Millions of years from now, the remnants of today’s world will be buried beneath layers of rock and sediment. While fossils of ancient creatures have long fascinated scientists, we are likely to leave behind a new kind of fossil in the future - one shaped by human activity. 



These "technofossils" include everything from plastic bottles and old mobile phones to the most unexpected of all - the blades of wind turbines.



The idea that everyday objects could become <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-fossils-reveal-signs-of-a-population-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossils</a> may seem strange. People associate fossils with dinosaur bones, ancient trees, and primitive sea creatures - not with discarded technology.



However, researchers have started to realize that the impact of human-made materials will last far longer than many natural formations. The structures we build and the items we use daily will leave a lasting imprint on the Earth’s geological record, creating a new chapter in the history of fossilization.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-human-made-objects-become-fossils">How human-made objects become fossils</h2>



Fossilization is a slow and selective process. For an object to become a fossil, it must be buried under sediment, shielded from decay, and eventually mineralized over time. 



Most organic materials decompose before they have a chance to fossilize, but some artificial materials resist natural breakdown.



Plastics, synthetic fabrics, and certain composites are particularly durable. They do not degrade easily, which makes them prime candidates for future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/north-americas-oldest-dinosaur-is-completely-rewriting-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossils</a>.



The layers of waste accumulating in landfills today could, under the right conditions, transform into well-preserved remnants of the Anthropocene epoch - the age of human influence on Earth.



<a href="https://le.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a> paleontologists Professor Sarah Gabbott and Professor Jan Zalasiewicz have explored this idea in depth. 



In their book <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/discarded-9780192869333?cc=gb&amp;lang=en&amp;" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Discarded: How Technofossils Will be Our Ultimate Legacy</a>, they examine how the products of modern life will be preserved for millennia. These objects will tell the story of a civilization defined by industry, technology, and mass consumption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossilized-wind-turbine-blades">Fossilized wind turbine blades </h2>



Among all the potential technofossils, wind turbine blades stand out as among the most surprising. These towering structures symbolize clean energy, yet their long-term environmental fate remains uncertain.



Unlike the metal towers that hold them aloft, turbine blades are produced from materials that are difficult to recycle, making them far more likely to persist in the geological record.



“The fossils won’t be of the towers, by and large – those are made of metal, which can be recycled. The enormous wind turbine blades, though, are made of materials like fibreglass and epoxy resin and carbon fibres, which are terribly hard to recycle - but easy to fossilize,“ explained Professor Zalasiewicz.



“As wind turbines reach end-of-life and are decommissioned, huge landfills of the 50 meter-long-plus blades, sliced into truck-length segments and neatly stacked side by side, are appearing and growing."



“Some will stay buried for millions of years – and, if finally erosion-revealed and stumbled upon by some curious far-future palaeontologist, will be an amazing sight, like a graveyard of gigantic, hollow, sawn-up bones."



"Some may be squashed and crumpled by earth movements, and others may be filled with mineral growths, but their striking shape and enormous size will shine out of the strata.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-piecing-together-the-past">Piecing together the past</h2>



Future scientists may one day stumble upon these massive fossils and wonder about their origins. 



Just as modern paleontologists reconstruct dinosaur skeletons from fragmented bones, these wind turbine fossils could present a mystery for researchers in the distant future. Their aerodynamic design might hint at their original purpose, but without historical records, their function could remain uncertain.



“For our far-future explorers, they will be a huge puzzle – will they be able to tell that they were built to catch the wind, and to provide energy that is clean and renewable? Perhaps they will, if they can piece them together – like we reconstruct huge dinosaur skeletons today – to see their aerodynamic shapes,” said Professor Zalasiewicz.



These fossils will not be alone. They will be part of a vast and complex geological archive of human activity. Alongside them, future scientists may uncover the remains of other everyday objects, from metal wires and plastic containers to microchips and industrial pollutants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-impact-of-human-waste">Growing impact of human waste</h2>



While wind turbine blades are one of the more dramatic examples, they are not the only evidence of human impact on the planet. 



Every year, billions of discarded items accumulate in landfills and oceans. Over time, many of these objects will become buried beneath layers of sediment, preserving them for future generations to discover.



“They will be only one puzzle among the millions we leave behind in our daily lives (and we suspect they would also find the more sinister fossils left by fossil fuel burning). There’s been nothing like this emerging new fossil cornucopia in the Earth’s four and a half billion-year history,“ noted Professor Zalasiewicz.



“And right now, we should begin to understand this amazing, if often toxic, legacy that we are leaving for the planet. Knowing how our myriad discarded objects will fossilise into the far future can help us deal with the growing mountains of trash we live among today.”



Understanding how our waste fossilizes is not just an academic pursuit. It provides insight into the long-term effects of human consumption and pollution. 



This knowledge could encourage more sustainable practices and better waste management strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of future generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-relics-of-modern-life">Unexpected relics of modern life</h2>



The idea of human-made fossils, including turbine blades, invites some unusual questions.



What will be the strangest objects that survive millions of years into the future? Which everyday items will become the most unexpected relics of modern life?



“It’s been a real adventure to use our understanding of how fossils form in the past and now apply it to the very new world of what we call technofossils,“ Professor Sarah Gabbott noted.



“But then we were asked a really tricky question. What will the most surprising technofossil that we leave behind, millions (or billions) of years from now?



“There are so many candidates to rival wind turbines for the ‘weirdest human-made fossil of all time.' There are, for instance, the myriad different shapes that a pair of Y-fronts can take when pressed within strata (and yes, we do explore that very particular question in the book)."



“There are the tiny, but very distinctive – and very hard-wearing – fossil smoke particles that come out of our power stations. There are the strange stories of tea-bags, and of chicken feathers, non-stick pans, the minute patterns on silicon chips, the copper wires that wrap around the globe, and much more,” explained Professor Gabbott.



From fabric pressed into rock to microscopic patterns on electronic chips, these objects will provide a unique record of human civilization. Their presence in the geological archive will serve as evidence of a world driven by innovation, industry, and material consumption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-wind-turbine-blades">Future research on wind turbine blades</h2>



The study of technofossils is more than just a curiosity - it forces us to reconsider our relationship with waste and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long-term environmental impact</a>. If everyday objects will outlast entire civilizations, what responsibilities do we have in managing what we leave behind?



Gabbott and Zalasiewicz’s research challenges us to think beyond the present moment. The choices we make today will shape how future generations understand our era. 



By studying how human-made materials fossilize, we gain a new perspective on sustainability, history, and the consequences of our actions over deep time .



As we continue to innovate and build, it is worth remembering that the fossils of the future will not just be ancient bones and shells. Everything we discard has the potential to become a lasting mark on the planet. 



This is what will tell the story of a world transformed by humanity.



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What modern fossils will be the 'most surprising' to future explorers?

Millions of years from now, the remnants of today’s world will be buried beneath layers of rock and sediment. While fossils of ancient creatures have long fascinated scientists, we are likely to leave behind a new kind of fossil in the future - one shaped by human activity. These "technofossils" include everything from plastic bottles and old mobile phones to the most unexpected of all - the blades of wind turbines. The idea that everyday objects could become fossils may seem strange. People associate fossils with dinosaur...

Researchers have discovered that tectonic plates are weaker than what has been believed for many years. The scientists explained that previous studies have “drastically overestimated” their strength due to misinterpretations of rock strength in the lab.

Study co-author Lars Hansen is an associate professor of Rock and Mineral Physics at <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">Oxford University</a>.

“The strength of tectonic plates has been a major target of research for the past four decades,” said Hansen. “For plate tectonics to work, plates must be able to break to form new plate boundaries.” 

Dr. Hansen said that scientists have put a lot of work into measuring the strength of key rocks that make up <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tectonic-plates-earths-mantle/">tectonic plates</a>.

“Unfortunately, those estimates of rock strength have been significantly greater than the apparent strength of plates as observed on Earth,” said Dr. Hansen. “Thus, there is a fundamental lack of understanding of how plates can actually break to form new boundaries.”

For the current study, the research team used a technique known as “nanoindentation” to more accurately match the strength of the lab rocks to those found in the natural world. The nanoindentation experiments showed how the rocks that make up tectonic plates are weak enough to break and form new plate boundaries.

Dr. Hansen explained that the variability among previous calculations of rock strength “is a result of a special length-scale within the rocks - that is, the strength depends on the volume of material being tested. To determine this we used nanoindentation experiments in which a microscopic diamond stylus is pressed into the surface of an olivine crystal. These experiments reveal that the strength of the crystal depends on the size of the indentation.”

According to Dr. Hansen, the measured strength of the rocks increases as the size of the crystals decreases. Previous studies used synthetic rocks with crystal sizes much smaller than crystals found in nature, and so the tectonic plates were estimated to be much stronger than they actually are.

'This result has implications beyond forming tectonic plate boundaries,” said Dr. Hansen. “Better predictions of the strength of rocks under these conditions will help inform us on many dynamic processes in plates. For instance, we now know that the evolution of stresses on earthquake-generating faults likely depends on the size of the individual crystals that make up the rocks involved. In addition, flexing of plates under the weight of volcanoes or large ice sheets, a process intimately linked to sea level on Earth, will also ultimately depend on crystal size.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tectonic plates are even less stable than we thought

Researchers have discovered that tectonic plates are weaker than what...

People of color are exposed to more nitrogen dioxide pollution than whites in the United States. And now, research from the <a href="http://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> has found that little progress was made in lessening the gap between 2000 and 2010.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/image/gas-flaring-creates-nitrogen-dioxide-and-black-carbon-pollution/">Nitrogen dioxide</a> (NO2) is emitted from vehicle exhaust, power plants, and off-road equipment. It is one of six principal air pollutants monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency. NO2 has been linked to asthma and increased risk of respiratory problems and heart disease.

A nationwide study was launched to investigate how much people are exposed to NO2 based on the neighborhoods where they live. The researchers estimated the outdoor concentrations of NO2 in both 2000 and 2010. The results showed a larger imbalance in NO2 exposure by race and ethnicity than by income, age, or education. 

For their study, the researchers developed a model that is the first of its kind to combine satellite and regulatory measurements with land use data in order to predict pollution at a neighborhood level. Measured in parts per billion, or ppb, average annual NO2 exposure decreased from 17.6 to 10.7 ppb for nonwhite populations, and from 12.6 to 7.8 ppb for white populations between 2000 and 2010. 

Despite this significant drop, the gap in exposure among races narrowed by very little. Nonwhites were exposed to 40 percent more of the pollutant in 2000, which only dropped to 37 percent by 2010. In addition, concentrations of NO2 in neighborhoods with the highest numbers of nonwhite residents were 2.5 times higher in 2000. This value increased to 2.7 times higher by 2010.

The experts estimated that 5,000 premature deaths from heart disease among the nonwhite group would have been prevented if people of color had breathed the lower NO2 levels experienced by whites in 2010.

"The finding that shocks us is that when it comes to how much NO2 a person breathes, it's still race that matters," said senior author Julian Marshall. "At any income level -- low to medium to high -- there's a persistent gap by race, which is completely indefensible. It says a lot about how segregated neighborhoods still are and how things are segregated.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People of color in the U.S. are exposed to far more air pollution

People of color are exposed to more nitrogen dioxide pollution...

According to a new study, the key to most accurately measuring global warming is actually by studying the ocean. 

The study, authored by researchers from all over the world, was published in AGU’s EOS journal and details an efficient and accurate way of measuring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-mercury-arctic-soil/">global warming</a> by focusing on sea levels and ocean heat. 

Understanding climate change has a lot to do in part with calculating the Earth’s Energy Imbalance, or EEI. 

The EEI helps determine how fast the Earth is heating up or storing heat. The measurement calculates the difference between incoming solar radiation and outgoing longwave thermal radiation. The EEI has drastically increased over the years, and this imbalance is directly caused by anthropogenic activities. 

Instead of using the mean global surface temperature to measure how quickly the Earth is storing heat, the new research shows the oceans provide a more accurate representation. 

Why? Because more than 90% of the extra heat caused by trapped greenhouse gasses ends up in the oceans. This extra buildup is causing ocean warming and sea levels to rise.

According to the study, sea level rise and changes in ocean heat content should be the primary measurements of global warming. Advancements made in ocean monitoring technology can now calculate current conditions and also accurately reconstruct the historical ocean temperature. 

The past few years have been the warmest on record, and according to the latest estimates, the top ten warmest years for the ocean all occurred after 2006. 

The ocean heat content has increased by 30.4×1022 Joules since 1960. To put this in perspective, the increase in ocean heat content since 1992 is nearly 2000 times total the net generation of electricity by the U.S. utility companies in 2015. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ocean data is the most accurate way to measure global warming

According to a new study, the key to most accurately...

A new study has found that over 70 percent of the U.S. public supports a tax on carbon emissions so long as the revenue is spent on clean energy, infrastructure, and compensation for coal workers.

The study was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. 

Policymakers have been kicking around the idea of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-emissions-income-gap/">carbon</a> tax for some time now, and some states have already attempted to regulate and tax carbon emissions. In fact, California has imposed new agricultural regulations to reduce methane emissions from cows.

“What we aimed to find out, however, was whether there was support among the American public for a carbon tax to address climate change. Specifically, we also wanted to discover how much they were willing to pay, and how they would prefer the revenue from the tax to be used,” said Professor Matthew J Kotchen, the study’s lead researcher. 

Researchers surveyed just over 1,000 adult Americans to see what kind of support there might be for the implementation of a carbon tax and where the respondents would like that money to be spent. 

Participants were given ten different expenditure options for revenue from a carbon tax and were asked to rate their support or opposition for each. 

The results of the study showed that over 70 percent of people were in support of a carbon tax, and nearly 80% of participants were in favor of revenue going into clean energy projects and infrastructure. 

“With the average American household willing to pay a mean amount of around $177 a year in carbon tax on their energy bills, this equates to around $22 billion that could be spent on investments in clean energy and infrastructure, among other sectors as well,” said Kotchen. 

Survey takers were also largely in favor of a portion of any carbon tax revenues being used to compensate coal workers. 

The results of the survey could help mold future policies down the line, in order to reduce emissions and hinder the effects of climate change. If the funds are spent wisely, the public might be ready.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Survey: Americans support carbon tax, spending on renewables

A new study has found that over 70 percent of...

Conservation efforts initiated by locals and indigenous people have proven to be just as successful as government efforts, according to a new study. The research showed that grassroots initiatives in the Amazon rainforest are often the most effective conservation strategies.

"Our results that these diverse types of protected areas were effective at reducing deforestation and forest degradation compared to non-protected areas are very encouraging," said lead author Dr. Judith Schleicher from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>.

The research team closely examined the effectiveness of various conservation efforts in the Peruvian Amazon between 2006 and 2011. They discovered that all strategies to protect the rainforest were successful compared with non-protected areas of land, but efforts by local and indigenous communities proved to be the most effective.

"Our analysis shows that there is no single way of protecting tropical forests, and multiple approaches are required to stem the relentless tide of forest conversion and degradation," said co-author Professor Carlos Peres.

The researchers gauged the advantages of each conservation approach for how well it was able to reduce overall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cash-key-preventing-deforestation/">deforestation</a>. They combined remote sensing data with environmental and socio-economic datasets for each assessment, and controlled for outside factors that affect deforestation and forest degradation.

The study was focused on areas protected by the national government, indigenous communities, or civil society. These regions were compared to non-protected areas and land used for timber and mineral extraction. 

The research team pointed out that the conservation strategies may seem more or less successful depending on what non-protected areas they were compared against. The land use restrictions of the non-protected land also influenced how effective the conservation efforts appeared.

"Policy makers must focus on a more diverse set of mechanisms for protecting the rapidly disappearing tropical forests," said Schleicher. "Our analysis shows that local stewardship of the forest can be very effective at curtailing forest degradation and conversion in the Peruvian Amazon. Local conservation initiatives deserve more political, financial and legal support than they currently receive."

The results of the study are 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

Local strategies are most effective at protecting the rainforest

Conservation efforts initiated by locals and indigenous people have proven...

Ever since President Donald Trump took office in January, there has been a firestorm of debate over his environmental policies. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-leaders-react-paris-agreement/">Mr. Trump</a> entered the White House with the lowest approval rating of any incoming president, and chief among his critics are environmentalists who believe he is a worst-case-scenario leader for a planet already fighting the battle against climate change.

Every move the president makes seems to be either strongly supported or highly criticized, and his decisions regarding climate change are definitely no exception. The following are some of the most shocking moments in the history of Donald Trump versus the environment.

Trump Puts A Climate Change Skeptic In Charge Of The EPA

Scott Pruitt, the Trump-appointed head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), not only <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scott-pruitt-doubts-global-warming/">doubts climate change</a>, but is also a die-hard supporter of big oil and gas companies. When he was the attorney general for the state of Oklahoma, Pruitt sued the EPA more than a dozen times. Pruitt has even stated that he does not believe that carbon dioxide is a major contributor to global warming.

Climate Change Denial

Tweets from Donald Trump remind us time and time again that the president is a climate change non-believer. It is impossible to forget the time he tweeted, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” Trump even nominated Republican Congressman Jim Bridenstine to head NASA, who has also voiced doubts about climate change.

Trump’s Withdrawal From The Paris Accord 

Leaving the Paris Agreement was one of the least popular moves the president made, sparking disapproval and outrage all over the world. Trump stood by his decision, however, claiming that the pact was “a massive redistribution of United States wealth to other countries.”

Reversal Of Obama's Climate Policies

In 2014 Trump tweeted, “The only global warming that people should be concerned with is the global warming caused by nuclear weapons because of our weak U.S. leader.” As soon as he moved into the White House, Trump began working to dismantle any environmental regulations that Obama had put in place, and signed an executive order that reversed the government's enforcement of climate policies.

Tweets About North Korea

President Trump also took to Twitter to respond to powerful nuclear tests by North Korea. He tweeted, “North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success.” The president faced harsh criticism for being so cavalier about the threat of nuclear war, which would have catastrophic consequences for the environment, including radiation that could affect millions.

Immigration Enforcement

Trump has pursued immigration reform more aggressively than any other president. FactCheck.org reports that the the number of people apprehended or denied access at the US/Mexico border declined by 53 percent from June 2016 to June 2017. However, the construction of his proposed border wall would <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mexico-border-wall-hurt-biodiversity/">endanger many species</a>, according to experts, without slowing down human traffic at the border.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The truth about Donald Trump vs The Environment

Ever since President Donald Trump took office in January, there...

An unprecedented study published today in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> calculates the real danger of particulate air pollution. The research reveals that Chinese policy may inadvertently cause people in northern China to live 3.1 years less because air pollution concentrations are 46 percent higher in this region than they are in the south.

Experts estimate that 4.5 billion people are  exposed to levels of particulate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-deaths-climate-changes/">pollution</a> that are at least twice what the World Health Organization considers safe. This study is the first to determine the impact that prolonged exposure to particulate matter has on a person's lifespan.

The findings of the study suggest that an extra 10 micrograms per cubic meter of particulate matter pollution (PM10) reduces life expectancy by 0.6 years and causes an increase in cardiorespiratory deaths.

"These results greatly strengthen the case that long-term exposure to particulates air pollution causes substantial reductions in life expectancy,” said co-author Michael Greenstone. “They indicate that particulates are the greatest current environmental risk to human health, with the impact on life expectancy in many parts of the world similar to the effects of every man, woman and child smoking cigarettes for several decades.”

Greenstone is the director of the Energy Policy Institute at the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a> (EPIC). He said that history has shown us that “air pollution can be reduced, but it requires robust policy and enforcement."

The study focused on China's Huai River policy, which provided free coal for winter heating to people living north of the river. China did not have the resources to provide free coal to the entire country, which is part of why the policy was developed. 

Residents exposed to more pollution in northern China were generally not able to migrate to less polluted areas due to migration restrictions, which produced a great opportunity for scientists to observe the health effects of particulate pollution in a natural environment.

"The study's unique design provides solutions to several challenges that have been difficult to solve," said co-author Maoyong Fan. "The Huai River policy also provides a research design that can be used to explore a variety of other questions about the long-run consequences of exposure to high levels of pollution."

China has recently increased its efforts to curb air pollution. China is switching its primary source of heating from coal-fired boilers to gas or electric units, and has shut down many coal plants. This has significantly decreased particulate air pollution in some of China's most polluted cities, including Beijing.

"Our findings show that these changes will bring about significant health benefits for the Chinese people in the long run," said co-author Guojun He. "If all of China were brought into compliance with its Class I standards for PM10, more than 3.7 billion life-years will be saved."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

In China, air pollution could take years off of your life

An unprecedented study published today in the Proceedings of the...

A study by researchers from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> has revealed that fatal changes in coral communities on the Great Barrier Reef began almost 100 years ago. Researcher Dr. Tara Clark explained that corals are highly sensitive to environmental change and that close observation is needed to avoid irreparable damage to the health of this ecosystem.

"Hard coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef is on a trajectory of decline," said Dr Clark. "Yet, little is known about past coral mortality before long-term monitoring began around the 1980s to give us a long-term picture of what has happened since European colonization of the coast."

Before the 1980’s, there was limited baseline information on the dynamics of corals. This has made it challenging for scientists to understand the recent trends. Dr. Clark's team used “high-resolution uranium-thorium dating, modern and palaeoecological techniques” to examine more about the history of corals in Australia's Palm Islands.

"At a regional scale we found a loss of resilience in ecologically important branching Acropora corals - formerly dominant key framework builders - with recovery severely lagging behind predictions."

The study found that the Acropora coral death occurred simultaneously among reefs in the Palm Islands and coincided with extreme weather events. Bleaching and flooding put too much strain on the corals in the 1920’s to 1960’s and again in the 1980s to 1990s.

"Surveys conducted in 2014 revealed low Acropora cover - less than five per cent - across all sites, with very little evidence of recovery for up to 60 years at some sites, thus there was little left in this region for the 2016 bleaching event to kill," said Dr.Clark.

Combined with previous research, the results of this study suggest that the underlying condition of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-barrier-reef-coral-loss-worse/">Great Barrier Reef</a> had already degraded before long-term monitoring began in the 80s. The discovery of this undocumented coral loss means that overall fatality in the region is the likely far worse than previously reported.

The analysis reaffirms the urgent need to reduce human impacts on coral reefs in order to buy time for the reefs to recover before the next major disturbance event.

"The findings of this study will also prove valuable to reef managers by providing a reliable baseline for ongoing monitoring and identifying reefs at risk for deterioration, especially for those where modern observations are lacking," said Dr. Clark.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer


Image Credit: M. Prazeres

Great Barrier Reef coral loss dates back almost a century

A study by researchers from the University of Queensland has...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.silentspring.org/">Silent Spring Institute</a> found indoor air pollutants in subsidized housing in Boston, Massachusetts, with some chemicals hitting unsafe levels. What is most surprising, though, is that the indoor air pollution was found in green homes, or homes built to comply with enhanced energy efficiency standards. 

The study also sheds light on which chemicals originate from the building itself, and which are brought in by homeowners. 

“This is the first study to look at air pollutants pre- and post-occupancy, allowing us to really hone in on the sources,”  said Robin Dodson, an environmental exposure scientist at Silent Spring Institute.

Dodson also said that indoor pollution from building materials could cause an array of health and respiratory problems, including asthma, reproductive disorders, cancer and lower IQ. 

Many household cleaning products, furniture, plastics, and home essentials contain chemicals that can contribute to indoor pollution, but Dodson found many chemicals came directly from the homes themselves. 

The researchers collected air and dust samples from newly renovated subsidized homes in Boston, both before and after people moved into the units. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/video/houseplants-reduce-indoor-air-pollution/">Indoor pollution</a> levels are often higher in lower income housing compared to wealthier communities. 

Dodson found flame retardants, phosphate, and tris (1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCDIPP) that most likely came from the building versus the occupants. Incidentally, TCDIPP has been associated with decreased fertility in men. 

The researchers found some chemicals that have been banned or phased out, and formaldehyde was detected in all units. Even more alarming was that formaldehyde levels in the units were higher than <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) recommendations. 

Dodson hopes the research will help shape building standards for low-income housing and other developments.

Combining healthier building initiatives, excluding hazardous chemicals from green building materials, and educating the public on household products that contain harmful ingredients can all drastically help reduce indoor pollution levels. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Indoor air pollution found in green homes due to toxic materials

A new study from the Silent Spring Institute found indoor...

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

Openings in sea ice can impact climate across the globe

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

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

Climate change could drastically reduce coffee growing capacity

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

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

Hurricane Irma weakens, but not before massive destruction

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

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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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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