Recent research highlights the link between air pollution and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, particularly those with a genetic predisposition.&nbsp;



The study explores the role of nitric oxide (NO) and other pollutants in triggering complex biological responses that can impact neurodevelopment.



The research was led by Dr. Haitham Amal, head of the Laboratory of Neuromics, Cell Signaling, and Translational Medicine at the <a href="https://en.huji.ac.il/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hebrew University</a> of Jerusalem.



“Meeting families and children with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/autism-diagnoses-have-almost-tripled-in-the-us-over-the-past-ten-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">autism</a> in Boston during my time at MIT inspired me to focus on a single goal: to help develop biological diagnostics and treatment for autism spectrum disorder,” Amal said.&nbsp;



This encounter shaped his career, leading him to investigate the ways environmental and genetic factors combine to influence ASD risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-s-impact-on-neurodevelopment">Pollution’s impact on neurodevelopment</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-how-air-pollution-forms-may-help-us-prevent-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Air pollution</a> contains several harmful elements, including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and ozone. 



These pollutants, when inhaled, can bypass the blood-brain barrier, leading to inflammation and changes in neural functioning. 



The research emphasizes how particles such as PM2.5 - microscopic particles from sources like construction and car exhaust - and NO products can cross the placenta, directly impacting fetal brain development.&nbsp;



“My lab has shown that nitric oxide plays a major role in ASD,” Amal said, highlighting NO’s key role in brain health.



The review notes how urban areas with high pollution levels, such as Phoenix, San Jose, and Eugene, expose residents, particularly expectant mothers, to levels of pollution that may impact early childhood development.&nbsp;



A report from the <a href="https://www.lung.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Lung Association</a> shows that 39 percent of the U.S. population lives in areas with concerning air quality, which, combined with genetic predispositions, could be a driving factor behind rising autism rates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-exposure-and-biological-pathways">Pollution exposure and biological pathways</h2>



The review presents evidence of several biological pathways that may link pollution exposure to increased autism risk.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nitrosative-stress-and-nitric-oxide">Nitrosative stress and nitric oxide</h3>



Nitrosative stress caused by NO has been shown to affect neurological development. This was one of Dr. Amal’s foundational discoveries.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neuroinflammation-and-oxidative-stress">Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress</h3>



Inhaled pollutants can prompt inflammation within the brain, which interferes with nerve development, potentially contributing to the behavioral symptoms associated with autism.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neurotransmitter-disruption">Neurotransmitter disruption</h3>



Pollutants may interrupt the balance of crucial brain chemicals like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dopamine-helps-us-learn-from-positive-and-negative-experiences/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dopamine</a> and norepinephrine, which play a role in decision-making and overall cognitive development.



The experts reviewed studies on both human and animal models to examine these biological effects, linking the presence of certain pollutants to changes in neural functioning. 



The findings show that pollutants, particularly NO, can cross the placenta and directly affect the fetus.&nbsp;



This sensitivity during prenatal and early childhood development stages, when the brain is rapidly growing, makes the body especially vulnerable to external factors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-convergence-of-genetics-and-environment">Convergence of genetics and environment</h2>



Autism has a strong genetic component, with estimates suggesting that 40-80% of cases may have a genetic basis. However, the scientists argue that genetics alone cannot explain the condition’s rising prevalence.&nbsp;



“The timing of exposure appears crucial, with heightened vulnerability during prenatal development and early childhood,” Amal explained.&nbsp;



The review suggests that while a genetic predisposition to autism can increase sensitivity to pollutants, environmental triggers -- especially air pollution -- may interact with genetics to further elevate autism risk.



A separate Harvard study showed that exposure to fine particulate matter early in life may increase the risk of autism by up to 64 percent, and prenatal exposure may elevate risk by 31 percent. 



This interaction between genes and environment presents a new model for understanding autism’s etiology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-interventions-for-at-risk-populations-nbsp">Early interventions for at-risk populations&nbsp;</h2>



As air quality deteriorates with urban expansion, there is an urgent need to assess pollution’s impact on vulnerable populations.&nbsp;



Amal’s findings suggest that governments may need to adjust urban planning and pollution monitoring to safeguard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prenatal-pollution-exposure-linked-to-cognitive-impairment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prenatal</a> health.



The study also points to future research opportunities, particularly in developing biomarkers for early ASD detection.&nbsp;



By identifying specific indicators of pollution-related neurological stress, doctors may one day be able to screen infants and at-risk populations with greater accuracy.



“Different kinds of neurological disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, can be associated with this environmental factor,” Amal said.&nbsp;



His team is examining whether combining genetic and environmental data can improve diagnostics, which could enable earlier intervention for at-risk populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-and-autism-prevalence">Pollution and autism prevalence </h2>



The study calls for extensive research to explore how various pollutants impact brain development.&nbsp;



“The research suggests that individuals with genetic predisposition to ASD may be more vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution exposure,” Amal said.&nbsp;



As ASD prevalence rises worldwide, this research may drive the development of preventive policies, such as targeted air quality monitoring in cities.



In addition, Amal’s work highlights the need for preventive strategies in communities facing heightened pollution levels.&nbsp;



His insights may prompt city planners, healthcare providers, and families to prioritize air quality improvements, especially in high-risk areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-and-neurological-disorders">Pollution and neurological disorders</h2>



Amal’s pioneering work not only contributes to autism research but has implications for other neurological conditions.&nbsp;



The connections he draws between nitric oxide, ASD, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-disease-attacks-the-brain-in-two-separate-phases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s disease</a> suggest shared molecular pathways. By addressing NO-related neuroinflammation, treatments may eventually target multiple brain conditions.



The study ultimately underscores the power of interdisciplinary research in addressing complex conditions like autism.&nbsp;



As Amal concludes, his laboratory’s commitment to examining environmental factors alongside genetic predispositions could significantly impact the landscape of neurological disorder treatment, benefiting both current and future generations.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bm.genomicpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BM0115-Amal-2024.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brain Medicine</a>.



-----



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Air pollution discovered to be a "critical risk factor" for autism

Recent research highlights the link between air pollution and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, particularly those with a genetic predisposition.&nbsp; The study explores the role of nitric oxide (NO) and other pollutants in triggering complex biological responses that can impact neurodevelopment. The research was led by Dr. Haitham Amal, head of the Laboratory of Neuromics, Cell Signaling, and Translational Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “Meeting families and children with autism in Boston during my time at MIT inspired me to...

Technology use is estimated to account for 7 percent of the world's total <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/power-infrastructure-climate-change/">electricity</a> consumption. Between manufacturing devices and powering data centers, this consumption will continue to rise alongside the demand for the Internet. 

Fortunately, many tech companies are making a commitment to build an Internet that is powered by renewable resources. The following companies are blazing a new path toward ditching fossil fuels and using renewable energy, as well as taking other significant measures to help protect our planet.

Apple

After pledging in 2012 to transition to 100 percent renewable energy, Apple now tops the list of the greenest tech companies. According to the company's tenth annual “Environmental Responsibility Report,” Apple reduced its carbon emissions by nearly 585,000 metric tons as of 2016. In addition, Apple’s new headquarters will utilize an estimated 700,000 square feet of solar panels.


Google

With a mission of reaching 100 percent renewable energy for their operations worldwide, Google is set to reach their goal this year. Senior Vice President of Technical Infrastructure Urs Holzle says, “We’re more committed than ever to the environment, and we believe that businesses, governments, and citizens all have critical roles to play in ensuring that we have clean air, water, soil, and healthy forests.” 

Facebook

As over a billion people use Facebook apps and services, the company is consistently working to reduce its carbon footprint.

“As we work toward our mission, we’re focused on conserving energy and water, sourcing clean and renewable energy to power our operations, and creating sustainable work environments for our employees.” 

Microsoft

In their 2017 social responsibility report, Microsoft States, “We believe innovation and sustainability go hand in hand. In the past year, we completed our largest wind energy purchase to date, allowing our Wyoming datacenter to be fully powered by clean energy, and our new AI for Earth initiative aims to address some of the world’s toughest environmental challenges.”

Switch

In 2016, Switch began the construction of two solar power stations in Las Vegas which have the ability to power all of the company's data facilities with 100 percent renewable energy and eliminate 265,000 tons of carbon emissions. The company also increased the efficiency of their cooling towers and saved 155 million gallons of water in just three years.

Salesforce

Salesforce strives to integrate sustainability into every aspect of its operations. Senior Director of Sustainability Patrick Flynn says, “The planet needs immediate action, our customers expect us to take a leadership role, and we’re proud to provide them a carbon neutral cloud. Committing to work toward 100% renewable energy is an important step on our ongoing sustainability journey.”

Akamai

With a mission to be a leader in environmental responsibility, Akamai also supports green technological innovation. The organization purchased a wind farm in May that is expected to provide all of Akamai Texas data centers with 100 percent renewable power. “We are proud to take a leadership role in helping enable an open, secure and environmentally friendly Internet.”

IBM

“Today's energy—and climate—related issues are at the top of our strategic agenda. IBM solutions can help customers reduce costs and systemically minimize energy, water, carbon emissions and waste. IBM is helping customers to become more energy efficient, implement new ways to source, manufacture and distribute goods and services in a more sustainable manner, enable safe and renewable sources of energy and manage resources at a macro level, transforming entire industries.”

Amazon

Amazon has a goal of installing solar power to over 50 fulfillment centers by 2020. “At Amazon, we are putting our scale and inventive culture to work on sustainability not only because it is good for the environment, but also for the customer. By diversifying our energy portfolio, we can keep business costs low and pass along further savings to customers. It's a win-win-win.”

HP 

HP has set out to not only reduce their own carbon emissions, but also the carbon emissions of their suppliers. The company has also set ambitious targets toward water and energy efficiency. “We’re proud of our progress, and we’re inspired by the positive impact we’re seeing. But there’s still work to be done,” says CEO Dion Wiesler. “Every day is a chance to turn change into opportunity, set the bar higher, and keep reinventing for a better world.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The 10 greenest tech companies

Technology use is estimated to account for 7 percent of...

With regions across the country experiencing summer-like temperatures well into October, it may come as no surprise that the winter season in the United States is getting shorter. Weather statistics from over 100 years show that the freeze season is now arriving over a month later than it did in the 20th century.

This month, just 40 percent of the country saw their first freeze by October 23rd versus the expected 65 percent, according to Jeff Masters of <a href="https://www.wunderground.com/">Weather Underground</a>. Further evidence of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-europe-drought/">changing climate</a>, the delayed freezing temperatures have both good and bad consequences. The fruit and vegetable growing season lasts longer, yet so do warm weather pests and outdoor allergy triggers.

Ken Kunkel, a meteorologist at the <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/">National Centers for Environmental Information</a>, examined data from 700 weather stations across the United States going back to 1895. Kunkel determined that the delayed freezing trend started around 1980. He also found the freeze season in 2016 started two weeks later than the 20th century average, and the last spring frost occurred generally nine days earlier. 

Overall, the winter freeze of 2016 was more than a month shorter than that of 1916. The Pacific Northwest was affected the most, with the frost season in Oregon declining by 61 days. Kunkel told the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a> that the 2016 season was “way off the charts.”

Kunkel and other scientists agree that the freeze trend is an expected result of global warming, but also has some ties human activities. Kevin Trenberth, a climate scientist at the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a>, said the exceptionally later freeze “represents the kind of conditions that will be more routine in a decade or two” due to manmade climate change.

According to Jason Furtado, a professor of Meteorology at the <a href="https://www.ou.edu/">University of Oklahoma</a>, this shrinking freeze season is what climate scientists have long predicted.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cold winter weather arriving later and leaving earlier in the U.S.

With regions across the country experiencing summer-like temperatures well into...

As the global population grows and carbon dioxide emissions increase, future generations will become even more susceptible to the devastating impacts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-costing-billions/">climate change</a>. According to a new study, the value that society chooses to place on the human population will directly affect how much money is invested in policies, such as carbon taxes, to protect future generations.

The cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions will become billions or more over the next few decades, causing major challenges for policymakers. A research team set out to identify the ideal measures of climate mitigation, and used a climate-economic model to evaluate two different approaches to valuing the human population.

One approach assessed by the researchers assumes that society hopes to improve upon the number of people who experience well-being and happiness. The other approach assumes that society prefers to increase the average overall happiness and well-being of a population. 

The researchers found that with both ethical approaches, a smaller population could save billions of dollars on climate change prevention policies. These findings offer insights into the influence of population growth and population ethics on climate change and human development policy. 

The experts also determined that investment in human development programs could result in avoided climate change mitigation costs enough to pay for the programs themselves. Noah Scovronick is the study’s co-lead author and a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University's Program in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP), which is based at the <a href="http://wws.princeton.edu/">Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs</a>.

"With higher population growth, more people will be vulnerable to climate change. Understanding how much society values those future people should be an influential component of climate policy decisions," said Scovronick. 

Under both ethical approaches, wealthier regions would save the most per capita. But if society desires to increase average happiness instead of wanting to increase the number of people who are happy, the result is mitigation cost savings of tens of billions of dollars a year. 

"We have a responsibility to protect future people against unacceptable levels of harm from climate change, but how should we value them in our policy analyses?" said co-lead author Mark Budolfson from the <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/">University of Vermont</a>. "That's the essential question of this research, and we hope future research will investigate this further."

The study published in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> (PNAS).
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How much do people actually care about future generations?

As the global population grows and carbon dioxide emissions increase,...

Scientists from the <a href="https://le.ac.uk/">University of Leicester</a> are sharing a new theory on how small animals change their movement behavior based on environmental cues. The researchers are introducing a concept that links an animal’s movement pattern to both biological traits, such as mass and body shape, and to environmental properties.

The theory demonstrates how different movement patterns may occur as a natural balance of the animal's force and its behavioral response to environmental cues. These cues are often information about the location of food sources, predators, and mating partners.

The hypothesis is based on two assumptions. First, a foraging animal must continuously exert a certain amount of force to overcome the friction from the environment while in motion. Second, the animal must adjust its speed according to the signals received from its environment, such as a lurking predator, and exert additional force.

Sergei Petrovskii is the lead author of the study from the University of Leicester's Department of Mathematics. 

"For the last two decades, the patterns of animal movement have been an issue of high controversy and sometimes even a heated debate,” said Petrovskii. "The traditional view is that a foraging animal disperses in space in a slow, diffusive way, similar to how small inanimate 'Brownian' particles moves in physical systems. It has been challenged by growing evidence that under some conditions animals may perform a faster 'Levy walk', which is also thought to provide a more efficient search strategy.”

"However, how animals actually choose between the two patterns remained a mystery,” continued Petrovskii. “Our new theoretical study sheds a new light on this problem."

The newly introduced theory works best for small animals such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-lost-nature-reserves/">insects</a>, small fish, and small birds. The research, which is published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/scientificreports">Scientific Reports</a>, could help inform experts on the behavior of smaller animals in order to better protect them.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Environmental clues guide the movement of small animals

Scientists from the University of Leicester are sharing a new...

Fans of the second Ace Ventura film will recall the endless jokes about bat poop, also known as guano. In real life, bat guano is actually an important source of fuel and fertilizer, and now scientists have found that it can also provide important clues about climate change.

Ice and sediment core samples can provide scientists with a detailed history of climate conditions dating back thousands and even millions of years. Researchers often rely on these core samples to better understand the effects of climate change, and see how the Earth fared years ago during drastic changes in weather. 

Now, a new study from the <a href="http://www.usf.edu/">University of South Florida</a> discovered that bat poop could also show how the climate in East-Central Europe has changed since 850 AD. 

The researchers examined isotopes in bat guano found in a cave in northwestern Romania dating back over 1,000 years. 

Scientists can determine climate conditions from core samples by looking at changes in chemical composition throughout the different layers. In this study, the researchers were able to determine climate changes by looking at nitrogen isotopes in a large pile of bat guano found in the cave. 

Because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-bats-whose-teeth-used-currency/">bats</a> return time and time again to the same location, similar to stalagmites grow due to precipitation dripping from the cave ceiling, and bat guano can pile up considerably over time. 

The South Florida study analyzed bat guano from a three-meter pile that has been accumulating for more than a thousand years. The researchers found an almost annual record of winter precipitation for the area in Romania within the cave samples going back 1,200 years. 

This is the first time a study has been able to provide a paleo-record of climate in East-Central Europe using bat guano found in a cave. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bat poop actually provides valuable insights about climate change

Fans of the second Ace Ventura film will recall the...

Combating climate change will take a mass effort on both global and local scales. But now that the Trump administration has pledged to dismantle the Obama-era <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pruitt-clean-power-plan/">Clean Power Plan</a>, new strategies will be needed to forge ahead. 

A recent study from the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT) offers some new ideas of how cities can combat the effects of climate change on a local level. Co-authored by professor David Hsu, the study suggests that cities should focus on cutting emissions from residential use as opposed to transportation.

The research found that cities could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by changing planning policies and residential building codes with smarter building practices, as opposed to increased housing density.

According to the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/">U.S Energy Information Administration</a>, housing accounts for 20 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States.

“Our take-home message is that cities can do a lot at the local level with housing stock. In transportation, cities can't make up for the loss of a national strategy,” said Pro Hsu.

Some cities that don’t see as much residential development, such as Houston or Phoenix, won’t gain as much from new policies. But changes in planning and building still have potential to mitigate climate change across the board. 

“You can do a lot of things at the local level to affect housing stock that are basically equivalent or even more aggressive than the Clean Power Plan,” said Hsu. 

For the study, the researchers collected economic, environmental and demographic data from eleven major cities in the United States: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Seattle.

The data was then used to help develop models that would project greenhouse gas emissions through the year 2030 based on different scenarios involving changes in housing and development and later, transportation.

Some of the scenarios that cut emissions included putting in place new energy-efficient construction standards, building multi-family homes, and retrofitting old homes to be more efficient.

The results showed that retrofitting existing homes to be energy efficient had the potential to reduce emissions by 19 percent by 2030, and changing building plans to make new houses energy efficient would reduce emissions by 6 percent.

In terms of transportation, running similar emission simulations found that a federal mandate increasing fuel efficiency to 54.5 miles per gallon would reduce carbon emissions by 38 percent.  

It’s important to note that the results of the study vary from city to city.  

The researchers add that it will be up to each city to find the best courses of action to reduce climate change, but the research indicates that reductions are possible with just a few policy changes. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How cities can best combat climate change on a local level

Combating climate change will take a mass effort on both...

Peatland plants play an important role in offsetting harmful carbon dioxide emissions, despite the fact that they are not very widespread across the globe. And now, a team of scientists from the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a> and the <a href="https://www.uu.nl/en">University of Utrecht</a> have revealed that these plants are also adapting surprisingly well to climate change.

While some species of plants that make up a peat bog may fall victim to rising temperatures and increasing levels of atmospheric sulphur and nitrogen, other species will take their place which are more resilient and function similarly.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indonesia-peatlands-reduce-fires/">Peatlands</a> play a critical role in the planet's carbon cycle. Globally, they store more than 500 billion tons of carbon - the equivalent to 67 percent of carbon in the Earth's atmosphere. According to The International Mire Conservation Group, protecting peatland could offset up to ten percent of carbon emissions worldwide.

Dr. Vincent Jassey is the co-first author of the study.

"Peatlands store a huge amount of CO2 that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere to contribute to global warming,” said Dr. Jassey. “In addition they provide the majority of our drinking water. For these reasons alone, protecting these environments should be high on the political agenda."

For the analysis, co-first author Dr. Bjorn Robroek visited 56 peat bogs across northern Europe. He documented the species that grow there and examined the relationships between the species, the climate, and the atmospheric composition.

The research showed different types of vegetation between individual peat bogs, but similar levels of biodiversity. Upon further investigation, the team identified two clusters of different plant species growing together in each individual bog. One group of plants was found to thrive in higher temperatures and precipitation, while the other was discovered to prosper in lower temperatures and less precipitation.

Because the plants in the two groups have similar biological functions, the researchers determined that bogs can continue to function properly despite changes in their composition.

"While studies of other plant communities have shown that environmental change has a negative effect on species richness, the effects on peatlands seem minimal,” said Dr. Robroek. “In other words, peatlands seem rather resilient in the face of environmental change, with species replacing each other to create different compositions in the plant community.

The research is published in <a href="http://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

Good news! Peatland plants are equipped to survive climate change

Peatland plants play an important role in offsetting harmful carbon...

As environmental issues take center stage in world politics, citizens across the globe are also taking notice. While many of the impacts of crises such as climate change and pollution are out of sight and out of mind, scientists and filmmakers have been working for years to produce irrefutable evidence that human activities are causing devastating changes to our planet. 

The following are the ten best documentaries to help raise environmental awareness.

&nbsp;

A River of Waste (2009)

This film exposes the shocking reality of factory farms, which produce massive amounts of waste that spill into our waterways. This pollution combined with the use of dangerous levels of antibiotics and growth hormones threaten not only human health but also the health of the planet.

Directed by Don McCorkell

&nbsp;

Sea The Truth (2010)

This documentary reveals that we are emptying our oceans. 90 percent of all large fish are gone due to overfishing. Fish could become completely wiped out over the next 40 years if we continue to catch and eat them at the current rate.

Directed by: Claudine Everaert and 
Gertjan Zwanikken

&nbsp;

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

When Al Gore lost the presidential election in 2000, he went on a worldwide mission to raise awareness about the dangers of global warming. This critically-acclaimed film follows him as he lectures about the urgent need for climate change awareness.

Directed by: Davis Guggenheim

&nbsp;

Chasing Ice (2012)

This film is an astonishing up-close look at the world's rapidly vanishing ice glaciers. The documentary includes footage of a massive calving event in Greenland, the longest event of this kind ever captured on film.

Directed by: Jeff Orlowski

&nbsp;

Anthropocene (2015)

Scientists warn that we are in the midst of the Earth’s sixth mass extinction, which is referred to as The Anthropocene. They believe this new geological age is a direct result of human activities. According to the film, today's CO2 levels have risen 100 times faster than they did at the end of the last Ice Age.

Directed by: Steve Bradshaw

&nbsp;

Green: Death Of The Forests (2009)

This documentary takes an in-depth look at the causes and shocking consequences of deforestation in Indonesia. The stunning images, which have no human narration, are shown from the point of view of a dying orangutan whose habitat has been destroyed.

Directed by: Patrick Rouxel

&nbsp;

Chasing Coral (2017)

Coral reefs around the world are disappearing at an alarming rate, with half disappearing in just the last 30 years. Underwater photographers expose the tragic reality that something must be urgently done to save coral reefs before they are gone forever. See Earth.com's featured review <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chasing-coral-movie-review/">here</a>!

Directed by: Jeff Orlowski

&nbsp;

Plastic China (2016)

As the biggest importer of plastic waste, China takes in over 10 million tons of plastic every year. This award-winning motion picture exposes the environmental and health impacts of this industry, as well as the effects that it has on the lives of impoverished Chinese workers.

Directed by: Jiuliang Wang

&nbsp;

Acid Test - The Global Challenge Of Ocean Acidification (2009)

This film was made to raise awareness about ocean acidification, which threatens marine life as well as all life on our planet. The ocean is acidifying at a rate faster than it has in the last 300 million years due to massive amounts of carbon dioxide.

Directed by: Tristan Bayer and Daniel Hinerfeld

&nbsp;

The 11th Hour (2007)

Filmmakers enlisted the help of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and over 50 other scientists to discuss the reality of how human activities have damaged Earth’s ecosystems, and what can be done to reverse this damage before it is too late to heal the planet.

Directed by: Nadia Conners and Leila Conners

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The top 10 documentaries about planet Earth

As environmental issues take center stage in world politics, citizens...

Scientists have found that protected marine reserves can help oyster populations recover by use of larval “spillover” if the conditions are right. In one of the first studies of its kind, researchers demonstrated the marine population benefits of combining different habitat restoration strategies.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oysters-quickly-close-shells/">Oysters</a> are not only key components of marine ecosystems, but are also important for coastal economies. For thousands of years, oysters have been a source of food that supports commercial fisheries around the world. 

Compared to past levels of oysters, there is now an 85 percent decline in oyster beds due to overfishing and habitat destruction. One way to restore oyster populations is by designating areas where fishing is not allowed.Fish that live in such marine protected areas (MPAs) often recover significantly in both size and abundance compared to areas where fishing is not restricted. MPAs may also boost fish populations through larval spillover, even though evidence of this is limited.

Marine ecologist Dr. David Eggleston has been coordinating with other scientists in an effort to restore oyster populations in Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, which is the second largest estuary in the country. The project has successfully restored oyster reefs in both reserves and harvested areas.

Dr. Eggleston and his team began this study over 20 years ago to determine whether habitat restoration and harvest protection are providing the intended benefits. In particular, they wanted to examine whether reserves are providing larval spillover to harvested areas.

The researchers compared oysters in the following three habitat types: natural reefs that are harvested, restored reefs that are harvested, and restored reefs that are protected from harvest. The findings confirmed the advantages of restored MAPs. The oysters were up to 72 times more abundant in these protected regions.

The evaluation also showed that potential larval output was around 6 times higher in the restored reefs, indicating that more larvae overflows from reserves to harvested reefs than the other way around. Therefore, reserves can contribute substantially to the larval supply of the overall oyster population.

"Marine reserves and habitat restoration offer clear demographic benefits to target oyster populations, particularly when used in concert," said Dr. Eggleston. "Our research shows that no-take reserves with restored habitat can have significant positive impacts on oyster population densities, size-structure and potential larval output. Restored reefs that are harvested can also show increased potential larval output."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Marine reserves thrive more with habitat restoration strategies

Scientists have found that protected marine reserves can help oyster...

Climate change projections had predicted drought conditions in Europe, and that is now starting to become a reality, according to a new study.

Two major drought indices used by drought monitoring agencies in Europe are deviating from one another in fashion consistent with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-costing-billions/">climate change</a> simulations. 

As the effects of climate change worsen, the Mediterranean region has been getting drier, says new research published in the journal Scientific Reports.

"There have been a lot of projections, but now that we're starting to see the projections and observations line up, it's not a question of 'is it happening?' It's a question of 'how much?' And 'what do we do,'" said James Stagge, the lead author from <a href="https://www.usu.edu/">Utah State University</a>. 

As temperatures are increasing across Europe, this in turn increases evapotranspiration, where water that evaporates from the ground and goes back into the atmosphere. 

One of the two major drought indices used my monitoring agencies considers evapotranspiration, but the other does not. 

“When you include evapotranspiration, the border from where it's getting wetter to where it's getting drier is pushing farther and farther north. So it's not just the Mediterranean that's getting drier. It's pushing up into Germany and England. It's moving everything farther north,” said Stagge.

The results of the study show the need to continually monitor drought conditions in Europe as they pertain to climate change. The drought indices, in particular, should be reconsidered so both factor in a changing global climate.

“Indices that were standardized in the past may drift significantly in a changing climate depending on how a data set is measured and what time period is considered,” said Stagge. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Andrzej Boldaniuk

Climate change in real time: Europe drought matches predictions

Climate change projections had predicted drought conditions in Europe, and...

The last time the Yellowstone supervolcano erupted was 63,000 years ago and it impacted the entire global climate.

Now, a new study has found that instead of one eruption changing the course of history, it was actually two closely spaced super-eruptions that briefly halted a global warming trend and caused a cooling effect on Earth.

Geologists from the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara</a> analyzed sediments in the Santa Barbara Basin off the coast of Southern California and discovered layers of tephra or volcanic ash in the sediment. 

The researchers found that within the layers of sediment there were indications of two <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-volcanic-eruptions/">eruptions</a> taking place 170 years apart.  

“We discovered here that there are two ash-forming super-eruptions 170 years apart and each cooled the ocean by about 3 degrees Celsius,” said Jim Kennett, a geologist who worked on the project and who presented the study’s findings at the annual meeting of the <a href="https://www.geosociety.org/">Geological Society of America</a>. 

The researchers were able to estimate the effect of the eruptions on climate due to two things. First, the layers of sediment themselves, which can be used to measure time spanning back millions of years. 

The Santa Barbara Basin collects about one millimeter of sediment per year, so core samples measured in millimeters can trace back the geological record of the basin thousands of years. 

Another element was the presence of foraminifera in the sediment samples. Foraminifera are tiny marine creatures whose shells contain oxygen and can be used to estimate temperatures at the time the shell was formed. 

These two conditions, along with the fact that the core samples remained uncontaminated by marine animals who might have burrowed into the sediment disrupting the geological record, led the researchers to discover that two eruptions occurred and altered the Earth’s climate. 

Both of the eruptions caused separate volcanic winters, according to the researchers. Volcanic winters occur when ash and sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere block sunlight from reaching the Earth's surface which has a cooling effect. 

In this case, the two eruptions caused cooling periods that lasted longer than is typical, and the researchers have some theories as to what could have caused that. One possibility is a change in ocean circulation at the time the eruptions occurred. 

“It was a fickle, but fortunate time. If these eruptions had happened during another climate state we may not have detected the climatic consequences because the cooling episodes would not have lasted so long,” said Kennett. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

The last Yellowstone eruptions changed the planet

The last time the Yellowstone supervolcano erupted was 63,000 years...

It is projected that by the year 2050, there will be an additional 25 million kilometers of new paved roads all around the globe. That’s enough roadways to circle the planet over 600 times. In Asia’s developing countries alone, paved roads are expected to double in length.

Why is this important? According to a new study led by William Laurance of <a href="https://www.jcu.edu.au/">James Cook University</a>, this global uptick of new roads comes with a plethora of economic, social, and environmental dangers.

“We’ve scrutinized major roads and infrastructure projects around the world,” said Laurance, “and it’s remarkable how many have serious hidden costs and risks.”

Co-authored by Irene Burgués Arrea, an economist who has studied road-building costs and benefits in Latin America and Africa, the study was published in the journal Science. The researchers say that the most urgent priority is limiting millions of kilometers of new roads that are being planned or already being built in high-rainfall areas. This is mostly occurring in developing nations in Asia, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-humans-africa/">Africa</a>, and Latin America. 

“This is where ambition for quick profits meets nearly impossible engineering,” says Laurance. “Rainfall-drenched roads develop pot-holes, giant cracks and landslides so fast it’s nearly unbelievable. They can quickly turn into giant money-losers."

Burgués Arrea also adds that adding in the environmental and social costs of building these roads, it’s clear that there is very little upside to their construction. 

“The public often ends up with major debts from failed roads. A few road developers and politicians get rich, but vital development opportunities are easily squandered,” explains Laurance. “It’s remarkable how many nations, investors, and lenders are failing to see the profound risks of road expansion in wet tropical environments, which are also the world’s biologically richest ecosystems.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: William Laurance

Worldwide road building boom costly for the environment

It is projected that by the year 2050, there will...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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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