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...

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, ranking only below tea as the most consumed beverage in the world. 

It’s a 20 billion dollar industry, and it’s everywhere. You can find coffee at your local grocery store, in your local cafe, and ready to be served at your favorite restaurant, even though the beans were most likely grown halfway around the world. 

Coffee’s popularity is no surprise, but what is surprising is how fragile and susceptible coffee trees are. 

According to Hanna Neuschwander of <a href="https://worldcoffeeresearch.org/">World Coffee Research</a> in an interview with <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/business/the-race-to-save-coffee/?undefined=&amp;utm_term=.34e01c9d1d15&amp;wpisrc=nl_headlines&amp;wpmm=1">Washington Post</a>, the demand for coffee will double by 2050, but climate change, disease, and pests will reduce the amount of land suitable for growing coffee by half. 

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-consumption-lower-death/">coffee</a> industry will be in serious jeopardy if more is not done to help make the coffee bean hardier in the face of a changing climate. 

The coffee plant needs particular conditions to thrive and dry after being harvested. Too much rain or a dry heat wave could wipe out entire crops or give rise to disease and pests like nematodes and coffee rust. 

Coffee comes from either arabica beans or robusta beans, and because of this exclusivity, farmers have been “inbreeding” plants for generations. This is yet another reason why the coffee tree is so delicate. 

While other crops like corn and soybeans are constantly being improved upon, coffee farmers often lack the means to invest in technology that could help protect their livelihood. 

World Coffee Research was formed as a response to these concerns about the future of coffee and are currently at the head of some exciting scientific advancements that could help save coffee. 

A new plant called an F1 hybrid was described by the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a> as a kind of “super plant” that could offer high yields, would be more resilient, and wouldn’t lose any of the rich flavors we have come to know and love with coffee. 

Centroamericano is one of the few F1 hybrids that are currently on the market, but again, lack of resources make distribution and planting the hybrids difficult for local coffee farmers. 

World Coffee Research is aware of these problems and will continue to work to find coffee solutions before it’s too late.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Climate change could devastate the coffee industry

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the...

A global analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has revealed that CO2 levels have stalled for the third consecutive year. While <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-co2-emissions-mean-protein-deficiency-millions/">CO2 emissions</a> are still the most predominant, these emissions slowed down in 2012 and stalled over the three years that followed.

The assessment, which is conducted by the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en">European Commission Joint Research Centre</a> (JRC) and the <a href="http://www.pbl.nl/en/">Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency</a> (PBL), is based on the continuous monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) across the globe.

The study showed that Russia, China, Japan, and the United States continued to lower CO2 emissions. Emissions in the European Union (EU) remained the same as the previous year, and India's emissions continued to increase.

While the main source of CO2 emissions is industry, the primary source of CH4 and N2O emissions is agriculture. Because data on energy-related activities is updated more often than data on agricultural activities, levels of methane and nitrous oxide are only available up until 2012 in the report. 

In addition to not being released as frequently, measurements of CH4 and N2O emissions are also not as precise as estimates of fossil carbon dioxide emissions. Data through 2012 shows a steady increase in overall global GHG emissions, with an increase of 91 percent from 1970 to 2012.

In the EU, six countries account for 60 percent of the CH4 and N2O emissions - Germany, UK, France, Poland, Italy and Spain. The rise in methane and nitrous oxide emissions is also apparent in the United States, China, Japan and India.

On the other hand, the EU has steadily decreased its CO2 emissions over the last two decades, which represent two-thirds of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions.

The evaluation is based on the JRC's Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR), which is exceptional in its space and time coverage and also in its completeness and consistency of data on emissions of greenhouse gases, air pollutants, and aerosols. The report contains fact sheets for 216 countries that cover various emissions from 1970 to 2016.

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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

Global CO2 emissions stalled for the third straight year

A global analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has revealed...

Flying insect populations have decreased by more than 75 percent in some parts of the world. 

A new study, conducted by ecologists from <a href="http://www.ru.nl/english/">Radboud University</a> in the Netherlands along with German and English researchers, found that insect biomass has drastically reduced at a rate far worse than previously predicted. 

The study was published in the journal PLoS ONE. 

Researchers collected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fragile-insects-heat-reproduction/">insect</a> data over 27 years in 63 different locations in nature reserves in Germany. The researchers analyzed the data to calculate the biomass or number of insects living in those areas. 

The results of the study show that there is a 76 percent decline in insect numbers, even in protected reserves where population decline is supposed to be mitigated. 

“All these areas are protected, and most of them are managed nature reserves. Yet, this dramatic decline has occurred,” said Caspar Hallmann, one of the project researchers who performed the statistical analyses. 

The researchers are not sure what has caused this drastic decline, but the drop in numbers is cause for serious concern. 

Researchers tried to pinpoint what could have been the catalyst for the population decline, but changes in weather and landscape did not seem to have any impact on the results. 

The results are not independent of German nature reserves, as the researchers suspect that the agriculture makeup used to keep nature reserves enclosed might have something to do with the decline.

“The research areas are mostly small and enclosed by agricultural areas. These surrounding areas inflict flying insects, and they cannot survive there. It is possible that these areas act as an 'ecological trap' and jeopardize the populations in the nature reserves,” said Hallmann. 

Insects are an important part of the ecosystem, and any drastic drops in population could have an adverse affect on the health and survival of other species in surrounding areas. 

Although the cause of the decline is unknown, the researchers say conservation is extremely important. 

“The only thing we can do right now is to maintain the utmost caution. We need to do less of the things that we know have a negative impact, such as the use of pesticides and prevent the disappearance of farmland borders full of flowers. But we also have to work hard at extending our nature reserves and decreasing the ratio of reserves that border agricultural areas,” said Hans de Kroon, the leader of the project. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

75 percent of insects lost in protected nature reserves

Flying insect populations have decreased by more than 75 percent...

Research from the <a href="https://www.stir.ac.uk/">University of Stirling</a> indicates that hydropower generation in the Amazon impacts the environment more than previously estimated. The experts say that past calculations were inaccurate because they failed to take into account forest fragmentation. 

The study focused on lianas, long-stemmed woody vines, within the Balbina hydroelectric dam in Brazil. Lianas inhibit tree growth as they compete with trees for water and light. 

In some areas, lianas outnumber the trees and stunt the growth of the forest. Food sources for animals disappear and the ability of the forest to store <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-forests-excess-carbon/">carbon</a> is reduced.

When tropical forests are disturbed for agriculture and land use purposes, they become fragmented. This fragmentation gives the number of lianas a chance to overtake the number of trees because they are well-suited for surviving these conditions. 

Hydropower generation in the Amazon is another cause of forest fragmentation. This research provides the first evidence that a dam-induced landscape can result in lianas dominating the tree population.

The study was led by Dr. Isabel Jones from the University's Biological and Environmental Sciences.

"If lianas are being favored in this dam-induced landscape, then the biodiversity and carbon losses associated with tropical hydropower could be greater than expected,” said Dr. Jones. “This is due to the potential increased loss of tree biomass, due to liana-tree competition, as lianas have lower biomass relative to trees.”

To examine the balance of lianas and trees, the research team conducted field surveys of 89 forest plots across 36 islands of different sizes and in continuous forests surrounding the reservoir. The study found a greater number of lianas than trees on the most disturbed islands.

The team also noted that liana communities remained unimpaired regardless of whether they are in the forest or on an island.

"At present, islands are not included in environmental impact assessments, which causes a significant underestimation of the negative impacts of tropical dams," said Dr. Jones."Given that Brazil alone has plans for several new mega-dams, which will flood vast areas of highly diverse tropical forests, it is important that the total area of islands should be included in calculations considering the habitat impacted by dam creation."

Dr. Jones said that the research “highlights yet another way that tropical dams can result in long-term carbon emissions and damage to globally important ecosystems.” The study is published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

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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

Hydropower in the Amazon could have huge environmental impact

Research from the University of Stirling indicates that hydropower generation...

Scientists have discovered that marine ecosystems were essentially unchanged by one of the largest mass extinctions to ever take place. The researchers established that the extinction event that took place in the Late Triassic period, which wiped out a vast amount of species, did not alter the function of marine networks.

The international research team was led by Dr. Alex Dunhill from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>.

"While the Late Triassic mass extinction had a big impact on the overall number of marine species, there was still enough diversity among the remaining species that the marine ecosystem was able to function in the same way it had before,” said Dr. Dunhill.

Co-author Dr. William Foster explained that while the species were immensely affected, the oceans managed to preserve their fundamental functions. He explained that “global oceans in the extinction's aftermath were a bit like a ship manned by a skeleton crew - all stations were operational, but manned by relatively few species."

201 million years ago, the Late Triassic mass extinction wiped out almost half of life on Earth as a result of massive volcanic eruptions.

The volcanic activity released high levels of harmful gases in the atmosphere which triggered rapid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-event-volcanic/">global warming</a>. These eruptions are also linked to the break-up of the supercontinent Pangaea and the opening of the Atlantic Ocean.

The team analyzed fossils which represented a 70 million-year span, from the Middle Triassic to Middle Jurassic, in order to compare marine ecosystems across the Late Triassic. They classified marine animals by how they moved, where they lived, and how they fed. They found that none of these lifestyles ended as a result of the extinction event, which meant that marine ecosystems were preserved.

The findings of the study showed that although the extinction did not cause a global marine ecological shift, it had profound environmental effects and had a major impact on some ocean ecosystems, particularly coral reefs.

"One of the great marine casualties of the Late Triassic were stationary reef-dwelling animals, such as corals,” said Dr. Dunhill. “When we examined the fossil record we saw that while the marine ecosystem continued to function as a whole, it took over 20 million years for tropical reef ecosystems to recover from this environmental cataclysm.”

Co-author Richard Twitchett concluded, "Understanding the extent of reef collapse during past extinctions may help us predict what is in store for our modern marine ecosystems.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1475-4983">Palaeontology</a>, 

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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

Marine ecosystems survive after dramatic mass extinctions

Scientists have discovered that marine ecosystems were essentially unchanged by...

A new mathematical method has been introduced by researchers to show how abundant rare species and biodiversity are in different tropical ecosystems.

Tropical forests are now in a “critical state,” where losing rare tree species could throw the ecosystem out of balance, jeopardizing more plants and animals. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://uoregon.edu/">University of Oregon</a>, the <a href="http://www.unipd.it/en/">University of Padova</a> in Italy, and the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> in the United Kingdom set out to map the biodiversity of tropical forests using a mathematical method. 

Their findings are published in the journal Science Advances. 

“We are losing species perhaps more rapidly than ever before. It is the biodiversity of the species that keeps our planet the way it is. These species have evolved over many, many millennia. A species once lost is gone forever,” said Jayanth R. Banavar, the senior vice president at the University of Oregon and one of the study's co-authors. 

The researchers created a method that expanded on the commonly held species abundance distribution equation or relative abundance distribution (RAD). 

The RAD is a log series that was first used to understand the abundance of a species of moth in Britain based on a small sample. 

However, trying to map the diversity or abundance of a certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-forests-excess-carbon/">tropical tree</a> species using those same methods today may yield faulty results, which is why the researchers created a new framework. 

The new method finds the minimum number of sampling sizes needed in order to determine the abundance of rare trees across different forests. This system will be able to help quickly identify those species at risk of extinction. 

“We have developed a method that gives accurate estimates of the number of species and abundances present in the entire ecosystem,” said Banavar. 

The researchers tested their method using computer simulations and on data collected from 15 different tropical forests. The new method gave researchers a more accurate account of how many trees there were of a certain species in a forest. 

“This method allows us to understand both how fragile the biodiversity is and how many species we should be focusing on with conservation efforts. As caretakers of this planet, we want to nurture the species that we have, and we want to preserve life for the next generation,” said Banavar. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rare species are crucial to tropical forests

A new mathematical method has been introduced by researchers to...

New research shows that at the end of the last ice age when the glaciers melted, sea level rose in short, punctuated bursts, rather than in a steady climb. 

The discovery was made by researchers from <a href="http://www.rice.edu/">Rice University</a> and the <a href="https://www.harteresearchinstitute.org/">Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies</a> onboard the <a href="https://schmidtocean.org/">Schmidt Ocean Institute’s</a> research vessel Falkor.

The researchers used Falkor’s multibeam echo sounder to map ten drowned fossil reef sites off the coast of Texas. 

The drowned reefs were located at depths of 195 feet about 30 to 50 miles off the coast of Corpus Christi. The researchers estimate the reefs began forming 19,000 years ago when the last ice age was ending. 

The formation and shapes of a reef can illustrate its history, especially when it comes to rising sea levels. 

If the water rises too fast, it will flood the reef. But if the reef has the time, it can use a strategy called backstepping, where a part of the reef can hold waters back, and the reef can grow a vertical step. 

These steps were what surprised the researchers most. All of the reefs mapped by the Falkor showed similar terraces or steps, revealing that the seawater did not steadily climb, but rose in bursts. 

"In our case, each of these steps reveals how the reef adapted to a sudden, punctuated burst of sea-level rise. The terraces behind each step are the parts of the reef that grew and filled in during the pauses between bursts,” said Pankaj Khanna, a Rice graduate student who was part of the research team. 

Some of the drowned reefs had as many as six different terraces, and though some of the reefs mapped were miles apart, the depth of the terraces lined up. 

This discovery is vital to research aimed at predicting how sea level will rise in the coming years in response to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-ancient-societies/">climate change</a>. The fossil reefs are proof that sea level rise could happen in a rapid event, forcing the evacuation of those who live in coastal cities. 

“Our findings show that sea-level rise could be considerably faster than anything yet observed, and because of this situation, coastal communities need to be prepared for potential inundation,” said Jeff Nittrouer, the study’s co-author. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

During the last warming, sea level rose in sudden spurts

New research shows that at the end of the last...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-100-companies/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> continue to warm the atmosphere, ocean waters will increase in temperature as well. But what does this mean for the future of all marine life?

A new study published in the journal Science Advances predicts that as waters warm, the distribution of marine life in tropical areas near the equator will shift.

The research is based off a survey conducted by the citizen science project Reef Life Survey (RLS) and represents the first global marine life survey with data gathered by scuba divers. 

According to the research, as ocean waters get warmer, fish that are superior predators in tropical areas will extend their reach further and further. This will, in turn, disrupt many existing natural ecosystems and reduce populations of crabs, lobsters, and sea urchins. 

Currently, there are large populations of fish in tropical regions that are balanced by large populations of invertebrates in colder waters. 

If the oceans continue to warm, that balance will shift, and fish that hunt in warm waters will easily be able to go beyond their natural hunting grounds in a process called “tropicalization.” 

“In South Eastern Australia and Tasmania the 'tropicalization' of marine life is already underway, but similar effects have not yet been detected in New Zealand,” said Graham Edgar, the study’s lead author, and the RLS founder. 

This trend is only projected to get worse as the effects of climate change are felt in increasing severity. 

“As fish extend their range further from the equator with warming water, their advantage as predators will affect the abundance and diversity of large mobile invertebrates. Broad changes will likely spread across the ecosystem, affecting human activities such as fishing,” said Edgar. 

To understand the full scope of how a warming climate will impact marine life across the globe, and to help hinder any drastic consequences, Edgar and his team call for ongoing monitoring. 

However, the team notes that surveying local marine life and instigating any necessary changes is only possible with cooperation from communities at local and regional levels. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Warming waters will alter the distribution of marine life

As greenhouse gas emissions continue to warm the atmosphere, ocean...

Private domestic wells, which are largely unregulated, provide drinking water for over 44 million people in the United States. According to research published by the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>, 2 million people may be exposed to high levels of arsenic in their well water across the country. 

Naturally occurring arsenic is commonly found in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/buffer-filter-nitrates-groundwater/">groundwater</a>, soil, and sediment. Long-term exposure to this inorganic arsenic has the potential to cause a variety of health problems including various cancers. In addition, recent studies indicate that even low-level exposure can be dangerous for pregnant women, inhibiting fetal growth and causing premature birth.

While city water-treatment systems filter arsenic out, monitoring and removing contaminants in well water is up to private owners. Joseph D. Ayotte and colleagues at the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> and the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> set out to determine which regions of the country may have well water containing high levels of arsenic.

The researchers developed a model to represent tens of thousands of existing arsenic measurements from wells across the country in an effort to map well-water arsenic levels. The team took into account several factors that affect arsenic concentrations, such as regional rainfall, geology, and aquifer chemistry. 

The model pinpointed areas of the country where wells would likely have levels of arsenic higher than 10 micrograms per liter, the maximum concentration level established by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The regions identified by the model included New England, the upper Midwest, the Southwest, and southern Texas. Based on this assessment, the researchers estimated that the affected wells serve about 2.1 million people. 

The researchers hope that their investigation will raise awareness and encourage private well owners to test their wells for arsenic. The findings of the study, which are published in <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>, could also help officials develop and implement strategies to reduce dangerous arsenic levels in well water.
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Arsenic in well water could impact 2 million Americans

Private domestic wells, which are largely unregulated, provide drinking water...

The deforestation of the Amazon rainforest has been a problem that has spanned over decades, with everything from clear cut farming to human expansion contributing to the destruction. Now, the first comprehensive study of mining deforestation shows that increased mining operations in Brazil are a big factor in the continued deforestation of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/illegal-activity-brazilian-amazon/">Amazon</a>.

Published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, the study finds that mining-related forest loss contributed to about 10 percent of all Amazon deforestation between 2005 and 2015 – which is much higher than previous estimates. Interestingly, the report details that 90 percent of deforestation related to mining occurred outside the mining leases granted by Brazil’s government. In fact, mining-induced deforestation was 12 times greater outside the mine lease areas than inside them.

“These results show that mining now ranks as a substantial cause of Amazon forest loss,” says Laura Sonter of the <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/gund">University of Vermont’s Gund Institute for Environment</a>. “Previous estimates assumed mining caused maybe one or two percent of deforestation. Hitting the 10 percent threshold is alarming and warrants action.”

The deforestation itself is caused by mining companies building transportation routes and worker housing. The transportation routes also enable other forms of deforestation, such as agriculture – the leading cause of Amazon forest loss.

“Our findings show that Amazon deforestation associated with mining extends remarkable distances from the point of mineral extraction,” says Gillian Galford of UVM's Gund Institute and Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.

This report is extremely timely, as it comes during a time in which the Brazilian government is considering legislation that would roll back environmental regulations and cut restrictions on mining in protected and indigenous areas. As it stands right now, mining companies that apply for leases do not need to account for any damage their operations cause offsite.

Hopefully the government will be able to see the destruction being caused and reconsider easing environmental protections. “We hope these findings help government, industry and scientists to work together to address this issue,” says Sonter.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Increased mining causing deforestation in the Amazon rainforest

The deforestation of the Amazon rainforest has been a problem...

Across the globe, overhunting in tropical forests has led to widespread biodiversity loss. But according to new research, sustainable subsistence hunting by Amazonian communities does not pose a severe threat to the surrounding forests.

The study, performed by researchers at the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia </a>(UAE), explored any lasting impact of hunting by communities that are only looking to to support themselves at micro, local levels. 

Elsewhere, overhunting has resulted in devastating species loss and the creation of “empty forests.”

"Understanding the impacts of subsistence hunting in tropical forests is crucial not only to safeguard the world's most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems but also to secure a sustainable future for forest-dependent communities,” said Dr. Mark Abrahams, from UEA's School of Environmental Sciences and the lead author. 

The results of the study showed that in areas where communities depended on large forests in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/illegal-activity-brazilian-amazon/">Amazon</a> with access to abundant fish stocks, subsistent hunters were not emptying, or overhunting their forests. 

The researchers used 383 motion-activated trail cameras and conducted 78 interviews with subsistence hunters in the Juruá and Uatumã regions of Amazonas, Brazil to find out what impact these communities had on the local ecosystem. 

The researchers made several key discoveries. First, they found that larger animals were depleted near Amazonian communities, and the biomass of entire species had been reduced. But in areas with high forest cover and alternative sources of protein like fish, hunters did not deplete game populations nearby. 

“Our results imply that conservationists can be cautiously optimistic about the prospect of sustainable subsistence hunting by Amazonian communities. Small communities, living in large areas of intact forest and with access to healthy stocks of fish, do not appear to be emptying their forests,” said Abrahams. 

However, the researchers note the results still show depleted levels of larger species including primates and bigger game, species that play an important role in biodiversity and maintaining the ecosystem. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Local Amazonian subsistence hunters are not emptying forests

Across the globe, overhunting in tropical forests has led to...

When researchers at <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> reconstructed climate change in ancient Egypt, they discovered that environmental stress had a profound effect on economic and political stability. Their study alters the perception of the outcome of climate change, shifting the focus from short-term consequences to long-term modifications of human societies.

The researchers examined the environmental and societal impacts in Egypt after a sequence of volcanic eruptions over the past 2,500 years. The team focused on the Ptolemaic dynasty of ancient Egypt (305-30 B.C.E.). This was an empire formed in the years following Alexander the Great and was well-known for its rulers such as Cleopatra.

For their investigation, the experts combined climate modeling of large 20th-century volcanic eruptions, annual measurements of Nile summer flood heights from 622 to 1902, and evidence of Nile flood quality during the Ptolemaic era. The researchers demonstrated how large volcanic eruptions affected the seasonal flooding of the Nile River, which was greatly depended upon for agriculture.

"Ancient Egyptians depended almost exclusively on Nile summer flooding brought by the summer monsoon in east Africa to grow their crops," said lead author Joseph Manning. “In years influenced by volcanic eruptions, Nile flooding was generally diminished, leading to social stress that could trigger unrest and have other political and economic consequences.”

Study co-author Francis Ludlow explained that the reduced flooding of the Nile was due to climate change brought on by volcanic eruptions. He said that volcanoes can disrupt the climate by injecting sulfurous gases into the stratosphere. 

"Egypt and the Nile are very sensitive instruments for climate change, and Egypt provides a unique historical laboratory in which to study social vulnerability and response to abrupt volcanic shocks," said Manning. "Nile flood suppression from historical eruptions has been little studied, despite well documented Nile failures with severe social impacts coinciding with eruptions in 939, in 1783-1784 in Iceland, and 1912 in Alaska.”

Widespread documentation during the Ptolemaic era provided researchers with the dates of major political events. The researchers were able to show recurring close timing between such events and the dates of major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellites-predict-volcanic-eruptions-2/">volcanic eruptions</a>. 

"It is very rare in science and history to have such strong and detailed evidence documenting how societies responded to climatic shocks in the past," said co-author Jennifer Marlon.

The research, which is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, not only provides insight into climate change but also into how environmental changes have shaped human societies in the past.

“The study is of particular importance for the current debate about climate change,” said Manning.

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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

Climate change disrupted stability in ancient societies

When researchers at Yale University reconstructed climate change in ancient...

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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



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



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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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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Aerial,Photo,Of,River,In,Amazon,Rainforest,Jungle,In,Peru

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center</a> describes how scientists are using autonomous sound sensors to monitor deforestation in the Amazon. By recording soundscapes, the experts can determine which animals are present through their distinct sounds.&nbsp;



Using this method, sounds can be used as scientific measurements to analyze the effects of deforestation. The researchers will gain a better understanding of how the acoustics of a forest can be used to measure its health.&nbsp;



"From space, parts of the Amazon rainforest that have previously been logged or burned may look lush and green, like a place buzzing with activity and full of sounds. But inside the rainforest, the animal life may tell a different story, of a harsh environment and a quieter soundscape," says NASA.



Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center&nbsp;



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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