Scientists have uncovered a disturbing twist in how climate change affects our oceans, revealing that tiny changes at the bottom of the food chain can have massive impacts on most fish populations.



The findings of a recent study highlight the intricate workings of the ocean's food web and how it's more vulnerable to warming temperatures than previously thought.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-ocean-creatures-big-fish-impact">Tiny ocean creatures, big fish impact</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-heatwaves-have-complex-effects-on-phytoplankton-food-web/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Phytoplankton</a> are tiny, plant-like organisms that float around in oceans, seas, and lakes. Even though you can't see them without a microscope, they're incredibly important. 



They use sunlight to make their own food through photosynthesis, just like plants do on land. In the process, they produce a huge amount of the Earth's oxygen -- some estimates say up to half of it. 



These little guys are the starting point of the food chain in aquatic environments, feeding small fish, shrimp, and other marine creatures.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-from-africa-sparked-a-massive-phytoplankton-bloom/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Phytoplankton</a> also play a big role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to regulate our planet's climate. But they're sensitive to changes in their environment, like warming waters.



When climate models predict that warming oceans will reduce phytoplankton levels by 16% to 26% in regions like the North Atlantic, it's a cause for concern.



But here's where it gets alarming: the study found that this seemingly modest drop in phytoplankton could slash the ocean's capacity to support fish by a staggering 38% to 55%. That's more than double the initial decrease in phytoplankton.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-phytoplankton-and-the-hidden-amplifier">Phytoplankton and the hidden amplifier</h2>



Dr. Angus Atkinson from the <a href="https://pml.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plymouth Marine Laboratory</a> and Dr. Axel Rossberg of <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University</a> of London led the research team behind this discovery.



They took a straightforward approach by examining real-world data on plankton sizes from oceans, seas, and lakes around the globe. 



By looking at the sizes of plankton, they could determine how efficiently energy moves up the food chain -- from tiny phytoplankton to the fish we rely on.



This amplification effect hinges on a surprising twist: temperature, often blamed for food web disruptions, appears to play a secondary role. 



Instead, the key driver is the overall amount of phytoplankton, which governs how efficiently energy flows from tiny plankton to larger fish.



"Our global analysis sheds light on a hidden vulnerability," explained Dr. Atkinson. "We were surprised to find temperature didn't directly affect food web efficiency. Instead, we see ecosystems <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-forest-of-phytoplankton-thrives-in-a-warming-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adapting to warming</a> by changing plankton size. "



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nutrients-the-unsung-hero">Nutrients: The unsung hero</h2>



In the open ocean, nutrients come from deeper waters. As the surface warms, it becomes more layered, making it harder for these nutrients to reach the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/spectacular-phytoplankton-bloom-in-the-north-atlantic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phytoplankton at the top</a>.



"Close to shore or in lakes, excess nutrients from land can cause imbalances like harmful algal blooms," notes Dr. Rossberg. 



"But at the vast scales relevant to climate change, it's the lack of nutrients from deeper waters that becomes the major bottleneck."



To clarify, warming oceans, seas, and lakes impact fish indirectly by reducing nutrient supply from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-legacy-decades-old-ddt-found-in-deep-sea-fish/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deeper waters</a>, ultimately shrinking phytoplankton size and hindering energy transfer throughout the food web.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-real-world-impact-for-ocean-fish">Real world impact for ocean fish</h2>



When phytoplankton numbers change, the impact can ripple through the entire <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-twilight-zone-stabilizes-the-marine-food-chain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine ecosystem</a>, impacting everything from water quality to the abundance of fish.



This isn't just a problem for the fish; it's a problem the planet. Many communities around the world depend on fishing for food and livelihood. 



The study highlights the need to consider climate change impacts when managing fisheries.



"Global averages can mask the true picture," explains Dr. Atkinson. "Some of the most significant projected declines are in areas with concentrated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-stocks-are-collapsing-globally-as-overfishing-continues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fishing activities</a>."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



So, what can we do about it? The researchers suggest a multi-pronged approach to ensure sustainable fisheries in the face of climate change. 



"We need a combination of data on plankton size structure and sophisticated computer simulation models to design truly 'climate-smart' ocean protection strategies," concludes Dr. Rossberg. 



"By understanding the hidden amplifiers within the food web, we can better safeguard the future of our oceans and the vital resources they provide."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oceans-fish-and-the-global-food-chain">Oceans, fish, and the global food chain</h2>



To sum it all up, these scientists found that even a small drop in phytoplankton levels due to warming oceans can massively reduce fish populations. 



They discovered that it's not just the temperature rise itself causing problems, but the decrease in nutrients reaching these tiny organisms. 



This leads to smaller plankton and less efficient energy transfer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbial-awakening-arctic-food-webs-are-transforming-from-green-to-brown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">up the food chain</a>, which is bad news for fish and, by extension, us.



This study underscores underscores the interconnectedness of Earth's ecosystem. Tiny changes at the bottom can have huge impacts at the top. 



It's a reminder that we need to pay attention to even the smallest players in the ecosystem if we want to protect the health of our planet. 



By understanding these hidden mechanisms, we can work towards smarter strategies to safeguard our oceans and the communities that rely on them.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-44406-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Earth’s oceans, seas, and lakes are quickly losing their ability to keep fish alive

Scientists have uncovered a disturbing twist in how climate change affects our oceans, revealing that tiny changes at the bottom of the food chain can have massive impacts on most fish populations. The findings of a recent study highlight the intricate workings of the ocean's food web and how it's more vulnerable to warming temperatures than previously thought. Tiny ocean creatures, big fish impact Phytoplankton are tiny, plant-like organisms that float around in oceans, seas, and lakes. Even though you can't see them without a microscope, they're...

Polynyas are openings in sea ice that can act as vents to release stored heat, and play a significant role in global climate, according to a new study.

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://www.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania</a>, <a href="http://www.icm.csic.es/en">Spain's Institute of Marine Sciences</a> and <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a>. 

In 1974, a 250,000 square kilometer polynya was recorded in the Weddell Sea. The team used global climate models to create simulations of how the Earth’s climate was affected by the seemingly innocuous polynya. 

The results revealed that polynyas act as vents through which the escaping heat makes its way into the atmosphere, which, in turn, alters temperatures, wind patterns, and precipitation in the tropics. 

It was only recently that scientists realized climate conditions were so affected by the Southern Ocean. 

“Climate models suggest that, in years and decades with a large polynya, the entire atmosphere warms globally, and we see changes in the winds in the Southern Hemisphere and a southward shift in the equatorial rain belt. This is attributable to the polynya,” said Irina Marinov, co-author of the study and assistant professor in Penn's Department of Earth and Environmental Science.

The lack of polynyas since the 1970s has created somewhat of a "climate hiatus," according to the researchers. 

“During this hiatus period abnormal amounts of heat were stored in the subsurface ocean waters,” said Marinov. 

Because the temperatures have been rising without any proper ventilation, the researchers point to the increase in precipitation and shifting and changing winds.

“We are seeing a decrease in what we call the Southern Hemisphere westerlies and changes in trade wind, and these winds affect storms, precipitation, and clouds,” said Marinov. 

Marinov’s team used climate models to show how global climates would be affected by the lack of polynyas and found that it resulted in a prolonged La Niña period, with more heat stored in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-southern-ocean-obsorbing-co2-more-efficiently-3/">Southern Ocean</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Openings in sea ice can impact climate across the globe

Polynyas are openings in sea ice that can act as...

If you live in an area that isn’t being slammed by hurricanes and tornadoes, or aren’t a farmer whose crop is drying up due to heat waves and droughts, how much do you really have invested in the consequences of climate change? Well according to a new study published in <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, many more of us may have our daily lives affected by recent findings on climate change than previously thought. 

Scientists have found that global warming may significantly reduce coffee growing areas in Latin America, which is the world’s largest coffee-producing region. By 2050, production might decrease in these areas by as much as 88 percent.

This is the first major study to analyze climate change’s projected impacts on coffee, and the bees that affect coffee production, on a national or continental scale. Furthermore, the study estimates much greater losses of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-consumption-lower-death/">coffee</a> regions that previous assessments.

“Coffee is one of the most valuable commodities on earth, and needs a suitable climate and pollinating bees to produce well,” says Taylor Ricketts, study co-author and director of the University of Vermont's (UVM) <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/gund">Gund Institute for Environment</a>. “This is the first study to show how both will likely change under global warming – in ways that will hit coffee producers hard.”

The largest declines are projected to be in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Venezuela. “Coffee provides the main income for millions of the rural poor, so yield declines would affect the livelihoods of those already vulnerable people,” says Ricketts.

However, this study isn’t all doom and gloom. The researchers forecast that coffee suitability in Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and Costa Rica will actually increase due to climate change. These changes are mainly going to happen in mountainous areas where temperatures are projected to support both coffee growing and an increase in bee populations.

“If there are bees in the coffee plots, they are very efficient and very good at pollinating, so productivity increases and also berry weight,” says lead author Pablo Imbach of the <a href="http://ciat.cgiar.org/">International Center for Tropical Agriculture</a>. “In the areas projected to lose coffee suitability, we wanted to know whether that loss could be offset by bees.”

This shows how important tropical forests are as key habitats for wild bees, as well as other pollinators. Roughly 91 percent of the most suitable areas for coffee in Latin America are currently within a mile of tropical forests. Interestingly, that number is projected to increase to 97 percent by 2050, which means conservation of these habitats will be imperative.

The models created to achieve this study now provide strategies to improve coffee growth and bee pollination for Latin American farmers. These strategies include increasing bee habitats near farms where bee diversity is expected to increase, as well as prioritizing farming practices that are less environmentally harmful and protecting the forests around their farms.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change could drastically reduce coffee growing capacity

If you live in an area that isn’t being slammed...

Hurricane Irma weakened to a Category 2 hurricane on Sunday as its winds – described as a “low howl” by those still in Florida – slowed to 110 mph, but the monster storm had already ripped up trees, spawned tornado warnings, flooded streets, and was threatening a storm surge that could swamp cities in southern Florida, scientists said.

At least three people in Florida have been killed, the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/">BBC</a> reported Sunday evening. More than 2.3 million were without power, and 70,000 were hunkering down in shelters. 

“The windows are shaking and the wind outside is blowing,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/10/us/miami-key-west-scene.html">New York Times</a> correspondent Frances Robles wrote from Miami on Sunday morning, before Irma made landfall. “Every few minutes, you can hear the faint sound of a tornado alarm coming from someone’s phone or computer. The trees outside are not bending as much as I thought they would.”

By Sunday afternoon, the center of the Hurricane Irma made had reached the coast near Naples, Florida, threatening a 15-foot storm surge. Waters on the Gulf Coast of Florida had risen four feet by 6 p.m. local time, the <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSLouisville/status/907003992395350016">NWS office in Louisville</a> tweeted.

The <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/">National Hurricane Center</a> advised anyone who hadn’t evacuated from Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding area to move away from the coast.

The eyewall – the strongest portion of the storm around Hurricane Irma’s eye – was hammering Fort Myers on Sunday evening as the monster storm moved toward Tampa Bay.

The <a href="https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=FL125867F044BC.TornadoWarning.125867F05074FL.MLBTORMLB.a6d185fbf35d9ce0a9cf179e63be3e05">National Weather Service</a> sent out a tornado advisory for central Florida as Irma’s violent winds spawned severe thunderstorms in the region.

“TAKE COVER NOW! Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris,” the agency said.

Storm surge warnings were also in place for parts of Miami beach, Tampa Bay and the Florida Keys. <a href="https://twitter.com/USATODAY/status/907014047970861056/video/1">Video posted by USA Today</a> showed the surge engulfing neighborhoods in Miami. 

“A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations,” a National Hurricane Center alert said.

As people fled their homes, several Florida cities and Miami-Dade County established curfews to prevent looting.

President Donald Trump promised emergency aid and approved a disaster declaration on Sunday. The federal funding included temporary housing grants, the BBC reported. Trump signed <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/09/08/statement-press-secretary-president-donald-j-trump-signing-hr-601">H.R. 601</a>, which diverts more than $15 billion to relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Harvey and western wildfires, on Friday.

Though weaker by Sunday afternoon, Irma was expected to remain at hurricane strength until Monday, meteorologists said.

Before reaching Florida, Hurricane Irma swept through the Caribbean, killing more than 25 people, leaving Puerto Rico without power and more than half the population of Barbuda homeless. In Cuba, Irma tore down houses and tore up trees. 

At one point, sustained windspeeds of 185 mph and gusts topping 200 mph made it the strongest hurricane ever recorded. 

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Hurricane Irma weakens, but not before massive destruction

Hurricane Irma weakened to a Category 2 hurricane on Sunday...

Researchers have hit on a discovery that could help clean up the world: a method for extracting plant sugars from trash like wood chips or corn cobs, then using it as a petroleum alternative.

Because it relies on waste material, the new technique could help solve two major environmental issues: the pollution caused by extracting and processing petroleum, and the trend of replacing food crops with crops intended for biofuels.

"To make greener chemicals and fuel, we're working with plant material, but we don't want to compete with its food value," said Dr. Basudeb Saha, associate director of the <a href="http://www.efrc.udel.edu/">Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation</a> at the <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>. "So instead of taking corn and extracting its sugars to make ethanol, we're making use of the stalks and cobs left over after the corn is harvested, as well as other kinds of waste like wood chips and rice hulls."

For decades, researchers have been looking into ways to recycle waste products into usable fuels and other products. However, biorefineries have come up against obstacles such as a lack of steady supply. In the case of plentiful waste like wood chips or corn cobs, the difficulty has been in finding a process that breaks them down so the plant sugars they contain can be used.

"The lignin that makes their cell walls so tough and sturdy acts like superglue, holding tightly to the sugars," Saha said in a press release.

The current process requires two or more steps and relies on the use of harsh chemicals. But Saha, other University of Delaware researchers and scientists at <a href="http://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> have developed a much more environmentally friendly, single-step process for extracting plant sugars from waste materials.

Instead of pretreating wood chips to break down the lignin, then moving on the the hydrolysis of of the sugars within the cells, it comes both steps into one process. Using a concentrated, inorganic salt solution, the process also operates at a relatively low temperature – 185 Fahrenheit – and takes about one hour.

The University of Delaware team has filed for an international patent on their solution and process. They’ve even figured out how to recycle the salt solution.

"Our process enables – for the first time – the economical production of feed streams that could profoundly improve the economics of cellulosic bioproducts manufactured downstream, not to mention the environmental benefits of replacing petroleum," Saha says. "More than 10,000 million metric tons of carbon emissions were reported in 2010 from conventional fossil fuels and chemicals, which has a long-term catastrophic effect on our environment."

The team has published their research in the journal <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1864-564X">ChemSusChem</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: Evan Krape, <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a>

Plant sugars could rival petroleum with new extraction method

Researchers have hit on a discovery that could help clean...

With Hurricane Irma set to make landfall in Florida on Sunday, and parts of Texas still reeling from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-harvey-worst-hurricanes/">Hurricane Harvey</a>, scientists, activists, and climatologists have cited the extreme weather as indisputable evidence of climate change.

While climate change was not the sole cause of Hurricane Harvey, warming waters and increasing global temperatures have provided ideal conditions for storms to worsen to catastrophic levels.

A recent study found that after major weather events, people are more likely to support policies that factor in the effects of climate change and hinder further harm. 

The only problem is the effect doesn’t last long. Researchers have found that as soon as one month after a major weather event, any outlying support for policy change had diminished.

“People respond to recent weather, whether it's temperature spikes, severe storms or other events, but the effects are small. Extreme weather is much less significant than other factors when it comes to attitudes about climate,” said David Konisky, author of the study and an associate professor in the <a href="https://spea.indiana.edu/">School of Public and Environmental Affairs</a>. 

A major weather event is not enough to change party affiliation, policy opinion, or have much of an impact on understanding of climate change the study found. 

The study was published in the journal Global Environmental Change and was a collaborative effort between Konisky and researchers from <a href="http://www.american.edu/">American University</a>, <a href="http://www.anu.edu.au/">The Australian National University</a>, and <a href="https://www.temple.edu/">Temple University</a>. 

The researchers collected data from surveys conducted by the <a href="https://cces.gov.harvard.edu/">Cooperative Congressional Election Study</a> and compared responses to information taken from the National Weather Service's <a href="https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/">Storm Events Database</a>.

Konisky looked specifically at three different policies aimed at adapting to the changing climate, including restrictions on coastal development, limits on outdoor residential water use, and regulations of stormwater runoff from residential property. 

The surveys showed overall support for the policies, but major weather events were only a slight motivator. 

"People are pretty certain of where they stand on climate change, and extreme weather does not really move the needle much," said Konisky. 

The research shows that even though climate change is creating perfect conditions for massive storms and major weather events, the weather itself is not going to be enough of a catalyst to enact real change in public opinion.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Extreme weather events do little to sway minds on climate change

With Hurricane Irma set to make landfall in Florida on...

When you think of major global trade imports and exports, you might think of oil, textiles and clothes, and even coffee, but what might come to mind is sand.

Sand extraction for use in infrastructure is proving to be a major problem that science needs to address soon, according to a new report by Dr. Aurora Torres from the <a href="https://www.idiv.de/">German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research</a>. 

Natural resources used for building materials and transport has increased 23-fold from 1900 and 2010, and the biggest contributors are sand and gravel. Importing and exporting sand has even caused some mining operations to become illegal and created the emergence of a seedy underground network of sand smugglers and sand mafias. 

In Jamaica, the local mafia was a <a href="http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160502-even-desert-city-dubai-imports-its-sand-this-is-why">major contributor </a>to coastline erosion, and in India, the sand mafia is considered an incredibly dangerous and powerful crime group. 

Sand extraction is not well regulated which is why there is such rampant illegal activity surrounding it. The demand for sand has also increased with economic development and infrastructure. 

Jamaica’s western coastline is just one place where sand extraction has caused major environmental damage, the sand trade is causing erosion and habitat degradation which is not only harmful to the ecosystem but also humans. 

The political, social, and environmental ramifications of sand mining showcase a need to for stronger regulations and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiritual-beliefs-animals-conservation/">conservation</a> practices. 

Torres explains that an interdisciplinary scientific approach will be crucial to highlighting the effects of sand extraction, and finding a more sustainable method of extraction is the only way to counter the tragic impacts of the sand trade. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trouble brewing in the international sand trade

When you think of major global trade imports and exports,...

Ticks are major harbingers of diseases for humans and animals that spread Lyme disease and other sicknesses. Like all parasites, ticks are also an important part of the ecosystem, and balance is the key. But according to a new study, climate change affecting host animals could cause tick populations to soar with devastating consequences. 

The study was conducted by <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara</a> researchers and found that both tick populations and tick-borne diseases could increase in the coming years due to both climate change and decreasing wildlife populations

“Our research suggests that large mammal conservation may prevent increases in tick abundance and tick-borne disease risk. These results are timely and relevant in light of widespread wildlife declines and unpredictable regional climatic shifts in a steadily warming world,” said Georgia Titcomb, the study’s lead author and a graduate student from the UC Santa Barbara Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology. 

The researchers used a long term exclosure experiment to study how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protect-bees-managing-ticks/">tick</a> populations would fare in environments with differing herbivore animal numbers. Exclosure can refer to any area that is fenced in or isolated to avoid the entry of certain animals. 

The researchers isolated four different plots in the <a href="http://www.mpala.org/">Mpala Research Centre in Kenya</a> for their experiment. The first plot excluded most herbivores except rodents, the second plot allowed small and medium sized herbivores like hares, and the third excluded only giant herbivores like giraffes and elephants, the fourth was the control plot and had no exclusions. 

For a little over a year, the researchers monitored each plot and conducted monthly hour long tick drags. 

In the plots where there were fewer herbivores, there were more ticks. Some months even showed an increase of 360 percent in tick populations where all large wildlife were excluded from the area. 

Climate change continues to threaten habitats and animal populations, especially large herbivores who are necessary for keeping tick populations in check. And an increase in tick populations means an increase in tick borne pathogens. 

The study highlights the necessity of conservation efforts specifically targeted to hinder the effects of wildlife loss due to climate change. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tick populations set to increase with climate change

Ticks are major harbingers of diseases for humans and animals...

A new study shows that children who were living or going to school near the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 are now at a greater risk of developing heart problems due to dust inhalation from collapse of the Twin Towers. 

A report published in the journal Environment International details a study conducted by<a href="http://nyulangone.org/"> New York University Langone</a> health researchers, who analyzed blood work from 308 children, 123 of whom were directly exposed to the toxic dust and debris from 9/11. 

The study gathered data from the 3,000 children enrolled in the <a href="http://www1.nyc.gov/site/911health/about/wtc-health-registry.page">World Trade Center Health Registry</a> (WTCHR) who were either living or going to school in lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001. WTCHR participants go through annual check-ups to help track mental and physical health as the years go on. 

Researchers found that the 123 children who inhaled dust from 9/11 were at risk for cardiovascular disease and had increased levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical used in manufacturing plastics that was released in the air as electronics burned in the collapse.  

The higher levels of PFOA indicated an increase in blood fats and artery-hardening fats like LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. According to the study, for every tripled increase of PFOA levels in the blood, there was a nine to fifteen percent increase in fats in the blood. 

These raised fat levels can cause heart attacks and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ways-keep-brain-healthy/">stroke</a> if not addressed. 

“Since 9/11, we have focused a lot of attention on the psychological and mental fallout from witnessing the tragedy, but only now are the potential physical consequences of being within the disaster zone itself becoming clear,” said Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, an associate professor at NYU School of Medicine and the study’s lead investigator. 

Luckily, as the warning signs of cardiovascular disease were caught early by the study and the children in the WTCHR are monitored yearly, the risks can be significantly decreased by exercise and healthy eating. 

Both the study and the WTCHR are important implements for monitoring the health of the children exposed to dust and debris from 9/11. 

“Our study emphasizes the importance of monitoring the health consequences from 9/11 in children exposed to the dust, and offers hope that early intervention can alleviate some of the dangers to health posed by the disaster,” said Trasande.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Kids exposed to 9/11 dust are now having heart problems

A new study shows that children who were living or...

While a lot of the focus on the topic of climate change has been on politics and research, the court system has quietly been evolving the legal barriers that are hurting our environment. A new study from <a href="https://www.gwu.edu/">George Washington University</a> examines the critical, yet often under-appreciated role that courts play in climate policy.

The study finds that the amount of federal and state climate lawsuits has been growing since 2006. In the most extensive study to date involving the nature and impact of judicial resolutions of legal actions related to climate change, researchers found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warming-holes-mask-rising-temperatures/">air pollution</a> and coal-fired power plants were subject to the majority of cases studied. More importantly, further analysis showed that 58 percent of all cases were won by litigants opposed to government regulation. However, pro-regulation plaintiffs won more than twice as frequently in cases that involved renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“The courts are a central, yet underappreciated avenue for the development of climate-related policy in the United States,” says Sabrina McCormick, lead author and associate professor at George Washington’s <a href="https://publichealth.gwu.edu/">Milken Institute School of Public Health</a>. “In this regard, our country is responding to climate change similarly to how we dealt with tobacco and chemical exposures.”

Milken states that in the near future, judicial decisions on climate change will have a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions, energy development, and biodiversity in the United States.

In total, the researchers analyzed 873 judicial decisions that occurred between 1990 and 2016, finding that the number of decisions referencing climate change has been increasing – especially in the past decade. 

“Litigation related to climate change is likely to grow in the next few years in response to actions by the administration and the Congress to roll back regulations dealing with greenhouse gas emissions and protections against the effects of climate change,” says Robert L. Glicksman, a professor of environmental law at the <a href="https://www.law.gwu.edu/">George Washington University Law School</a>.

The authors say that one case to keep an eye on in the future is the legal actions by the nonprofit Our Children’s Trust, which argues that states are responsible for protecting children against the impacts of climate change. Similar suits are also pending elsewhere around the nation. They also note that courts are likely to respond to the rising number of cases challenging federal agency failures to adequately consider the impacts of their decisions on climate change within the context of environmental impact assessments and the implementation of the Endangered Species Act.

Moving forward, our judicial system on both state and federal levels may have one of the biggest voices in the fight against climate change. Let’s hope their voice ends up being for the right cause.

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

U.S. courts set to play a critical role in climate policy

While a lot of the focus on the topic of...

Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments and miniscule fibers found in synthetic clothing. Previous studies have shown that microplastics have infiltrated bodies of water and the animals that live there, and now researchers have detected an alarming amount of microplastic contamination in tap water.

Scientists from the <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a> tested 159 tap water samples from all over the world. They used standard techniques to remove other types of contaminants from the water, and found that 83 percent of the samples were polluted with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/billions-tons-plastic-thrown/">plastic</a> fibers. The researchers also found some contamination in samples of bottled water as well.

The United States had the highest level of polluted tap water, with microplastic contamination found in 94 percent of the samples. According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/">The Guardian</a>, tainted tap water was found at sites including Congress buildings, the Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters, and Trump Tower in New York.

India and Lebanon had the second highest rates of tap water plastic contamination, while the lowest rates of pollution were found in European countries such as Germany and France. Despite producing the least contaminated water samples, an average of 72 percent of water was still found to be polluted with plastic fibers in these regions. 

Dr. Sherri Mason is a microplastic expert at the <a href="https://www.suny.edu/">State University of New York</a> who participated in the study, which was conducted for Orb Media and published in The Guardian. 

“We have enough data from looking at wildlife, and the impacts that it’s having on wildlife, to be concerned,” said Dr. Mason. “If it’s impacting [wildlife], then how do we think that it’s not going to somehow impact us?”

Dr. Anne Marie Mahon from the <a href="https://www.gmit.ie/">Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology</a> led a previous investigation into microplastic contamination of tap water in Ireland. Dr. Mahon explained that the two main concerns are tiny plastic particles and the chemicals or pathogens that microplastics can harbor. 

“If the fibers are there, it is possible that the nanoparticles are there too that we can’t measure,” said Dr. Mahon. “Once they are in the nanometer range they can really penetrate a cell and that means they can penetrate organs, and that would be worrying.” 

While the potential health consequences of microplastics in tap water are unknown, the source of the problem is also unclear. Everyday activities such as wearing and washing clothes that contain plastic fibers are likely to be a major contributor to the pollution. Experts warn that plastic waste management must be improved before it is too late to get it under control.

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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

Over 80 percent of the world’s tap water contains plastics

Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments and miniscule fibers found in...

Parasites are known as harbingers of disease and can cause many problems for humans, pets, and livestock. But parasites are also an important part of the ecosystem whose populations are shrinking due to climate change, which could have unforeseen adverse effects. 

A new study set out to find just how parasites across the world would be impacted by climate change. 

The presence of parasites can indicate a healthy, working ecosystem. Parasites like tapeworms, mites, ticks, lice, and fleas are crucial components of a balanced ecosystem, as they help control wildlife populations and keep the food chain from growing stagnant. 

“Having parasites is a good indicator that the ecosystem has been stable. It means the system has a diversity of animals in it and that conditions have been consistent long enough for these complex associations to develop,” said Anna J. Phillips, research zoologist and curator of the<a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md/beltsville-agricultural-research-center/animal-parasitic-diseases-laboratory/docs/national-parasite-collection/"> US National Parasite Collection</a> at the <a href="https://naturalhistory.si.edu/">Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History</a>.

The US National Parasite Collection is a massive compilation of parasites from all the world that started in 1892. The team, comprised of 17 researchers from eight countries, used the US Parasite Collection as the focal part of the study, taking note of the geographical records attached to the parasites indicating where they could be located. 

By monitoring the parasites geographical locations, researchers were able to configure how the parasites would be affected by climate change over the years. 

The findings show that more than a third of parasite species worldwide could go extinct by 2070, proving parasites are more endangered by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-save-coral-reefs/">climate change</a> than their hosts. 

"Parasites are definitely going to face major extinction risk in the next 50 years," said Colin Carlson, lead author of the study and graduate student from the <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>. 

The research team hopes that their data will show how important parasite inclusion is to conservation efforts and future studies involving climate change. 

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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

One-third of all parasites could go extinct by 2070

Parasites are known as harbingers of disease and can cause...

For the majority of the last decade, the United States has managed to reduce harmful carbon emissions during a time of limited economic growth. Chemist John Deutch warns that the country's reduction of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-forest-project-trump-emissions/">emissions</a> will be short-lived. Deutch, who has worked with energy departments under several presidents, has released a report that explains the country has experienced a one-time event that will not continue long enough to prevent climate change.

"My article says that the reason that happened is two-fold: first, the economic growth was really quite modest during that period; and second, there was an unusual shift in the carbon intensity--carbon per unit of energy used by the US economy--because of the unusual shift during that period from coal electricity generation and natural-gas electricity generation," says Deutch. "So there was a shift in carbon intensity that was responsible for the favorable experience the country had, but it relied on that one-time shift and on the fact the energy growth was more limited."

This causes concern that the United States will struggle to consistently lower carbon emissions during a normal period of economic growth. In his report, Deutch refers to the Kaya Identity, which is a mathematical model that relates human economic activity to carbon dioxide emissions. This model predicts that an annual economic growth of 2 percent in the United States would produce carbon emissions above and beyond the 2050 goal.

For countries like China, meeting the emission goals they have pledged would also mean sacrificing economic growth.

"If you properly consider the relationship between economic growth and carbon emission with respect to the Kaya Identity, you have a much different view of what the likely projections are over the next 25 years, and in fact, the Department of Energy and the US Energy Information Administration does not project a significant decline in carbon emissions in the United States or worldwide," says Deutch. "I very much support the Obama administration efforts on energy and climate, but I think it's important to understand the basis of projections, convictions, and beliefs based on analysis rather than just fragmenting information from one period."

The report, which is published in the journal <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/joule">Joule</a>, states that current carbon reductions will not be enough to prevent the impact of climate change. Deutch says technology is urgently needed to produce energy that is capable of efficiently supporting the country's growing economic activity. He also recommends investment in new solutions to help the world safely adapt to Earth’s changing atmosphere.

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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

The complexity of carbon emissions and economic growth

For the majority of the last decade, the United States...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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

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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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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...