as we have done today.

B.H.P. says it will continue to be straightforward with investors, governments, and civil society on the company’s stance on climate and energy policy. The group will also continue to communicate their environmental standards to industry associations, and hopes to positively influence ethical investments in the future.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Major coal company leaves industry group over climate change

The world's second largest mining company has conducted a review...

Patagonia is a company somewhat controversial in outdoors circles.  I’ve heard people from fisheries biologists in Alaska to cavers in South Dakota deride the company as being too expensive or calling it ‘Pata-Gucci’.   Many people think of Patagonia as a brand for the rich.  

Patagonia is expensive too.  I have several pieces of Patagonia clothes, shirts, pants, a coat all bought second hand. Patagonia claims that there’s a good reason for the price, they try hard to make a quality, sustainable, ethical product. Patagonia also sells their own clothes second hand online at cheaper prices than new.  For every person who is offended by Patagonia’s high prices, there is a true believer convinced by a commitment to ethical sourcing and quality. I’ve also seen fisheries biologists in Alaska and mountaineers from Colorado decked head to toe in Patagonia.

Who is Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia?  It’s hard to reconcile most people’s ideas of a billionaire with a man who bought discount damaged canned cat food to live off on extended climbing trips in his youth.  

Chouinard says in his autobiography, Let My People Go Surfing, “We took special pride that climbing rocks and icefalls had no economic value in society.”

It seems Chouinard is now interested in economic value; in improving society.  Patagonia’s new web page bolding proclaims, “The President Stole Your Land” and their blog, The Cleanest Line, crunches hard numbers, talking about jobs from the outdoor industry and economic benefit of National Monuments to local communities.

Chouinard isn’t afraid of a fight.  When Patagonia and other companies came under fire from the Christian Action Coalition for their support of Planned Parenthood, they didn’t back down.  CAC planned a boycott and a protest.  Patagonia coordinated a response, for every protestor to show up, they pledged to donate $10.00.  The protest fell apart.    

Chouinard is now going toe to toe with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-clean-power-plan/">Trump administration</a> in the fight for the future of our public lands. Patagonia’s new webpage make it easy for you to tweet outrage at Trump’s shredding of two national monuments and gives links to non-profits engaged in the fight.  Yvon is also suing the Trump administration.  

The reason for the lawsuit seems simple: Trump reduced two national monuments in Utah radically.  Yvon Chouinard has a long personal history enjoying public lands.  Beyond personal reasons, there is the fact that again and again, Patagonia acts as if companies should and do have responsibilities to the world they’re a part of.  Patagonia even may depend on public lands for its existence.  If there are no lands to recreate on, there is no reason to buy outdoor products, including Patagonia clothing.

Patagonia doesn’t stand alone either.  Environmental organizations and Native American tribes are suing or planning to sue Trump over the monument reduction too.              

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.copm">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Patagonia: Who are they and why are they fighting Trump?

Patagonia is a company somewhat controversial in outdoors circles.  I’ve...

Scientists are uncovering more and more about how the Earth was first formed, but there are still many variables left unknown. Now, researchers from the <a href="http://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> may be one step closer to understanding how life on Earth got its start, and it turns out fungi were major players in creating the optimal environment for life to thrive. 

Scientists believe that the Earth developed an oxygen-rich atmosphere about 400 to 500 million years ago, in part due to early plants photosynthesizing carbon dioxide. 

According to the new study, it was fungi that helped these early plants succeed in their photosynthesis process by ‘mining’ phosphorus from rocks and transferring it to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-respond-total-eclipse/">plants</a>. 

Early plants would have depended on fungi to provide nutrients because there was no mineral-rich soil in early Earth’s wholly different ecosystem. 

As fungi grow across rocks, they produce organic acids that break down rocks and mineral grains in a process called biological weathering. 

Millions of years ago, fungi would have transferred the nutrients from biological weathering to plants, and in turn, benefitted from the plants’ photosynthesis. 

To prove that this symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi could have established the atmosphere necessary for life to thrive hundreds of millions of years ago, the researchers conducted several lab experiments. 

The team grew plants and fungi in a lab mimicking an atmosphere similar to ancient Earth and observed how the fungi transferred phosphorous to the plants and the change in atmosphere to a more oxygen-rich one. 

"The results of including data on fungal interactions present a significant advance in our understanding of the Earth's early development,” said Dr. Benjamin Mills, a member of the research team. “Our work clearly shows the importance of fungi in the creation of an oxygenated atmosphere.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Life on Earth got a jumpstart thanks to an unlikely source

Scientists are uncovering more and more about how the Earth...

With growing concerns of a potentially catastrophic volcanic eruption in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-eruptions-changed-planet/">Yellowstone National Park</a>, researchers from the <a href="http://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> have closely examined the geological history of the region. Their investigation into the subsurface land of Yellowstone reveals that volcanic activity in this area is far more complex than previously realized.

"The heat needed to drive volcanism usually occurs in areas where tectonic plates meet and one slab of crust slides, or subducts, under another. However, Yellowstone and other volcanic areas of the inland western U.S. are far away from the active plate boundaries along the west coast," said lead author Lijun Liu. "In these inland cases, a deep-seated heat source known as a mantle plume is suspected of driving crustal melting and surface volcanism."

Using a technique called seismic tomography, the research team was able to closely observe the subsurface of the western United States, which enabled them to assemble the geologic history that drove volcanic activity in the region. 

The geologists used supercomputers to simulate various tectonic scenarios in order to explore the range of possible geologic histories of this region over the past 20 million years. The results of their analysis do not support the traditional mantle plume theory.

"It appears that the mantle plume under the western U.S. is sinking deeper into the earth through time, which seems counterintuitive," said Liu. "This suggests that something closer to the surface - an oceanic slab originating from the western tectonic boundary - is interfering with the rise of the plume."

The mantle plume concept has been heavily debated for many years, and the findings of this study indicate the need for a revised tectonic scenario, according to the researchers.

"A robust result from these models is that the heat source behind the extensive inland volcanism actually originated from the shallow oceanic mantle to the west of the Pacific Northwest coast," said Liu. "This directly challenges the traditional view that most of the heat came from the plume below Yellowstone."

While the experts are not predicting a violent eruption in Yellowstone National Park, they explain that the conditions have not changed significantly enough to rule one out.

"Of course, our model can't predict specific future super-eruptions,” said Liu. “However, looking back through 20 million years of history, we do not see anything that makes the present-day Yellowstone region particularly special - at least not enough to make us suspect that it may do something different from the past when many catastrophic eruptions have occurred.”

"More importantly, this work will give us a better understanding of some of the mysterious processes deep within the earth, which will help us better understand the consequences of plate tectonics, including the mechanism of earthquakes and volcanoes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geosciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Heat from the Pacific drove volcanic activity in Yellowstone

With growing concerns of a potentially catastrophic volcanic eruption in...

Scientists now have a better understanding of how cosmic rays from supernovae can affect Earth's cloud cover and climate. They have identified how atmospheric ions produced by cosmic rays promote the development of cloud condensation nuclei, which form clouds.

When there are changes in atmospheric ions, there is also a shift in the number of cloud condensation nuclei. More of these nuclei lead to more clouds and result in a cooler climate. 

Cosmic rays are high-energy particles raining down from exploded stars that knock electrons out of air molecules. This produces ions, or positive and negative molecules in the atmosphere.

Cloud condensation nuclei are formed from small molecular clusters called aerosols. It has been assumed that additional small aerosols could not grow and become cloud condensation nuclei. 

But now, the researchers have demonstrated that interactions between ions and aerosols promote this growth by adding new materials to the aerosols which strengthen them. This allows the aerosols to become stable against evaporation, and linger long enough in the atmosphere to form cloud condensation nuclei. 

Henrik Svensmark from DTU Space at the <a href="http://www.dtu.dk/english">Technical University of Denmark</a> is the lead author of the study. 

"Finally we have the last piece of the puzzle explaining how particles from space affect climate on Earth,” said Svensmark. “It gives an understanding of how changes caused by Solar activity or by supernova activity can change climate."

Clouds make a huge difference in the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth’s surface. This breakthrough may help explain climate variation in the past and also help future climate change be more accurately predicted.

The study is published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exploding stars can affect clouds and climate on Earth

Scientists now have a better understanding of how cosmic rays...

As the world attempts to transition away from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-conference-fossil-fuels/">fossil fuels</a> to renewable forms of energy, there is heightened interest in solar power. However, photovoltaic panels require a lot of space and can potentially interfere with agricultural land and other protected regions. A team of experts has now determined that it is feasible to generate large quantities of solar energy without impacting valuable areas of land.

Previous research demonstrated that solar panels are often installed in untouched land areas and croplands. An analysis in Lecce, Italy, revealed that 51 percent of the city's solar panels were located on natural and agricultural land, including century-old olive groves. 

A team of researchers including Rebecca R. Hernandez, Michael F. Allen and Madison K. Hoffacker set out to see if it is possible to expand solar power generation without invading preserved areas of land and farms. 

The team focused their study on four alternative solar installation sites in California's Central Valley. For the investigation, the team examined how solar panels could be installed on rooftops and buildings inside of urban areas, on land that is too salty for crops, in water reservoirs, and on contaminated land sites.

The researchers identified the number of these unconventional solar production sites that exist within Central Valley, and calculated how much energy could be produced by installing photovoltaic panels in all of these available areas. 

The team found that the alternative surfaces which could accommodate solar power production totalled more than 1.5 million football fields. This staggering amount of space could generate more than 19,000 terawatt-hours of energy per year without interfering with farmlands or conserved areas, according to the study. 

Overall, the level of energy production established by the researchers is far more than California's projected electricity demand for 2025, which is 321 terawatt-hours.

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Solar energy does not have to interfere with valuable land

As the world attempts to transition away from fossil fuels...

According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/18/trump-drop-climate-change-national-security-strategy">new reports</a>, U.S. President Donald Trump plans to drop climate change from the list of global threats in his National Security Strategy.

Instead of regulating emissions, Trump plans to put more of an emphasis on fossil fuels, coal, and economic development. 

Trump’s announcement earlier this year to remove the United States from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris Climate Agreement</a> means that the U.S. is now the only country not participating in the global climate agreement.  But Trump argues that the focus should instead be put on American workers. 

Now, in a new release to be presented later today, Trump will announce his new defense strategy and the removal of climate change from the list of National Security Threats. 

President Obama worked hard to make great strides toward mitigating climate change, but Trump maintains that other threats deserve priority.

Any mention of climate change by Trump is linked to economic development rather than keeping warming temperatures in check.  

“'U.S. leadership is indispensable to countering an anti-growth, energy agenda that is detrimental to U.S. economic and energy security interests,” reads a draft of the new defense strategy obtained by the <a href="http://thefederalist.com/2017/12/15/trump-admin-to-remove-climate-change-from-list-of-national-security-threats/">Federalist</a>. “'Given future global energy demand, much of the developing world will require fossil fuels, as well as other forms of energy, to power their economies and lift their people out of poverty.” 

This is the exact opposite stance that other global leaders are making. 

Trump feels that an emphasis on clean energy and policy regulations will unfairly disadvantage manufacturing jobs and general job growth in the United States. 

However, as the last few years have proven, clean energy jobs could create an unprecedented <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/24/news/economy/solar-jobs-us-coal/index.html">economic boom</a>. 

Time will tell if global policy combating climate change will outweigh or influence the United State’s stance on climate change and if the clean energy sector can grow and perhaps compete with fossil fuels. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trump will remove climate change from National Security Strategy

According to new reports, U.S. President Donald Trump plans to...

Research published this week in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/">Nature</a> reveals that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, which holds more water than any other ice sheet on the planet, is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/east-antarctic-ice-sheet/">not as stable</a> as previously thought. Scientists are now examining the contribution that this massive ice sheet could make to global sea level rise, and they warn that the effects could drastically alter the coastline of Florida.

Dr. Amelia Shevenell is an associate professor at the <a href="http://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a> and co-lead author of the study.

"Antarctica may seem far away from Florida, but all Floridians should care about what is happening in Antarctica," said Dr. Shevenell. “As ice melts, global sea levels rise. Most of Florida is at or several feet above sea level.”

The East Antarctic Ice Sheet has been long believed to be much more resilient than the ice cover of West Antarctica and Greenland, but an unprecedented survey of East Antarctica's Sabrina Coast revealed that this is not the case. 

Using marine seismic technology and ocean sediments, the research team reconstructed the progression of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Sabrina Coast region over the past 50 million years. The scientists discovered that this ice sheet has been sensitive to climate change for millions of years.

During warmer climates, the ice sheet was wetter and much less stable. The experts found that this instability occurred when atmospheric temperatures and carbon dioxide levels were similar to, or slightly higher than, what they are today.

“We are already seeing the effects of rising seas caused by melting ice sheets and ocean warming,” said Dr. Shevenell. “There is enough ice in our study region alone to raise global sea level by as much as 15 feet. This, in isolation, would be catastrophic to Florida."

Dr. Shevenell explained that loss of ice mass is primarily due to warming ocean waters which melt ice shelves and glaciers from below.

"Our records of surface-meltwater production during past warm climates indicate that in the future, Antarctica will also experience ice melt from above, as air temperatures warm and carbon dioxide increases," said Dr. Shevenell.

"Thus, we might expect regional glaciers to become more unstable as atmosphere and ocean temperatures warm. This observation suggests that existing climate and ice sheet models likely underestimate East Antarctica's contribution to global sea level rise."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Steffen Saustraup/The University of Texas at Austin

Melting ice sheet could dramatically impact the Florida coastline

Research published this week in the journal Nature reveals that...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sierra-nevada-mountains-taller/">Droughts</a> are common in the western United States, with parts of California in a seemingly perpetual state of drought. Megadroughts, however, occur when a drought lasts 30 years or more, and have happened only a handful of times in the past 1200 years. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell</a> set out to determine if megadroughts are random natural occurrence, or if climate change could cause an increase in their frequency.

The researchers created a “robust null hypothesis,” or a hypothesis that rejects or nullifies other commonly held hypothesi dealing with drought. 

“We're establishing a baseline. We're looking for the normal pulse of a megadrought. How often do they occur? Do they happen more in periods of climate change?” asked Toby Ault, the lead researcher. 

The study could help with future drought predictions and aid with planning and conservation efforts should a megadrought occur. 

A megadrought in the southwestern United States would put a strain on resources, agriculture, and the ecosystem. In order to calculate the statistical likelihood of megadrought, data has to be collected on megadroughts as far back in recorded climate history as possible. 

“We're examining things happening over the last 1,200 years - including the period known as the 'Medieval Climate Anomaly' from about 800 to 1300 A.D. - and we're applying that understanding to see what could happen in the next 100 years,” said Ault. 

For the study, the researchers analyzed tree rings and identified five instances of megadrought from 800 to 1300 AD. 

The main question for the researchers then becomes, was a warming climate, similar to what we face today the cause of those droughts? 

The researchers concluded that even if megadroughts are natural variability, it is very likely that external forces play a role in the development of megadrought. Only time will tell if the unmitigated impact of climate change could trigger the next devastating megadrought.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Could climate change trigger a megadrought in the United States?

Droughts are common in the western United States, with parts...

You cannot beat a trip to the beach for relaxation and rejuvenation, and just simply being near the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/end-ocean-plastic-litter/">ocean</a> has proven health benefits. A climate by the sea is particularly good for the respiratory organs and the skin, and is also known to strengthen the body's immunity and improve circulation. Before you plan your next trip to the coast, take a look at this list of the most stunningly beautiful beaches in the world.

&nbsp;

Trunk Bay Beach 

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Conserved within the Virgin Islands National Park, this beach is among the most photogenic places on the planet. Trunk Bay Beach has breathtaking views of white beaches against the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean.

&nbsp;

Pink Sands Beach

Harbour Island, Bahamas

Featuring three miles of pink sand and clear, turquoise water, Pink Sands Beach is a heavenly escape. The ocean is warm year-round, making it is the perfect spot for swimming.

&nbsp;

Whitehaven Beach

Queensland, Australia

This pristine white beach features the purest silica sand in the world. The unique sand does not retain heat so it is comfortable no matter how hot it gets along this stretch of Whitsunday Island, Australia.

&nbsp;

Beach Below the Ruins

Tulum, Mexico

Miles of white sandy beaches stretch out just below the ancient ruins of Tulum, and the views are incredible. This beach is known as a slow-paced, spiritual experience.

&nbsp;

Elafonissi Beach

Crete, Greece

Bright white sand against blue-green waters make Elafonissi Beach one of most gorgeous destinations on any coastline. This small island in western Crete also features black rocks, white lilies, and exotic animals.

&nbsp;

Grace Bay Beach

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Known for peace and quiet, Grace Bay Beach is widely considered the best beach in the world. Grace Bay Beach has turquoise waters and soft white sand that stretches out for 12 miles.

&nbsp;

Tortuga Bay Beach

Galapagos, Ecuador

Tortuga Bay Beach is a well-preserved and isolated beach on Santa Cruz Island. This destination is world famous for its immaculate white sand, volcanic rocks, and exotic wildlife.

&nbsp;

Blue Lagoon
Oludeniz, Turkey

The Blue Lagoon is located on the Turquoise Coast of southwestern Turkey where the Mediterranean and Aegean seas meet. The lagoon is a national marine sanctuary with unique panoramic views of lush green mountains.

&nbsp;

Matira Beach

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Located on “the Romantic Island" of Bora Bora, Matira Beach features crystal clear waters and soft sand. This magical setting in the South Pacific is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, or just relaxing under a palm tree.

&nbsp;

Sunset Beach

Oahu, Hawaii

Known for big wave surfing in the winter, Sunset Beach becomes as calm as a lake in the summer months. The two-mile stretch of wide beach located on the North Shore of Oahu looks like paradise, especially at sunset.

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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

10 of Earth’s most beautiful beaches

You cannot beat a trip to the beach for relaxation...

We felt the truck rocking and looked at each other, concerned. We were in South Dakota, parked near the edge of a bison heard wandering across and around a road. One of the furry animals had passed us in the truck and now was behind the cab, rocking the whole truck a little. Bison are large, strong and dangerous. I looked in the mirror to get a view of the animal and laughed. The bison was licking the truck. It had snowed not long ago, the roads were salted and the Bison was licking salt from the bed of the truck we were sitting in. It’s rare to see bison, much less hundreds of bison wandering the prairie as they must in the past. Moving to South Dakota opened a world of grass, a place of Bison and we were thrilled to be there.

We drove back through Custer’s wildlife loop to see the bison when they were calving, my partner smiled to see them, calling them little cheese puffs. They did look like cheese puffs, with orange-ish fur puffed out over their bodies. The babies ran and jumped like any young animal, thrilled to be alive and young.

We hiked in Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument and Badlands National Parks, all great places to see Bison. We walked through enormous prairie dog towns and spotted burrowing owls. We howled back at coyote packs and listened for their yippy reply. We hiked in snow and sun; we slept in a tent.

The Bison’s survival has depended on a complete change of policy and practice for both the American government as well as its citizens. Bison were once plinked away by the millions for hides or simply to decimate Native peoples. While killing bison, many commercial hunters poisoned the carcasses after they were skinned, indiscriminately killing eagles, foxes, coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, bears and more. Bison were a hated symbol of the wild, of enemy cultures of everything not brought under the rule of government.

Things changed when it was almost too late for the Bison. Bison were bred by ranchers in the west and the American Zoological Society at New York’s Bronx Zoo. Now zoo animals, Bison were reintroduced to places like Yellowstone and Wind Cave. Bison were stamped into nickels, the flipside of a stereotypical ‘Indian’ head.

Bison are now the official national mammal of the US. What was once the symbol of the ‘other’ has become one of our own cherished national symbols. The problem is the bison was never our symbol for the taking. The National Bison Legacy Act, which designated the Bison as our national mammal had Native American support. So, in a way the symbol of the Bison was given, not taken. I would argue it was given in the same way a treaty may be signed by the defeated: with no other option viable.

Before the Bison could be thought of as a symbol of the United States by officials, it had to be stripped of the original mythological trappings. For centuries, before white settlers set foot on American shore, bison were fraught with symbolic power. Bison were literally life to many Native American tribes. Beyond being a source of food, shelter and materials, Bison nourished Native American spirit. Tatanka is the Lakota word for Bison or Bison bull. A literal translation of Tatanka is more like, ‘He who owns us’. Tankafund.org elaborates, saying that for traditional Lakota, you cannot say what you own because the Bison owns you.

The deep cultural and ecological connection between Bison and many Native Americans is what lead to near annihilation of the Bison. If the US could smash the Bison, they could smash the plains Indians. Eventually of course a sort of peace was reached between the federal government and native peoples. Native American groups were pushed into small reservations and fed with rations from the government. Bison for a while were forgotten.

Over time things changed, the actually history of hatred and destruction was forgotten. Things were romanticized. Native Americans became a romantic, noble race who fought valiantly for freedom. Native Americans became a symbol of a west that never was to a people who have never had any love for them. Bison too became something different. With the destruction of most of what could be called wilderness imminent across North America, we became nostalgic. Bison had been tamed, herded up and redistributed into fenced parks. Why not make them a national symbol?

The problem is that by making the Bison the national symbol of the US, we declared a unity between the federal government and the enemies of the government. The US and state governments within it are still rather ambivalent about wolves, which play their own important role in Bison ecology. The same is true of bears, mountain lions, coyotes, prairie dogs and many, many more. The government still leases out prime bison habitat for cattle ranching.

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/american-bison-bison-bison/">Bison</a> as official symbol, like many American promises is one that still must be kept. Equality was an American byword for a long time before women could vote, before African Americans and Native Americans could vote. I hope as a symbol the bison with a shake of shaggy head can lead us to a place where the Bison can be what it’s really always been: a wild animal.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/bison.png"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-988061 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/bison.png" alt="" width="536" height="355" /></a>

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By <a href="zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bison: An American survival story

We felt the truck rocking and looked at each other,...

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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



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.

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



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.

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 



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.

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



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.

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



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.

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



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.

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



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.

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



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.

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



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.

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



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.

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

[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



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

[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



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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