A recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reveals that between 71 and 95 million people in the United States - more than 20% of the country's population - may be relying on groundwater containing detectable levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for their drinking water.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-filtration-system-removes-forever-chemicals-from-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PFAS</a> are synthetic chemicals commonly used in various products, including non-stick cookware, fast-food packaging, and firefighting foams. 



Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are resistant to breaking down in the environment and can accumulate over time, raising concerns about drinking water quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-estimates-nbsp-of-contaminated-groundwater">Estimates&nbsp;of contaminated groundwater </h2>



This research provides the first national estimates of PFAS occurrence in untreated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-plays-critical-role-ecosystem-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groundwater</a> that supplies both public and private wells.



The <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USGS</a> scientists analyzed 1,238 groundwater samples collected nationwide to determine how factors like urban development and well depth impact PFAS presence. 



The study also offers an interactive online map, allowing users to view probability estimates of PFAS contamination across different regions. These predictive results are intended for evaluation at state, regional, and national levels rather than individual households.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-and-regulatory-standards">Health risks and regulatory standards</h2>



Exposure to certain PFAS compounds has been linked to adverse health effects in humans, according to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA). 



Recognizing the potential risks, the EPA has established legally enforceable maximum contaminant levels for six types of PFAS in drinking water supplied by public systems.&nbsp;



However, private well owners are responsible for the maintenance, testing, and treatment of their water, and may not have the same access to resources as public water suppliers.&nbsp;



Those concerned about PFAS levels in their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strict-pfas-limits-will-make-drinking-water-safer-for-100-million-americans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drinking water</a> are advised to consult EPA guidelines or contact local officials and water suppliers for testing and treatment options.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-distribution-of-contaminated-groundwater">Distribution of contaminated groundwater </h2>



The study identifies states with the largest populations relying on potentially contaminated groundwater.&nbsp;



For public water supplies, Florida and California top the list. Regarding private wells, Michigan, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio have the highest numbers of people potentially affected.&nbsp;



In Massachusetts, for instance, the source water for 86% to 98% of people relying on groundwater from public supplies could be contaminated with PFAS.&nbsp;



Similarly, in Connecticut, 67% to 87% of private well users may be exposed to contaminated groundwater.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-methodology-and-key-findings">Methodology and key findings</h2>



USGS researchers utilized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/machine-learning-could-revolutionize-drug-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">machine learning</a> models to predict areas with a higher likelihood of PFAS contamination. They combined this information with data on population reliance on groundwater for drinking purposes. 



The researchers found that both public and private wells are at risk, though they typically draw water from different depths - public wells are usually deeper than private ones.



The analysis tested for 24 common types of PFAS out of more than 12,000 known varieties. The most frequently detected compounds were perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-widespread-groundwater-contamination">Widespread groundwater contamination </h2>



“This study's findings indicate widespread PFAS contamination in groundwater that is used for public and private drinking water supplies in the U.S.,” said Andrea Tokranov, USGS research hydrologist and lead author of the study.&nbsp;



Tokranov noted that the new predictive model can help prioritize areas for future sampling to help ensure people aren't unknowingly drinking contaminated water.



“This is especially important for private well users, who may not have information on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-at-risk-climate-change-is-diminishing-global-water-quality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water quality</a> in their region and may not have the same access to testing and treatment that public water suppliers do,” said Tokranov.



The study underscores the need for increased testing and monitoring of groundwater sources, particularly in areas identified as high-risk.&nbsp;



While the predictive model does not provide PFAS concentration levels or account for any remediation efforts, it serves as a valuable tool for guiding future research and informing public health strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-scope-of-the-issue">Understanding the scope of the issue</h2>



The USGS emphasizes that testing is the only definitive way to confirm the presence of PFAS contaminants in drinking water.&nbsp;



The predictive model is a starting point for understanding the scope of the issue at larger scales.&nbsp;



Communities, policymakers, and individuals are encouraged to utilize these findings to address potential risks associated with PFAS in groundwater and to take appropriate measures to ensure safe drinking water for all.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.ado6638" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Millions of people in the U.S. rely on contaminated groundwater 

A recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reveals that between 71 and 95 million people in the United States - more than 20% of the country's population - may be relying on groundwater containing detectable levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for their drinking water.&nbsp; PFAS are synthetic chemicals commonly used in various products, including non-stick cookware, fast-food packaging, and firefighting foams.  Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are resistant to breaking down in the environment and can accumulate over time, raising concerns...

This will not be good news for germaphobes. <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">MIT</a> researchers using high-speed cameras have found that bacteria gets around in ways that are tough, if not impossible, to avoid. They attach to fallen raindrops and then take their nastiness airborne with evaporation. They can live in a protective moisture bubble for up to an hour.

Once in the atmosphere, the bacteria become bioaerosols that can spread from nation to nation, contributing to biological forms of pollution.

As the researchers wrote, “In the atmosphere, bioaerosols can influence on the global climate, promoting cloud formation and ice nucleation even though their fraction is relatively small compared to all the atmospheric aerosols. On the ground, bioaerosols can change micro-biogeography faster than many other transport mechanisms.”

The effect on humans and animals can be even more immediate – and nasty.

“Bioaerosols can be effective carriers of pathogenic organisms to plants, animals and humans, resulting in the spread of disease,” the MIT researchers wrote.

The team conducted experiments with the use of three types of harmless bacteria in petri dishes replicating soil conditions. In addition to the high-speed cameras, they tracked bacterial activity with fluorescent imaging and modeling experiments.

So how effective is this mode of transportation? The amount of bacteria transported this way was small, but it added up. The MIT team reported that 0.01 percent of bacteria on the soil surface piggybacked on a single drop of rain. As small and meaningless as that number sounds, it translated to as much as 25 percent of all soil-based bacteria finding its way into the atmosphere through global precipitation, the scientists estimated.

The research team reported its findings in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

 --

By Earth.com Staff Writer David Searls

Source: <a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>

How bacteria travels through rain and spreads all over

This will not be good news for germaphobes. MIT researchers...

According to two new reports by the <a href="http://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a>, 1.7 million children under the age of 5 die each year as a result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollution-plagues-perus-lake-titicaca/">pollution</a>. Indoor and outdoor pollution, unsafe water, and second-hand smoke collectively contribute to more than 1 in 4 deaths of young children.

The first report, titled Inheriting a Sustainable World: Atlas on Children’s Health and the Environment, says that many of the most common causes of death in children under 5, including diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malaria, are environmentally triggered but preventable. Interventionists who provide access to clean drinking water and safe cooking tools can significantly reduce these numbers.

According to the second report, titled Don’t pollute my future: The impact of the environment on children’s health, 570,000 children under the age of 5 die from respiratory infections that are directly caused by indoor and outdoor air pollution. An additional 361,000 children under 5 die from diarrhoea caused by polluted water. Another 270,000 children die within a month after birth from other conditions caused by dirty water.

“A polluted environment is a deadly one—particularly for young children. Their developing organs and immune systems, and smaller bodies and airways, make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water,” said <a href="http://www.who.int/">WHO</a> director-general Margaret Chan.

The reports also state that exposure to polluted environments often begins in the womb, which increases the risk of premature birth.

“When infants and pre-schoolers are exposed to indoor and outdoor air pollution and second-hand smoke, they have an increased risk of pneumonia in childhood, and a lifelong increased risk of chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma,” the report said. “Exposure to air pollution may also increase their lifelong risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.”

“A polluted environment results in a heavy toll on the health of our children. Investing in the removal of environmental risks to health, such as improving water quality or using cleaner fuels, will result in massive health benefits,” added Maria Neira, <a href="http://www.who.int/">WHO</a> director of the Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health.

--

By Rory Arnold, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a>

1.7 million children die each year due to pollution

According to two new reports by the World Health Organization,...

Last week, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/calculating-cost-climate-change/">we told you</a> about how much rising sea levels caused by global warming could cost major cities around the world. Now, scientists are warning that one major city in particular could be especially at risk. According to new research, rising sea levels could cause Venice to completely disappear underwater within the next 100 years.

Scientists from Italy’s <a href="http://istituto.ingv.it/the-institute/the-institute/view?set_language=en">National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology</a> are warning that the Mediterranean Sea water levels could rise by as much as 5 feet by 2100. To put that into perspective, the Mediterranean has risen by only 1 foot in the past 1,000 years. But global warming has significantly accelerated that rate, which will put Venice, and other cities along Italy’s Adriatic coastline, in jeopardy.

The team of researchers used quarries along the Mediterranean coast to model how sea levels have changed over time. They reported in their findings in a study published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/quaternary-international/">Quaternary International</a>.

“The coast of the Mediterranean provides several remnants of ancient coastal quarries, which are now useful to study sea level change occurring during the last millennia,” the team said in the paper. “Millstones quarries were exploited with same quarrying techniques from rocks like beach rocks, sandstones or similar lithologies, were shaped to be suitable to grind olives, seeds and wheat, to produce oil and flour, or to break apart soft rocks.”

The team used these coastline quarries to understand how sea levels have changed over the last 1,000 years, and then were able to model how they may change in the future. They found that 33 regions across the coast of Italy are at high risk of being completely submerged underwater. 

The list includes the Versilia in Tuscany, Fiumicino in Lazio, coastal areas around Catania, Oristano, and Cagliari, and land around the Po, Fondi, Sele, and Volturno rivers.

--

By Rory Arnold, Earth.com Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://istituto.ingv.it/the-institute/the-institute/view?set_language=en">National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology</a>

Could global warming cause Venice to disappear this century?

Last week, we told you about how much rising sea...

Lake Titicaca is an ancient lake with a distressingly modern problem: pollution.

The lake that straddles the border of Bolivia and Peru was once revered. One of the lake’s islands was believed to be the birthplace of the Incan sun god; another was where the creator god first summoned the moon.

But most recently, it has become a dumping site for trash, and tests have shown high levels of mercury and lead.

That pollution is leading to health problems among Bolivian and Peruvian citizens living along the lake’s shores.

It’s a problem that has floated to the surface for years. Fifteen years ago, an article in <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/07/0703_030703_laketiticaca.html">National Geographic</a> laid out how residents of the lake’s famed floating islands were competing with – and losing to – commercial fishing operations and pollution.

Back then, residents of the islands were already facing health issues that appeared related to the pollution that is now killing wildlife. Infant mortality was higher than in the rest of Peru and Bolivia. Children, especially those younger than five, had illnesses related to pesticide runoff, untreated sewage, and other pollution in the lake.

A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24784748">study sponsored by Peru</a> in 2014 tested several types of fish that swim in Lake Titicaca, and that form the bulk of many local residents’ diets. Though the fish form a staple in many diets in the region, they contained dangerous levels of cadmium, mercury, lead and other heavy metals.

It’s not just the humans who are harmed by the pollution. In October 2016, authorities said that more than 10,000 Titicaca water frogs were found floating on the lake’s surface in a mass die-off.

The frogs are believed to be the largest freshwater species of aquatic frog in the world, and spend most of their lives in the lake. Listed as “critically endangered” on the <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/57334/0">Red List</a> of at-risk species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the population of Titicaca water frogs has dropped by about 80 percent over three generations, estimated at about 15 years.

In October, activist Maruja Inquilla Sucasaca took 100 of the dead frogs to the regional capital, Puno.

“No one took the pollution problem seriously until I showed them the dead frogs,” she told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/19/scientists-investigate-death-of-10000-endangered-scrotum-frogs-in-peru">The Guardian</a> at that time. “Lake Titicaca used to be a paradise; now we can’t use the water and our livestock die if they drink it.”

There are several contenders for the source of the pollution: a combination of untreated sewage from cities around the lake and runoff from illegal gold mines along the mountains that form the watershed are the most likely.

Juliaca, a popular tourist destination, is another suspect. The city sits next to a river that carries much of the trash it produces down to Lake Titicaca. With hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting each year, it adds up.

In January 2016, the governments of Peru and Bolivia pledged to spend $500 million to clean up the lake. Peru’s president has pitched the idea of building water treatment plants to clean agricultural and mine runoff and untreated sewage out of the water that flows downstream to Titicaca.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pollution plagues Peru's famous Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is an ancient lake with a distressingly modern...

The White House could make steep budget cuts to the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> – up to 17 percent, according to a memo obtained by the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a> on Friday.

If the cuts go through, it could mean steep reductions in grant funds, smaller research programs, and programs to maintain coastal lands and estuaries.

The <a href="http://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a> and <a href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/">National Marine Fisheries Service </a>would see 5 percent cuts; oceanic, atmospheric, and satellite research would see deep cuts topping 20 percent, the Post said.

The steep budget cuts would affect not just the climate agency, but the Commerce Department as a whole, according to the memo. According to the Post, the Office of Management and Budget asks for estimate of what it would cost to terminate leases, dispose of government property, and lay off employees – though it does specify that those remaining at the department would get 1.9 percent raise in January 2018, the Post said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration plays a major role in monitoring the weather in the U.S. For example, the agency uses its fleet of weather satellites to provide warnings about major winter storms and hurricanes, allowing affected citizens to prepare for dangerous weather.

On Friday, <a href="https://twitter.com/highlyanne/status/837868678997737472">Dr. Anne Jefferson</a>, a hydrologist at <a href="http://www.kent.edu/">Kent State University</a>, tweeted, “Cutting @NOAA's satellite budget makes our country less safe from weather hazards. Tornado warnings, weather prediction, etc use satellites.”

Another Twitter user who claimed to <a href="https://twitter.com/FPepoon/status/838042611839426561">work in construction</a> noted that the industry relies on NOAA’s weather data to plan schedules.

However, according to the memo, the agency’s satellite division – which also found no evidence for a global warming “hiatus” in a <a href="http://www.livescience.com/57378-global-warming-hiatus-not-happening.html">recent study</a> – could see cuts of about 22 percent.

NOAA has been a key player in the <a href="http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/">restoration of the Gulf Coast</a> following the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. The agency also supports marine commerce, and offers grants for coastal research to more than 30 universities across the U.S.

According to the document obtained by the Washington Post, the White House is pushing for cuts so that it can focus on “rebuilding the military.”

—
By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

White House proposes steep budget cuts for NOAA

The White House could make steep budget cuts to the National Oceanic...

The Amazon rainforest was not as untouched by civilization before European settlement as was once thought. In fact, indigenous populations that have lived there for 8,000 years were accomplished farmers. They cultivated Brazil nut, acai palm, cacao, rubber, cashew, tucuma palm and other tree species. That’s according to research published in the journal <a href="http://search.sciencemag.org/?q=rainforest">Science</a>.

The researchers overlaid the tree composition of 1,170 rainforest sites with a map of more than 3,000 known human settlements based on archeological findings. From this they found some 85 tree species statistically more prevalent within these settlements versus “wild” trees not used for food, building materials and other domestic purposes.

“Past civilizations have had a great role in changing, both consciously and unconsciously, the vegetation in the surroundings of their settlements and along paths that they used to travel,” said study researcher Carolina Levis. She is a doctoral candidate in ecology at Brazil's <a href="https://www.inpa.gov.br/english/">National Institute for Amazonian Research</a> and the <a href="http://www.wur.nl/en/wageningen-university.htm">Wageningen University</a> Research Center in the Netherlands.

Other researchers were from <a href="http://www.naturalis.nl/en/">Naturalis Biodiversity Center</a> in the Netherlands and <a href="http://www.vu.nl/en/">Free University of Amsterdam</a>. 

Some 8 to 10 million indigenous people lived in the rainforest until European colonization more than 500 years ago. The trees they cultivated are still a part of the richly biodiverse Amazon rainforest. 

--

By David Searls, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://search.sciencemag.org/?q=rainforest">Science</a>

Indigenous Amazon rainforest dwellers cultivated trees

The Amazon rainforest was not as untouched by civilization before...

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised on many occasions to walk away from the landmark <a href="http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php">Paris Agreement</a>, a treaty signed by 194 nations in an effort to curb <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-reduce-greenhouse-gases/">greenhouse gas</a> emissions and climate change. In a campaign <a href="http://mashable.com/2016/11/22/trump-climate-paris-agreement-nyt-interview/#jc8aEY9yWaq6">speech</a> in May 2016, Trump promised, “we’re going to cancel the Paris Climate Agreement and stop all payment of U.S. tax dollars to U.N. global warming programs." Now, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/climate-change-trump.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&amp;smid=nytcore-ipad-share&amp;_r=0">New York Times</a> is reporting that Trump’s key advisors are heavily divided on how the administration will proceed with the Paris Agreement.

In one corner is Trump senior advisor Steve Bannon, who sources say firmly believes that the United States should fully withdraw from the treaty. Bannon is the former head of Breitbart News, which has regularly run editorial pieces calling climate change a complete hoax. 

In the other corner are Ivanka Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who believe that there could be significant diplomatic fallout from allies should the United States completely pull out. While Trump could not single-handedly dismantle the Paris Agreement, he could begin a 4-year process for U.S. withdrawal, which in turn, could damage the nation’s credibility abroad. While Ivanka Trump has yet to publicly speak out on the matter, she has met with high-profile environmental activists like Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ivanka-trump-jared-kushner-pushed-to-remove-language-critical-of-climate-deal-from-executive-order-1487889272">Wall Street Journal</a> has also reported that Ivanka Trump has quietly represented environmental interests in the oval office. A February 23rd WSJ piece wrote, "At the request of President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his wife, Ivanka Trump, language critical of a global climate deal was struck from an executive order that Mr. Trump is planning to sign soon, according to multiple people familiar with the move."

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trumps-budget-epa-programs/">we reported</a> this week, sources say Trump’s new <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">EPA</a> budget could cut the department’s funding by 24% and slash a significant number of environmental programs.

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/climate-change-trump.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&amp;smid=nytcore-ipad-share&amp;_r=0">The New York Times</a>

Trump administration divided over future of Paris Agreement

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised on many...

This week, scientists from the <a href="http://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a> (WMO) announced that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strong-ocean-waves-antarctic-ice/">Antarctica</a> has officially reached a new record high temperature of 63.5 degrees. 

But the record was actually set almost two years years ago on March 24, 2015. Often times, world weather records can take several years to verify. This is due to procedure requiring researchers to cross reference meteorological data and weather station accuracy. 

Randall Cerveny, Chief Rapporteur of Climate and Weather Extremes at the WMO, told <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2017/03/01/antarctica-new-record-high-temperature/98538084/">USA Today</a> that scientists also had to define the three Antarctic regions. While the record for the Antarctic continent is now 63.5 degrees, the record for the Antarctic region is actually 67.6 degrees, which was set on Signy Island in 1982. The WMO defines the Antarctic Region as all land and ice south of the 60 degree latitude line. 

The Antarctic Plateau has been defined as a third category due to its extremely high elevation. The record high here is 19.4 degrees and was set in December 1989. 

The WMO has emphasized the importance of verifying weather extremes in the study of naturally-occurring climate variability versus human-induced climate change.

“This investigation highlights the need to continually monitor all of the Antarctic Region is ensure that we have the best possible data for climate change analysis at both the regional and global scales,” Cerveny said.

The world’s lowest temperature was also set in Antarctica. In July 1983, the Soviet Union’s Vostok Station measured a reading of 128.6 degrees below zero.

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a>

Antarctica sets new record high temperature

This week, scientists from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced...

The bad news is that Oklahomans should expect another intense level of earthquake activity in 2017 – the most activity of any state. The good news is that it shouldn’t be as bad as last year. That’s according to the 2017 earthquake forecast released this week by the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> in the journal Seismological Research Letters.

The federal agency earthquake forecast also notes the possibility of strong earthquake activity in central California. In fact, the odds given of a damaging quake impacting most of <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/scott-pruitt-environmental-protection-agency-2/">Oklahoma</a> and parts of California were between five and 12 percent, the highest odds in the nation for 2017.

Most of the seismic activity in the Sooner State is due to hydraulic fracturing – or fracking – a practice that injects huge volumes of wastewater deep underground during oil and natural gas drilling. The process has long been linked to escalated seismic activity.

For context, between 1980 and 2000, Oklahoma experienced an annual average of two quakes of 2.7 magnitude or higher. In 2014, with fracking in full operation, the state had about 2,500 earthquakes of that magnitude. In 2015, the number jumped again, this time to some 4,000.

But after state regulations limited the volume of water that can be injected during drilling operations, the number of quakes went down in 2016 to around 2,500. Based on that trend, Mark Petersen, USGS seismic hazard chief, said the agency’s scientists expect the state’s earthquake tally to decrease again somewhat.

 “We know that already in the first couple months of this year, the rates did come down,” said Petersen. “This is exactly what we wanted.”

The areas likeliest to be hit, the northern and eastern part of the state, also saw major activity in 2016. That including a quake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale in Pawnee and a magnitude 5.0 quake in Cushing.

As always, California along the San Andreas fault must be watcher carefully, said Petersen. That includes a large section south of the San Francisco Bay area near Gilroy. Southern California, Seattle and the New Madrid Seismic Zone also bear watching.

“That’s a constant concern to us,” said Petersen of New Madrid, a quake-prone region of the nation where Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Illinois meet.

-- 

By David Searls, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a>

Seismologists release 2017 earthquake forecast

The bad news is that Oklahomans should expect another intense...

Ever since President Donald Trump appointed Scott Pruitt to run the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA), an organization he notoriously fought against for years, environmental activists have braced for massive cuts in EPA programs. Now, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/02/politics/epa-programs-donald-trump-budget/index.html">CNN</a> is reporting that a source has revealed exactly which EPA programs are on the chopping block under Trump’s budget proposal.

The source told CNN that the latest proposal would slash the EPA budget by 24% and cut staff by 20%. Specific programs facing possible elimination include initiatives intended to improve <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/houseplants-reduce-indoor-air-pollution/">air</a> and water quality, along with regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Environmental Justice Program, which was established to help local communities with environmental issues, faces possible elimination.

The Clean Power Plan, an initiative set up by former President Barack Obama intended to reduce carbon emissions in each state, could also be cut. The list also includes 14 other EPA partnership programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, along with the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act.

A number of grants and fellowships also face elimination, including Energy Star grants and Science to Achieve Results (STAR) graduate fellowships.

"The Trump administration has decided fence-line communities across the country, whose residents already bear an outsized burden from pollution, are on their own to take on big polluters,” Ken Cook, head of the Environmental Working Group, told CNN. 

The possible elimination of the Environmental Justice Program, in particular, has many outraged. The program focuses on equal and fair protection from environmental hazards for people of races. 

"To cut the Environmental Justice program at EPA is just racist," John Coequyt, campaign director the environmental group Sierra Club, told CNN. "I can't imagine it's an office that runs up much cost. I can't describe it in any other terms than a move to leave those communities behind. I can't imagine what the justification would be, other than racism."

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/02/politics/epa-programs-donald-trump-budget/index.html">CNN</a>

Trump’s new budget could cut a large number of EPA programs

Ever since President Donald Trump appointed Scott Pruitt to run...

If global carbon emissions continue at their current rate, the damage incurred by climate change could be incredibly expensive. In a new study, researchers from the <a href="http://www.bc3research.org/">Basque Centre for Climate Change</a> in Leioa, Spain have attempted to calculate just how much climate change will cost major European coastal cities if emissions continue at the worst case scenario rate established by the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a>.

Their findings were reported in a paper titled “Climate Risk Assessment under Uncertainty: An Application to Main European Coastal Cities” and published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2016.00265">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.

The study focused on 19 major coastal cities including Barcelona, Copenhagen, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Dublin, <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/air-pollution-limit-london/">London</a>, Marseille, and St. Petersburg. The researchers used modeling methods to calculate cost that accounted for areas of uncertainty and economics.

According to the study, by 2030, Rotterdam will be the most affected with an expected annual loss of nearly $240 million. 

By 2100, Istanbul could see an annual loss of almost $10 billion, Odessa, Ukraine could lose $6.5 billion annually, and Rotterdam would lose $5.5 billion annually. Dublin and Glasgow would see annual losses of $1.5 billion.

The study also notes that more than 60% of Earth’s major cities are located in low-lying coastal areas, making them severely vulnerable to rising sea levels.

The authors of the study urge local and national governments and policy-makers to adopt new and innovative approaches to preparing for the effects of climate change. Coastal cities, in particular, will need to implement adaptation measures in the near future to avoid massive economic losses.  

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By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2016.00265">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>

Calculating the cost of climate change for major cities

If global carbon emissions continue at their current rate, the...

As each country continues to debate how it will regulate the emission of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-reduce-greenhouse-gases/">greenhouses gases</a>, we are once again reminded that air pollution does not care about our territorial borders. According to a new study, air pollution emitted by countries in Asia has lead to increased smog levels in the western United States. 

The study was conducted by a collaborative team of researchers from <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> and the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s</a> Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL). Their research was published in the journal <a href="http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/2943/2017/">Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics</a>. 

The team studied the origins of smog, also known as ground-level ozone, from the 1980s until present day. Although we have managed to cut the emission of nitrogen oxides and other smog-forming chemicals by 50% in the last 25 years, smog levels in the western U.S. have actually increased. And while smog levels in the east have decreased, they still spike during heat waves as the warm air traps pollutant particles. 

The research showed that the increase in ground-level ozone in the west was directly affected by the influx of pollution from countries in Asia, such as Japan, China, North and South Korea, and India. As a whole, this region has tripled its nitrogen oxide emissions in the past 25 years. 

The authors of the study point out that the Asian-born air pollution could cause areas in the west to fail to meet federal ozone standards.

"Increasing background ozone from rising Asian emissions leaves less room for local production of ozone before the federal standard is violated," said lead author Meiyun Lin of <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>.

The team used climate models and ozone measurements to prove that air pollution from Asia is in fact increasing smog levels in the western United States, particularly during spring when weather patterns push this air directly across the Pacific. This study was the first to track the extent to which emissions in Asia impact ground-level ozone in the United States.

"The model allows us to divide the observed air pollution into components driven by different sources," explained Lin.

Lin further emphasized the need for a global perspective and strategy to combat ground-level ozone levels. 

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By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Asian pollution causes increased smog in western U.S.

As each country continues to debate how it will regulate...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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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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

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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



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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



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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

[sendtonews key="u0TYxxqfF7-2186404-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA’s...