Beneath the sands of beaches exists a concealed world brimming with life. Researchers at Stanford University have recently analyzed how microbial communities within coastal groundwater react to the intrusion of seawater. 



Published in the journal <a href="https://enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1462-2920.70009" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Microbiology</a>, the study highlights the remarkable diversity of these vital ecosystems and explores their potential responses to the challenges posed by rising sea levels.



These findings highlight the essential role of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-laid-the-foundation-for-early-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbes</a> thriving in coastal groundwater just beneath sandy beaches.&nbsp;



Although largely unnoticed, these microorganisms help regulate the flow of nutrients and chemicals between land and sea, contributing significantly to the maintenance of clean coastal waters.&nbsp;



As sea levels rise, a deeper understanding of how these ecosystems function will be crucial for their protection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vital-role-of-microbial-communities">Vital role of microbial communities</h2>



“Beaches can act as a filter between land and sea, processing groundwater and associated chemicals before they reach the ocean,” said study co-first author Jessica Bullington, a Ph.D. student in Earth system science at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a>.



“Understanding how these ecosystems function is key to safeguarding their services in the face of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-rise-will-cost-coastal-cities-over-1-trillion-in-damages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea level rise</a>.”



Microbial communities in these underground settings are responsible for breaking down excess nutrients - such as nitrogen from natural plant decay or from agricultural and wastewater sources - that would otherwise flow unfiltered into the ocean.&nbsp;



By decomposing these materials, the beach microbes effectively clean the water and play a pivotal part in balancing coastal water chemistry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbial-community-composition-and-resilience">Microbial community composition and resilience</h2>



Researchers conducted their investigation at Stinson Beach, a site north of San Francisco. The beach exemplifies a “high-energy” environment, where the surf is vigorous, yet few detailed scientific examinations of its microbiome exist.&nbsp;



Over two weeks, the team collected around-the-clock samples during both wet and dry seasons to capture varying tidal stages. By analyzing the microbial DNA with high-resolution gene sequencing, they obtained unparalleled insights into microbial community composition and resilience.



The results showed that microbial populations were generally stable amid changing tidal conditions and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracking-seasonal-temperature-changes-over-11000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seasonal fluctuations</a>. However, an event known as wave overtopping - when ocean water surged onto the beach’s aquifer - significantly altered the microbial makeup.&nbsp;



These overtopping incidents, expected to become more common with rising seas, can disrupt microbial filtering processes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beach-microbes-in-complex-communities">Beach microbes in complex communities </h2>



“These microbes live in complex communities, many with specialized roles that include processing nutrients and even producing or consuming greenhouse gases,” said co-senior author Christopher Francis, a professor of Earth system science at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.&nbsp;



“The microbial community’s resilience under typical conditions is encouraging, but disturbances like wave overtopping highlight their vulnerability to climate change,” added co-first author Katie Langenfeld, who is now a postdoctoral fellow at the <a href="https://umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a>.



By identifying the ways in which these microbes respond to sudden inflows of seawater, the research underscores how delicate the system can be.&nbsp;



Frequent disturbances make it more difficult for microbial communities to carry out tasks like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/excess-nutrients-are-creating-ocean-dead-zones/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nutrient</a> processing, potentially leading to cascading effects in nearby ocean waters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-coastal-management">Implications for coastal management</h2>



Stinson Beach and similar coastal areas face a future shaped by rising seas. As water levels increase, beach sands are likely to shift, altering groundwater flow and threatening to undermine the natural services that subterranean microbial communities provide. This research, therefore, offers a timely contribution to debates on coastal resilience.



Study co-senior author Alexandria Boehm is a professor of environmental studies in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and the Stanford School of Engineering.



“We rely on these microbial communities for essential biogeochemical cycling at the land-sea interface,” said Professor Boehm. "If their capacity diminishes due to climate impacts, we could see cascading effects on coastal water quality and marine life.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-framework-for-future-studies">A framework for future studies</h2>



With these findings, scientists now have a more comprehensive foundation for understanding how beach <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-has-a-vital-role-in-ecosystem-survival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groundwater</a> ecosystems function and cope with environmental changes.&nbsp;



The findings at Stinson Beach can help guide coastal policymakers who must balance the needs of development, conservation, and climate adaptation. 



By recognizing the importance of microbes as natural water purifiers, strategies can be put in place to preserve or restore beach habitats in ways that bolster microbial stability.



The ongoing research at Stanford - led by Bullington and her collaborators - adds to the growing body of work on coastal health. These communities beneath the sand remain largely out of sight, yet their ecological significance is increasingly clear.&nbsp;



As sea levels rise and human impacts intensify, the tiny inhabitants of beach groundwater may become crucial allies in preserving the balance and cleanliness of coastal zones worldwide.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Hidden beach microbes help protect coastal waters

Beneath the sands of beaches exists a concealed world brimming with life. Researchers at Stanford University have recently analyzed how microbial communities within coastal groundwater react to the intrusion of seawater.  Published in the journal Environmental Microbiology, the study highlights the remarkable diversity of these vital ecosystems and explores their potential responses to the challenges posed by rising sea levels. These findings highlight the essential role of microbes thriving in coastal groundwater just beneath sandy beaches.&nbsp; Although largely unnoticed, these microorganisms help regulate the flow of nutrients...

Research from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> has found that reducing the amount of reef fish consumed by tourists in Palau is urgently needed to protect the health of <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/coral-reefs-sunscreen-damage/">coral reefs</a> and maintain the ecological balance of the ocean. While the study is focused on Palau, a group of 700 islands in the South Pacific, the experts recommend that other small island nations adopt this strategy.

Climate change is projected to cause sharp declines in Palau's reefs. Researchers have determined that the best management strategy is to reduce tourist consumption of reef fish by over 70 percent.

"Palau's reefs and the fish communities they host are incredibly beautiful and recognized worldwide as a top diving destination," said lead author Colette Wabnitz."Tourist numbers can reach nine times the local population and most come to enjoy the ocean. This puts enormous pressure on local marine resources that are central to local communities' culture, food security and livelihoods."

Palau relies is heavily on tourism. Previous research has been focused primarily on physical damage to coral reefs by tourists, but this is the first study to evaluate the impact of visitors’ consumption of reef fish.

Using a social-ecological computer model, the researchers set out to explore policy scenarios involving tourism, climate change, marine conservation, and local food security. The amount of fish being eaten stood out as a major contributor to future ecosystem declines.  

Popular reef fish dishes include grouper, snapper, and parrotfish. The study showed that the health of reefs would benefit greatly by shifting from this type of seafood consumption to open water fish such as sustainably-harvested tuna.

"Dining habits are removing important fish species from local reefs, and it's ironic that viewing these fish is the reason people come in the first place. This is an important step that can be taken now, rather than a future adaptation to climate change," said co-author Andrés Cisneros-Montemayor. "Sustainable tourism, especially ecotourism, shouldn't threaten the food security of local people or their environment."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cutting back on tropical seafood could help save coral reefs

Research from the University of British Columbia has found that...

A new method for predicting extreme events has been developed by researchers from the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT). Extreme events refer to incidents like a previously stable species going extinct, a wave rising from calm waters, or an instability inside of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/scotland-wind-turbines-generate/">wind turbine</a>. 

These random events happen all over but scientists have lacked sufficient data and technology to be able to predict them with any real accuracy until now. 

Engineers from MIT have developed a framework that combines real-world data and already existing equations to predict extreme events. 

The results of these calculations show that extreme events can in fact be predicted, and that the model is general enough to apply to many systems where events can occur. 

“This happens in random places around the world, and the question is being able to predict where these vortices or hotspots of extreme events will occur. If you can predict where these things occur, maybe you can develop some control techniques to suppress them,” said Themistoklis Sapsis, an associate professor of mechanical and ocean engineering at MIT. 

Previously, when attempting to predict extreme events, scientists relied on solving a series of complex mathematical equations that could indicate certain initial conditions were a precursor to an extreme event. 

But these equations, as Sapsis noted, were not foolproof, and often resulted in inaccurate and unrealistic predictions. 

Scientists who wanted to use real-world data to try and find some commonality or indicator that predicted the events also struggled because extreme events are random and rare. 

Instead, Sapsis and fellow MIT collaborators created an algorithm that uses both the applicable equations and any known real-world data to create a more stable predictor of extreme events. 

The researchers then simulated a turbine fluid flow and used the algorithm to identify the precursors to an extreme event. The method identified developing precursors 75 to 99 percent of the time. 

Having an accurate model that predicts extreme events will be incredibly useful for future studies and for finding methods to prevent such events from occurring. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New algorithm can predict extreme environmental events

A new method for predicting extreme events has been developed...

Many studies have proven the link between air pollution and cardiovascular disease. As harmful pollutants enter the airways and bloodstream, they can cause artery blockages, a buildup of fatty deposits, heart attacks, and fatal heart failure. However, a new study discovered that air pollution affects not only cardiovascular health, but also kidney function. 

The study, published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), links <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/china-air-pollution-years/">air pollution</a> levels to kidney failure, kidney disease, and kidney function decline. The findings even show that kidney health can be impaired at relatively low levels of air pollution. 

"Even levels below the limit set by the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] were harmful to the kidneys. This suggests that there is no safe level of air pollution,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, Director of Clinical Epidemiology at the <a href="https://www.stlouis.va.gov/">VA Saint Louis Health Care System</a> and leader of the study. 

For the study data was gathered on 2,482,737 US veterans using databases from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

The veteran participants were followed for eight and a half years while the researchers measured kidney health and air pollution levels. 

The researchers found a direct correlation between kidney decline and air pollution levels.  

Each year, 44,793 new cases of chronic kidney disease are reported, and according to this new study, could be directly caused by air pollution levels exceeding the EPA’s standards. 

This new research shows not only that there is a link between kidney disease and air pollution, but also that even levels below EPA recommendations can have a damaging effect. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exposure to air pollution could damage kidney function

Many studies have proven the link between air pollution and...

Researchers at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science at <a href="http://www.umu.se/english/">Umeå University</a> have recently found that fish DNA binds to lake sediment, forming a natural archive that can reveal when certain fish species colonized lakes after the glacial period.

For this study, the research team chose Lake Stora Lögdasjön and Lake Hotagen – which are in Sweden, in case the names didn’t tip you off enough. The reason behind these choices was that these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antidepressants-fish-great-lakes/">lakes</a> were known to have whitefish that colonized them at specific points in time. Stora Lögdasjön was connected to the Baltic Sea when the inland ice melted about 10,000 years ago. That connection was then cut off 9,200 years ago when the land lifted up and created a waterfall, which the whitefish were unable to travel up.

The researchers analyzed the prevalence of whitefish DNA in the sediment, finding that whitefish came to Stora Lögdasjön roughly 10,000 years ago, but they only arrived at Hotagen about 2,200 years ago.

“Our hypothesis was that the whitefish colonized Stora Lögdasjön immediately after the ice-melt, which turned out accurate. Close to Hotagen, on the other side, there was a waterfall that prevented the whitefish from colonizing the lake after the ice melted,” says Göran Englund, one of the researchers behind the study.

However, the DNA molecules that remain in the lake sediment are sparse. New methods of extraction had to be developed and difficult analyses took place in order for the data to be properly collected. 

“Being able to map the prevalence of DNA in lake sediments is now opening up a new window into history, which lets us see how nature has developed over a long period of time,” says Göran Englund. “We have already started a project aiming to study how lake ecosystems are affected by historical climate changes. That can provide important clues to a better understanding of how the current global warming will affect ecosystems.”

The ability to look into the past using the technology of today is an important advancement that allows us to better understand the world around us. Studies such as this may initially seem trivial in their scope, but serve a greater purpose of furthering our knowledge of new research techniques that could benefit scientists around the world.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ancient DNA reveals how long fish have been living in our lakes

Researchers at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science at...

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico this morning as the strongest storm the island has seen in almost 90 years. The Category 4 hurricane roared onto the island around 6:15 a.m. with 155 mph winds, ripping roofs off of buildings and knocking out power across the entire territory. 

By mid-morning, the hurricane had completely engulfed the 100-mile island. The <a href="http://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a> in San Juan reported rainfall of up to 7 inches an hour. Residents reported windows shattering, buildings shaking, and streets turning into muddy rivers.

While anticipating the arrival of Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico's governor Ricardo Rossello told the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>, "This is going to be an extremely violent phenomenon. We have not experienced an event of this magnitude in our modern history." 

Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency (PREMA) Director Abner Gomez was braced for the worst at a press conference today. “When we can get outside, we will find our island destroyed," he said. "The information we have received is not encouraging. It's a system that has destroyed everything it has had in its path."

On its way to Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria ripped through the Caribbean after rapidly intensifying in strength from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm in just 15 hours. The hurricane slammed into the tiny nation of Dominica Monday night with 160 mph winds, making it the strongest storm in the recorded history of the island.

As buildings are filling up with water and rivers are overflowing in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/1918-puerto-rico-earthquake-tsunami/">Puerto Rico</a> today, torrential rain and strong winds are expected to persist through this evening. Hurricane Maria will pass to the east of the Turks and Caicos as a Category 3 storm on Friday, and then will pass well to the east of the Bahamas by Saturday. Beyond this, the path of the storm is unclear.

"At this point, it looks like Maria will miss the United States and will move out to sea sometime later next week," said <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/">ABC News</a> meteorologist Max Golembo. "But this will be a close call, so we will be watching carefully."

Governor Rossello took to Twitter today to encourage the residents of Puerto Rico. He tweeted, "God is with us; we are stronger than any hurricane. Together we will lift up."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Hurricane Maria slams Puerto Rico, whole island without power

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico this morning as...

Our Earth has gone through five mass extinction events in the last 540 million years. Each of these events came with an enormous shift in the normal cycling of carbon through the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans, unfolding over thousands to millions of years and resulting in the extermination of marine species across the planet.

Carbon emissions are a major part of what scientists believe to be expediting climate change in our world today, causing a lot of the scientific community to wonder whether the carbon cycle may be on the verge of shifting again – with the consequences being a sixth mass extinction.

Determining whether or not our recent dramatic increase in carbon emissions – which have risen since the 19th century – could actually result in another mass extinction is no easy task. For scientists, it’s tough to relate the carbon anomalies of the ancient past, which occurred over thousands to millions of years, to the carbon increases today that have only been happening for the last century.

However, in a recent paper published in <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>, Daniel Rothman, a professor of geophysics at the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT), analyzed the changes that occurred in the carbon cycle during the last five extinction events, allowing him to identify the “thresholds of catastrophe” in the Earth’s carbon cycle. He posits that if these thresholds are exceeded, it would lead to an unstable environment and trigger a mass extinction.

Rothman writes that mass extinction could occur if one of two thresholds is crossed. The first is for changes in the carbon cycle – occurring over long timescales – to happen at rates faster than the planet’s ecosystems can adapt. The second is for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/survey-americans-support-carbon-tax/">carbon</a> perturbations that occur over shorter timescales (such as what we’re experiencing today), where the rate of the changes actually do not matter, rather, the magnitude of the change will determine the likelihood of another mass extinction.

Projecting outward, Rothman predicts that a sixth extinction event would depend on if a critical threshold of added carbon to the oceans is reached. He calculates this amount to be roughly 310 gigatons, and estimates that human activities will have added this amount to the Earth’s oceans by the year 2100.

“This is not saying that disaster occurs the next day,” Rothman clarifies. “It’s saying that, if left unchecked, the carbon cycle would move into a realm which would be no longer stable, and would behave in a way that would be difficult to predict. In the geologic past, this type of behavior is associated with mass extinction.”

The author says it could take about 10,000 years after this threshold is reached for any true extinction to occur. But the main issue is that by this time, we will have ventured into “unknown territory.”

Rothman determined these data points by deriving a mathematical formula based on physical principles relating the critical rate and magnitude of change in the carbon cycle to the timescale that divides fast and slow change. “It became evident that there was a characteristic rate of change that the system basically didn't like to go past,” Rothman says.

Under the best-case scenario, humans will add 300 gigatons of carbon to our oceans by 2100. In the worst-case scenario, the number could be as high as 500 gigatons. If Rothman’s calculations are accurate, the carbon cycle will either be close to or over the threshold by 2100.

“There should be ways of pulling back [carbon dioxide emissions],” Rothman says. “But this work points out reasons why we need to be careful, and it gives more reasons for studying the past to inform the present.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth’s sixth mass extinction could occur by 2100

Our Earth has gone through five mass extinction events in...

Severe 7.1 earthquake strikes Mexico City, death toll rising. A severe earthquake with a 7.1 magnitude struck Mexico City on Tuesday September 19, 2017 at 2:15pm EST, killing over 100 people and destroying many large buildings. This, less than two weeks after an 8.1 magnitude <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/megathrust-earthquakes-and-tsunamis-may-be-tied-to-deep-slow-activity/">earthquake</a> occurred off the western coast of Mexico on September 8th that left nearly 100 dead.

As of midday Wednesday, the death toll had already risen to over 225 people killed.

According to the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press,</a> the potent quake was felt across a vast and heavily-populated area of central Mexico, causing power outages and collapsed buildings. In Mexico City alone, over 44 buildings have been reduced to rubble. Severe 7.1 earthquake strikes Mexico City, death toll rising 

The epicenter of the earthquake has been estimated to be roughly 2.8 miles northeast of San Juan Raboso and 34 miles southwest of Puebla, according to the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">US Geological Survey</a>. The quake struck at a depth of 33 miles.

The day also marked the anniversary of the devastating 1985 earthquake, which shook Mexico City with an 8.1 magnitude and killed thousands.

Just south of Mexico City, the Enrique Rebsamen school was partially flattened, killing at least 25 people, most of which were children.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Severe 7.1 earthquake strikes Mexico City, death toll rising

Severe 7.1 earthquake strikes Mexico City, death toll rising. A...

During the Eocene epoch in the Paleogene period, an asteroid collided with Earth that caused the highest temperatures ever felt on the planet.

According to new research, the event caused cubic zirconia to form, meaning temperatures must have reached 2,370 degrees Celsius or higher. 

The collision formed the Mistastin Lake crater in Canada, which measures over 17 miles in diameter. This study was a revolutionary one as it used the presence of zirconia and rock melt in the Mistastin Lake crater in Canada to measure temperatures at the time of the impact. 

“Nobody has even considered using zirconia as a recorder of temperatures of impact melts before. This is the first time that we have an indication that real rocks can get that hot,” Dr. Nicholas Timms, lead author of the research, told <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23531433-600-found-the-hottest-place-ever-found-on-earths-surface/">New Scientist</a>. 

Researchers from <a href="http://www.curtin.edu.au/">Curtin University</a> in Australia and <a href="https://www.westernu.edu/">Western University</a> in Ontario conducted the study that examined how the Earth’s crust was shaped and changed after collisions with rocks from space.

Calculating exact temperatures during early <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/spot-asteroids-earth/">asteroid</a> strikes was difficult, as many rocks and minerals evaporate in extreme heat. But the formation of zirconia and its presence in the crater sheds new light on what conditions were like billions of years ago. 

The new study will help geologists and scientists gain a better understanding of what Earth was like during its early periods, and sheds new light on the impact of asteroid strikes. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Asteroid strike caused highest temperatures ever felt on Earth

During the Eocene epoch in the Paleogene period, an asteroid...

The queen conch, famous for its majestic shell, is on the decline, threatening local fisheries in the Caribbean. The high demand for queen conch has now led to a trade restriction by the <a href="https://www.cites.org/eng/disc/what.php">Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora</a>. 

Several countries have even closed their queen conch fisheries in order to help the conservation of the species. But scientists and conservationists have struggled to find the best ways to revitalize conch populations. 

But now, new research has found that the key to recovering queen conch populations lies in understanding the wide variance within the species. Looking at the queen conch as one mass group doesn’t aid the species, as conch are unlikely to travel to rehabilitate other areas of the ocean. 

Researchers even discovered distinct genetic differences among isolated pockets of queen conch, suggesting that there is very little mingling or mixing among them. 

Understanding how the conch are fragmented throughout the Caribbean is a necessary first step to finding and implementing effective <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiritual-beliefs-animals-conservation/">conservation</a> efforts. 

An international team of collaborators, led by researchers from the Smithsonian's<a href="https://marineconservation.si.edu/"> Marine Conservation Program</a>, conducted a study that gathered data on 19 different queen conch sites in the Caribbean to see how local subpopulations fared. 

The study was published in the journal Diversity and Distributions. 

Researchers collected a tissue sample from 643 different conches spanning from the United States to the Bahamas. A DNA analysis of the samples revealed that there were differences in the conch genomes.

“This tells us is that it's not just one giant, well-mixed population of queen conch throughout the entire Caribbean. If you're in two sites that are not well connected by ocean currents, the chances of your queen conch populations being connected and interrelated are pretty low,” said Nathan Truelove, a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.sms.si.edu/">Smithsonian Marine Station</a>. 

The results of the study show that conservation efforts will have to be tackled at local levels, and that treating the species as one intertwined group with blanket management techniques could prove ineffective. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Queen conch populations declining, conservation efforts lagging

The queen conch, famous for its majestic shell, is on...

Research from <a href="http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/">Harvard Forest</a> has revealed that the New England states are losing forests at a rate of 65 acres per day. Public funding for land protection has dropped by 50 percent in all six New England states since 2008, and funding for land conservation is not too far behind in its decline.

"The incremental chipping away of forest and farmland by scattered development is hard to see day-to-day but it adds up over time and represents a significant threat to the region," said David Foster, Director of the Harvard Forest. "If we stay on the current path, we'll lose another 1.2 million acres of open land by 2060."

Once land is developed, it is no longer productive and all of its invaluable benefits such as local wood and climate protection are sacrificed. The researchers published a report which provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive data available on land use trends in the region. It is the third in the “Wildlands and Woodlands” series of publications authored by the team. 

The previous reports defined a regional goal of conserving 30 million acres of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/local-strategies-protecting-rainforest/">forest</a> and all remaining farmland. The latest report outlines the progress that has been made toward achieving this vision. The scientists also point out that land conversion is even more of a short-term threat to New England's forests than climate change

"When we look specifically at forests in New England, it is clear that the impacts of land use will be far greater than those of climate change over the next 50 years," said co-author Jonathan Thompson. "This may seem counter-intuitive given the major threat that climate change poses to all sectors of society. But climate change slowly alters the health and types of trees that grow whereas conversion eliminates forests altogether."

Despite the current trends, the authors of the report say that it is still possible to reach their goals. To do this, they have outlined a plan of which calls for actions such as tripling the pace of conservation and putting more land to work for sustainable farming and forestry.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New England forests are under threat with little protection

Research from Harvard Forest has revealed that the New England...

Soil reclamation is a method of recovering the natural balance of soil. After the installation of natural gas wells, for example, soil reclamation efforts are key in to bringing the soil back to a restored state of health. An extensive study on soil reclamation in Wyoming has shown that the effectiveness of reclamation is often obstructed by salt-affected soils, weed invasions, and slow plant establishment.

Jay Norton is a researcher in Soil Science, Agronomy, and Environmental Sciences at the <a href="http://www.uwyo.edu/">University of Wyoming</a>. Norton has been analyzing soil reclamation at three Wyoming production areas, including nine natural gas drilling sites, over seven years. 

The study revealed that organic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/survey-americans-support-carbon-tax/">carbon</a> returned to pre-disturbance level in approximately eight years at the site where the soil carbon content was most abundant before drilling started. In more dry and saline sites, however, organic carbon remained lower than pre-disturbance levels in the same time frame. 

Next, Norton will examine the conditions needed to re-establish native vegetation at the sites, which may be influenced by climate.

Norton’s soil restoration research will be presented at the <a href="https://www.acsmeetings.org/">Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future</a> annual meeting in Tampa, Florida, as "Soil Changes Before, During, and After Natural Gas.” This important topic will be addressed at the convention on Monday, October 23rd. 

The meeting is sponsored by the <a href="https://www.agronomy.org/">American Society of Agronomy</a>, Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

It takes years for soil to return to normal at gas drilling sites

Soil reclamation is a method of recovering the natural balance...

Known as The Great Oxidation Event, the Earth’s atmosphere was filled with oxygen over a period of just 200 million years. This, according to new research published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Before The Great Oxidation, the Earth had no free oxygen, or oxygen that wasn’t bound to other elements. 

Scientists have long wondered how the Earth could have oxidized so drastically in so little a time frame, and now geologists from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> (UBC) have found a probable answer. 

Small pockets of free oxygen began to pop up around three billion years ago, but UBC researchers Matthijs Smit and Klaus Mezger believe the Great Oxidation Event occurred because of the evolution of the earth’s continental crust. 

The changing composition of continental rocks suddenly gave way to large quantities of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-deoxygenation-history-repeating/">oxygen</a> that was just waiting for the right conditions.

“Oxygenation was waiting to happen. All it may have needed was for the continents to mature,” said Smit.

Smit and Mezger felt that the composition of continental rocks, which they knew had changed during the same time as The Great Oxidation, might be linked to oxygen filling the atmosphere. 

The researchers gathered data from geological records, looking at shales and igneous rocks dating as far back as billions of years. 

Early earth’s continental rocks were rich in magnesium and low in silica. The rocks also contained olivine, a mineral that when in contact with water consumes oxygen and locks it up. 

As the continental crust changed over the years, its composition evolved to exclude olivine. Since the olivine wasn't around to consume all the oxygen, the oceans became saturated and oxygen was free to fill the atmosphere. This in turn allowed an abundance of life to thrive on the planet. 

"It really appears to have been the starting point for life diversification as we know it. After that change, the Earth became much more habitable and suitable for the evolution of complex life, but that needed some trigger mechanism, and that's what we may have found,” said Smit. 

The researchers still aren’t sure exactly what caused the composition of the earth’s continental crust to shift, a question that will require further research to answer. But Smit and Mezger have helped shed light on how the Earth’s geological makeup evolved to allow human life to exist.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com,</a> Staff Writer

How Earth’s atmosphere first filled with oxygen

Known as The Great Oxidation Event, the Earth’s atmosphere was...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



---



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="u0TYxxqfF7-2186404-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...