From coastlines to capital cities, healthcare workers are warning about the immediate need for a treaty to end plastic pollution.



The danger of a global health disaster is at its highest level as United Nations-led negotiations to form a plastic treaty continue to remain dead-locked due to ongoing disputes.



Plastic pollution not only endangers human health, but threatens to harm our planet itself. Without decisive action, the consequences could be irreversible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-treaty-negotiations">Plastic treaty negotiations</h2>



At the forefront of this urgent plea for action are researchers from the Revolution Plastics Institute at the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth</a>.



The experts recently spotlighted the matter in an article published by the British Medical Journal, following their participation in the plastic treaty negotiations in Busan last December.



The negotiations concluded without any agreement being reached, and this pushed further discussions into 2025.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skyrocketing-plastic-production">Skyrocketing plastic production</h2>



With global annual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-production-increases-create-identical-plastic-pollution-increase/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic production</a> currently at an alarming 400 million tonnes and expected to double by 2040, the scientists see health care professionals playing an increasingly crucial role.



The need of the hour, they say, is for more robust scientific evidence showing the impact of plastic pollution on human health. 



Such data will fortify the treaty process and guide the creation of targeted policies to reduce human exposure to plastic pollution.



"The treaty to end plastic pollution represents a historic opportunity to protect human health. If the treaty is to meet this challenge, its text must include specific measures to mitigate the health effects of plastic pollution, human health targets and metrics to measure progress towards improved health outcomes," noted Professor Steve Fletcher, the director of the Revolution Plastics Institute.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-health-versus-plastic-pollution">Human health versus plastic pollution</h2>



The article focuses on two critical health concerns linked to plastic pollution. 



First, there are the omnipresent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-infiltrating-the-human-body-even-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microplastics</a> - tiny particles found in the air we breathe, waterways, polar ice, soil, and in our food.



Humans are constantly ingesting, inhaling, and absorbing these particles. They have been detected in numerous organs and tissues, from the brain and blood to the placenta and liver. Microplastics have even been found in breast milk and semen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-open-burning-of-plastic-waste">Open burning of plastic waste</h2>



The other critical issue is the harmful health effects of inhaled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-can-make-other-pollutants-more-toxic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">toxic pollutants</a> that are released from the open burning of plastic waste. This danger is particularly acute in areas with deficient waste management systems.



The emissions from such open burns, which are loaded with toxic chemicals, particulate matter, and microplastics, are associated with serious health conditions. These include respiratory infections, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/steep-rise-in-cardiovascular-disease-expected-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular diseases</a>, and chronic conditions like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).



Dr. Cressida Bowyer, the Deputy Director of the Revolution Plastics Institute, has extensively studied the perils of open burning of plastic waste. 



"With 16% of global municipal waste burned openly, rising to 40–65% in low-and middle-income countries, vulnerable populations bear the brunt of this crisis. The toxic fumes from burning plastic are a silent but deadly contributor to global health burdens. Urgent action is needed to eliminate this dangerous practice and protect public health," she warned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vulnerable-populations-are-affected-the-most">Vulnerable populations are affected the most</h2>



The longer the world waits to finalize a binding plastic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-plastics-treaty-countries-with-nothing-to-lose-delayed-progress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">treaty</a>, the more devastating the health impacts of plastic pollution will become.



Studies show that vulnerable populations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, are disproportionately exposed to the harmful effects of plastics. 



This disparity is most apparent in regions with inadequate waste management systems, where open burning of plastic waste is rampant and environmental contamination intensifies daily.



Beyond its environmental toll, plastic pollution worsens global health inequalities. Microplastics and toxic chemicals from mismanaged plastic waste seep into the food chain, water sources, and also into the air.



Toxic emissions, especially in urban areas, have been linked to respiratory diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disorders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treaty-needed-to-end-plastic-pollution">Treaty needed to end plastic pollution</h2>



Health experts warn that without the necessary steps of action, these health crises will intensify and spread aggressively, straining health systems and threatening the health of future generations.



But dealing with plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue; it is an important step to ensuring the global public's health.



The message is clear. As responsible stewards of the planet and protectors of human health, it's time for all health professionals to take a determined stand against the harms of plastic pollution.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/388/bmj.q2890" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">British Medical Journal</a>.



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Plastic treaty is a 'historic opportunity' to stop a human health crisis

From coastlines to capital cities, healthcare workers are warning about the immediate need for a treaty to end plastic pollution. The danger of a global health disaster is at its highest level as United Nations-led negotiations to form a plastic treaty continue to remain dead-locked due to ongoing disputes. Plastic pollution not only endangers human health, but threatens to harm our planet itself. Without decisive action, the consequences could be irreversible. Plastic treaty negotiations At the forefront of this urgent plea for action are researchers from the...

Wind blasts and shock waves would inflict the most casualties if an asteroid hit the earth, according to a new study, the <a href="http://dailym.ai/2oVLA82">Daily Mail</a> reported.

The study published in <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2017GL073191/full">Geophysical Research Letters</a> explored seven effects associated with asteroid strikes--heat, pressure, shock waves, flying debris, tsunamis, wind blasts, seismic shaking and cratering.

Wind blasts and shock waves would likely account for 60 percent of the lives lost, the study’s simulation found.

Shock waves are caused rise from a spike in atmospheric pressure and can rupture internal organs, while wind blasts carry enough power to hurl human bodies and flatten forests, the story said..

"This is the first study that looks at all seven impact effects generated by hazardous asteroids and estimates which are, in terms of human loss, most severe," said Clemens Rumpf of the <a href="http://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a>, who led the new study, the Daily Mail reported.

Rumpf plans to present his study at the 2017 International Academy of Astronautics Planetary Defense Conference in Tokyo, Japan, later this year, the newspaper said.

"Deadly asteroid impacts are rare," Rumpf said. "The Earth is struck by an asteroid more than 190 feet wide wide approximately once every 1,500 years. Those more than 1,300 feet wide strike once every 100,000 years."

“The likelihood of an asteroid impact is really low," Rumpf added. “But the consequences can be unimaginable.”

Land-based asteroid strikes would be more dangerous than those in the seas, the study found.

Overall, <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/tsunamis-zap-sound-waves/">tsunamis</a> would account for 20 percent of lives lost, the study found.

The heat generated by an asteroid accounted for nearly 30 percent of deaths, it said.

“Information about the dominance of each impact effect can enable disaster managers to plan for the most relevant effects in the event of an asteroid impact,” the study said.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://dailym.ai/2oVLA82">Daily Mail</a>

What happens if an asteroid really does strike Earth?

Wind blasts and shock waves would inflict the most casualties...

Seafloor erosion now threatens five large coral reefs tracts in Florida, the Caribbean and Hawaii, a new study found.

Coastal communities protected by the reefs face higher risks of storms, waves and erosion, according to the study by the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">US Geological Survey</a> published Thursday in <a href="http://www.biogeosciences.net/14/1739/2017/">Biogeosciences</a>, a journal of the <a href="http://www.egu.eu/">European Geosciences Union</a>. 

Seafloor erosion has already increased water depths more than what most scientists expected to occur decades from now, the study found.

'"At current rates, by 2100 seafloor erosion could increase water depths by two to eight times more than what has been predicted from sea level rise alone," said the study’s lead author, USGS biogeochemist Kimberly Yates.

Intense research is underway to determine whether coral colonies can grow fast enough to keep up with rising sea depths.

Worldwide, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-saving-coral-reefs/">coral reefs</a>, which serve as natural barriers against storms, waves and erosion, protect more than 200 million people in coastal communities. Reefs provide about one-quarter of all fish harvests in the tropical oceans, and are recreation and tourism sites.

“This study tells us that they have a critical role in building and sustaining the physical structure of the coastal seafloor, which supports healthy ecosystems and protects coastal communities,” said John Haines,coordinator of the <a href="https://marine.usgs.gov/">USGS Coastal and Marine Geolog</a>y program. 

 No specific cause of the seafloor erosion was identified in the new study. Coral reefs worldwide are declining due to a combination of factors, including, coastal development and overfishing, the authors said.

Seafloor elevation has decreased at all five reef tracts the study, in amounts ranging from 0.09 metres to 0.8 meters. All five lost large amounts of coral, sand, and other sea floor materials to erosion.

"We saw lower rates of erosion--and even some localized increases in seafloor elevation--in areas that were protected, near refuges, or distant from human population centers," Yates said. "But these were not significant enough to offset the ecosystem-wide pattern of erosion at each of our study sites."

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:  <a href="http://www.biogeosciences.net/14/1739/2017/">Biogeosciences</a>

Coral reefs threatened by seafloor erosion, study finds

Seafloor erosion now threatens five large coral reefs tracts in...

Five major wildlife protection groups Wednesday asked the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a> to put giraffes under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/sciencefair/2017/04/19/wildlife-groups-petition-add-giraffes-endangered-species-list/100659562/">USA Today</a> reported.

Listing the giraffe as endangered would ban most imports of giraffe parts into the U.S. and limit exports, the story said. It would also help regulate the domestic trade in giraffe trophies and parts; and help reduce trophy hunting of giraffes, the story said.

“Giraffes have been dying off silently for decades, and we have to act quickly before they disappear forever,” Tanya Sanerib, a senior attorney at the<a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/"> Center for Biological Diversity</a>, one of the groups that prepared the petition, told the newspaper. There are now fewer giraffes than elephants in Africa, Sanerib said

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunting-reduces-populations/">Hunting</a>, habitat loss and other factors have caused giraffe populations to drop by 40 percent over the past 30 years, the story said. There are now only 97,000 giraffes living in the wild down from between 151,000 and 163,000 in 1985, according to the newspaper.

Other groups filing the petition include <a href="http://www.hsi.org/">Humane Society International</a>,<a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/"> the Humane Society of the United States</a>, and the<a href="http://www.ifaw.org/united-states/get-involved/tell-us-government-to-protect-giraffes?ms=UONDG170407020&amp;cid=7012A000000rnE7"> International Fund for Animal Welfare</a>.

“I can’t – and won’t – imagine Africa’s landscape without giraffes,” Elly Pepper, deputy director of the Natural Resource Defense Council’s wildlife trade initiative, told USA today. "Giving giraffes Endangered Species Act protections would be a giant step in the fight to save them from extinction.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has 90 days to respond to the petition, the story said.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:  <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/sciencefair/2017/04/19/wildlife-groups-petition-add-giraffes-endangered-species-list/100659562/">USA Today</a>

Wildlife groups seek endangered status for giraffes

Five major wildlife protection groups Wednesday asked the U.S. Fish...

The <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-201703">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA) said Wednesday the average global temperature in March was 56.8 degrees Fahrenheit, the second highest for the month since it began keeping records.

It was also first time the monthly temperature was 1.8 degrees  higher than the 20th century average of 54.9 degrees without an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-nino-unpredictable/">El Nino</a> warming effect in the tropical Pacific, according to the NOAA, which has been keeping records since 1880.

This March trailed only the same month last year, which was .32 degrees warmer and still holds the record. But there was an El Nino event last year unlike so far in 2017.

France, Germany and other parts of Europe saw record heat while most of the Arctic - except Alaska and Canada - was unusually warm, NOAA climate scientist Ahira Sanchez-Lugo told the Associated Press, according to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4426000/Cant-blame-El-Nino-global-temps-spike-March.html">Daily Mail</a>.

“The planet is getting to the point where it'll likely be that much warmer than the 20th century average,” Sanchez-Lugo said.

“If El Nino were the main driver of record warmth, there is no way the last three months (of this year) would have been as warm as they have been,” said <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a> climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, according to the Mail.

“'These records are going to continue for the rest of our lives,” said climate scientist Andrew Dessler of <a href="http://www.tamu.edu/">Texas A&amp;M University</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-201703">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4426000/Cant-blame-El-Nino-global-temps-spike-March.html">Daily Mail</a>

March second warmest on record, agency says

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Wednesday the...

The 2010 <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/mutant-fish-bp-oil-spill/">BP Horizon oil spill</a> inflicted an estimated $17.2 billion in damage to the natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a new study.

"This is proof that our natural resources have an immense monetary value to citizens of the United States who visit the Gulf and to those who simply care that this valuable resource is not damaged," said Kevin Boyle, a professor of agricultural and applied economics in the <a href="https://www.cals.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech College of Agriculture  and Life Sciences </a> and one of the authors of the study.

The study was launched in May 2010, one month after the oil spill, by 18 researchers commissioned by the.<a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>. 

The researchers conducted a national survey to place a dollar value on the natural resources damaged by the 134-million-gallon spill, the largest in U.S. history. The first round of surveys was administered face-to-face with trained interviewers while the remaining surveys were completed by mail.

 Survey participants were asked how much they would pay in a hypothetical one-time tax  to prevent a repeat of the damage the spill did to beaches, marshes, animals, fish, and coral.

The average household was willing to pay $153 for a prevention program which multiplied by the number of households sampled totaled $17.2 billion.

The research, to be published in <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a> this week, is the first comprehensive study of the spill’s financial impact on natural resources.

"Our estimate can guide policy makers and the oil industry in determining not only how much should be spent on restoration efforts for the Deepwater spill, but also how much should be invested to protect against damages that could result from future oil spills," said Boyle. "People value our natural resources, so it's worth taking major actions to prevent future catastrophes and correct past mistakes."

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:  <a href="https://www.cals.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences </a>

Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.uscg.mil/">US Coast Guard</a>

BP Oil Spill damage to natural resources estimated at $17.2 billion

The 2010 BP Horizon oil spill inflicted an estimated $17.2...

Human influences account for the decline in water retained from melting snow on mountains in the Western United States, a new study found.

Over the last three decades, the annual maximum amount of water contained from the mountains has declined 20 percent, the study said. Natural influences alone could not account for the losses, the researchers said.

Their analysis attributed the drop to human factors such as changes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-reduce-greenhouse-gases/">greenhouse gases</a>, aerosols, ozone and land use.

"These results add to the evidence of a human influence on climate that will have severe impacts on our water supply," said Benjamin Santer, a climate scientist at <a href="https://www.llnl.gov/">Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory</a> and a co-author of the paper.

Data examined by the researchers showed that 307 of the 354 snow runoff measuring stations or about 87 percent of all stations, have a negative trend in annual maximum water from snow runoff.

The researchers estimate another 60 percent loss of maximum water from melted snow over the next 60 years. 

Runoff from melting snow in the mountains strongly influences the levels of rivers and streams . 

"The projected losses have serious implications for the hydropower, municipal and agricultural sectors in the region," said John Fyfe, a senior research scientist at the <a href="http://www.cccma.ec.gc.ca/">Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis of Environment and Climate Change Canada</a>, and lead author of the study, scheduled for publication in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.llnl.gov/">Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory</a>

Decline in Western U.S. snow runoff due to human influences

Human influences account for the decline in water retained from...

The brown marmorated stink bug arrived in the United States around 20 years ago with the first specimen collected in Allentown, Pennsylvania. This invasive insect attacks fruits, vegetables, and crops. The non-native bugs are pests indoors as well, searching for homes to occupy in the fall and winter. Once they gain access to a home, stink bugs are proving to be a challenge to remove. New research shows the bugs are dodging traps in large numbers during late fall and winter.

Entomologists conducted a study to test the effectiveness of trapping stink bugs using one of the leading techniques. The traps were baited with aggregation pheromones, which are those that attract other members of a species to a particular location.

The lead author on the study is Rob Morrison, PhD., a research entomologist for the <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/">United States Department Of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service</a> (USDA-ARS). Morrison teamed up with fellow entomologists at the <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/">USDA-ARS </a>Appalachian Fruit Research Station, <a href="https://www.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech University</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_State_University">North Carolina State University</a>. The team tested stink bug traps in infested homes in 2014 and 2016. Traps were set up in buildings that were both heated and unheated. 

“Just eight to 20% of the stink bugs we saw crawling around hallways were captured,” says Morrison.

The study, set to be published next week in the Journal of Economic Entomology, reveals that the brown marmorated stink bug, or Halyomorpha halys, are not attracted to the aggregation pheromone during late fall and early winter. The bugs are largely unresponsive to the aggregation <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/pheromones-human-exist/">pheromones</a> until the days become significantly longer in late April to early May. In addition to capturing only a small percentage of the stink bugs, the traps failed to give a consistent indication of the amount of stink bugs present in each location. This means the traps are not accurate enough for monitoring purposes.

The findings of the study show the best approach to stink bugs is prevention.

"To prevent brown marmorated stink bugs from gaining access to your house, seal all holes and cracks, including where the roof meets the structure, and where the house meets the foundation," Morrison says.

The results of the study raise concerns about just how serious the spread of stink bugs may become. Morrison and his colleagues will continue to work toward containment of the insects.

"The brown marmorated stink bug may rely on a yet-to-be-identified chemical stimulus or other communication method during the fall when they disperse to overwintering sites and when they emerge during the spring," explains Morrison. "Both are areas of active research."

--

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/">United States Department Of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service</a>

Stink bugs found to cause extra trouble during the winter

The brown marmorated stink bug arrived in the United States...

Scientists have long known that air pollution can exacerbate and raise rates of asthma symptoms, but little evidence has been found linking direct biological and molecular factors to these respiratory health issues.

Recently, researchers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> published a study revealing the direct biological effect of air pollution on the upper respiratory system in mice. These findings have wide-sweeping implications for the health and quality of life of people who live in urban and industrial areas with poor air quality, particularly in the developing world.

“In the U.S., regulations have kept a lot of air pollution in check, but in places like New Delhi, Cairo or Beijing, where people heat their houses with wood-burning stoves, and factories release pollutants into the air, our study suggests people are at higher risk of developing chronic sinus problems,” explains Dr. Murray Ramanthan, associate professor of otolaryngology at <a href="http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/">Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine</a>.

The symptoms of chronic sinus problems – known as chronic sinusitis – include congestion, pain and pressure in the face, and a stuffy or runny nose. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic sinusitis affects more than 29 million people in the U.S. alone. Studies done on individuals suffering from this problem have reported mental health problems associated with chronic sinusitis, including depression and chronic fatigue.

The research team at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins</a> set about determining the biological effect of air pollution on the upper airways by exposing mice to either filtered air or concentrated Baltimore air. The polluted air contained particles measuring 2.5 micrometers or less, which excluded most allergens like dust and pollen. Despite being concentrated, these aerosolized particles were still 30 to 60 percent lower than the average concentrations of particles in similar size cities like New Delhi, Cairo, and Beijing.

After prolonged exposure, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/scientists-reverse-paralysis-mice/">mice</a> had their noses and sinuses flushed with water, which was then examined under a microscope to look for inflammatory and other cells. The researchers noticed that mice exposed to the polluted air had significantly more white blood cells, which suggested increased inflammation. 

The researchers also examined layers of cells along the nasal passages and sinuses of the mice, and found that the surface layer was 30 to 40 percent thicker in mice that breathed the polluted air. According to Ramanathan, this is another sign of inflammation that extends to humans and other animals as well.

“We’ve identified a lot of evidence that breathing in dirty air directly causes a breakdown in the integrity of the sinus and nasal air passages in mice,” says Ramanathan. “Keeping this barrier intact is essential for protecting the cells in the tissues from irritation or infection from other sources, including pollen or germs.”

Moving forward, Ramanathan and his colleagues plan on continuing their study of the molecular changes that occur in the sinus and nasal barriers as a result of poor air quality. Hopefully, research such as this will lead to a better understanding of how air pollution impacts health, and will ultimately generate a greater effort to improve air quality in cities.

More information on this study can be found in the <a href="http://www.atsjournals.org/journal/ajrcmb">American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/">Johns Hopkins Medicine</a>

Study: City air pollution can cause serious respiratory problems

Scientists have long known that air pollution can exacerbate and...

Communities, women’s groups, and environmental activists are joining forces with Indigenous Peoples today as part of the <a href="http://www.landrightsnow.org/">Land Rights Now</a> initiative. Protests, events, and meetings will take place this week to draw attention to the global campaign that aims to help protect the land ownership rights of Indigenous Peoples. The goal of the initiative, launched in March 2016, is to double the quantity of land owned and managed by Natives and local communities by 2020.

"The power of the <a href="http://www.landrightsnow.org/">Land Rights Now</a> initiative is its unifying call to respect the rights of approximately 2.5 billion people, which includes around 400 million Indigenous Peoples," said Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, the <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/SRIndigenousPeoples/Pages/SRIPeoplesIndex.aspx">UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples</a>. "Recognizing these rights also means reducing conflict, fighting against climate change, promoting sustainable development, preserving cultures, and protecting the world's most fragile ecosystems."

Governments are taking control of the future of land that they do not have the right to govern, as the struggle for Indigenous Peoples to secure their land rights becomes a global issue. Dams, coal mines and palm oil plantations are among the projects that are in the works that would demolish the conservation efforts of many generations of Indigenous peoples. Natives are attempting to gain the acknowledgement and support of both the government and the private sector for their efforts to preserve biodiversity and prevent climate change. Communities of Brazil, Kenya, Guatemala, and Taiwan are demanding their rights to land be recognized before it is too late.

"We have the right to decide our own future and survival, and are carrying out projects that protect our territory and protect our planet from the impacts of climate change," said Manari Ushigua, President of the Sápara Federation in Ecuador.

The Save Lamu Coalition has united in Kenya to protest the construction of of a coal plant in Lamu, a coastal town in Kenya. The community here depends on the land and coastal waters that would be immensely damaged by the coal plant.

"We're not anti-development, but no one in the world has ventured into coal mining and faced no long-term consequences," noted Ishaq Abubakar of the Lamu Youth Alliance.

Lamu activist Walid Ahmed added, "The whole world is worried about global warming and climate change. It can't be these things do not matter for Lamu."

Brazil, once known as a leader in preserving Indigenous land rights, is now blatantly disregarding these rights with infrastructure plans that threaten the livelihood of the Munduruku and other Amazonian communities. Part of the Amazon forest, which happens to be one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, would be devastated by the development of a proposed mega-dam. 

"Indigenous lands help regulate the planet's climate, for they are obstacles to deforestation. There is ten times less deforestation in indigenous lands than in non-titled lands," said Sônia Guajajara, National Coordinator of Brazil's Association of Indigenous Peoples. "The section of the Amazon Forest under our protection stores 13 billion tons of carbon. Without these reserves, Brazil will not comply with the goals established in the Paris Climate Agreement."

Indigenous movement leaders have enlisted the help of Justice Minister Osmar Serraglio, a former member of Brazil’s agribusiness legislature. They are urging Serraglio to help end the Brazilian government’s attack on Indigenous People’s rights and land. Activists also want Serraglio to stop efforts to pass a Constitutional Amendment that will slow the legal designation of land to the Natives.

"The [Brazilian] government is coming here to get rid of everything--the natives, the forest and the river," said Chief Juarez Saw of the Munduruku.

In Guatemala, palm oil production is taking precedence over the Natives’ land ownership rights, and many have been forced to leave their land. Communities of Raxruha in the Alta Verapaz region have been impacted the most, but the effects of this industry are approaching surrounding villages. The Network of Communities Affected by Palm Oil has organized to demand the government to stop violating land ownership rights. They also point out that the social and environmental damage that has been done must be repaired.

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preparing-new-era-wildfires/">forests</a> have provided a way of life for the Guatemalan Natives that preserve them for generations. These resourceful  forests are being rapidly replaced by palm oil plantations that are damaging the environment. For many of the Natives, their lives have been completely uprooted. Any opposition by the Natives to the acquisition of their land is met with violence and force.

Margarita Osorio is a local women's leader and land rights activist. "The destruction of the forests began when they started planting palm oil. We feel challenged and intimidated by the way they criminalize and threaten us," said Osorio.

Recent legislature took away any chance for Natives of Taiwan to protect their land rights. The government can take away their land with no contention, and they have. The Pinuyamayan people in the community of Kasavakan have already lost ten acres of forest. They are teaming up with other Indigenous organizations to oppose the new regulation.

"Now we have no way to exercise our Free, Prior and Informed Consent when a development project is conducted in so-called 'private lands,'" said Tuhi Martukaw, a member of the community. "It is ten acres today but what worries the community is what comes next. The concern is that this ruling will split apart Indigenous Peoples lands and make way for massive development projects that don't take the existing communities into consideration." 

Indigenous Peoples have been responsible for the conservation of the land and forests they inhabit for ages. Research shows they have maintained a high level of biodiversity and lower deforestation rates in their ancestral community forests. Despite the immeasurable protection these groups have provided for natural resources, governments across the globe are disregarding the land rights of Natives with plans of destructive projects. The disturbance of these well-preserved habitats is not only a threat to the Indigenous Peoples, but also a threat to the climate and the Earth’s most valuable substances. 

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.landrightsnow.org/">Land Rights Now</a>

Urgent action taken to secure land rights of Indigenous peoples

Communities, women’s groups, and environmental activists are joining forces with...

Despite a low human population, plastic waste is “abundant and widespread” in seas east of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-crack-greenland-glacier/">Greenland</a> and north of Scandinavia, according to the study by the <a href="http://www.aaas.org">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a>.

The study’s authors said the potential effects of the plastic pollution flow on the Arctic's unique ecosystem are “especially concerning.” While plastic pollution has long been a problem in bodies of waters, such as the Mediterranean Sea, near more densely populated areas, it was not expected to accumulate in low-population areas at polar latitudes, the study said.

A 2013 polar expedition by researcher, Andrés Cózar  used nets to collect floating plastic debris, including fishing lines and a variety of plastic films, fragments and granules.

In the new study, researchers used 17,000 satellite buoys to estimate that there are hundreds of tons of plastic waste in the Arctic waters on the surface alone. Much more plastic debris has likely accumulated on the seafloor, the study said.

The debris likely travelled on currents from the coasts of northwest Europe, the U.K. and the east coast of the U.S.

Although Arctic floating plastic currently accounts for less than 3% of the global total, a current known as the  “global ocean conveyor belt” will cause the pollution  to continuously accumulate from lower latitudes, the study said.

“The results stress the importance of properly managing plastic litter at its source, because once it enters the ocean, its destination can be unpredictable,” the American Association for the Advancement of Science said.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.aaas.org">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a>

Plastic waste is being dumped into the already-troubled Arctic

Despite a low human population, plastic waste is “abundant and...

Water from melting ice is flowing extensively over Antarctica in the summers, which could raise sea levels if temperatures continue to rise, a new study found.

"This is not in the future--this is widespread now, and has been for decades," said lead author Jonathan Kingslake, a glaciologist at Columbia University's <a href="http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/">Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory</a>. "I think most polar scientists have considered water moving across the surface of Antarctica to be extremely rare. But we found a lot of it, over very large areas.”

Scientists have known since the early 20th century that streams of water from melted ice existed in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-sets-record-high/">Antarctica</a> but the new study, published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/index.html">Nature</a>, documents the extent of the flow, based on military photos and satellite images.

The drainage of so-called “meltwater” was once believed to be confined primarily to northern sections of Antarctica, but the new study finds it to be much more extensive. Melt streams were identified as close as 375 miles from the South Pole, and at 4,300 feet above sea level, where liquid water was thought to be rare to impossible.

Since the melted water re-freezes in the winter, the effects for now are “negligible” the study said, but that could change if temperatures continue to rise.

“This study tells us there's already a lot more melting going on than we thought," said coauthor Robin Bell, a polar scientist at Lamont-Doherty. "When you turn up the temperature, it's only going to increase."

Antarctica is already losing ice,  most of it near edges, as ice shelves are eroded by warming ocean currents. The shelves help hold back the glaciers further inland. As the shelves lose mass, it appears to accelerate the erosion of inland glaciers.

Data from the new study is too sparse in many locations to determine whether water flows from ice melts have increased over the last 70 years.

 "We have no reason to think they have," said Kingslake. "But without further work, we can't tell. Now, looking forward, it will be really important to work out how these systems will change in response to warming, and how this will affect the ice sheets."

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/">Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory</a>

Image: Won Sang Lee/Korea Polar Research Institute

New concern over melted water flow in Antarctica

Water from melting ice is flowing extensively over Antarctica in...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a> predicts that sea-level rise could lead to an influx of evacuees into inland cities – similar to what <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-sea-louisiana-coast/">Louisiana</a> experienced after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.

The researchers estimate that rising ocean waters could displace approximately 13.1 million people over the next century. This is the first study that attempts to model the inland destination of millions of potentially displaced migrants from coastal communities. Ultimately, the data points to Atlanta, Houston, and Phoenix as major destinations for those looking to relocate.

Studies of sea-level rise as a singularity are common, and may help plan for the development of necessary infrastructure. But little research has been done on where the displaced populations will go. In fact, no previous studies model the potential migration due to sea-level rise or how it will affect populations in areas that could be potential safe havens.

“We typically think about sea level rise as a coastal issue, but if people are forced to move because their houses become inundated, the migration could affect many landlocked communities as well,” says Mathew Hauer, the study’s lead author.

The lack of research done on this connection is likely due to the fact that the relationships between environmental stressors and migrations are extremely complicated. In particular, sea-level rise is a unique environmental stressor as it permanently converts habitable land into uninhabitable water.

For this study, the researchers combined estimates of populations at risk from sea-level rise within a migration systems simulation in order to estimate both the number of migrants and their possible destinations over the coming century. 

“Some of the anticipated landlocked destinations, such as Las Vegas, Atlanta and Riverside, California, already struggle with water management or growth management challenges,” explains Hauer.

By getting a head start on preparing for a possible swell in migrant population, these cities may be able to provide the necessary infrastructure changes to prepare for a wetter, darker future.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a>

&nbsp;

Rising sea levels could reshape cities as people migrate inland

A new study from the University of Georgia predicts that...

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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 



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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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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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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