The year 2024 has been marked by a series of extreme weather events that forced billions of people to face the harsh reality of a changing climate.



Persistent droughts gripped southern Africa and Central America, while devastating floods swept through Spain. In the Southeast U.S., Hurricane Helene unleashed its fury.



An international team of scientists led by Dr. Wenxia Zhang analyzed these events as part of a study published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.



The study highlights the year's notable extremes - rainfall, flooding, tropical cyclones, and droughts. The researchers examined their causes, the role of global warming, and the challenges of building a climate-resilient future.



“Most extreme events have a large random element,” said Dr. James Risbey of CSIRO. “Some extremes are more likely when larger-scale drivers such as ENSO influence weather patterns.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-el-nino-and-climate-change">Role of El Niño and climate change</h2>



El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon, influenced many of 2024's extreme rainfall and drought events, particularly during the winter of 2023/24. 



However, El Niño alone does not explain the severity of these events. Attribution science has revealed that human-induced climate change has amplified the impacts of such natural patterns, making extreme weather more intense and destructive.



“The climate change influence can be direct through physical processes causing the extreme, or indirect in influencing the weather, large scale drivers, and key baselines,” explained Dr. Risbey.



Dr. Zhang, an expert at the <a href="http://www.cas.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>, noted that anthropogenic warming enhances atmospheric moisture and evaporation, intensifying rainfall and droughts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-in-understanding-climate-extremes">Challenges in understanding climate extremes</h2>



Attribution science, which studies the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-added-41-extra-days-of-dangerous-heat-in-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">role of climate change</a> in specific extreme weather events, has made significant progress. 



However, challenges remain, particularly when observed weather extremes do not match predictions from climate models. These inconsistencies reduce confidence in the results and make it harder to draw precise conclusions about the role of human-induced climate change in individual events.



Dr. Michael Brody of <a href="https://www.gmu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">George Mason University</a> emphasizes that improving our ability to attribute extreme events to climate change requires a deeper understanding of how climate systems work. 



Enhanced attribution methods can provide more reliable insights, which are crucial for shaping recovery efforts after disasters and creating better preparedness plans for the future. 



Accurate attribution enables decision-makers to allocate resources effectively, minimize risks, and build resilience in vulnerable communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forecasting-and-warning-systems">Forecasting and warning systems</h2>



Forecasting and effective warnings can save lives. While Hurricane Helene was well-predicted, its impact exposed vulnerabilities in underprepared communities.



“Increasing the quality of forecasts is important, but acting upon them to reduce vulnerabilities is crucial," said Dr. Piotr Wolski of the <a href="https://uct.ac.za" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cape Town</a>.



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/valencia-floods-a-tragedy-fueled-by-extreme-weather/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">devastating floods</a> in Spain during October <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2024-confirmed-as-earths-hottest-year-in-recorded-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024</a> highlight the critical need to reduce the impacts of extreme weather and strengthen community resilience towards climate change. 



Such disasters often result in widespread frustration and anger, especially when people feel unprepared or unsupported.



Dr. Wolski stresses that simply issuing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scorching-summer-of-2024-could-make-it-the-hottest-year-on-record/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warnings</a> is not enough. It is essential to ensure that these warnings are communicated clearly, reach those at risk, and are acted upon effectively. By taking these steps, we can address vulnerabilities, reduce harm, and help communities recover more quickly.



The events in Spain serve as a reminder that better preparation and response systems are vital to managing the challenges of a changing climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-climate-extremes">Preparing for climate extremes</h2>



The events of 2024 highlight the growing urgency to understand and address the causes of extreme weather.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-are-wreaking-havoc-on-the-global-water-cycle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate change</a> has made such events more intense and frequent, impacting millions of lives and communities. To reduce these effects, it is crucial to develop better systems for predicting extreme weather, ensuring that warnings reach people effectively and on time.



Clear communication and quick action can make a significant difference in saving lives and minimizing damage when disasters strike. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-embracing-climate-resilience">Embracing climate resilience</h2>



Additionally, adopting climate resilience - measures that help communities prepare for and adapt to changing climate conditions - offers a proactive way to reduce vulnerabilities and build safer, more sustainable futures.



As extreme climate events grow more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-ocean-warming-in-2024-is-a-warning-for-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unpredictable and severe</a>, our ability to predict and respond quickly will determine how well we can protect lives and adapt to these challenges. 



Embracing climate resilience means not just responding to disasters but preparing for them in ways that safeguard people and their livelihoods in an increasingly unstable world.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00376-025-4540-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advances in Atmospheric Sciences</a>.



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Climate extremes in 2024: What have we learned?

The year 2024 has been marked by a series of extreme weather events that forced billions of people to face the harsh reality of a changing climate. Persistent droughts gripped southern Africa and Central America, while devastating floods swept through Spain. In the Southeast U.S., Hurricane Helene unleashed its fury. An international team of scientists led by Dr. Wenxia Zhang analyzed these events as part of a study published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences. The study highlights the year's notable extremes - rainfall, flooding, tropical...

The Pacific and Atlantic oceans that surround South America can bring rain or dry weather to the continent. So can the Indian Ocean halfway around the world, a new study found. 

The study, conducted by climate scientists from the <a href="http://www.universidad.edu.uy/">University of the Republic</a> in Uruguay, took a deep look at the Indian Ocean Dipole. The surface temperatures in the eastern and western portions of the Indian Ocean tend to oscillate. The eastern half becomes warmer, then it cools and the western portion warms, and the cycle repeats. 

Because the Indian Ocean is connected with both the Atlantic and the Pacific, the Dipole can influence those oceans, which in turn influence the weather in South America, the study found. 

The scientists collected a vast store of data about the Dipole, along with the Pacific’s El Niño/La Niña oscillation and temperature variability in the tropics and North Atlantic. They used the data to create computer models studying how conditions in each ocean might influence South America’s weather – as well as each other.

The three oceans are connected by both atmospheric and oceanic “teleconnections,” or long-distance but connected climate events, according to the new research. 

They used observations and mathematical modeling to see how oceanic circulation between the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans might affect the climate in South America. They also looked at atmospheric circulation between the three bodies of water.

What they found is that surface temperature anomalies in the tropical Pacific and Atlantic oceans brought rainfall to tropical regions of South America, according to their models.

Another key finding is that, as ocean conditions become more unpredictable, so do weather conditions in the extratropics, areas outside of South America’s tropical regions. The continent’s internal atmospheric changes are a larger player in extratropical weather than the oceans, the researchers said.

That may change if the oceans and Earth’s surface temperatures continue to rise, the scientists said. 

The researchers hope their modeling can be expanded to look at how oceanic anomalies can affect land regions worldwide. They also hope it can be used to predict and plan for some of the effects of climate change, they said.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Indian Ocean can change the weather in South America

The Pacific and Atlantic oceans that surround South America can...

A London street was underwater Sunday, but it wasn’t torrential rains or rising sea levels that brought the scene of destruction. It was a burst water main – the third in less than a week.

When the main burst just after noon, around 350 people living on Stoke Newington High Street had to evacuate. More than 150 properties suffered damage. 

A similar scene played out on Islington’s Upper Street last week, and there was also a water main break in south London’s Blackheath area on Saturday.

Officials with <a href="https://www.thameswater.co.uk/">Thames Water</a>, the company that maintains the pipes, have launched a full investigation into the water main breaks. At first glance, however, the breaks may be simply due to the pipes’ age.

Many of the pipes in London are 100 years old or older, and without continued investments in replacing old pipe, the system can become fragile, said Bob Collington, director of Thames Water. 

The private water utility  will do its best to make sure customers aren’t stuck with bills for repairing any damage, he said.

Thames Water and the <a href="http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/">London Fire Brigade</a> are working to clean up the spilled water on Stoke Newington High Street. The fire brigade was also using sandbags to try and keep the water outdoors, and retrieving necessary belongings for evacuees. 

Aside from wasting thousands of gallons of water – leaky pipes and water main breaks cost the U.S. alone as much as 6 billion gallons of purified drinking water every day, according to the <a href="http://www.cnt.org/publications/the-case-for-fixing-the-leaks-protecting-people-and-saving-water-while-supporting">Center for Neighborhood Technology</a> – water main breaks can be dangerous to public health. 

Health hazards come not just from the initial flooding, but from toxic mold and mildew that can grow in the walls of flood-stricken homes. Additionally, water main breaks and repairs create temporary openings where contaminants can enter the pipes, according to the <a href="https://www3.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>.

By Sunday evening, the water was receding. The burst main shouldn’t affect water access in the area, Thames Water officials said.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

London water main bursts, flooding street

A London street was underwater Sunday, but it wasn’t torrential...

Jia Wenqi has no arms, and Jia Haixia is blind, but that hasn’t kept the two men from taking on a mission: planting trees and reforesting their village in Hebei Province, China. 

That mission was recently captured in a short, 10-minute documentary by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx6hBgNNacE">GoPro</a> called <a href="https://gopro.com/goproforacause/brothers">Brothers</a>.

When Wenqi and Haixia were children, the river near their village of Yeli was full of fish and shrimp, and birds and wild rabbits were plentiful, they said.

Then a quarry moved in, removing trees and grass and spreading vast clouds of dust, Wenqi and Haixia said. 

Like their environment, the two men had undergone changes over the years. Neither was born with their current disabilities. Jia Wenqi lost his arms when he touched a power line at the age of three. Jia Haixia was born blind in one eye, but an industrial accident at the quarry took the vision in his other eye.

When Haixia lost his vision, it was frustrating. He could no longer read the newspaper or perform basic tasks, he said. 

That’s when Jia Wenqi stepped in and offers his “sleeve,” Haixia said.

“You’ll be my arms, I’ll be your eyes,” Wenqi told him. 

The childhood friends were determined to find some way to contribute to their community. That’s when they began noticing that the birds were disappearing, and dust from the quarry had choked the river.  

“We asked ourselves, ‘What are we going to do?’” Wenqi said in the short film. “We can’t just be sitting around, useless to society. There weren’t a lot of options for us, but being alive means having a purpose. So we said to each other, ‘Let’s plant trees.’”

Every tree is an air purifier, they noted.

So Wenqi and Haixia began planting trees in 2002. They didn’t have money to buy seeds or saplings, so they took cuttings from the few remaining trees and coaxed them into growing. 

At first they thought planting trees would be easy. They planted 800 trees the first year – but most died from lack of water. Instead of giving up, the two found wet areas where they could plant. 

They’ve planted more than 10,000 healthy trees since they began, and birds have returned to the area to nest in them.

The pair originally planned to cut some of the trees for money while continuing to plant new saplings, they told the <a href="http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/987430.shtml">Global Times</a>. When people began taking notice of their forest and helping the two men support themselves and their families, they no longer needed to sell any trees and it became a moot point. They could turn their work purely into an environmental mission, they said.

The short film of their work, shot with GoPro cameras, was released on YouTube in June, but it recently went viral. It’s racked up nearly half a million views so far. So has a much shorter video by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2cqQA_zsKY">Great Big Story</a> about the two best friends. 

In both films, the men state their mission: To help the environment and leave a forest for future generations. 

The pair are in good company. In 1977, Wangari Maathai of Kenya founded the <a href="http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/">Green Belt Movement</a>. Her movement focused on environmental conservation, especially through planting trees. 

The Green Belt Movement offered stipends to women who planted seedlings throughout Kenya. Like people with disabilities in China, women in rural Kenya had limited opportunities at the time the movement was founded. But like , those women didn’t let the limitations of their society stop them from doing something meaningful.

“The future of the planet concerns all of us, and we should do what we can to protect it. As I told the foresters, and the women, you don't need a diploma to plant a tree,” Maathai wrote in her autobiography Unbowed.

As of 2012, women in the movement had planted more than 51 million trees, according to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-bechtel/wangari-maathai_b_1958853.html">Wanjira Mathai</a>, daughter of Wangari Maathai, who has continued her mother’s work after her death. Wangari Maathai was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. 

Other organizations focus on reforestation to build diplomacy, boost marginalized communities, and simply to help the environment. Mature trees can take in up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. That means that when the 10,000 trees in Yeli, China have matured, they will offset 48,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.

<a href="http://www.plantingpeace.org/">Planting Peace</a> has donated more than 1 million tree seeds since it began its conservation program. They focus on Moringa trees, which not only grow quickly but also sprout leaves that can be harvested and eaten. Most of their seeds are going to Haiti, where deforestation is a massive problem.

<a href="http://www.peacetreesvietnam.org/">PeaceTrees Vietnam</a> offers a program where travelers can work with Vietnamese citizens to reforest parts of the country that are still reeling from decades of warfare. The goal is to build ties between citizens of the two countries while healing the land. 

The <a href="https://www.arborday.org/">Arbor Day Foundation</a> helps plant trees around the world, repairing forests after natural disasters or man-made deforestation.

There are also groups like <a href="http://www.treesforthefuture.org/">Trees for the Future</a>, which provides people living in poverty with a “forest garden,” including fruit trees, to help repair degraded farm land and provide a source of income.

“It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees,” Wangari Maathai once said. 

In the GoPro documentary, Jia Wenqi unintentionally echoed her.

“If everyone planted one or two trees a year, imagine the difference we could make,” Jia Wenqi said.

GoPro plans to begin collecting donations to help Jia Wenqi and Jia Haixia in their forest-building mission soon, the company said.

Men on a mission: disabilities don't keep pair from planting trees in China

Jia Wenqi has no arms, and Jia Haixia is blind,...

Great Britain has a very effective tool in the fight against greenhouse gas emissions: wind farms.

So claims a new study that analyzed how much power was generated by wind farms and used throughout England, Scotland, and Wales, and calculated how that reduced greenhouse gas emissions. 

The study, conducted by engineers from the <a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>, found that the wind farms prevented the creation of nearly 40 million tons (36 million metric tons) of greenhouse gases over six years. 

That blows away government estimates of how effective the wind farms would be at cutting pollution by millions of tons, the researchers said. 

The study was the first to use real data instead of estimates, the researchers said. They analyzed the <a href="https://www.nationalgridus.com/">National Grid</a>, looking at energy output from the wind farms between 2008 and 2014, in half-hour increments. 

It was also the first to study the impact of wind farms on energy production in Great Britain, said lead author Dr. Camilla Thomson. 

Energy in Great Britain comes from a mix of sources, so when energy production from the wind farms increases, output from more traditional sources like coal and natural gas decreases. The researchers took that into account when calculating the wind farms’ effect on carbon emissions. 

Their research suggests that investment in more wind turbines could help the UK meet its goals for reducing carbon emissions, the engineers said.

While Thomson’s research was the first to study wind turbine energy production’s effect on emissions in Great Britain, wind energy has proven a valuable asset in providing clean energy elsewhere. 

In California, three wind farms produce enough electricity each year to power a city the size of San Francisco, according to the <a href="http://www.energy.ca.gov/">California Energy Commission</a>. One of them, the Alta Wind Energy Center in Kern County, is the largest on-shore wind farm in the U.S. and third largest in the world.

Texas beats California for the most wind-generated power in the U.S. A windy day in December 2015 helped the state break a major record: wind provided 45 percent of the state’s energy for a short time, according to <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/texas-sets-new-all-time-wind-energy-record/">Scientific American</a>. 

China has gone on a wind turbine building frenzy in recent years, and now builds two turbines every hour, double the United States. However, the country’s power grid prioritizes energy from coal plants, so the massive wind farms are unused 15 percent of the time, the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37409069">BBC</a> said. The country has continued to build new coal plants even as it invests heavily in wind and solar power.

Great Britain has the three biggest offshore wind farms in the world, and another seven in the top 25. 

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy-policy">Energy Policy</a>. Funding was provided by the <a href="https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/">Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wind farms drastically cut carbon emissions in Great Britain, study says

Great Britain has a very effective tool in the fight...

Bill Gates, alongside a dream team of the some of the world’s wealthiest men, will spearhead a $1 billion fund to invest in green energy. The group of backers also includes Sir Richard Branson, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, boasting a combined net worth of over $171 billion.

This week, the team of investors launched<a href="http://www.b-t.energy"> Breakthrough Energy Ventures</a> (BEV), which aims to invest $1 billion in green energy over the next 20 years. The initiative began brewing last year at the <a href="http://www.cop21.gouv.fr/en/">Paris Climate Summit</a>, and plans to take a more long-term, nuanced approach to backing affordable and reliable green energy sources. The BEV fund will began making investments in 2017.

Said Gates, "Our goal is to build companies that will help deliver the next generation of reliable, affordable, and emissions-free energy to the world. I am honored to work along with these investors to build on the powerful foundation of public investment in basic research."

Afters Gates left Microsoft in 2014, he has made a new career in philanthropy and has already invested several clean energy initiatives. 

As Gates told <a href="http://qz.com/859860/bill-gates-is-leading-a-new-1-billion-fund-focused-on-combatting-climate-change-through-innovation/">Quartz</a>, “Anything that leads to cheap, clean, reliable energy we’re open-minded to."

Gas trader John Arnold is another backer of Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Arnold believes that because prior clean energy investors have seen small returns, there is now a shortage of funding for green energy technology. 

"The dearth of venture funding for clean energy technologies threatens to create a valley of death for the industry, with emerging ideas unable to find the necessary capital to reach commercialisation," said Arnold. “As an investor-led effort, Breakthrough Energy Ventures is designed as a source of patient capital to spur innovation to meet the growing demand for low-cost, clean energy solutions."

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bill Gates and billionaire dream team announce green energy initiative

Bill Gates, alongside a dream team of the some of...

The Dieselgate scandal is still making waves in the automobile industry more than a year after it entered the public consciousness. Now, <a href="http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/">Volkswagen UK</a> has reported a drop in its market share – and is warning of potential legal threats.

Dieselgate began in 2013, when researchers from <a href="https://www.wvu.edu/">West Virginia University</a> and the <a href="http://www.theicct.org/">International Council on Clean Transportation</a> began noticing that Volkswagen vehicles often had different nitrogen oxide emissions during lab testing than in road tests. Nitrogen oxide is a byproduct of vehicle fuel use.

They shared their findings with the <a href="https://www3.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>, which confronted Volkswagen. After several rounds of back and forth accusations and denials, Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 that it <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-18/epa-says-volkswagon-software-circumvented-car-emissions-testing">cheated on U.S. emissions tests</a>. The tampering affected both Volkswagen and Audi cars, it said.

Last month, California regulators found an additional software program in the Audi cars that also falsifies carbon dioxide readings, according to the <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-probe-in-germany-extended-to-chairman-1478429066">Wall Street Journal</a>. 

In the United Kingdom, the ongoing and widening Dieselgate scandal could spell more trouble for the automaker. Volkswagen has already settled the nitrogen oxide tampering case in the U.S. for $15 billion, according to <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/volkswagen-settles-emissions-scandal-15-billion/">PBS NewsHour</a>.

<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house">Companies House</a> has warned that accounts filed for the year ending in December 2015 warned of lawsuits filed against the car company’s UK branch. No lawsuits have yet been served. 

UK drivers are angry that they weren’t offered the same compensation packages U.S. customers were, officials said.

A modification created by Volkswagen ensures that their vehicles meet emissions standards, but only 10 percent of UK drivers have upgraded their cars, officials said.

Volkswagen UK has taken a hit. Costs related to stocking the equipment to upgrade vehicles are expected to total around £13 million. Market share has slipped by nearly a percentage point, from 20.3 percent to 19.5, officials said.

Nearly 23 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK are from transportation sources, according to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/final-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-1990-2014">a 2014 survey</a>. That includes automobiles. Many climate scientists believe greenhouse gases contribute to climate change.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dieselgate scandal could lead to lawsuits in UK

The Dieselgate scandal is still making waves in the automobile...

Scientists are studying data from five satellites over two decades to get a better sense of how Antarctic glaciers are retreating.

They’ve discovered something interesting: the melting glaciers are shrinking at different rates, even when they’re in the same location.

In fact, some of the glaciers are thinning at three times the rate of their neighbors, the scientists said.

The researchers, led by Dr. Hannes Konrad, focused primarily on six Antarctic glaciers that flow into the Amundsen Sea: Pine Island, Thwaites, Haynes, Pope, Smith, and Kohler. 

The Pine Island Glacier is known to be contributing more to rising sea levels than the others, the agency said.

Warming ocean waters cause the glaciers to thin and melt more quickly, Konrad said. Where glaciers meet the sea, a portion of the ice shelf floats. Water causes that floating portion to melt, and ice flows from the upper part of the glacier to replace what is lost to melt, Konrad said. 

Warmer water melts the floating portion of the glacier more quickly, he said. Then the glacier thins as ice flows toward the water faster than it can be replenished by snow.

Scientists from the <a href="http://www.cpom.org/">Centre for Polar Observation</a> in the UK examined data going back to 1992 from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency’s</a> ERS-1, ERS-2, Envisat and CryoSat, along with <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA’s</a> IceSat.

They found that all of the Amundsen Sea glaciers thinned during that time. However, in some cases that thinning was erratic. For example, thinning of the Thwaites Glacier stopped entirely for four years, while the neighboring Pine Island Glacier continued to thin drastically. 

The variations could be accounted for by several different conditions, Konrad said. Topography, hydrology, glacier catchment size, and even the bedrock could alter how quickly the glaciers melt, he said.

The scientists hope to use the data to better calculate sea level rise and glacial retreat. That analysis will improve modeling of how Antarctic glaciers may continue to thin and melt, the researchers said. 

The study was presented at the <a href="https://sites.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union’s</a> fall meeting in San Francisco, California.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Team of scientists tracks retreat of Antarctic glaciers by satellite

Scientists are studying data from five satellites over two decades...

Today, the town of Blythe, California is in an inland desert. It’s a far cry from 5 million years ago, when the geological record of ancient ocean tides shows the Colorado River flowed into the Gulf of California in that place, according to a new study.

A team of <a href="http://uoregon.edu/">University of Oregon</a> geologists traveled to the town near the Arizona border to study the sedimentary rock along valley that houses the Colorado River. 

They found that Blythe was once beachfront property. The layers of sediment aren’t even. Instead, the layers vary rhythmically, pointing to tides ebbing and flowing and shifting the sediment deposits in the process, the researchers said.

A number of the desert rocks near Blythe, particularly the Bouse Formation. The rock formation is awash with tidal features, according to geologists. They’ve long suspected that the Bouse Formation would hold clues to prehistoric water flows in the region.

Now, the new research shows it was probably once underwater – specifically, under the northern end of the Gulf of California, which now begins south of the U.S-Mexico border.

Previously, scientists believed that it was under one of a series of freshwater lakes, said Brennan O’Connell, a graduate student at the University of Oregon and lead author of the study. The new evidence of the motion of ancient ocean tides in the layers of rock is one of just several clues indicating the gulf once stretched much farther north.

Another piece of evidence that’s in the geological record: uplift, the slow, vertical raising of the Earth’s surface, the researchers said. The former sea floor is approximately 1,082 feet higher these days than it was 5 million years ago, O’Connell said. 

The new geological study confirms a theory paleontologists have put forward for years. The fossil record experts have found remnants of saltwater creatures in the area for more than 50 years, but geologists who supported the freshwater lake hypothesis believed birds of prey must have carried them to the region, the researchers said. The new evidence that the saltwater gulf stretched from the ocean north to the Blythe area fits better with that fossil record.

Sedimentary deposits look very different when ocean tides play a role in their formation versus lake waters, the researchers said. They also used mathematical analyses to back up their findings.

The study was shared online and will be published by the journal <a href="http://geology.com/">Geology</a>. 

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ancient ocean tides left their mark in layers of desert rock

Today, the town of Blythe, California is in an inland...

A deadly avalanche that slid down a Tibetan mountain in July was most likely triggered by climate change, an international team of scientists has concluded. 

Nine Tibetans were killed when 70 million tons of ice crumbled loose from the Aru glacier on July 17, tumbling down to the valley below.

A neighboring glacier dropped its own avalanche in September, but that event doesn’t seem to have caused any deaths, according to reports.

Glacial collapse is a new phenomenon for western Tibet, where Aru is located, the researchers said. Even though glaciers in the southern and eastern parts of the autonomous region have begun melting, the glaciers in the west have held steady and even expanded in some cases. 

That changed with the Aru avalanche, and the team of researchers wanted to know why.

Scientists from the <a href="http://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>, <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a>, and <a href="http://bpcrc.osu.edu/">Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center</a> joined forces to investigate the avalanche and determine what forces of nature might lie behind it. 

The deadly avalanche in July was fast – about five minutes – and buried nearly 4 square miles of the valley floor in snow during that time. That points to meltwater at the glacier’s base, which would make the downhill path slick and let the tumbling snow slide faster, the scientists said.

The team did run a number of computer models and simulations to seek out any other explanations. However, only the presence of meltwater could explain the avalanche, they reported in an analysis of the July disaster. 

The average temperature recorded by the weather station closest to the Aru glacier has gone up 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1960s, the researchers pointed out. Although there may be other explanations for the meltwater, the most likely is that the warming temperatures have led to slow melting of the glaciers, they said.

Investigation into the September avalanche is ongoing, and a cause has not yet been determined.

The team’s analysis of the July avalanche was published in the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-glaciology">Journal of Glaciology</a>.

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists: deadly avalanche in Tibet likely due to climate change

A deadly avalanche that slid down a Tibetan mountain in...

While North America shivers through a visit from the Polar Vortex, the United Kingdom may be getting a hot Christmas instead of a white one.

Christmas is expected to be so warm, in fact, that bookmakers are laying odds it will break records. 

Still, the possibility of a white Christmas day isn’t out of the question yet, at least not for all of the UK, meteorologists with the <a href="http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/">Met Office</a> pointed out. 

A high pressure system over much of the UK is likely to stay in place from mid- to late December, the office said. They’re expecting drier weather and lighter winds than usual over Christmas, according to officials.

However, periods of “unsettled” weather could still bring more typical winter weather to some regions, the office said. Weather at the beginning of winter is expected to be cooler, though still dry – the perfect snow conditions, meteorologists said.

Though this month has been unseasonably warm, the lack of snowfall in much of the UK is not unusual. Most of the UK sees its highest snowfall between January and March, according to the Met Office.

The last “official” white Christmas in the UK was in 2010, when there was widespread snowfall throughout the UK. The Met Office defines a white Christmas as observable snowfall – even if it’s just a snowflake – in the UK on Christmas Day.

Even with a hot Christmas in the forecasts, some have hope it will be a white Christmas, too. Though the high pressure front is likely to keep most of the UK dry, the northern part of Scotland might see snow – including on Christmas day. 

The UK’s previous warmest Christmases were in 1896 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and 1920 in Devon, England. In both events, the mercury hit 60 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Earlier this week, Flintshire in northern Wales reached 62.6 degrees, raising hopes for bookies and bettors. 

Some are hoping to topple the UK’s current record high for December this month, too. In December 1948, temperatures hit 64.9F, a record that has remained in place ever since.

Hot Christmas or white Christmas? Both may be ahead for UK

While North America shivers through a visit from the Polar...

The Polar Vortex got an early start this year, and those months of warm-up have it ready to lay a freezing smackdown on the the upper Midwest and East Coast in the U.S.

The weekend is expected to bring the first breath of winter to the Northeastern U.S. this weekend, and could close roads by Monday, according to meteorologists with <a href="http://www.accuweather.com/">Accuweather.com</a> and <a href="http://www.weatherbell.com/">WeatherBELL Analytics</a>, two private forecasting firms. 

The weather will likely be mild in the beginning of next week, but it won’t last. By Wednesday or Thursday, freezing air will drift south from Canada into the northern Plains and upper Midwest. By next weekend, it will work its way east.

After looking at models of the current Arctic blast gathering above Canada, Ryan Maue of WeatherBELL <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanMaue/status/806176153031602176?lang=en">tweeted</a> that it looked similar to the Polar Vortex of 2014, the first time most Americans were introduced to the weather event. The Northwest might get some cold weather late next week, too, he <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanMaue/status/807298971471376385?lang=en">tweeted</a>.

The Polar Vortex is swirling mass of frigid air that usually stays high in the atmosphere above the North Pole – hence the name.

But in recent years, instability in the Polar Vortex combined with unusual behavior in the jet stream has allowed tentacles of icy air from the vortex to unfurl over parts of North America, Europe and Asia, bringing record freezing temperatures with them. 

Some scientists studying the phenomenon think <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/polar-vortex-linked-loss-arctic-sea-ice/">melting sea ice</a> in the Arctic Circle could be playing a role in the unstable vortex, making the freezing air break free for the south more often. However, the <a href="http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/cold/polar_vortex.shtml">National Weather Service</a> points out that the U.S. has suffered cold weather from the vortex in the past, with notable cold in 1977, 1982, 1985, and 1989.

The Arctic blasts this weekend and next week – which Accuweather meteorologists say with bring <a href="http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/snow-wintry-mix-may-cause-delays-and-closures-in-northeastern-us-by-monday/70000234">piles of snow</a> from Chicago north, sleet or rain to the rest of the East Coast, and <a href="http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/rain-snow-to-hammer-northwestern-us-into-the-weekend/70000231">snow and heavy rain</a> in the Pacific Northwest – are expected to bring single-digit or below-zero temperatures to much of the northern U.S.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Polar Vortex is back and it's going to get ugly

The Polar Vortex got an early start this year, and...

Meadow restoration in California. Could restoring some of the surviving meadows in the Sierra Nevada mountains help California bring its carbon emissions down to 1990 levels in the next three years?

The question spurred a team of researchers from the <a href="http://www.unr.edu/">University of Nevada, Reno</a> and citizen scientists with the <a href="http://earthwatch.org/expeditions">Earthwatch Institute</a> to hit the trails, armed with equipment to investigate.

Settlement in the mountains along the California and Nevada border since the mid-1800s has led to the destruction of many of the region’s meadows, said Dr. Ben Sullivan, a professor with the university’s Soil Science Laboratory – and released the carbon stored in the soil for long periods into the atmosphere. 

Water use also dried out the soil in former meadows, microbes move in, degrading the carbon and causing it to be released as gas, he explained. 

While trees and shrubs move into the former meadow space, they can’t take in nearly enough carbon to keep up, Sullivan added. A single acre of meadow can release more carbon through degradation than 11 acres of forest can absorb, he said.

The university decided to team up with Earthwatch Institute and its ranks of volunteer citizen scientists to study four meadows in the Truckee River watershed. Volunteers included 75 citizens from the local area, including a team of high school students from Reno and college students from UNR and the <a href="https://forestrycamp.berkeley.edu/">Berkeley Forestry Field Camp</a>.

The researchers and citizen scientists took samples from trees, shrubs, grasses, and soils. They also measured diameter and height of trees and shrubs and collected other data.

The volunteers’ help allowed the sampling to be done over the course of a few days instead of several weeks, and gave the students valuable experience in the field, Sullivan said. 

Sullivan and his team at the UNR Soil Science Lab will use the collected data to determine how much carbon is being stored in the four meadows, and create a model that can be used by the <a href="https://www.arb.ca.gov/">State of California Air Resources Board</a> to sell carbon credits in exchange for the meadows’ restoration. The board’s cap-and-trade program is one of a number of efforts to bring California’s carbon emissions down to 1990 levels by 2020.

Sullivan hopes to expand the research to more meadows in the Sierras. 

—

Organizations participating in the data collection expeditions included University of Nevada, Reno, the Earthwatch Institute, the <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>, the <a href="http://www.plumascorporation.org/">Plumas Corporation</a>, <a href="http://caltrout.org/">CalTrout</a>, and the <a href="https://www.truckeeriverwc.org/">Truckee River Watershed Council</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists, citizens team up for Sierra Nevadas meadow restoration, California carbon credits

Meadow restoration in California. Could restoring some of the surviving...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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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