Recent research highlights the link between air pollution and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, particularly those with a genetic predisposition.&nbsp;



The study explores the role of nitric oxide (NO) and other pollutants in triggering complex biological responses that can impact neurodevelopment.



The research was led by Dr. Haitham Amal, head of the Laboratory of Neuromics, Cell Signaling, and Translational Medicine at the <a href="https://en.huji.ac.il/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hebrew University</a> of Jerusalem.



“Meeting families and children with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/autism-diagnoses-have-almost-tripled-in-the-us-over-the-past-ten-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">autism</a> in Boston during my time at MIT inspired me to focus on a single goal: to help develop biological diagnostics and treatment for autism spectrum disorder,” Amal said.&nbsp;



This encounter shaped his career, leading him to investigate the ways environmental and genetic factors combine to influence ASD risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-s-impact-on-neurodevelopment">Pollution’s impact on neurodevelopment</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-how-air-pollution-forms-may-help-us-prevent-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Air pollution</a> contains several harmful elements, including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and ozone. 



These pollutants, when inhaled, can bypass the blood-brain barrier, leading to inflammation and changes in neural functioning. 



The research emphasizes how particles such as PM2.5 - microscopic particles from sources like construction and car exhaust - and NO products can cross the placenta, directly impacting fetal brain development.&nbsp;



“My lab has shown that nitric oxide plays a major role in ASD,” Amal said, highlighting NO’s key role in brain health.



The review notes how urban areas with high pollution levels, such as Phoenix, San Jose, and Eugene, expose residents, particularly expectant mothers, to levels of pollution that may impact early childhood development.&nbsp;



A report from the <a href="https://www.lung.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Lung Association</a> shows that 39 percent of the U.S. population lives in areas with concerning air quality, which, combined with genetic predispositions, could be a driving factor behind rising autism rates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-exposure-and-biological-pathways">Pollution exposure and biological pathways</h2>



The review presents evidence of several biological pathways that may link pollution exposure to increased autism risk.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nitrosative-stress-and-nitric-oxide">Nitrosative stress and nitric oxide</h3>



Nitrosative stress caused by NO has been shown to affect neurological development. This was one of Dr. Amal’s foundational discoveries.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neuroinflammation-and-oxidative-stress">Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress</h3>



Inhaled pollutants can prompt inflammation within the brain, which interferes with nerve development, potentially contributing to the behavioral symptoms associated with autism.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neurotransmitter-disruption">Neurotransmitter disruption</h3>



Pollutants may interrupt the balance of crucial brain chemicals like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dopamine-helps-us-learn-from-positive-and-negative-experiences/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dopamine</a> and norepinephrine, which play a role in decision-making and overall cognitive development.



The experts reviewed studies on both human and animal models to examine these biological effects, linking the presence of certain pollutants to changes in neural functioning. 



The findings show that pollutants, particularly NO, can cross the placenta and directly affect the fetus.&nbsp;



This sensitivity during prenatal and early childhood development stages, when the brain is rapidly growing, makes the body especially vulnerable to external factors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-convergence-of-genetics-and-environment">Convergence of genetics and environment</h2>



Autism has a strong genetic component, with estimates suggesting that 40-80% of cases may have a genetic basis. However, the scientists argue that genetics alone cannot explain the condition’s rising prevalence.&nbsp;



“The timing of exposure appears crucial, with heightened vulnerability during prenatal development and early childhood,” Amal explained.&nbsp;



The review suggests that while a genetic predisposition to autism can increase sensitivity to pollutants, environmental triggers -- especially air pollution -- may interact with genetics to further elevate autism risk.



A separate Harvard study showed that exposure to fine particulate matter early in life may increase the risk of autism by up to 64 percent, and prenatal exposure may elevate risk by 31 percent. 



This interaction between genes and environment presents a new model for understanding autism’s etiology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-interventions-for-at-risk-populations-nbsp">Early interventions for at-risk populations&nbsp;</h2>



As air quality deteriorates with urban expansion, there is an urgent need to assess pollution’s impact on vulnerable populations.&nbsp;



Amal’s findings suggest that governments may need to adjust urban planning and pollution monitoring to safeguard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prenatal-pollution-exposure-linked-to-cognitive-impairment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prenatal</a> health.



The study also points to future research opportunities, particularly in developing biomarkers for early ASD detection.&nbsp;



By identifying specific indicators of pollution-related neurological stress, doctors may one day be able to screen infants and at-risk populations with greater accuracy.



“Different kinds of neurological disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, can be associated with this environmental factor,” Amal said.&nbsp;



His team is examining whether combining genetic and environmental data can improve diagnostics, which could enable earlier intervention for at-risk populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-and-autism-prevalence">Pollution and autism prevalence </h2>



The study calls for extensive research to explore how various pollutants impact brain development.&nbsp;



“The research suggests that individuals with genetic predisposition to ASD may be more vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution exposure,” Amal said.&nbsp;



As ASD prevalence rises worldwide, this research may drive the development of preventive policies, such as targeted air quality monitoring in cities.



In addition, Amal’s work highlights the need for preventive strategies in communities facing heightened pollution levels.&nbsp;



His insights may prompt city planners, healthcare providers, and families to prioritize air quality improvements, especially in high-risk areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pollution-and-neurological-disorders">Pollution and neurological disorders</h2>



Amal’s pioneering work not only contributes to autism research but has implications for other neurological conditions.&nbsp;



The connections he draws between nitric oxide, ASD, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-disease-attacks-the-brain-in-two-separate-phases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s disease</a> suggest shared molecular pathways. By addressing NO-related neuroinflammation, treatments may eventually target multiple brain conditions.



The study ultimately underscores the power of interdisciplinary research in addressing complex conditions like autism.&nbsp;



As Amal concludes, his laboratory’s commitment to examining environmental factors alongside genetic predispositions could significantly impact the landscape of neurological disorder treatment, benefiting both current and future generations.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bm.genomicpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BM0115-Amal-2024.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brain Medicine</a>.



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Air pollution discovered to be a "critical risk factor" for autism

Recent research highlights the link between air pollution and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, particularly those with a genetic predisposition.&nbsp; The study explores the role of nitric oxide (NO) and other pollutants in triggering complex biological responses that can impact neurodevelopment. The research was led by Dr. Haitham Amal, head of the Laboratory of Neuromics, Cell Signaling, and Translational Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “Meeting families and children with autism in Boston during my time at MIT inspired me to...

A recently discovered tropical fish species,  Tosanoides obama, has been named after President Barack Obama.

Scientists from the <a href="http://www.bishopmuseum.org">Bishop Museum</a>, the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)</a> and the <a href="http://www.marineexploration.org">Association for Marine Exploration</a> published the official description of the coral reef fish today.

The fish, given the scientific name Tosanoides obama, is named in honor of the president due to his work in expanding the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the Hawaiian marine park where the fish was discovered.

"We decided to name this fish after President Obama to recognize his efforts to protect and preserve the natural environment, including the expansion of Papahānaumokuākea," said Richard Pyle, Bishop Museum scientist and lead author of the study.

Obama expanded the marine park in August at the requests of Hawaiian scientists, conservationists and Sen. Brian Schatz. Papahānaumokuākea is the largest protected marine area on the planet, at 582,578 square miles.

Members of NOAA discovered and collected the fish in Papahānaumokuākea during a dive at Kure Atoll, the highest latitude coral atoll in the world.

The fish, a kind of basslet, is small, pink and yellow. The males’ dorsal fins have a spot near the tail with blue edges and a red and yellow striped center, which inspired the name, Pyle said.

“The spot on the males is reminiscent of President Obama's campaign logo," he said. "It seemed especially appropriate for a fish named in honor of the president."

The fish is extra special because it is endemic to Papahānaumokuākea, meaning it can’t be found anywhere else on Earth, said NOAA scientist Randall Kosaki,

The Tosanoides genus holds two other species in the tropical northwestern Pacific Ocean. Basslets are often found in coral reefs, and are also popular in saltwater aquariums.

Obama first saw the fish named after him in September when ocean explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle gave him a photograph. The exchange can be seen on an upcoming National Geographic special “Sea of Hope,” set to air Jan. 15, 2017.

The announcement of the Tosanoides obama follows the naming of the Prognathodes basabei, a new species of butterflyfish, which occurred earlier this year.

---

Credit: Earth.com author Laura Porecca

Tosanoides obama : New fish species named after President Barack Obama

A recently discovered tropical fish species,  Tosanoides obama, has been...

Migrating raptors often fly toward wind turbines at offshore wind farms, potentially causing death

Offshore wind farms wind farms pose life-threatening risks to birds of prey, according to a study published today in Biology Letters.

The birds, or raptors – including buzzards, falcons and sparrowhawks – are known to avoid flying over open water, researchers said. Instead, these kinds of birds prefer to fly near potential places to land.

This tendency poses the risk of the turbines’ spinning blades killing the birds.

“[This] is probably that birds of prey are quite afraid of flying over open water,” Henrik Skov, an author of the study, told Daily Mail. “For a raptor, it looks less risky to fly towards a wind farm than to fly over open water.”

Raptors generally prefer to migrate across narrow bodies of water because they alternate between soaring and gliding, Daily Mail reported. They often “strictly avoid” crossing larger areas of open water.

Researchers conducted the study by monitoring birds’ migration during autumn 2010 and 2011 in Denmark, through laser range finders and radar. Birds of prey showed the greatest attraction to the offshore wind farms during times of strong winds.

The monitoring took place at the Rodsand II wind farm in the Baltic Sea.

When the migrations were compared against areas with and without wind farms, overall results showed the birds flew toward the offshore wind farms 49 percent of the time, according to the study, and flew toward the areas without farms 40 percent of the time.

“All raptor species displayed a significant attraction behavior towards a wind farm,” according to the study.

Sea birds, on the other hand, do not show this tendency.

Birds like sea gulls are unafraid of open waters, and are therefore not attracted to the turbines, Daily Mail reported.

“Sea birds … don’t experience the open water as being so hostile,” Skov said.

The study has brought attention to the issue of how wind farms affect wildlife, said the <a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/">Royal Society for Protection of Birds</a>, an English bird protection charity. Each wind farm should be assessed for any potential risks toward wildlife, they said, to ensure animal safety.

“While we need to generate more electricity through renewable sources, this must be delivered in harmony with nature,” said the RSPB spokesperson.

The wind farm industry responded with the promise to aim toward preserving wildlife.

The spokesperson told Daily Mail the industry as a whole puts a great effort into keeping animals and the environment safe and clean before and after constructing a farm.

“We will continue to do our utmost to ensure that wind farms and conservation go hand in hand,” the spokesperson said.

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Credit: Earth.com author Laura Porecca/<a href="http://www.au.dk/en/">Aarhus University</a>

Offshore wind farms pose a risk to birds of prey

Migrating raptors often fly toward wind turbines at offshore wind...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the binational Jaguar Recovery Team have joined forces and drafted a jaguar recovery plan, which is currently a “near threatened” species. This plan will allow agencies and organizations in the U.S. and Mexico to streamline their efforts to stop the population decline of these big cats.

The jaguar’s population has been severely depleted, especially in parts of Mexico and the United States. The major factors of this population decline are loss of habitat, direct killing of the species, and depletion of prey. Although the draft plan sets goals for improving the species’ status throughout its entire 19-country range, the plan mainly focuses on northwest Mexico and the southwest United States.

Two extensive jaguar recovery units – the Pan-American Recovery Unit and the Northwestern Recovery Unit – will focus on the areas from eastern Mexico to northern Argentina and from western Mexico to the southwest United States respectively.

However, jaguar reintroductions will not be occurring in the United States, as the binational recovery team will be instead focusing on efforts to sustain habitat, eliminate poaching, and improve social acceptance of the jaguar. This way, the population can most effectively rebound and contribute to the rest of the species’ recovery.

Steve Spangle, the Arizona Field Supervisor for the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a>, said, “We’re grateful for the recovery team’s scientific expertise and thoughtful vision for protecting Americas’ largest cat. We recognize the significant challenges of recovery planning for an elusive species with such an expansive, international range and are requesting comments and additional information.”

Recovery plans are not regulatory, but they help to provide a framework for the recovery of threatened and endangered species. This jaguar recovery plan includes scientific information about the species, as well as the criteria and actions necessary for it to be removed from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.

It is estimated that this plan will take a minimum of 50 years for the jaguar to fully recover. In order to be successful, it will need to result in the protection of jaguar habitats, the jaguars themselves, and their prey. Otherwise, we might find ourselves losing one of the most iconic species in the Americas.

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Jaguar recovery plan devised to save the majestic cat from extinction

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the binational Jaguar...

Global warming could wipe out two Northern bird species in the next 50 years and threatens six other species, according to a new study. There is a "huge risk" the Siberian jay and the red-flanked bluetail will be gone within the next half century because of deteriorating climate for breeding.

“Long-distance migratory birds are the most sensitive ones,” said Anouschka Hof, former researcher at <a href="http://www.umu.se/english">Umeå University</a>, one of the study participants. "And if the climate warms up, breeding grounds will decrease to bird species that have adapted to breeding in the cooler climates in the north.”

The problem is particularly threatening to northern bird species with long brooding periods and specific requirements for their breeding habitat, Hof said.

The study examined 180 northern bird species that breed in subarctic and arctic regions. It compared the climates where the birds live today with future climate models.

“By carrying out this type of analysis, we have been able to predict what species are most at risk and why,” Hof said.

Six of the species studied – the great snipe, the rough-legged buzzard, the red-throated pipit, the common swift, the horned lark and the bar-tailed godwit – are already red-listed and will require conservation attention to survive in a warming climate.

“Such efforts may for instance be to alter or phase out current land-use,” Hof said.

In coastal areas, rising sea levels and shore erosion could destroy breeding grounds. Increased competition from southern species that migrate further north because of global warming, also threatens northern birds. Melting ice has also hurt the prey of the Caspian tern, causing food shortages.

Most researchers agree that as global temperatures increase, “diversity in nature is under threat,” the news release said.

Only a few studies have shown the extent of the effects of global warming, which is impacted by several factors, including the “general vulnerability” of a species, and their ability to survive in new climate conditions.

Other universities participating the study were, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, and the University of Texas, USA.

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Credit: Earth.com author David Beasley

Northern bird species at risk of extinction due to global warming

Global warming could wipe out two Northern bird species in...

A judge in Seattle ruled on Monday that eight children will have the opportunity to move forward with their climate change lawsuit against Washington state. The youth, ages 12 to 16 years old, will argue that the state has violated the “public trust doctrine” that requires the government to protect shared resources.

King County Superior Court Judge Hollis Hill allowed the young petitioners to amend their original complaint, which was that the state Department of Ecology had failed to adequately protect them and future generations from the threats of climate change. Hill found that the Department of Ecology had complied with her orders through their adoption of the Clean Air Rule within the timeline that the court had set. However, Judge Hill allowed the young petitioners to move forward with their constitutional claims, writing that “the court takes this action due to the emergent need for coordinated science based action by the State of Washington to address climate change before efforts to do so are too costly and too late.”

Andrea Rodgers, the Western Environmental Law Center attorney representing the eight children, says that all of the policies Washington state has implemented in response to climate change have not resulted in emission reductions that adequately comply with state law and science. The spokeswoman for the Department of Ecology, Camille St. Onge, responded by saying that the state has adopted some of the most progressive carbon pollution reduction regulations in the country. She then promised that Ecology “will continue to do our part to help slow climate change.”

In November, a federal judge in Eugene, Oregon oversaw a similar climate change case against President Barack Obama’s administration. The case involved 21 young activists, ages 9 to 20, suing the federal government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property. They argued that the government had violated its obligation to hold necessary natural resources in trust for future generations. Similar to Judge Hollis in Seattle, the Oregon judge allowed this case to proceed.

The case in Seattle is actually part of a larger effort by the Oregon-based nonprofit Our Children’s Trust to pressure governments into taking action on climate change. The petitioners argue that in order to protect the rights of the youth and pass on a stable climate to future generations, governments need to adopt science-based plans and regulations as soon as possible.

Judge Hollis has said that she will retain jurisdiction on the case, so all future proceedings and decisions will be administered in her court.

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Group of Seattle kids advance their climate change lawsuit

A judge in Seattle ruled on Monday that eight children...

In the final weeks of his presidency, President Barack Obama is working to finalize as many environmental protections as possible before Donald Trump takes office. Continuing to honor this promise, Obama on Tuesday designated most of U.S.-owned waters in the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans as indefinitely off limits to future oil and gas leasing.

President Obama enacted a provision from a 1953 law in order to designate the bulk of U.S.-owned waters in the Arctic Ocean, as well as areas in the Atlantic, as off limits to future oil and gas leasing. The 1953 statue says, “The president of the United States may, from time to time, withdraw from disposition any of the unleased lands of the outer Continental Shelf.”

The White House announced this moratorium alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who also banned new offshore oil and gas leasing in Canada’s Artic waters, subject to periodic review.

As justification for the moratorium, the Obama administration has cited environmental concerns in both Atlantic and Arctic regions. They also noted the importance of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas in providing subsistence for native Alaskans, as well as the vulnerability of the ecosystem to a devastating oil spill.

There have been some concerns from environmentalists that this ban could be undone by a future president. In 2008, President George W. Bush used a simple memorandum to reverse previously withdrawn lands, making all Outer Continental Shelf lands available for oil and gas leasing, excluding marine sanctuaries.

However, Obama’s administration has said that it is confident the president’s order will hold up to legal challenge in the future. According to the White House, the language of the statute gives no authority for subsequent presidents to undo permanent withdrawals. Advocacy groups such as <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org">Greenpeace</a> are already preparing to file suit in the case should future administrations attempt to lift this ban.

The moratorium will likely have little affect on crude oil production, as just 0.1 percent of offshore crude came from the Artic in 2015. Still, critics are claiming that this ban was a power move by the exiting Obama administration. Many claim that it is an attempt to tie the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who promised to increase offshore drilling during his campaign.

Regardless, this is undoubtedly a good move for protecting the environment in the Artic. Jacqueline Savitz, a senior vice president at Oceana, said, “this decision will help protect existing lucrative coastal tourism and fishing businesses from offshore drilling, which promises smaller, short-lived returns and threatens coastal livelihoods.”

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Obama bans oil and gas leasing indefinitely in Arctic and Atlantic waters

In the final weeks of his presidency, President Barack Obama...

According to a new theory from researchers at UTHealth, industrialization is to blame for rapid population decline among vertebrate species.

The current phase of rapid population decline among vertebrate species began at the end of the 19th century when industrialization was at its peak.

“Industrialization is the most natural explanation as to why we have rapid population decline in that period of time. It has to be somehow caused by human impact,” said Yun-Xin Fu, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biostatistics and the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences at UTHealth School of Public Health.

To reach this conclusion, Fu and his co-authors, including first author Haipeng Li, Ph.D., who was a visiting School of Public Health student and postdoctoral fellow now with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, reviewed thousands of scientific articles about the genetic diversity of vertebrate species. Their efforts yielded genetic data from 2,764 vertebrate species, 600 of which are endangered.

The researchers at UTHealth used a population genetics approach to model when each threatened species began to rapidly decline in population size. On average, the population size of endangered species declined by about 25 percent every 10 years starting 123 years ago.

Rapid population decline is widespread among endangered species and when it occurs, genetic diversity suffers. While conservation efforts have typically focused on maintaining genetic diversity within a species, Fu believes that preserving ecosystems and natural habitats should hold more weight.

“Genetic diversity is important to preserving a species from a long-term standpoint. However, preventing the rapid population decline by protecting the native habitats of species appears to be and should be more important because the overall difference of genetic diversity between threatened and non-threatened species is not at an alarming level,” said Fu.

Fu hopes the study will better inform conservation efforts and encourage more of an emphasis on the effects of human impact on habitats and ecosystems.

Funding for the study was provided by an endowment from the School of Public Health and grants from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

---

Credit: Earth.com Staff/<a href="https://www.uth.edu">UT Health</a>

Scientists say industrialization is to blame for rapid population decline

According to a new theory from researchers at UTHealth, industrialization...

Microsoft Word - PHCZconcentrations.docx

Nasty chemicals called polyhalogenated carbazoles, or PHCZ, are polluting the great lakes. PHCZs can cause developmental problems and have been linked to certain cancers. Studies of PHCZs done in zebrafish have shown that these chemicals can disrupt embryonic development. Another study found that some PHCZs exhibit dioxin-like activity in human breast cancer cells.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have mapped the location of thousands of tons of PHCZs in the sediment of the Great Lakes and estimated their amount.

Based on soil samples from the lake bottom and core samples from beneath it, they estimate that about 3,000 tons of PHCZs lie in the sediment under lakes Michigan, Superior and Huron. But not all of it is pollution.

“Because the amount of PHCZs we found is so high, and because of their location in the lakes as well as in the sediment cores we took, we believe that most of the PHCZs in these lakes is the result of natural processes,” said An Li, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences in the UIC School of Public Health and corresponding author of the <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.6b06128">study</a>, which appeared in the journal Environmental Science &amp; Technology.

“However, we see some PHCZs in sediment laid down in more recent years, which is very likely from man-made sources. These are considered chemicals of emerging concern and should be monitored carefully,” Li said.

Li has monitored environmental pollutants for five years through the Great Lakes Sediment Surveillance program. Her team has collected more than 1,000 sediment samples from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency research vessel, the R/V Lake Guardian, and analyzed them for a variety of chemical pollutants. Earlier this year they reported finding herbicides including atrazine in the sediment samples.

In this study, Li looked at sediment samples from the three upper Great Lakes and tested for 26 different PHCZs using gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry.

Based on the results, the researchers estimate that approximately 3,000 tons of PHCZs are contained in the sediment of the three lakes, with Lake Michigan having the greatest concentrations.

The PHCZs are classified by their location. Category 1 PHCZs were those found in sediment from the deepest parts of the lakes, away from the shore, mostly in layers deposited before 1900. Category 2 PHCZs, which were less abundant, were those found in shallower layers, meaning they were deposited more recently, perhaps within the last few decades.

Category 2 PHCZs had a distribution similar to man-made chemicals in lake sediments, including PCBs, of which there are an estimated 130 tons in the upper Great Lakes. “This further indicates that the category 2 PHCZs are likely man-made,” Li said.

Li thinks that the Category 1 PHCZs are probably the result of the normal breakdown of vegetation that settled in the deepest parts of the lakes. Core samples of sediment laid down in the 1500s are relatively rich in Category 1 PHCZs, she said.

“Because there wasn’t manufacturing of the sort we have today back then, we speculate that these PHCZs are from natural sources, most likely arising from the breakdown of algae and tree materials from the forest that surrounded the lakes before human settlement in this region,” Li said. “But more research is needed to understand how they actually form.”

Li says that manufacturing of organic semiconductors, dyes and pharmaceuticals could cause the release of the category 2 PHCZs into the environment.

Jiehong Guo, Zhuona Li, Prabha Ranasinghe, Solidea Bonina, Soheil Hosseini, Margaret Corcoran, Colin Smalley, Karl Rockne and Neil Sturchio of UIC and John Giesy of the University of Saskatchewan are co-authors on the study.

This research was part of the Great Lakes Sediment Surveillance Program funded by a Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative with Assistance No. GL-00E00538. Guo and Hosseini were supported by predoctoral fellowships from the UIC Institute for Environmental Science and Policy.

--

Credit: Earth.com Staff/<a href="http://www.uic.edu" target="_blank">University of Illinois Chicago</a>

New map shows PHCZs chemical contamination in the Great Lakes

Nasty chemicals called polyhalogenated carbazoles, or PHCZ, are polluting the great...

The Rufous-headed robin, one of the rarest birds in the world, is a species of passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in China and Malaysia.

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and Uppsala University have aggregated all known information about the elusive and endangered Rufous-headed Robin. Since it was first discovered in 1905, very few observations have been made. The researchers suggest that its distribution might be larger than previously thought.

"We tried to estimate its potential distribution to find areas where it might occur but where it has not yet been observed. Since most of the potential new areas are in poorly accessible mountain ranges, we are hopeful that it has a larger distribution, and hence that it is less threatened than presently believed", says Professor Per Alstroem, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University and Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultral Sciences.

The Rufous-headed Robin, Larvivora ruficeps, is related to the Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos and Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia. In common with these, it has a strong and beautiful song. However, unlike in the nightingales, males and females differ in plumage, and the male is strikingly coloured.

In the present study, the researchers have summarized all known observations of the Rufous-headed Robin since it was first discovered in the summer of 1905 in the Shaanxi Province of central China. The second observation was not made until March 1963, in Malaysia.

In June 1985, three singing males were discovered at one site in the Sichuan Province in central China.

In the last 25 years, the Rufous-headed Robin has only been observed at his site and in a neighbouring nature reserve, with up to maximum 8 individuals in a year. It has also been seen twice in the non-breeding season in Southeast Asia.

No observations were made in 2016, despite searches at the two classic sites.

The potential distribution was estimated based on the species' known habitat preferences, and the researchers concluded that it might be more widespread than presently appreciated. Many of those areas have been poorly surveyed, so there is still hope that some unknown populations might be discovered.

The reasons why the Rufous-headed Robin is so rare are unknown.

The researchers analysed DNA from one Rufous-headed Robin and concluded that its closest relative is the Rufous-tailed Robin Larvivora sibilans, which breeds in Siberia and northeast China, whereas it is more distantly related to the two European nightingales.

The song of the Rufous-headed Robin was also studied in detail, and it was found to be very different from the song of its closest relative, the Rufous-tailed Robin, whereas it is much more reminiscent of the song of the more distantly related Ryukyu Robin Larvivora komadori, from Japan. The study concluded that the similarity in song between the Rufous-headed and Ryukyu Robins is the result of so-called parallel evolution, and accordingly is not due to common ancestry.

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Credit: Earth.com Staff/<a href="http://www.uu.se/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uppsala University</a>

The Rufous-headed Robin: New details emerge on one of the world's rarest birds

The Rufous-headed robin, one of the rarest birds in the...

Palm oil plantations, which produce oil for commercial use in cooking, food products, and cosmetics, may act as a barrier to the movement of butterflies across tropical landscapes.

The study, conducted by scientists from the University of York in Borneo and Southeast Asia, highlights the importance of maintaining connected networks of rainforest to support and conserve biodiversity.

To make way for palm oil plantations, large areas of lowland rainforests are cut down, which is thought to have an impact on the movement of rainforest species across these landscapes. Until now, however, there was little known about insect movement behavior at rainforest-plantation boundaries.

The team, in collaboration with the Universiti Malaysia Sabah, examined the ability of butterflies to cross rainforest boundaries in relation to particular characteristics, such as wing size; the number of food plants their caterpillars can feed on; where in the world populations can be found; and the presence or absence of food plants within palm oil plantations.

Sarah Scriven, PhD student and lead author of the research paper, said: "It is essential that rainforest species, such as fruit-feeding butterflies, move through the forest freely in order to search for food sources, suitable areas for breeding, and mates. By breeding with individuals in neighboring habitats, genetic diversity and stable populations can be maintained.

"In order to understand whether oil palm plantations have any impact on butterfly movement, we carefully numbered the wings of large butterflies, and colour coded smaller butterflies with small dots."

Using a grid system spanning several boundaries of the Borneo rainforest and palm oil plantations, Sarah set up a number of butterfly-friendly banana food traps to see how many of the numbered and color-coded species moved from the forest into the plantation.

The study showed that small butterflies were more likely to cross from rainforest into palm oil plantations compared to larger butterflies. This was because the plants that caterpillars from small butterflies feed on are often grass, which grows in the plantation habitat. These smaller species can potentially breed in palm oil plantations.

Professor Jane Hill, project supervisor at the University of York, said: "Larger butterflies were over two times less likely than small butterflies to move into palm oil plantations. This is because their larval food sources, largely rainforest herbs, shrubs and trees, do not grow in the plantations.

"Our results, therefore, suggest that palm oil plantations may act as barriers to the movement of forest-dependent butterflies, which highlights the importance of conserving existing forest areas that form corridors linking forest reserves."

The researchers also point out that movement across boundaries will become more important in the context of future climate change. If forests become warmer, certain species will need to move across plantations in search of cooler locations at higher elevations.

Co-author, Dr Colin Beale, also from the Department of Biology at York, said: "Oil palm provides a valuable crop to many farmers in the tropics, but conversion of rainforest to palm oil plantations results in a dramatic change in habitat structure, making plantation habitats unsuitable for many rainforest species.

"Our study adds to the growing understanding that leaving a connected network of forest is the best way to allow forest species to move around the landscape."

--

Credit: Earth.com Staff/<a href="http://www.york.ac.uk/" target="_blank">University of York</a>

Palm oil plantations are limiting the movements of tropical butterflies

Palm oil plantations, which produce oil for commercial use in...

Phytoplankton blooms are the foundation of the ocean's food web. Commercial fisheries, marine mammals and birds all depend on the blooms. However, the cause and effects of these phytoplankton blooms has been somewhat of a mystery, according to Michael Behrenfeld, an expert in marine plankton at Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Now, scientists using a space-based sensor that can "see" through fog, clouds and darkness, giving them their first continuous look at the boom-bust cycles that drive polar phytoplankton blooms.

The decade-long set of images reveals that phytoplankton blooms are more tied to the push-pull relationship between them and their predators than was initially thought, according to a study published today in the journal Nature Geoscience.

"It's really important for us to understand what controls these boom-bust cycles and how they might change in the future," Behrenfeld said, "because the dynamics of plankton communities have implications for all the other organisms throughout the web."

Phytoplankton also influence Earth's carbon cycle. Through photosynthesis, they absorb a great deal of the carbon dioxide near the ocean's surface. That, in turn, allows carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to go into the ocean.

The satellite-mounted LIDAR instrument, dubbed Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization, or CALIOP, uses a laser beam to map the ocean's surface and immediate subsurface. CALIOP monitored plankton in the Arctic and Antarctic ocean waters from 2006 to 2015.

CALIOP'S measurements reveal that, as the phytoplankton growth accelerates, the blooms are able to outpace the organisms that prey on them. As soon as that acceleration stops, however, the predatory organisms catch up and the bloom ends.

Imagine two rubber balls--one red, one green--connected by a rubber band, Behrenfeld said.

"Take the green ball--which represents the phytoplankton--and whack it with a paddle," he said. "As long as that green ball accelerates, the rubber band will stretch, and the red ball--which represents all the things that eat or kill the phytoplankton--won't catch up with the green ball. But as soon as the green ball stops accelerating, the tension in the rubber band will pull that red ball up to it, and the red ball catches up."

This finding, he said, goes against the commonly held belief that blooms begin when phytoplankton growth rates reach a threshold rate, and then stop when growth rates crash.

Instead, phytoplankton blooms start when growth rates are extremely slow, and then stop when phytoplankton growth is at its maximum but the acceleration of the bloom has hit its peak. It's only then that the predatory organisms catch up and the bloom terminates.

The study also reveals that, in Arctic waters, the year-to-year changes in this constant push and pull between predator and prey has been the primary driver of change over the past 10 years. The situation is different in the southern ocean around Antarctica, where changes in the ice cover held more sway.

"The take-home message," Behrenfeld said, "is that, if we want to understand the production of the polar systems as a whole, we have to focus both on changes in ice cover and changes in the ecosystems that regulate this delicate balance between predators and prey."

The capabilities of space-based LIDAR, he said, open the door to even more-detailed measurements of plankton communities. For example, the CALIOP instrument, good as it is, was engineered to take measurements of the atmosphere and does not have the resolution necessary to capture detailed information below the ocean's surface.

A higher-resolution instrument, now being developed at NASA but not yet deployed on a satellite, could collect subsurface samples at finely spaced depths as the laser pulse penetrates through the water column, allowing scientists to see the vertical structure of plankton blooms. That would reveal more about how plankton are being influenced by the ocean's currents and its other physical properties, Behrenfeld said.

The instrument could also determine what fraction of the signal is from the scattering of light versus the absorption of light.

"We can use the scattering information to quantify the concentration of the plankton, and we can use the absorption to say something about the plankton's physiology--in other words, the health of the cells," said Behrenfeld.

The CALIOP sensor is mounted on the CALIPSO satellite (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation), jointly owned by NASA and France's space agency. Other participating institutions include the University of Maine, the University of California and Princeton University.

[caption id="attachment_124850" align="aligncenter" width="791"]<img class="size-large wp-image-124850" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/laser-beam-plankton-ORST-791x1024.jpg" alt="An artist's rendering shows a laser beam from a satellite-mounted LIDAR instrument probing the plankton-rich waters of Earth's northern and southern oceans." width="791" height="1024" /> An artist's rendering shows a laser beam from a satellite-mounted LIDAR instrument probing the plankton-rich waters of Earth's northern and southern oceans.[/caption]

--

Credit: Earth.com Staff/<a href="http://www.orst.edu/">Oregon State University</a>

Space lasers shed new light on phytoplankton blooms

Phytoplankton blooms are the foundation of the ocean's food web....

In another clear sign that the Earth is warming, scientists have shown that Arctic lakes are melting earlier each spring.

A team of researchers from the University of Southampton recently monitored 13,300 Arctic lakes using satellite imagery. They have shown that on average ice is breaking up one day earlier per year, based on a 14-year period between 2000 and 2013. Their findings are published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports.

The researchers used information on how light is reflected off the Arctic lakes, as recorded by NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor, which collects a range of spectral and thermal data on a daily basis as it circles the globe on two satellites. This study used the changes in reflectance to identify the freezing and thawing processes.

Southampton's Professor Jadu Dash, says: "Previous studies have looked into small numbers of Arctic lakes to show the impact of changes in temperature on the cyclic nature of lake-ice cover. However, ours is the first to use time-series of satellite data to monitor thousands of Arctic lakes in this way across the Arctic. It contributes to the growing range of observations showing the influence that warmer temperatures are having on the Arctic."

The researchers discovered that all five study areas in the Arctic (Alaska, Northeast Siberia, Central Siberia, Northeast Canada and Northern Europe) showed significant trends of early ice break-up in the spring, but to varying degrees. Central Siberia demonstrated the strongest trend, with ice starting to break-up an average of 1.4 days earlier each year. Northern Europe showed the lowest change of ice break-up at 0.84 days earlier per year. They found a strong relationship between decreasing ice cover and an increasingly early spring temperature rise.

The team also examined the timing of formation of ice cover on the lakes in late autumn. Although the use of satellite images wasn't possible due to the short daylight period limiting valid satellite observation, observations on the ground suggest lake freezing is starting later - further shortening the ice period, although more work would be needed to confirm this.

Co-author Professor Mary Edwards, from the University of Southampton, comments "Our findings have several implications. Changing ice cover affects the energy balance between the land and atmosphere. Less ice means a longer season for lake biology, which together with warmer temperatures will affect processes such as CO2 and CH4 emissions. Furthermore, many people use ice-covered landscapes for winter transport, and so spring and autumn travel for commercial and subsistence activities is likely to be more and more affected."

Professor Dash concludes: "This demonstrates the potential of routine satellite data for long term monitoring of physical changes on the Earth's surface. In the future, the new Sentinel series of satellites from the European Space Agency provide potential opportunities to examine these changes in greater detail."

--

Credit: Earth.com Staff/<a href="http://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Southampton</a>

Arctic lakes are melting earlier every year

In another clear sign that the Earth is warming, scientists...

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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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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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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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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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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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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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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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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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



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

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



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



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



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



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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