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...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/still-deny-climate-change/">climate change</a> continues to drastically affect air temperatures, weather patterns, sea levels, salinity, forests, and water resources, one type of natural resource seems to remain stubbornly unaffected. According to a new study led by Samantha Oliver, a graduate student from <a href="https://limnology.wisc.edu/">UW-Madison's Center for Limnology</a>, lakes have stayed surprisingly consistent despite all of the other rapid environmental changes. 

Oliver and her team collected data on nearly 3,000 lakes in the US from 1990 to 2011 to analyze changes in water quality, algal growth, and nutrient levels in plants. The researchers found that the water quality of the lakes was pretty neutral throughout the years, despite a warming planet and many growing economies. 

“Despite large environmental change and management efforts over recent decades, water quality of lakes in the Midwest and Northeast U.S. has not overwhelmingly degraded or improved,” said the study. 

Oliver and the researchers make a point to state that the study doesn’t necessarily conclude that the lakes analyzed weren’t completely unaffected climate change, as there were still trends in algal growths with blooms occurring in some lakes more frequently. Instead, Oliver discusses that the study could have two possible conclusions depending on your viewpoint. 

On the one hand, the fact that the majority of the lakes studied were not widely adversely changed through the years could point to successful efforts of the $3.5 billion dollars the US spends each year on hindering algae growth. On the other hand, with so much money being spent annually, you might expect to see a more positive trend in the lakes instead of having no real changes recorded in water quality. 

“It’s a glass half full, glass half empty thing. Some people say, 'Whoa, the management must really be doing something,' and the other half of them say, 'That's really depressing, our management hasn't done anything. We need to do so much more,” said Oliver.

One thing Oliver is certain of is that if any change is going to happen, starting locally just simply won’t cut it. Oliver used the Gulf of Mexico’s Dead Zone as an example. The Dead Zone was caused by fertilizer runoff from the Mississippi in the Midwest, which is why so many environmentalists urge local farmers and governments to take action. Oliver counters this theory by arguing that the problems are happening on a global scale and need a global mindset to fix them. 

“While we like to focus on 'our' particular lake or stream, each one is different. How the whole population of lakes and streams, and ultimately, the Gulf of Mexico will respond to things like climate change or government policies can only be figured out by looking at the bigger picture of the thousands of lakes and rivers across the U.S,” said Oliver. 

Oliver’s study raises important questions about the effectiveness of government programs and spending to hinder adverse environmental problems, and will hopefully encourage further global efforts.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

As climate change alters the environment, lakes stay consistent

As climate change continues to drastically affect air temperatures, weather...

A groundbreaking new film exposes how human activities are pushing marine ecosystems to the point of no return. Filmmaker Julia Barnes captured underwater images all over the world to show that Earth’s oceans are in a state of emergency for the documentary <a href="http://www.seaoflifemovie.com/">Sea Of Life</a>.

Barnes points out that the ocean is home to 80 percent of all life on the planet and it provides most of the oxygen that we need to survive. “It is the heart and lungs of our planet, and it is in trouble,” says Barnes.

50 percent of the world's coral reefs have become a casualty of climate change, and they are predicted to go extinct. Barnes had difficulty finding a healthy coral reef to film, and so she turned to experts in Australia to find out why the “world's most biologically diverse ecosystems" are vanishing.

Sea of Life examines how some species of corals are sensitive to changes such as light and temperature, and they start bleaching as a response. But there are more resilient species of corals which are not as sensitive to light and temperature, and they are now dying as well. The experts say this is due to ocean acidification.

Massive amounts of carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean are causing significant changes in the water known as ocean acidification. According to the film, the chemistry of the ocean is changing 10 times faster than it has at any time in the last 50 million years. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the ocean has become 30 percent more acidic.

For as many as four decades, the oceans will continue to become more acidic from Co2 that has already been emitted. Rob Stewart, creator of the documentary Revolution which inspired Barnes’ mission, explains that we not only need to slow down carbon emissions but also pull existing carbon out of the atmosphere. 

Marine life is suffering as a result of fishing pressure as well. The documentary states that all species of large fish have been depleted by 90 percent. Out of all the top predators in the ocean, 87 percent are in a state of decline, and over a third of these declining populations have collapsed.

Sea of Life reveals that bluefin tuna are down by 96 percent and are still being fished. Because they are so rare, there are tuna worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and fishermen have become even more relentless to capture them. 

Climate campaigners insist that industrialized fishing must be stopped. Many people also blame the livestock industry for contributing to the devastation of marine populations due to the fact that oceans are being strip-mined to feed non-human animals. Currently, more fish are consumed by pigs than by sharks.

“There's this illusion still, it goes way back, that the ocean is so big and so vast that nothing we can do can harm it,” explains Dr. Sylvia Earle. She says that we are now seeing firsthand that “the ocean is not to big to fail, and if it does so do we.”

Many scientists believe that we are in the middle of Earth’s sixth mass extinction, which is an event where more than half of the planet's species are lost. The current event is referred to as The Anthropocene, or the age of the humans, because it has been triggered by human activities. We will lose half of the species on Earth by 2100 at the current rate of industry.

Despite the bleak forecast, ocean conservationist Fabien Cousteau says that the story doesn't have to end sadly. Cousteau suggests that if we give nature time to heal, new life can emerge. “Although the world of the oceans has changed quite drastically over the last few decades, it can change for the better over the next few decades,” says Cousteau.

Barnes also remains optimistic. “We have an opportunity right now to tackle the biggest problem the world has ever faced, and I think we are going to do it,” says Barnes. “Every living thing on Earth is in jeopardy, every species we love, every ecosystem we depend on. Now that we know what's going on it is our duty not just to do something, but to do everything in our power to turn things around.”

Sea of Life is available to <a href="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/seaoflife">rent or buy</a> now.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth.com movie review: Sea of Life

A groundbreaking new film exposes how human activities are pushing...

Oil, gas, and fracking wells are a huge contributor to methane emissions, second only to the cattle industry. According to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">EPA</a>, in 2015, oil and gas operations contributed to 29 percent of the United States’ methane emissions overall. There are millions of active wells worldwide that are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-cardiovascular-disease/">polluting the air</a>, contaminating the soil, affecting ground water, and in turn, heavily impacting populations that live in close proximity to them. 

A new study from researchers at the <a href="https://www.psehealthyenergy.org/">PSE Healthy Energy Institute</a>, <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>, and<a href="https://www.hmc.edu/"> Harvey Mudd College</a>, is the first of its kind to closely track and record how many people live within a harmful distance of active oil and gas wells, along with the health risks associated with those conditions. The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, discovered that an estimated 17.6 million people live within one mile of an active oil or gas well in the United States.

Living that close to oil operations puts people at higher risk of cancers, increased asthma and respiratory problems, heart and neurological problems, and there is a higher likelihood of being hospitalized. The research also found that living within a mile of oil and gas wells can create adverse birth defects, smaller babies, and a higher risk of preterm births. 

The study aimed to target the pollution caused by oil and gas wells and its effects on the health of those residents within close proximity to operations. 

“Our study was specifically designed to determine how many Americans have increased health risks from potential exposure to pollutants emitted from oil and gas development,” said Eliza Czolowski, lead author of the study. 

Czolowski and her colleagues also found that the type of the drilling or oil production did not matter, as both fracking (a method of extracting oil and gas by using highly pressurized sand, water and chemicals) and conventional oil and gas wells generate the same pollutants.

This innovative and expansive study shows the costly ramifications of living in close proximity to active oil and gas wells. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Millions who live near oil and gas wells exposed to pollutants

Oil, gas, and fracking wells are a huge contributor to...

The realities of climate change are felt with increasing severity each year. We have seen record breaking heat waves in parts of Europe and Asia, increased carbon emissions, rising global temperatures, and rising sea temperatures. But the timeline for implementing policies to help reverse these potentially catastrophic effects is getting shorter and shorter. But now, Mark Z Jacobson from <a href="https://cee.stanford.edu/programs/atmosphere-energy-program">Stanford University's Atmosphere and Energy Program</a>, along with 26 of his colleagues, have created a global roadmap to transitioning 139 countries to using 100 percent renewable energy sources by the year 2050. 

Not only will these changes reduce pollution and help stave the effects of climate change, but according to Jacobson, there is potential for the creation of  millions of new long term jobs. 

"Aside from eliminating emissions and avoiding 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming and beginning the process of letting carbon dioxide drain from the Earth's atmosphere, transitioning eliminates 4-7 million air pollution deaths each year and creates over 24 million long-term, full-time jobs by these plans," said Jacobson.

The roadmap and the corresponding research has been published in Cell Press’s new journal Joule. 

The research looked at 139 of the world’s 195 countries and specifically focused on energy consumption and each country's electricity, transportation, heating and cooling, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meat-consumption-climate-change/">agricultural industries</a>.

Jacobson’s plan has been criticized for its exclusion of nuclear power, “clean coal,” and biofuels. Nuclear power has proven to be costly and risky to operate, not to mention the hazardous waste buildup from nuclear power plants that of yet have no set long term disposal places. Biofuels and coal are also not as eco-friendly as wind, solar, and water energy because of their high pollution rates. 

This plan is not the first of its kind as Jacobson is expanding on a 2015 study that looked at transitioning all 50 states to renewable energy and the mitigating challenges and costs that would have to be factored in to make it a reality. 

Naysayers of Jacobson's plans also point out the enormous costs of transitioning so much of the world to renewable energy, but Jacobson counters this by showing the higher costs that will result in following a business-as-usual model and not doing anything to hinder carbon output. 

"Both individuals and governments can lead this change. Policymakers don't usually want to commit to doing something unless there is some reasonable science that can show it is possible, and that is what we are trying to do," says Jacobson. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

By 2050, 139 countries could be powered by renewable energy

The realities of climate change are felt with increasing severity...

The largest near-Earth asteroid scientists have ever tracked will pass by the planet on September 1st, 2017. Asteroid Florence will safely dodge the Earth at a distance of 4.4 million miles, or over 18 times the distance from the Earth to the moon. While <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>'s preliminary measurements indicate Asteroid Florence spans 2.7 miles, radar images captured during the event will reveal its actual size.

Paul Chodas is the manager of NASA's <a href="https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/">Center for Near-Earth Object Studies</a> (CNEOS) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

"While many known asteroids have passed by closer to Earth than Florence will on September 1, all of those were estimated to be smaller," said Chodas. "Florence is the largest asteroid to pass by our planet this close since the NASA program to detect and track near-Earth asteroids began."

The relatively close path of Asteroid Florence will give scientists a rare opportunity to study the asteroid. The massive rocky body is predicted to be an ideal target for radar imaging, which will take place at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldstone_Solar_System_Radar">NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar</a> in California and at the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5652">National Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory</a> in Puerto Rico. The resulting images will show surface details as small as 30 feet.

Asteroid Florence was named after Florence Nightingale in 1981 when it was discovered by Schelte "Bobby" Bus at an observatory in Australia. The 2017 event will be the closest encounter this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-killed-dinosaurs-worst-place/">asteroid</a> has had with Earth since 1890, and it will not come this close to the planet again until after the year 2500.

In late August and early September, Florence will brighten to the ninth magnitude, making it visible in small telescopes for several nights. The illuminated asteroid will move through several constellations including Piscis Austrinus, Capricornus, Aquarius, and Delphinus.

According to NASA, radar has been used to observe hundreds of asteroids. This provides scientists with data to study an asteroid's size, shape, surface features, roughness, rotation, and orbital path.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Massive asteroid will pass by Earth on September 1st

The largest near-Earth asteroid scientists have ever tracked will pass...

Production of myelin is crucial to neural development and the structural organization of white matter. Myelin is the fatty white substance that surrounds some nerve fibers or axons and helps insulate the nerve fibers as they send signals to and from neurons and other cells. Now, new research has shown that sensory rich experiences and new environments can play a positive role in the development of white matter and enhance myelination in children.

Myelination is the process of producing the sheath-like insulation for axons (nerve fibers). Without enough insulation, the nervous system cannot work properly, and many developmental disorders can be traced back to defects in white matter formation and myelin integrity

Thomas A. Forbes, lead author of a report published in the journal Trends in Neurosciences, discusses a crucial  “feedback loop,” wherein a pool of cells known as oligodendrocyte progenitor cells make myelin through childhood and adolescence, and the oligodendrocyte cells work in tandem with the axons.

Forbes and his fellow researcher discuss myelination in conjunction with the beneficial effects that sensory rich environments have on young developing brains. 

“The strength, duration and timing of environmental experience influences plasticity in brain circuitry, which is made up of communication cables called axons that link neurons throughout the brain and are coated by myelin, a fatty substance that helps nerve impulses speed from place to place,” says Vittorio Gallo, the study’s senior author and Chief Research Officer at <a href="https://childrensnational.org/">Children's National Health System. </a>

Sensory rich environments can help cognitive development through a variety of ways. Enriching a child’s environment through exposure to new objects and surroundings and interactions with new people and playmates has been found to increase volume and length of myelinated fibers and boost total brain volume. 

Other sensory rich activities that can boost <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/environmental-pollutant-dioxin-alters-brain-development/">brain development</a> include listening to music, active learning, and physical fitness. These positive impacts are further evidenced by the negative effects that poor nutrition, neglect, and social isolation have on basic motor skills and cognitive function and in turn myelin structure. 

The research shows how important an enriched environment is to brain development for infants and children, and offers important information for finding therapies and treatments to enhance white matter health. 

“An enriched environment not only involves the opportunity to move and participate in physical exercise and physical therapy; it is also an environment where there is novelty, new experiences and continuously active learning. It is equally important to minimize social stressors. It's all about the balance,” said Gallo. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Vibrant environments can help white matter development in kids

Production of myelin is crucial to neural development and the...

The connection between climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and meat consumption is somewhat of a tangled and complicated web. We know that the majority of greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock industry come in the form of methane <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cowspiracy-film-review/">emitted by cows</a> via belching and flatulence. Unfortunately, there isn’t one clear cut solution for reducing these emissions.

It has been estimated by the <a href="http://www.fao.org/home/en/">United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization</a> that 2.2 billion tons of greenhouse gasses, or 35 percent of total emissions, are anthropogenic methane emissions from cattle.

Livestock production and agricultural practices also contribute to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-start-regulating-gas-emissions-cows/">methane emissions</a> through the use, or misuse, of fertilizer, the crops that are fed to cows, and the land and pastures that cows graze on. 

Grass-fed beef have a slightly lesser impact on the environment, but it’s still a significant amount. Research has also shown that grass-fed cows are smaller in size but still emit more greenhouse gasses per pound of meat produced than those that are grain-fed. 

Meat production and the cattle industry also have a significant impact on increasing carbon emissions. Cattle farms require more land and water than pig or chicken farms, and grain-fed cows only uses a fraction of the energy and nutrients in grain. 

Environmentalists and scientists are quick to point out the connection between livestock, meat consumption, and high methane emissions and offer up suggestions for reducing meat consumption. It is true that demand for meat is on the rise and the United States is known for its meat-centricity, but simply eating less meat would not be a sustainable or effective way to cut those emissions from cows and livestock. 

As a society, eating less meat may not be a bad thing. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10584-008-9534-6">One study</a> found that transitioning to a low-meat diet on a global scale would cut climate mitigation costs by 50 percent by 2050. 

But these studies do little to factor in the growing demand for meat, and the positive impact that a cheap source of reliable and nutrient-rich protein could have on impoverished countries. 

Meat consumption, livestock, agriculture and methane emissions might seem like a cut and dry case of flatulence and belches from cows, but reaching a solution to reduce these emissions is anything but simple. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

What does meat consumption have to do with climate change?

The connection between climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and meat...

Scientists are warning that there is a dangerous discrepancy between what we know about life deep in our oceans and the pressure that human activities are placing on these ecosystems. The experts say that without an urgent review of ocean conservation strategies we will lose deep sea populations faster than we can understand them.

The seafloor, which makes up 60 percent of the Earth’s surface, is the largest and most diverse habitat on the planet. A report by researchers at <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">Oxford University</a> points out that there are large gaps in our understanding of how sea creatures are interconnected.

'Today humans have an unprecedented ability to affect the lives of creatures living in one of the most remote environments on earth - the deep sea,” says co-author Christopher Roterman. “At a time where the exploitation of deep sea resources is increasing, scientists are still trying to understand basic aspects of the biology and ecology of deep sea communities.”

The researchers analyzed every available study on deep sea invertebrates, which include corals, snails, and urchins. There have only been 77 population genetics studies on these marine species in the last three decades, and the majority of these investigations have focused on commercial species in more shallow parts of the ocean.

The research team discovered that only one study has been conducted on creatures that live deeper than 5,000 meters. They also found only nine reports on depths below 3,500 meters, which accounts for half of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-ocean-floor/">seafloor</a>.

The researchers used the limited information they collected in an effort to establish the relationships of marine ecosystems over depth and distance. Their report, published in <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-294X">Molecular Ecology</a>, explains that animals are generally disconnected over a few hundred meters of depth, but manage to remain well connected over a few thousand kilometers in distance.

Pollution, extreme fishing, deep sea mining, and climate change are increasingly affecting invertebrates on the seafloor. Coral reefs, which are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth, are vanishing at shocking rates. The scientists will continue research in an attempt to understand how future activities will impact corals and other species.

“Population genetics is an important tool that helps us to understand how deep sea communities function, and in turn how resilient they will be in the future to the increasing threat of human impacts,” explains Roterman. 

The research team acknowledges that getting data from deep in the ocean is expensive and time-consuming, but new technology is making it more feasible.

“As scientists it is our duty to gather as much basic information about these creatures as we can and share it, and work with the people that set the rules of the seas - who have the power to make management decisions,” says co-author Michelle Taylor. “We cannot bury our heads in the sand and think that people are not going to try and exploit resources in the deep sea so science needs to catch up.”
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Deep sea life may disappear before we even understand it

Scientists are warning that there is a dangerous discrepancy between...

The end of the Cretaceous period was marked by a mass extinction event that scientists estimate wiped out more than three-quarters of all species on Earth. This extinction event is known as the K-Pg extinction. Evidence shows that an asteroid ten kilometers wide struck the earth 66 million years ago prompting the K-pg extinction. 

If an asteroid that large were to strike Earth today, it would cause earthquakes, tsunamis, falling soot and ash due to volcanoes, massive wildfires, and launch soot into the atmosphere that would almost completely block out the sun and halt photosynthesis.

New research created a model of the Earth’s climate to see what the end of the Cretaceous period might have looked like after the asteroid strike occurred. The soot in the atmosphere could have caused over a year and a half of darkness and created a dangerous early greenhouse effect with the barrier of soot absorbing the sun's rays. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NCAR) and the <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado-Boulder</a> used a computer model to simulate the Earth’s conditions during the end of the Cretaceous period. The team found that this standstill in photosynthesis might have caused marine life to die off later than land animals, but still at a devastating rate. 

“The extinction of many of the large animals on land could have been caused by the immediate aftermath of the impact, but animals that lived in the oceans or those that could burrow underground or slip underwater temporarily could have survived,” said lead author, Charles Bardeen from NCAR. 

The study used the computer model and the recorded amount of soot in the geological record at that time, 15,000 million tons, to gauge the effect it would have had on climate and photosynthesis. 

The model showed that even if the amount of soot in the atmosphere was less than recorded or predicted, it would still block out the sun and impair photosynthesis. 

There are limitations in the study however, as the model uses modern day Earth rather than looking at how the Earth was at the time of the Cretaceous period. An improved model could be useful in determining the exact impact a nuclear event will have on our atmosphere should we ever encounter a nuclear warfare 

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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

Dinosaur extinction event caused years of darkness on Earth

The end of the Cretaceous period was marked by a...

New details have emerged surrounding NASA’s plan to cool down the Yellowstone Caldera, also known as the Yellowstone supervolcano, to prevent a catastrophic eruption.

It may sound more like the plot of a disaster movie, but the devastation that a supervolcano eruption would cause is serious business.

Brian Wilcox, a former member of the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/library/nac/planetary-defense.html">NASA Advisory Council on Planetary Defense</a>, and a team of researchers worked on projects to thwart asteroid and comet strikes. But Wilcox determined that the supervolcano poses an even worse threat. 

“I came to the conclusion during that study that the supervolcano threat is substantially greater than the asteroid or comet threat,” said Wilcox.

Geologists have predicted that the Yellowstone volcano is timed to erupt every 600,000 years. The last known eruption was 640,000 years ago, which is why Wilcox and other scientists suspect that we are past due for an eruption. 

There has also been an uptick in volcanic activity in the past few months that has caused eyebrows to raise and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supervolcanoes-future-electric-energy/">supervolcanoes</a> to make headlines. Researchers from the <a href="http://quake.utah.edu/">University of Utah Seismograph Stations </a>have been observing and recording a massive swarm of mini eruptions since June 12th. The researchers noted that there have been over a thousand volcanic events throughout the summer of 2017. 

Those might seem like terrifying numbers, but the majority of geologists and experts still say the danger of a supervolcanic eruption is low. 

Wilcox detailed one of NASA’s plans to cool the magma chamber and nullify the risk of an impending eruption. The plan involves drilling directly into the magma chamber and pumping in tons of water to cool it, effectively creating a mega power plant. But any attempt to drill into the magma pocket could weaken the integrity of it and actually cause an eruption to occur. 

“If you drill into the top of the magma chamber and try and cool it from there, this would be very risky. This could make the cap over the magma chamber more brittle and prone to fracture. And you might trigger the release of harmful volatile gases in the magma at the top of the chamber which would otherwise not be released,” Wilcox told the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170817-nasas-ambitious-plan-to-save-earth-from-a-supervolcano?ocid=global_future_rss">BBC</a>. 

The plan to cool Yellowstone is nowhere near fruition, but with a predicted eruption lang past due, this strategy may be humanity’s best bet to negate the worldwide destruction that a supervolcano eruption would cause. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How NASA plans to stop a Yellowstone supervolcano eruption

New details have emerged surrounding NASA’s plan to cool down...

Yes, the Great American Eclipse of Monday, August 21 is likely to be as memorable as its name would suggest. For one thing, it’s a pretty exclusive event. 

While there were 228 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/importance-solar-eclipses-history/">solar eclipses</a> during the 20th century, only 71 of them were total eclipses. That’s where the moon appears to nearly completely block sight of the sun. Viewers see the sky suddenly darken and the brilliance of the sun’s corona, or outermost ring of atmosphere. If it’s not a total eclipse, the moon covers only part of the sun and the effect is muted.

This one’s total.

But even at that, we Earthlings have experienced 71 total eclipses over the last hundred years, so the phenomenon still isn’t all that rare. So what’s the big deal about the Great American Eclipse?

The Path of Totality

It’s the word “American,” not “Eclipse,” that creates the distinction. Even the most thrilling of solar eclipses are only fully experiences by a relatively few people lucky enough to find themselves within prime viewing area. That’s because the sight is only visible on relatively small swaths of the globe. Even if you’re only a few miles outside of the area of “totality” you’ll see little or no evidence of the eclipse. 

To illustrate, the last total solar eclipse fully viewable in the United States was in 1991, but you had to be in Hawaii to see it. The last total eclipse on view from any area of the continental U.S. was way back in 1979, and that only occurred over the northwest corner of the country. The last time the Path of Totality went coast-to-coast was in 1918. We assume you missed it.

So, yeah. This one’s pretty special.

Where You’ll See It

On August 21, only those in about a 70-mile band of the country stretching west to east principally along 12 states will get an awe-inspiring view. Those states are Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and, finally, South Carolina. Very tiny sections of two more states, Montana and Iowa, will also be in the path.

If you’re planning on traveling, don’t be late! Viewers in each location will only have between about two and less than three minutes to catch the stunning moment of totality.

What You’ll See

First contact is the moment when the two heavenly bodies begin to come together. From this moment to totality will be a period of about an hour and a half.

What you’ll notice leading up to totality is a change in the color of the light. Shadows become sharper. As the two bodies move closer, the sun takes on more and more of a crescent shape. 

As the sun and moon are in full alignment, the sky will darken and you’ll suddenly see the night’s stars and planets (assuming that your viewing sky is clear of cloud cover). At the point of total eclipse, the sun will look life a fiery ring. You'll be viewing it’s corona, or outer edge, the only portion of the sun that will be on view.

The experience itself is virtually indescribable. But you can see videos of previous total eclipses <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DanvV8QTaVY">here</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lHb5ruGUyw">here</a>. 

Viewings and Doings in America

Americans know that the Great American Eclipse is a big deal, and they’re making the most of it. Here are just a few of the eclipse-related happenings on tap. (Events are selling out rapidly due to crowds, so be sure to check event websites or call before traveling.)

<a href="http://independencegoesdark.com/">Independence, Oregon, Indy Goes Dark Eclipse Festival</a>, (Aug. 17-21) -- Festivities include a beer garden, 5K run, fireworks and concert in the park. But don’t stay out too late the day before. Totality hits soon after 9am here. 

<a href="http://eclipsemoonfest.com/#top">Idaho Falls, Idaho, Moonfest Music Festival</a>, (Aug. 18-21) -- Food, merch, mechanical bull riding, hypnotists and some 16 artists and bands. Oh, and the total eclipse of the sun.

<a href="http://www.eclipseville.com/">Hopkinsville, Kentucky, The Point of Greatest Eclipse</a> (Aug. 18-21) -- Just like the name says, this is the place in which viewers will get the longest show -- two minutes and 41 seconds of totality. That's why the town of 33,000 expects 200,000 visitors. 

<a href="http://italianlights.org/">Nashville, Tennessee, Italian Lights Festival and Solar Eclipse 2017</a>, (Aug 18-21) -- Music City has the distinction of being the largest city on the Path of Totality, so it’s celebrating in a number of ways and places. This event, focused on Bicentennial Capitol Mall downtown, celebrates with food, wine, music and art.

<a href="http://www.comoeclipse.com/">Charleston, South Carolina, Charleston RiverDogs</a>, (Aug. 21) This Old South city is the last on this solar tour. Its minor league team, the Charleston RiverDogs will be one place where you can get a doubleheader -- a solar eclipse and then a ballgame (if it’s not sold out). The eclipse is at 2:48 pm, the game’s at 4:05. 

That was just a sampler. <a href="http://www.americaneclipse2017.org/eclipse-events/">Visit here</a> for a more comprehensive listing of national happenings. 

Protect Your Eyes

The sun is dangerous to your vision at every stage of eclipse except totality. That means you must protect your eyes at all times until that final stage. And if you’re not in that swath of land that will see totality, there’s never a moment when it will be safe to view the sun.

Before ruining your vision, get eclipse glasses that meet the following ISO standards for eye safety: ISO 12312-2. Wear those ISO-certified glasses as the moon and sun go through the initial phases of alignment and only take them off at the point of full eclipse. 

And remember, there are no valid substitutes for those glasses. Sunglasses, no matter how strong the filter, won’t offer the vision protection you need. And if you do get official eclipse glasses (which will be a challenge at this late date), test them. You should only be able to see the sun with them. Nothing else. If you can see even strong artificial lighting, the filter isn’t strong enough. Toss them and don’t look up until the point of totality.

Now enjoy this perhaps once-in-a-lifetime and definitely unforgettable event.   

 --

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Everything you need to know about the Great American Eclipse

Yes, the Great American Eclipse of Monday, August 21 is...

Televisions, tablets, and other tech devices are now being made with quantum dot displays that are setting a new standard for high definition images, but some of the quantum dots contain potentially dangerous metals. A team of researchers set out to evaluate the harm these nanomaterials may cause when the devices are thrown out and exposed to the elements.

"In just the past decade, engineered nanomaterials have been incorporated into so many consumer products," said co-author Yuqiang Bi from the <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has funded us to assess these nanomaterials. They want to know how to predict and manage the risk from these substances." 

The researchers wanted to observe the amount of nanomaterials that would seep out of devices under simulated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/epa-tightens-greenhouse-gas-emissions-rules-at-landfills-2/">landfill</a> conditions. The first step was getting their hands on electronics which contained the nanomaterials.

"Consumer electronics don't list their ingredients like foods do," explained Bi. "We have to scavenge everything we can find to get ideas about how the electronics are manufactured and which consumer products actually have the nanomaterials." 

The researchers tested devices for the presence of quantum dots and identified a tablet containing cadmium quantum dots. Cadmium selenide, or CdSe, is a heavy metal that is toxic and carcinogenic. The team also discovered a television with indium quantum dots. Indium is much less toxic than cadmium, but the indium nanomaterials require an energy-exhaustive process to produce. 

The researchers wanted to determine whether using the safer quantum materials is worth the expense of energy. 

"Just because a product has quantum dots doesn't mean it poses a risk," said Bi. "That depends on whether the quantum dots can get into the environment."

The researchers focused on what might happen to the products after being discarded. 

"In a landfill, a product's contents are susceptible to leaching into its surroundings," said Bi. "Rainfall in a landfill creates acidic solutions. The metals can get dissolved and, once dissolved, cadmium has a much greater potential to penetrate the groundwater."

The researchers simulated landfill water with acidic chemicals and performed tests to expose the devices to the liquid in various ways. When they measured to see how much cadmium and indium leached into the solution, they found that the cadmium poses much less of an environmental threat than expected. With this in mind, the experts believe it is more beneficial to use the toxic quantum dots along with their eco-friendly manufacturing process.

The researchers are still working to get a more accurate estimate of how much of the materials seeped into the solution. So far, Bi said that they “aren't seeing huge amounts of leaching, especially when we are talking about realistic disposal methods.” The researchers will present their work on August 20th at the 254th National Meeting &amp; Exposition of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New wave of tech devices prompt environmental dilemma

Televisions, tablets, and other tech devices are now being made...

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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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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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

[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" 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.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

[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" 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.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...