A new study has found that, contrary to previous claims, the ocean is not a significant source of microplastics to the atmosphere, but rather a major sink.&nbsp;



The research team used a global chemical transport model to evaluate how tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, move around the world. 



The finding challenges past assumptions about the ocean’s role in releasing plastic fragments into the air.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-journey-of-airborne-microplastics-nbsp">The journey of airborne microplastics&nbsp;</h2>



Plastic debris in dust form is increasingly recognized as a worldwide contaminant. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-in-the-brain-alarming-new-details-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microplastics</a> (particles less than 5 mm in diameter) have been detected in soils, freshwater, the ocean, and even in the air that we breathe.&nbsp;



Scientists warn that microscopic plastic bits pose risks for human health, since they can easily enter the respiratory system and the bloodstream.&nbsp;



Once airborne, these tiny pieces can travel large distances and eventually settle in remote or sensitive regions, harming wildlife and potentially impacting human populations.



But how do these particles enter the atmosphere in the first place? The planet’s primary sources of microplastics are typically found on land, from everyday materials such as vehicle tires shedding particles on roads, or synthetic clothing fibers washed out in domestic wastewater.&nbsp;



However, earlier models had suggested that there might be an additional large source at sea. Microplastics often accumulate in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oceans</a>, carried there by rivers and other waterways. Then, once present in the marine environment, it was believed that they could be lofted into the air by sea spray or wind-driven wave action.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-the-ocean-s-contribution">What is the ocean's contribution?</h2>



Prior reports pointing to a large marine source relied on an inverse modeling technique. That method uses atmospheric measurements of particular substances and attempts to infer their origin by matching observed concentrations with predicted distributions.&nbsp;



Applied to microplastics, inverse modeling suggested the ocean might contribute hundreds of millions - or even billions - of kilograms of these fragments to the air each year.



Such massive figures were then tested experimentally, with scientists using wave tanks and other controlled setups to see how vigorously wave action or bursting bubbles could transfer plastics from the water surface into the atmosphere.&nbsp;



Those studies, however, hinted that only tens or hundreds of thousands of kilograms of plastic might plausibly be introduced into the air - orders of magnitude smaller than the figures derived from inverse modeling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-global-chemical-transport-model">A global chemical transport model</h2>



In an effort to reconcile these contradictory outcomes, a group led by researchers at the <a href="https://mpimet.mpg.de/en/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute for Meteorology</a> (MPI-M) ran a global chemical transport model. This computer model simulates the movement of substances, such as microplastic particles, through the atmosphere.&nbsp;



By prescribing a minor oceanic emission of microplastics - consistent with the low estimates from laboratory work - they were able to predict how microplastic concentrations should appear in the air at various locations around the globe.



The results aligned well with real-world measurements. Based on the model, the ocean in fact took up some of these airborne particles instead of emitting them in large quantities.&nbsp;



The scientists learned that rather than being a source, the ocean appeared to be a sink, in which 15 percent of all airborne microplastics are deposited.&nbsp;



In other words, waves, spray, and wind may occasionally lift small amounts of plastic out of the sea, but far more of the material is settling onto the water rather than emanating from it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-airborne-microplastics-travel">How airborne microplastics travel</h2>



The study also uncovered the significant influence of particle size on how microplastics travel. Larger plastic fragments drop out of the atmosphere relatively quickly, often landing in coastal areas or not far from their point of emission.&nbsp;



By contrast, smaller particles can remain suspended for up to a year. That extended flight time allows them to cross entire oceans or continents and reach distant regions such as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/citizen-scientists-uncover-microplastics-in-the-remote-arctic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic</a>, where they land on ice or snow.



These discoveries highlight the global character of plastic contamination, showing that microplastic dust can be widespread in places typically considered pristine.&nbsp;



They also clarify that stopping microplastic pollution at its land-based sources may be the most efficient approach, as the ocean itself is neither the greatest emitter nor the root cause.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-roadmap-for-pollution-reduction">A roadmap for pollution reduction</h2>



Given that airborne microplastics reach faraway corners of the planet, the research team’s results have immediate practical value. Any broad plan to cut plastic pollution should focus on terrestrial origins: tire wear on roads, textiles shedding fibers, and insufficiently treated wastewater.&nbsp;



Additionally, lessening single-use plastics and improving waste management at landfills can help limit microplastics before they disperse into the environment.



These findings show that ocean waters, already burdened by plastic accumulations, are predominantly sinks - taking in plastic particles from the air. They also emphasize that microplastics do not stay put in the environment: large ones settle nearby, while smaller ones can travel global distances.&nbsp;



Future models aimed at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-changing-the-entire-earth-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic pollution</a> will need to consider these dynamics in more detail, particularly when mapping out strategies to protect vulnerable ecosystems, reduce human exposure, and maintain cleaner oceans.



By settling this debate over whether the ocean is more of a source or a sink, scientists can now direct their attention to mitigating the true origins of airborne microplastics, thus improving targeted policies to help address this pressing environmental concern.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00914-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">npj Climate and Atmospheric Science</a>.



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Airborne microplastics: Where they come from and where they go

A new study has found that, contrary to previous claims, the ocean is not a significant source of microplastics to the atmosphere, but rather a major sink.&nbsp; The research team used a global chemical transport model to evaluate how tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, move around the world. The finding challenges past assumptions about the ocean’s role in releasing plastic fragments into the air. The journey of airborne microplastics&nbsp; Plastic debris in dust form is increasingly recognized as a worldwide contaminant. Microplastics (particles less than 5...

Multiple <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/northern-california-fires-containment/">wildfires</a> in California have displaced 20,000 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. Over 221,000 acres have burned, 40 people have been killed, and there is no end in sight as experts say the conditions are ideal for the fires to continue to grow.

The following are some of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States.

The Great Fire

Also known as The Big Burn, The Great Fire of 1910 is believed to be the largest in history. The fire devastated 3 million acres across Washington, Idaho, and Montana. 87 people were killed, most of whom were firefighters. The cause of the fire has never been determined.

The Peshtigo Fire 

The deadliest fire in recorded history struck Peshtigo, Wisconsin in 1871, killing between 1,200 and 2,500 people. The fire gained momentum when smaller fires were fueled by dry conditions and winds that reached over 110 miles per hour. The disaster destroyed 12 communities and 1.2 million acres.

The Great Michigan Fire

Fires that struck Michigan in 1871 are collectively known as The Great Michigan Fire. The firestorm destroyed 2.5 million acres. An estimated 500 people were killed and hundreds of families were displaced. It is believed that lightning or meteor showers initiated the fires.

Cloquet Fire

The Cloquet Fire was the worst natural disaster in the history of the state of Minnesota. Over 450 people were killed in the fire, and tens of thousands were either injured or displaced. The massive fire, which destroyed 250,000 acres, was caused by sparks on the railroad tracks in a time of extreme drought.

Yacolt Fire

Simultaneous fires burning in the states of Washington and Oregon in 1902 are known as the Yacolt Burn. 500,000 acres were destroyed and over 60 people were killed. One fire was started by locomotive while another fire was started by boys who were torching a bee's nest. Hunters, campers, and lightning were also reported as likely sources of the fires.

Taylor Complex Fire

A wildfire that broke out in Alaska in 2004, known as The Taylor Complex Fire, burned over 1.3 million acres. This fire was the worst of the record-breaking 2004 Alaska fire season when 701 fires destroyed 6.6 million acres. 426 of these fires were started by people and 215 fires were caused by lightning.

The Yellowstone Fires of 1988

Also known as the “Summer Of Fire,” the disaster in Yellowstone National Park started out as many small fires until wind and drought brought the flames together to form one massive fire that burned for several months. Overall, 793,880 acres of the park were damaged.

Miramichi Fire

In 1825, a fire that started in New Brunswick made its way into parts of Maine, claiming 160 lives. The fire consumed over 3 million acres and destroyed entire communities and forests. The cause of the fire is unknown, but it is believed that the the spruce budworm may have made the forest much dryer than usual.

2007 California Wildfires

This season led to the most expansive evacuation in California's history, displacing over a million people. 500,000 acres from Santa Barbara County all the way to the U.S.-Mexico border burned in total.

Great Hinckley Fire of 1894

The Great Hinckley Fire is one of the deadliest in the history of the United States, killing 418 people. The firestorm was fueled by severe drought and burned 200,000 acres in only around four hours. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The 10 worst fire disasters in U.S. history

Multiple wildfires in California have displaced 20,000 people and destroyed...

An unprecedented study has revealed the long term impact of the thinning Greenland ice sheet. Ocean data shows an increase in freshwater which will change the ecosystems of Greenland’s fjords and could ultimately alter ocean circulation patterns across the planet.

The rate at which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/studying-the-greenland-ice-sheet-gives-clues-to-past-arctic-sea-ice-levels/">Greenland’s ice shee</a>t is melting has more than doubled since 2003. Researchers from <a href="http://www.au.dk/en/">Aarhus University</a> set out to determine how the melting ice affects coastal waters in Northeast Greenland. 

In coordination with the “Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring Program,” the researchers took annual measurements over a time period of 13 years. The measurements showed that fresh water from the ice sheet had accumulated in the surface layers of the ocean and flowed into the Greenland fjords.

The monitoring took place in Young Sound and in the ocean waters surrounding Young Sound. The analysis found that the surface water layers contained up to 1.5 per mil less saline during the observation period. This means that freshwater content jumped from approximately 1 m in 2003 to almost 4 m in 2015.

Some of the freshwater originates from melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet north of the Young Sound and is carried by the ocean current along the eastern coast of Greenland. From the ocean, the freshwater flows into the inlets where it alters local circulation and impacts the production and structure of the ecosystems.

For example, the additional fresh water makes it harder for the nutrient-rich bottom water to rise to the surface layers where the plankton algae depend on sunlight for productivity in the summer months. Plankton algae provide the foundation for all sea life, which means that lower production of algae will result in a lower production of fish. 

Greenland, the world's largest island, is heavily dependent on fishing, which constitutes about 88 percent of its exports.

The researchers pointed out that ice is melting at an even faster rate in southern and western Greenland. They warned that the effects may be far more dramatic in those regions compared to what they have observed in Young Sound.

The increased melting of the Greenland ice sheet will accelerate rising sea levels and may ultimately impact global ocean currents including the Gulf Stream, an Atlantic Ocean current that brings warm air to Europe. The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Greenland ice sheet melting impacts global ocean currents

An unprecedented study has revealed the long term impact of...

After a week of chaos and devastation caused by the Northern California fires, the state’s firefighters are beginning to get the fast-burning blazes under control.

Since late in the evening of Oct. 8, more than a dozen fires have been raging through several counties in the northern part of the state, killing at least 40 people and burning whole neighborhoods in the city of Santa Rosa.

But a week later, with more than 8,000 firefighters responding to the infernos, crews are beginning to gain the upper hand, despite winds that sparked new evacuations on Saturday.

“Conditions have drastically changed from just 24 hours ago, and that is definitely a very good sign,” Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the <a href="http://www.fire.ca.gov/">Cal Fire</a>, told the news agency <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/">CNBC</a>. “And it’s probably a sign we’ve turned a corner on these fires.” 

As of 1:21 p.m. Sunday, Cal Fire reported that the Tubbs Fire was 60 percent contained, after burning more than 35,000 acres in Napa County. The Atlas Fire was 56 contained at 51,057 acres. 

Fires in the Mendocino Lake Complex, Wind Complex and in Nevada County were also losing ground to the firefighters. The Sulphur Fire in Lake County was 75 percent contained, the Cascade Fire in Yuba County was 87 percent contained, and the La Porte Fire in Butte County was 80 percent contained. Other Northern California fires were at varying levels of containment.

The progress is good news for those evacuated from the wildfire areas – more than 100,000 people have been under evacuation orders over the past week, CNBC reported. About a quarter of those people were allowed to return home on Sunday.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department advised returning evacuees to wear protective clothing and expect delays. They’d have to go through safety checks and would be issued protective gear, the <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/">Sacramento Bee</a> reported.

“Residents should be prepared to evacuate again should conditions change,” the department posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>.

However, not all of the Northern California fires are close to being under control. The Nuns Fire – which had grown to consume four other fires in the Central LNU Complex – was only 25 percent contained. 

“Fire continued burning in the south and western portions,” Cal Fire wrote on the incident report for the fire complex.

The Redwood Valley Fire in Mendocino County, which killed at least nine people, was 35 percent contained, after burning 35,000 acres.

The Northern California fires have killed at least 40 people, mostly overnight on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, fire officials reported. Hundreds remain missing, though officials told CNBC they hope to find most of them alive.

California’s near record rainfall over the winter after several years of drought spurred vegetation growth in the state. That, combined with record heat over the summer, left behind plenty of fuel for extreme wildfires.

The long 2017 wildfire season has been extremely expensive at both the state and federal level, the <a href="http://billingsgazette.com/">Billings Gazette</a> reports. The federal government spent more than $2.7 billion on firefighting in the last budget year, the news agency said, a record high. This year’s fires have already used more than half of the state’s emergency fund.

Firefighting costs are going up in California, Oregon, Montana and elsewhere due to a combination of hotter and drier weather and a buildup of dead and dying trees damaged by past firefighting techniques, Jennifer Jones, a spokeswoman for the <a href="https://www.nifc.gov/">National Interagency Fire Center</a>, told the Gazette.

For more information about efforts to extinguish the Northern California fires, check the <a href="http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents">Cal Fire incidents website</a>. 

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: Capt. Will Martin, <a href="https://www.nationalguard.com/">Army National Guard</a>

Firefighters gaining ground on Northern California fires

After a week of chaos and devastation caused by the...

For the second time in three years, a colony of Antarctic penguins has suffered a tragic die-off of its chicks. 

In 2015, the colony of about 36,000 Adelie penguins lost all of its chicks. So far this year, all but two of the baby penguins have died.

The culprit, experts believe, was late spring ice that forced the adult penguins to travel much farther for food. 

According to the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/">World Wildlife Fund</a>, the Adelie penguin is the smallest and most widespread penguin species in Antarctica. Although they’re considered a species of “least concern” – meaning they’re not considered endangered or threatened – that could change in the future. 

Like other Antarctic penguins, the Adelie colony faces the duel challenges of a changing climate and commercial fishing in their traditional feeding grounds. 

In areas that have already begun to show the effects of climate change over the past 25 years, Adelie penguin populations have dropped by as much as 65 percent, the WWF reports.

The little penguins only breed on land that has no ice, which means that when ice extends farther than usual – as it did this year – adult penguins have to travel farther to find food for themselves and their chicks. In normal years, adults travel 30 to 75 miles to their fishing territory. 

When commercial fishing operations move into that territory, that just means one more competitor for the Adelie penguins’ fish.

"The risk of opening up this area to exploratory krill fisheries, which would compete with the Adelie penguins for food as they recover from two catastrophic breeding failures in four years, is unthinkable,” Rod Downie, the WWF’s head of polar programs, told the BBC.

The WWF is calling for the creation of a Marine Protection Area at the fishing grounds near the colony. 

In an opinion column about the tragic die-off of the penguin chicks printed in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/13/penguins-starving-death-something-very-wrong-antarctic">The Guardian</a>, John Sauven, the director of <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/">Greenpeace</a>, also called for a marine sanctuary for the colony. 

“All of us who live on this planet are the guardians of these environments, not only to protect the wildlife that lives in them, but because the health of our oceans sustains our planet and the livelihoods of billions of people,” Sauven wrote.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Antarctic penguins face catastrophic loss of chicks

For the second time in three years, a colony of...

‘Tis the season for wild turkeys in Massachusetts, but one group of troublemaking turkeys have Boston residents in a "fowl" mood.

The indigenous bird was once completely eradicated from the state. Thanks to the hard work of wildlife restoration experts, the turkeys Ben Franklin once wanted to honor as America’s national bird have made a comeback.

That comeback hasn’t come without a cost. Gangs of wild urban turkeys have begun strutting around Boston like the own the place.

“There was a girl at church on Sunday who was telling me how she got chased. She and her dog got chased by a wild turkey,” Councilman Craig Kelly said during a recent Cambridge City Council meeting.

Over the past three years, Boston and its suburbs have received countless similar complaints, including that they damage cars, attack people and pets, and ruin gardens. A review of public records turned up 60 such reports last year alone, the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a> said. 

One Cambridge meeting to discuss the turkey problem became an example itself. When the meeting ended, Councilman Dennis Carlone was rushed by a turkey as soon as he left.

“It was like the turkey was waiting for me,” he told the <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/">Boston Globe</a>. “They’re clearly strategizing. And I agree, we have to think of some humane way to deal with this.”

In five cases, turkeys became so aggressive that police had to shoot them for public safety, the Associated Press reported.

The troublemaking turkeys aren’t just a problem in Boston. Cities throughout the U.S. have had to deal with more of the feathered fiends finding their way into urban areas. 

And of course, they’re not alone. Other animals like raccoons, foxes and mountain lions have made appearances in cities in recent years. The Boston area has been swamed by rabbits as well as turkeys, and they do just as much damage to yards and gardens.

The problem is that wild animals become acclimated to human areas, but don’t abandon their normal, wild behaviors. Residents who leave food out for wildlife don’t help, because it encourages them to return to the area. 

"Turkeys don't really mean to harm people – it's just tied to their social dynamics within the flock," David Scarpitti told the Associated Press. Scarpitti is a wildlife biologist and turkey expert for the <a href="https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-fish-and-game">Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife</a>. "They lose perspective that humans are humans and turkeys are turkeys. They just want to assert dominance over anything."

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Troublemaking turkeys are ruffling feathers in Boston

‘Tis the season for wild turkeys in Massachusetts, but one...

An asteroid that passed relatively close to the Earth on Thursday may not miss the planet when it returns in 2079, according to scientists. The asteroid, 2012 TC4, was just 27,000 miles from the surface of the Earth on its trip through space.

Rolf Densing heads the <a href="http://www.esa.int/About_Us/ESOC">European Space Operations Centre</a> in Darmstadt, Germany.

“It's damn close,” Densing told <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/">The Telegraph</a>. “The farthest satellites are 36,000 kilometers (22,400 miles) out, so this is indeed a close miss.”

When 2012 TC4 heads back in 2079, scientists have determined there is a possibly it will hit the Earth and have estimated the chances at about one in 750 that this collision will happen. While the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-strike-highest-temperatures/">asteroid</a> is also set to return in 2019 and 2050, it is predicted to pass safely by in those years.

During Thursday's flyby, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> planned to test its planetary defense system to assess how well it would work in the case of an asteroid hitting the Earth.

"The question is: How prepared are we for the next cosmic threat?" said Vishnu Reddy, an assistant professor of planetary science at the <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>. "So we proposed an observational campaign to exercise the network and test how ready we are for a potential impact by a hazardous asteroid."

The observations are expected to inform experts about many aspects of global preparedness for an asteroid disaster.

“Asteroid trackers are using this flyby to test the worldwide asteroid detection and tracking network, assessing our capability to work together in response to finding a potential real asteroid-impact threat,” <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/this-is-a-test-asteroid-tracking-network-observes-oct-12-close-approach">said Michael Kelley</a>, NASA program scientist.

2012 TC4 is estimated to be between 30 and 100 feet wide. If the asteroid crashed into the planet, the impact could be greater than that of the 59-foot asteroid that entered the Earth’s atmosphere over Russia in 2013. More than a thousand people were injured and thousands of buildings were damaged during that event.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Asteroid that just passed Earth this week may not miss next time

An asteroid that passed relatively close to the Earth on...

The trouble with studying volcanoes is that they are incredibly dangerous and volatile. But what if scientists could accurately predict a volcanic eruption using satellite monitoring in space? 

New reports published in the journal Science explain how <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA’s</a> Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) satellite could accurately predict volcanic activity.

The OCO-2 can pinpoint the source of both anthropogenic and natural carbon emissions, which could be the key clues to an impending <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-volcanic-eruptions/">eruption</a>. 

If a volcano is set to erupt, there are certain warning signs. For example, thousands have recently been evacuated in Bali because a stratovolcano called Mount Agung started to smoke, and seismographs detected small earthquakes. 

When Agung last erupted in 1963, more than 1,000 people were killed. As a result, officials are taking all the necessary precautions just in case.

Smoke, small tremors, and plumes of water vapor are all known warning signs that a volcano may erupt. But when the volcano begins to emit carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, an eruption could happen at any time. 

This is exactly why the OCO-2 satellite could be such a useful tool to volcanologists. Even though there are clear warning signs of an eruption, taking accurate measurements at the top of an active volcano is extremely risky.

If satellite data can pick up a rise in carbon emissions from a volcano, it would be a safer way to tell when an eruption might occur. 

Simon Carn, a <a href="http://www.mtu.edu/">Michigan Technological University</a> volcanologist, co-authored one of the five papers in the Science collection. 

Carn and his research team were able to take high-resolution spaceborne measurements of atmospheric carbon and pinpoint localized sources of carbon dioxide, even among the high levels of CO2 present in the atmosphere. 

“The main focus of the article is detecting localized, point-source emissions of carbon dioxide as opposed to measuring the broad-scale concentration in the atmosphere. Volcanoes can be strong, localized sources of carbon dioxide,” said Carn. 

The researchers tracked the satellite data as it passed over three volcanoes in the Pacific island, Vanuatu. The data showed carbon emissions from the volcanoes equal to 42 kilotons, and a sort of carbon dioxide dome over Los Angeles, with emissions decreasing as the satellite passed over less populated areas. 

Even though the satellite data is next to none when picking up and detecting carbon emissions, unfortunately, it is not yet a completely reliable way to predict eruptions. This is because it doesn’t pass over the same location on Earth enough times to get accurate measurements. 

“This is a demonstration that the technique does work, but we need better sensors before it becomes a routine monitoring tool, especially for volcanoes where we expect rapid changes in gas emissions,” said Carn. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth,com </a>Staff Writer

Using satellites to more safely predict volcanic eruptions

The trouble with studying volcanoes is that they are incredibly...

By now, it’s a well-known fact that cows are a major contributor of methane emissions in the atmosphere. But now, a surprising new study has found that clams and worms in the Baltic also emit vast quantities of methane, even comparable to that of 20,000 dairy cows. 

The study was conducted by researchers from<a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/"> Cardiff University</a> and <a href="http://www.su.se/english/">Stockholm University</a> and published in the journal Scientific Reports. 

The researchers found that ocean clams and worms release <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-measured-reported/">methane</a> and nitrous oxide from bacteria in their guts. The sheer amount of greenhouse gases emitted by these seemingly innocuous creatures has a far more significant impact on global climate change than previously considered. 

“These small yet very abundant animals may play an important, but so far neglected, role in regulating the emissions of greenhouse gases in the sea,” said Dr. Stefano Bonaglia, the lead author from Stockholm University. 

Methane is 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide in terms of warming potential, which is why methane emissions from animals are such a cause for concern. 

For the study, the researchers collected sediment samples and analyzed trace gas, isotopes, and molecules from the Baltic worms and clams. 

After careful analysis, the researchers found that 10 percent of the total emissions may be due to clams and worms.

The amount of methane the clams emit is comparable to 20,000 dairy cows, or put another way, as much as 10 percent of the entire Welsh dairy cow population. 

“What is puzzling is that the Baltic Sea makes up only about 0.1% of Earth's oceans, implying that globally, apparently harmless bivalve animals at the bottom of the world's oceans may, in fact, be contributing ridiculous amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere that is unaccounted for,” said Dr Ernest Chi Fru, from Cardiff University's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences and co-author of the study. 

The neglected source of greenhouse gas emissions could impact future policies regarding shellfish farming.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Clams and worms emit shockingly high amounts of methane

By now, it’s a well-known fact that cows are a...

Scott Pruitt, the head of the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>, has announced that the Trump Administration will formally move to repeal the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pruitt-clean-power-plan/">Clean Power Plan</a> and continue dismantling any Obama-era environmental protections. This, despite a historic string of devastating hurricanes that have ravaged Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and much of the Caribbean.

While the Trump Administration insists that these last months of devastating storms is not the time to discuss the very real consequences of climate change, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> takes a look at 10 of the deadliest storms in US history.

Hurricane Audrey of 1957 was a Category 3 storm that hit Texas and Louisiana leaving at least 416 dead and 147 million dollars in damage. 

The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane is reportedly the most intense storm to hit the United States with winds of up to 185 miles per hour. He Category 5 hurricane affected the Florida Keys, Southwest and North Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia, leaving 423 fatalities. 

The Great New England Hurricane, also known as the 1938 New England Hurricane and the Long Island Express, was a Category 5 storm that formed near the coast of Africa. With 682 to 800 direct fatalities, it was one the deadliest and most destructive storms to hit Long Island and New England.

The 1881 Georgia Hurricane was a Category 2 that killed at least 700 from St Simons Island to Savannah Georgia. It was the fifth of a series of seven tropical cyclones that spanned from the  beginning of August to late September of that year. 

The 1919 Florida Keys Hurricane, also known as the 1919 Key West Hurricane or the Atlantic-Gulf Hurricane, was a Category 4 that left 772 dead. The storm ripped through the Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico.

The 1893 Sea Islands Hurricane hit Savanna, Georgia before slamming into South Carolina. The Category 3 storm left an estimated 1000 to 2000 dead–mostly from storm surge, which is a tsunami-like flood associated with tropical cyclones. 

The Great October Storm of 1893, also known as the Caminada Hurricane, was a Category 4. It hit the island of Cheniere Caminada off the coast of Louisiana, killing 1,100 to 2,000 and wiping the entire community off the map save for a single damaged home.

Hurricane Katrina was a Category 3 that hit New Orleans’ Ninth Ward District as well as parts of Mississippi in August of 2005. 1,200 people perished and the storm caused $108 billion in damages.

The Okeechobee Hurricane, also known as the San Felipe Segundo hurricane of 1928, was a Category 5 that made landfall near West Palm Beach, particularly ravaging the area near Lake Okeechobee. The deadliest storm to hit the North Atlantic basin on record, the tropical cyclone killed an estimated 4,000 people.

The Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was a Category 4 that destroyed 3,600 homes in Galveston, Texas. The island city reportedly saw winds up to 145 miles per hour and 8,000 to 12,000 people lost their lives in the deadliest U.S. hurricane/natural disaster in history. 

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By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Darryl Joseph</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The 10 deadliest storms in U.S. history

Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, has...

Data from the <a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/">European Environmental Agency</a> (EEA) shows that air pollution is responsible for over 500,000 premature deaths each year across Europe, despite the fact that conditions are slowly improving. 

Authors of the EEA’s current analysis write, “Air pollution is the single largest environmental health risk in Europe and disease burden resulting from air pollution is substantial.”

The report, “<a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2017">Air Quality In Europe-2017</a>,” reveals that heart disease and stroke are the most common causes of such premature deaths, followed by lung cancer and lung diseases. 

The <a href="https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/agencies/eea_en">EEA</a> is used as a major information source for evaluating, developing, and implementing environmental policy. Research is gathered from the agency's massive Eionet environment observation network made up of 300 stations across Europe combined with an additional 90 specialized institutions.

The latest document from the EEA says that 520,400 premature deaths across 41 European countries were the result of air pollutants generated by the burning of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/japan-china-fossil-fuel-sea-floor/">fossil fuels</a> in 2014. This figure was down a little compared to 2013, when 550,000 deaths were caused by air pollution.

Overall, 80 percent of these deaths were directly linked to the inhalation of microscopic particulate matter. Data from EEA observation stations shows that 82 percent of Europe's urban population was exposed to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in 2015, which dropped from 85 percent in 2013.

Other sources of poor air quality which contributed to the alarming number the premature deaths in Europe include nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone from vehicle emissions.

The number of cases of lung cancer among European non-smokers has doubled in the last decade as a result of air pollution exposure. At this rate, the number of non-smoker deaths from lung cancer will surpass those among nicotine users in the next ten years.

Respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and other cancers have also been directly linked to unsafe pollution levels in Europe. In addition, negative health impacts on fertility, pregnancy, newborns, and children have been reported. 

The EEA’s latest publication, which is an updated analysis of air quality in Europe from 2000-2015, suggests that conditions are improving but that the rate of improvement needs to gain momentum.

The authors of the report conclude, “Reduced emissions have improved air quality in Europe, and, for a number of pollutants, exceedances of European standards are rare. However, substantial challenges remain and considerable impacts on human health and on the environment persist.”

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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

Air pollution in Europe causes 500,000 premature deaths per year

Data from the European Environmental Agency (EEA) shows that air...

This week, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-california-wine-country/">wildfires</a> have ravaged northern California’s wine country, killing at least 24 people and releasing billowing clouds of smoke into the sky. But how exactly does smoke from wildfires impact the atmosphere and the effects of climate change?

According to a new study, brown carbon aerosol often emitted by wildfires may not have as drastic an impact on global warming as previously thought.

Aerosol scientists from <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a> in St. Louis have discovered that brown carbon loses its ability to store light and in turn, its warming effect over time. 

The longer that brown smoke stays in the atmosphere, the more it turns into light, scattering, white smoke. 

“Our study casts doubts on the warming implications of brown carbon. If this life cycle analysis is not taken into account, climate models could very well give rise to overestimated values of warming due to these aerosols,” said Rajan Chakrabarty, one of the lead researchers of the study. 

To study brown carbon aerosol, the researchers burned peatland fuels from different regions in Alaska in a contained combustion chamber. This allowed the researchers to monitor the smoke, noting the changes in chemical composition over several days. 

Chakrabarty and Williams also exposed the smoke plumes to ultraviolet radiation and ozone to mimic the effects of smoke in the atmosphere. 

The researchers noted that as the days went on, the smoke changed color from muddy brown to light grey and white, weakening it’s light absorption properties. 

“If the particles always stayed brown, they would continue to contribute to warming because they absorb more radiation. If after a few days in the atmosphere they turn white, they'll start contributing to cooling by scattering more radiation,” said Brent Williams, Director of the Washington University Climate Change Program. 

Understanding how brown carbon affects the atmosphere is crucial, as wildfires are only predicted to increase in the coming years due to the changing climate. 

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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

How does smoke from wildfires affect the atmosphere?

This week, wildfires have ravaged northern California’s wine country, killing...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> have revealed a new threat to the ozone layer. Substances which were not previously considered capable of persisting long enough to reach the stratosphere are now being discovered in large atmospheric concentrations.

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty that was signed in 1987 to begin the process of phasing out the production of chemicals that were destroying the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/ozone-layer-new-sensor/">ozone layer</a>. According to this new study, however, there are increasing emissions of substances not regulated by the treaty that are threatening the ozone’s recovery.

Lead author David Oram explained that the harmful substances were not believed to be damaging because they were "generally thought to be too short-lived to reach the stratosphere in large quantities.”

Emissions from countries like China can be particularly damaging to the ozone due to the fact that cold-air surges in East Asia can quickly carry air pollution into the tropics. Airborne substances in this region of the world can reach the ozone layer before dissipating and while they are still capable of causing damage.

One of the dangerous chemicals identified by the research team is dichloromethane, a substance with many uses including the production of pharmaceuticals. Although the amount of dichloromethane in the atmosphere decreased in the 1990s and early 2000s, the researchers found that it has become about 60 percent more abundant over the past decade. 

"This was a major surprise to the scientific community and we were keen to discover the cause of this sudden increase," said Oram. "We expected that the new emissions could be coming from the developing world, where industrialization has been increasing rapidly.” 

The team measured air pollution in East Asia in an effort to determine where the increase in dichloromethane was originating from and whether or not it could affect the ozone layer.

"Our estimates suggest that China may be responsible for around 50-60% of current global emissions [of dichloromethane], with other Asian countries, including India, likely to be significant emitters as well," said Oram.

Another ozone-depleting chemical detected in large quantities by the team is dichloroethane, a substance used in making PVC. China is the largest producer of PVC and its production has increased tremendously over the last two decades. The researchers were shocked to find the prevalence of dichloroethane in the atmosphere because it is “highly toxic" and also a “valuable commodity.”

Oram concluded, "We are highlighting a gap in the Montreal Protocol that may need to be addressed in the future, particularly if atmospheric concentrations continue to rise.”

The study is published today in <a href="https://www.atmospheric-chemistry-and-physics.net/">Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics</a>, a journal of the <a href="https://www.egu.eu/">European Geosciences Union</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A dangerous new threat to the ozone layer

Researchers from the University of East Anglia have revealed a...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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



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



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



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



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



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



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

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



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



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



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



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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