A new study has found that, contrary to previous claims, the ocean is not a significant source of microplastics to the atmosphere, but rather a major sink.&nbsp;



The research team used a global chemical transport model to evaluate how tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, move around the world. 



The finding challenges past assumptions about the ocean’s role in releasing plastic fragments into the air.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-journey-of-airborne-microplastics-nbsp">The journey of airborne microplastics&nbsp;</h2>



Plastic debris in dust form is increasingly recognized as a worldwide contaminant. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-in-the-brain-alarming-new-details-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microplastics</a> (particles less than 5 mm in diameter) have been detected in soils, freshwater, the ocean, and even in the air that we breathe.&nbsp;



Scientists warn that microscopic plastic bits pose risks for human health, since they can easily enter the respiratory system and the bloodstream.&nbsp;



Once airborne, these tiny pieces can travel large distances and eventually settle in remote or sensitive regions, harming wildlife and potentially impacting human populations.



But how do these particles enter the atmosphere in the first place? The planet’s primary sources of microplastics are typically found on land, from everyday materials such as vehicle tires shedding particles on roads, or synthetic clothing fibers washed out in domestic wastewater.&nbsp;



However, earlier models had suggested that there might be an additional large source at sea. Microplastics often accumulate in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oceans</a>, carried there by rivers and other waterways. Then, once present in the marine environment, it was believed that they could be lofted into the air by sea spray or wind-driven wave action.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-the-ocean-s-contribution">What is the ocean's contribution?</h2>



Prior reports pointing to a large marine source relied on an inverse modeling technique. That method uses atmospheric measurements of particular substances and attempts to infer their origin by matching observed concentrations with predicted distributions.&nbsp;



Applied to microplastics, inverse modeling suggested the ocean might contribute hundreds of millions - or even billions - of kilograms of these fragments to the air each year.



Such massive figures were then tested experimentally, with scientists using wave tanks and other controlled setups to see how vigorously wave action or bursting bubbles could transfer plastics from the water surface into the atmosphere.&nbsp;



Those studies, however, hinted that only tens or hundreds of thousands of kilograms of plastic might plausibly be introduced into the air - orders of magnitude smaller than the figures derived from inverse modeling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-global-chemical-transport-model">A global chemical transport model</h2>



In an effort to reconcile these contradictory outcomes, a group led by researchers at the <a href="https://mpimet.mpg.de/en/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute for Meteorology</a> (MPI-M) ran a global chemical transport model. This computer model simulates the movement of substances, such as microplastic particles, through the atmosphere.&nbsp;



By prescribing a minor oceanic emission of microplastics - consistent with the low estimates from laboratory work - they were able to predict how microplastic concentrations should appear in the air at various locations around the globe.



The results aligned well with real-world measurements. Based on the model, the ocean in fact took up some of these airborne particles instead of emitting them in large quantities.&nbsp;



The scientists learned that rather than being a source, the ocean appeared to be a sink, in which 15 percent of all airborne microplastics are deposited.&nbsp;



In other words, waves, spray, and wind may occasionally lift small amounts of plastic out of the sea, but far more of the material is settling onto the water rather than emanating from it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-airborne-microplastics-travel">How airborne microplastics travel</h2>



The study also uncovered the significant influence of particle size on how microplastics travel. Larger plastic fragments drop out of the atmosphere relatively quickly, often landing in coastal areas or not far from their point of emission.&nbsp;



By contrast, smaller particles can remain suspended for up to a year. That extended flight time allows them to cross entire oceans or continents and reach distant regions such as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/citizen-scientists-uncover-microplastics-in-the-remote-arctic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic</a>, where they land on ice or snow.



These discoveries highlight the global character of plastic contamination, showing that microplastic dust can be widespread in places typically considered pristine.&nbsp;



They also clarify that stopping microplastic pollution at its land-based sources may be the most efficient approach, as the ocean itself is neither the greatest emitter nor the root cause.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-roadmap-for-pollution-reduction">A roadmap for pollution reduction</h2>



Given that airborne microplastics reach faraway corners of the planet, the research team’s results have immediate practical value. Any broad plan to cut plastic pollution should focus on terrestrial origins: tire wear on roads, textiles shedding fibers, and insufficiently treated wastewater.&nbsp;



Additionally, lessening single-use plastics and improving waste management at landfills can help limit microplastics before they disperse into the environment.



These findings show that ocean waters, already burdened by plastic accumulations, are predominantly sinks - taking in plastic particles from the air. They also emphasize that microplastics do not stay put in the environment: large ones settle nearby, while smaller ones can travel global distances.&nbsp;



Future models aimed at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-changing-the-entire-earth-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic pollution</a> will need to consider these dynamics in more detail, particularly when mapping out strategies to protect vulnerable ecosystems, reduce human exposure, and maintain cleaner oceans.



By settling this debate over whether the ocean is more of a source or a sink, scientists can now direct their attention to mitigating the true origins of airborne microplastics, thus improving targeted policies to help address this pressing environmental concern.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00914-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">npj Climate and Atmospheric Science</a>.



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Airborne microplastics: Where they come from and where they go

A new study has found that, contrary to previous claims, the ocean is not a significant source of microplastics to the atmosphere, but rather a major sink.&nbsp; The research team used a global chemical transport model to evaluate how tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, move around the world. The finding challenges past assumptions about the ocean’s role in releasing plastic fragments into the air. The journey of airborne microplastics&nbsp; Plastic debris in dust form is increasingly recognized as a worldwide contaminant. Microplastics (particles less than 5...

In President Barack Obama’s most recent move to protect America’s environmentally sensitive areas, his administration designated two national monuments at sites in Utah and Nevada. The sites are the Bear Ears National Monument and the Gold Butte National monument, respectively.

Gold Butte covers 300,000 acres just outside of Las Vegas. The area is ecologically fragile, as well as incredibly scenic. It includes rare fossils, rock art, artifacts, and recently discovered tracks. Retiring Democratic U.S. Senator Harry Reid has been pushing for these protections, but Republican members of the state’s congressional delegation had been vocal opponents.

In Utah, The Bear Ears National Monument will cover 1.35 million acres in the Four Corners region. This is a victory for the local Native American tribes, as the monument contains land that is considered sacred. It also contains an estimated 100,000 archaeological sites, including ancient cliff dwellings. Tribal members visit the Bears Ears area to host ceremonies, collect herbs and wood for medicinal and spiritual purposes, and perform healing rituals.

Russell Begaye, President of the Navajo Nation, said “We have always looked to Bears Ears as a place of refuge, as a place where we can gather herbs and medicinal plants, and a place of prayer and sacredness. The rocks, the winds, the land – they are living, breathing things that deserve timely and lasting protection.”

The Navajo Nation is one of five Native American tribes that will have an elected official on a brand new tribal commission for the Bears Ears Monument. This unprecedented panel will provide federal land managers with their tribal expertise and knowledge of the area.

However, tribal leaders and conservationists are worried that incoming President-elect Donald Trump could reverse or reduce some of the Obama administration’s expansive land protection. A president has never done a reversal of this magnitude, but many leaders are still concerned this is a possibility.

This act is one of many by the Obama administration in an effort to protect vulnerable areas before Trump’s inauguration. Similar to the blocking of new mining claims outside <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm">Yellowstone National Park</a> and prevention of new offshore oil drilling in the Artic, this federal designation by President Obama creates restrictions on further mining and oil/gas development in these areas of Utah and Nevada.

President Obama’s creation and expansion of monuments now covers more area than any other president. In a statement, the president said, “Today’s actions will help protect this cultural legacy and will ensure that future generations are able to enjoy and appreciate these scenic and historic landscapes.”

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Obama declares national monument sites in Utah and Nevada

In President Barack Obama’s most recent move to protect America’s...

Scientists have come one step closer to deciphering bat language by translating their ‘conversations.’

The study, led by professor Yossi Yovel of the Department of Zoology at <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/">Tel Aviv University</a>, worked towards translating bat language and vocals to understand the contexts of the animals’ conversations.

"When you enter a bat cave, you hear a lot of 'gibberish,' a cacophony of aggressive bat noise - but is this merely 'shouting' or is there information amid the noise?" Yovel said. "Previous research presumed that most bat communication was based on screaming and shouting. We wanted to know how much information was actually conveyed -- and we wanted to see if we could, in fact, extract that information."

Yovel’s students Mor Taub and Yosef Prat began the research by recording the sounds of 22 Egyptian fruit bats in the university’s “bat cave.” They recorded the sounds for 75 days.

Taub and Prat then gathered the recordings – about 15,000 vocalizations from the bat language – and analyzed them.

The researchers discovered each vocalization revealed information about the bat speaking, as well as the bat to which it was talking.

"Studying how much information is conveyed in animal communication is important if you're interested in the evolution of human language," Yovel said. "Specifically, one big unknown in the world of animal communication is their grasp on semanticity - i.e., when you hear the word 'apple' you immediately imagine a round, red fruit. We found, in our research, that bat calls contain information about the identities of the caller and the addressee, which implies that there is a recognition factor.”

Researchers also concluded the most common cause for a bat interaction was in the form of an argument. The sounds included information on the cause of the argument, such as fighting over food.

The bats were also found to speak with different intonations based on whether the other bat was a friend or not. This helped the scientists determine whether the interaction was a positive or negative one, Yovel said.

Because this type of experiment is so difficult, vocalizations are usually all grouped together under one category. Yovel and his students’ findings, he said, could show the necessity of conducting deeper research within the subject.

"We generated a massive amount of data -- dozens of calls over three months," Yovel said. "We have found that bats fight over sleeping positions, over mating, over food or just for the sake of fighting. To our surprise, we were able to differentiate between all of these contexts in complete darkness, and we are confident bats themselves are able to identify even more information and with greater accuracy -- they are, after all, an extremely social species that live with the same neighbors for dozens of years."

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Credit: Earth.com author Laura Porecco

Scientists make great strides in deciphering bat language

Scientists have come one step closer to deciphering bat language...

High in the rugged Cal Madow Mountains located northeast of Somalia reside sacred trees that are native to this land called Boswellia sacra. These Somaliland mountains are the site of a centuries-old tradition of frankincense harvesting that is becoming overexploited, and threatening what remains of the forest.

The Boswellia trees are harvested for frankincense, and are being over-tapped to meet the high demand for resin. Frankincense is a major source of revenue for Somaliland, especially now that the demand for essential oils has skyrocketed.

Anjanette DeCarlo is an ecologist and director of an environmental group called Conserve Cal Madow. He explains that over the last six years, prices for raw frankincense have jumped from $1 per kilogram to as much as $7 per kilogram.

Frankincense is a fragrant resin that has been traded for over 5000 years. It can be dated back to ancient Egypt when it was used in medicine, perfume, and burned in religious ceremonies.

Frankincense is also referenced in the Old Testament as one of the gifts brought to baby Jesus by the Three Kings. Currently, the resin is referred to as the “King of essential oils,” and is marketed as both a health and beauty product.

The high demand of frankincense has led to the overharvesting of the Boswellia trees. The tree bark is cut, or stripped, to obtain its milky sap. The tapping of the trees was once seasonal but is now happening year-round, resulting in a serious threat to the survival of the wild forest.

"The death rate of the adult trees is alarming," DeCarlo said. "There is potential for regeneration, but it takes about 40 years or so for these trees to become viable for tapping if it's done right."

The tradition of gathering raw frankincense from Boswellia trees in the Cad Mountains has been handed down from father to son for many centuries. There are dangerous challenges for these men including rough terrain, venomous snakes, and jagged cliffs as high as over 8000 feet.

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Credit: Earth.com author Chrissy Sexton

Famous frankincense forest is in serious danger

High in the rugged Cal Madow Mountains located northeast of...

A new study found that reindeer might play an integral part in slowing down climate change. Published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, Dr. Mariska te Beest of <a href="http://www.umu.se/english">Umeå University</a> and her team of researchers found that through grazing, reindeer increase the amount of solar energy reflected by the earth back into space.

In this article, the researchers refer to this reflection of solar energy by the earth as “surface albedo.” When reindeer graze, and thus reduce the height and abundance of shrubs on the Artic tundra, they increase the surface albedo. Dr. te Beest explains: “Our theory was that heavy grazing by reindeer increases summer albedo through a reduction in shrub height, abundance, and leaf area index.”

Their study combined land surface computer modeling with actual measurements of surface albedo and vegetation characteristics taken in the field. The field measurements were done in a region of Norway that contained four topographically-defined vegetation types, which varied in shrub height and abundance.

The team worked during the summer season, estimating reindeer activity by using vegetation-trampling indicators and collecting dung. They made field measurements of the abundance of vegetation, the leaf area index, as well as soil moisture and temperature levels. Researchers also measured surface albedo levels in the studied areas.

Dr. te Beest and her team found that through decreasing shrub abundance, high densities of reindeer can completely change Artic tundra vegetation. These changes in abundance, canopy height, and amount of live vegetation led to a substantial increase in surface albedo throughout the growing season.

By using computer modeling, the researchers were able to determine that this increase in albedo would result in a decrease in net radiation, as well as latent and sensible heat fluxes. This indicates that heavily grazed sites are actually absorbing less radiation.

Dr. te Beest believes their findings can have a significant impact on the climate warming conversation, saying “Our results show that reindeer have a potential cooling effect on climate, by changing the summer albedo. Although the estimated differences might appear small, they are large enough to have consequences for the regional energy balance.”

Given that most of the Artic tundra is grazed by either wild or domesticated reindeer, this finding could be very important.

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Reindeer might play an integral role in slowing down climate change

A new study found that reindeer might play an integral...

The extensive toxins that invade our environment during the Christmas holiday probably come as no surprise when you stop to think about it. All of the log fires and the lengthy cooking and baking sessions for those holiday meals can create air pollution both indoors and outdoors.

Gas ovens release nitrogen dioxide, which is linked to a higher risk of asthma, wheezing, coughs, colds, flu, and bronchitis, while wood stoves disperse smoke, both inside and out, which is linked to premature death.

During this celebratory event many people burn festive candles to promote familiar scents such as cinnamon and pine, releasing dangerous toxins, ultrafine particles and metals from their color pigments, while soot is also released when the candle flame flickers due varying air flows. These toxins can be extremely carcinogenic, and do damage to the sensitive lung cilia that are there to remove impurities.

A warning from air pollution expert Professor Ian Colbeck, <a href="http://www.essex.ac.uk/">University of Essex</a>, mentions that most families who gather inside during the holiday should always leave a window open, and be sure to spend time out of doors to breathe fresh air.

Professor Colbeck also reminds us, "Christmas Day may well be the most toxic day of the year. It has the same effect as standing by the side of a busy London road for four hours, which is not something most people would choose to do. If you are asthmatic, you will become breathless, and this kind of air pollution could also raise people’s risk of cardiovascular disease."

Many of our homes are tightly insulated, which delivers an even more harmful impact to our health by not allowing many of the pollutants and toxins to escape. Between the fires, ovens, scented candles, and more, ultrafine particles smaller than 100-nanometers in size are entering our respiratory systems and causing harm, such as inflaming the delicate tissues of the lungs.

Those who love a Christmas fire should be aware that wood smoke could be inhaled while lighting and during wind gusts that force smoke back into the home. This smoke can also enter the home and lungs from neighborhood chimneys.

Studies revealed that in Denmark alone, emissions from wood-burning stoves cause approximately 400 premature deaths yearly, and in London wood stove smoke accounts for between 7 - 9% of particle pollution.

If all of these Christmas warnings aren't bad enough, there are other risks associated with wood stoves and fireplaces. The Insurance firm NFU Mutual warns that house fires at Christmas are a common event if chimneys and flues are not cleaned properly, cautioning us that they paid out $2 million on chimney fires in 2015 alone.

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Credit: Earth.com author Tina Volpe

Christmas is the most 'toxic' environmental day of the year

The extensive toxins that invade our environment during the Christmas...

With Christmas here, along with the cold weather, it's very likely that under that holiday tree are heaps of nicely wrapped presents filled with Christmas socks that keep you warm during the winter frost. But as science and technology would have it, those traditional wool and cotton socks took a new direction, creating socks that keep you dry, warm, and kill odor-causing bacteria.

Socks, and other athletic clothing now contain silver nanoparticles that kill bacteria, but in return, wreak havoc on our environment and waterways. Their detrimental impact, according to recent scientific research at the <a href="http://www.essex.ac.uk/">University of Essex</a>, begins at the manufacturing stage where water is used in production. That water then leaches those toxic particles into the waterways, estuaries, and coastlines.

These tiny nanoparticles are between 1 and 100 nanometers in size, so small that they are easy to sneak into clothing, food packaging and more. Their effect is devastating to our planet's major source of oxygen - the oceans, virtually suffocating them, and disrupting their essential work that also includes trapping C02 emissions. The ocean coastal areas boast micro-algae, responsible for most of this carbon and oxygen reprocessing.

A two-year research project, led by Dr. Claire Passarelli and Professor Graham Underwood of the School of Biological Sciences at Essex University, was developed to discover the full impact of these toxins to the life giving micro-algae and the biodiversity of our coastlines. Gathering mud and water from the Essex coast for testing and creating a naturally occurring system of outdoor tidal tanks, they can determine the actual damage caused to these essential systems. The results of these tests will deliver the environmental impact of silver nanoparticles used in socks, and titanium nanoparticles, which make up between 5-10% of sunscreens.

According to Dr. Passarelli, "“These nanoparticles are toxic chemicals but there is no legislation around them being released into our waters. By using different experimental tanks to monitor different scenarios using natural light and temperatures in different seasons we can find out the real impact these nanoparticles are having on our coastline."

“This project will provide information to guide policy-making on nanoparticle disposal and on environmental quality standards for nanoparticle concentrations.”

Sometimes scientific interjection into our products can be extremely helpful and productive, in this case however, sticking with cotton and wool for your Christmas socks is much more environmental friendly.

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Credit: Earth.com author Tina Volpe

Those Christmas socks in your stocking are harming the environment

With Christmas here, along with the cold weather, it's very...

A team of researchers  from George Washington University has published a paper in Current Biology that details their discovery of a new species of dinosaur, which could explain why birds have beaks but no teeth. The dinosaur, Limusaurus inextricabilis, was discovered in the Xinjiang province of China. The team studied 19 skeletons that were found in an ancient “death pit,” where they had become stuck in mud and were unable to escape.

The dinosaurs ranged in age from babies to adults, exhibiting a pattern of tooth loss over time. This age range was important to the researchers for two reasons, as Dr. James Clark outlines, “First, it’s very rare to find a growth series from baby to adult dinosaurs. Second, this unusually dramatic change in anatomy suggests there was a big shift in Limusaurus inextricabilis diet from adolescence to adulthood.”

The baby skeleton had small, sharp teeth, while the adult skeletons had no teeth at all and did not appear to grow another set as adults. This may indicate that the young Limusaurus were carnivores or omnivores, while the adults were herbivores. Generally, a change in tooth structure or loss of teeth is indicative of a diet change as well. The chemical makeup of the dinosaurs’ bones also supports the team’s theory of a diet change between babies and adults.

Limusaurus is a part of the theropod group of dinosaurs, which are the evolutionary ancestors of birds. Scientists believe that these fossils may help show how theropods such as birds lost their teeth, initially going through anatomical changes during development from infancy to adulthood.

Josef Stiegler, a co-author on the paper, reiterates the importance of these fossil findings, “For most dinosaur species we have few specimens and a very incomplete understanding of their developmental biology. The large sample size of Limusaurus allowed us to use several lines of evidence including the morphology, microstructure, and stable isotopic composition of the fossil bones to understand development and dietary changes in this animal.”

[caption id="attachment_128002" align="aligncenter" width="750"]<img class="size-full wp-image-128002" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Limusaurus-inextricabilis-GWU.jpg" alt="Limusaurus inextricabilis fossil. Credit: GWU" width="750" height="301" /> Limusaurus inextricabilis fossil. Credit: GWU[/caption]

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz/<a href="http://www.gwu.edu">George Washington University</a>

Limusaurus inextricabilis: Strange new dinosaur species lost their teeth as adults

A team of researchers  from George Washington University has published...

The Bear River Watershed Conservation Area was established Thursday, covering a total of 7,000-square-miles in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. This project has been in the public planning stages for years and included an environmental assessment, with the initial plan having been completed in 2013.

Officials at the <a href="http://www.usfws.gov">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services </a>say that this is part of a plan to protect wildlife habitat by buying perpetual conservation easements from private landowners. These easements will help preserve agricultural lands that are being increasingly converted into residential developments. In the process, the wildlife that uses these lands will be protected from habitat destruction.

This conservation area includes national wildlife refuges in each of the three Western states, as well as the 500-mile Bear River that flows into the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. The Bear River begins in the Uinta Mountains in Utah and flows north into Wyoming before turning into Idaho and flowing south back into Utah. This river is unique in that it has no outlet to the ocean and it ends its winding 500-mile path just a mere 60 miles from where it originates.

This conservation effort is important, as the Bear River watershed is an integral ecosystem for migrating birds traveling over the Central and Pacific flyways. It also links migratory routes for elk, pronghorn, and other mammals.

Conservation easements such as this one generally allow traditional activities such as livestock grazing and haying, but prohibit subdivisions or conservation of the native grassland into land for crops. This land stays under private ownership, with public access being controlled by the landowner.

Fish and Wildlife reported that it received a 30-acre conservation easement donation back in June in Box Elder County, Utah. After review and approval of the donation, a notice was posted in the Federal Register formally announcing the establishment of the Bear River Watershed conservation area.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services says that they had received wide interest in the conservation area prior to its formation. Bob Barrett, project leader and manager of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge for Fish and Wildlife in Utah, noted, “The sense of good land stewardship is widely shared in all three states.”

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Bear River Watershed Conservation Area established in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming

The Bear River Watershed Conservation Area was established Thursday, covering...

A study published in Current Biology finds that baby reef fish may have an internal magnetic ‘compass” that can direct them home at night when there is no sun or stars to guide them.

Professor Mike Kingsford of <a href="https://www.jcu.edu.au/">James Cook University</a> collaborated with colleagues in Germany to discover how baby Cardinal fish are able to find their home reef in the darkness of night. During this study, the researchers set up an isolated magnetic field that they could manipulate in order to observe how the fish reacted.

Professor Kingsford noted, “Normally, baby reef fish orientated to the southeast, but when we altered the magnetic field clockwise by 120 degrees, there was a significant change in the direction the fish swam. They all turned further west, thinking they were still on track to their destination.”

Their results showed that fish larvae can use a magnetic sense to point them in the direction of home. Previous research done by this team has shown that these fish begin a “homing process” when they get closer to their target, relying on odor, sounds, and landmarks to find their home reef.

Other studies have shown that birds, marine mammals, sharks, and boney fish have a similar internal compass. However, this most recent study is the first clear indication that baby reef fish use magnetic senses to orient themselves at night.

Reef fish hatch from eggs into larvae and then disperse for days to months out in the ocean before finding another reef or returning home. It is believed that once they find a reef, they generally stay there for the rest of their lives.

Professor Kingsford elaborated, “The study tells us these baby fish actually have brains. They know where they are going and are strong swimmers. As a result, they have some control over the reef they end up on. It’s not just about being led by the currents.”

He thinks that this knowledge can be used further down the road to develop more accurate models of where fish larvae go, which can be used determine the best method for protecting and maintaining sustainable fish stocks.

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Credit: Earth.com author Connor Ertz

Baby reef fish use an internal magnetic compass to find their way home

A study published in Current Biology finds that baby reef...

In its final weeks, the Obama administration is turning its attention to oil pipeline safety. A 176,000-gallon spill in North Dakota earlier this month rekindled pipeline safety concerns.

A proposal by the U.S. Department of Transportation is intended to help prevent future accidents in the 200,000 miles of pipeline across the country. These pipelines carry crude, gasoline, and other hazardous liquids.

While advocates say the oil pipeline safety legislation is long overdue, critics say the new rule would cost pipeline companies too much to comply. Others believe the rule will be shot down by the Trump administration regardless of the outcome.

If approved, pipeline owners would be forced to repair traces of corrosion and microscopic cracks immediately. Currently, the companies are allowed to monitor minor issues and schedule repairs when needed.

<a href="http://www.aopl.org/">Association of Oil Pipelines</a> Vice President John Stoody said that this new repair criteria "has the potential to distract us away from higher-priority safety issues."

Representatives of the pipeline industry estimate compliance with the new oil pipeline safety rule would cost companies over $600 million a year. This is almost 30 times the cost estimated by the government.

In a cost-benefit analysis, the <a href="http://www.pi.ac.ae/">Petroleum Institute</a> criticized the proposal, calling it a "significant expansion of regulatory oversight."

Drafting of this rule began after a pipeline accident in Michigan resulted in one million gallons of oil in the Kalamazoo River. Over the last ten years, thousands of oil pipeline accidents have caused over $2.5 billion in damages in the United States.

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Credit: Earth.com author Chrissy Sexton

Oil pipeline safety faces uncertain future under Trump

In its final weeks, the Obama administration is turning its...

Millions of people use global roads every day to get to work, school, home, and everywhere else on the planet. But what people don’t realize is while these global roads are helping those on Earth, they’re harming the planet itself.

A recent study published in <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/journals">Science journal</a> has found roads around the world have broken the planet into about 600,000 pieces – even the areas without any roads at all.

“About 80 percent of Earth’s terrestrial surface remains roadless, but this area is fragmented into [about] 600,000 patches, more than half of which are [less than] [.4 square mile],” according to the study.

Only seven percent of those areas are larger than 37 square miles.

Researchers who conducted the study found roads are “rapidly contributing to habitat degradation and species loss,” because the damage roads can cause extends about one kilometer from where the road physically lies.

The areas in need of protection are lacking in just that, researchers said, with only nine percent of the areas – the ones seen as “valuable” – having protection.

“In many cases [the valuable roadless areas] represent remaining tracks of extensive functional ecosystems, and are of key significance to ecological processes, such as regulating the hydrological cycle and the climate,” Pierre Ibisch, lead author of the study, told DailyMail.

Ibisch and his research team used datasets OpenStreetMap and gROADS, along with 282 publications that assess roads. The data encompassed information from 22 million miles of roads around the world – the best information available, even though the set is incomplete, researchers said.

The findings showed 600,000 fragments of land that had been separated by existing roads.

Roads can also cause problems within the surrounding ecosystems, like an interruption of gene flow in animals, an increase in pests, water contamination and soil erosion, researchers said.

Roads can also cause what researchers called “contagious development:” when existing roads inspires the construction of more roads.

“As roads continue to expand, there is an urgent need for a global strategy for the effective conservation, restoration, and monitoring of roadless areas and the ecosystems they comprise,” Ibisch said. “We urge governments to avoid the costly building of roads in remote areas, which would be ecologically disastrous.”

[caption id="attachment_127955" align="aligncenter" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-127955" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/earth-roads2.jpg" alt="Image credit: Pierre Ibisch" width="750" height="345" /> Image credit: Pierre Ibisch[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_127956" align="aligncenter" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-127956" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/earth-roads.jpg" alt="Image credit: Pierre Ibisch" width="750" height="291" /> Image credit: Pierre Ibisch[/caption]

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Credit: Earth.com author Laura Porecca

Global roads have fragmented the planet into 600,000 pieces

Millions of people use global roads every day to get...

Sustainable, green energy sources like solar electricity and wind farms have experienced great growth in recent years with the support of President Barack Obama and other government players.

Supporters of green energy are trying to remain hopeful of a sustainable future despite President-elect Trump’s favoring of fossil fuel emissions and oil fracking, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Green energy producers also remain optimistic of their future because of their positive effects on the planet and the economy.

“We’re looking forward to competing with other energy sources as a low-cost option,” Tom Kimbis, interim president of the <a href="http://www.seia.org/">Solar Energy Industries Association</a>, told AP.

The sustainable energy industry has seen great success as a low-cost resource for many, resulting in the closing of coal plants throughout the nation. Using wind turbines and solar panels for energy instead of coal creates revenue and jobs.

Obama is accredited with increasing the success of green resources because of his creation of thousands of jobs within the industry, said Gina McCarthy, outgoing head of the <a href="http://www.epa.gov">Environmental Protection Agency</a>.

“The train to a global clean-energy future has already left the station,” McCarthy told AP last month. “We can choose to get on board – to lead – or we can choose to be left behind, to stand stubbornly.”

Trump’s presidential campaign was outwardly fossil fuel-friendly. The President-elect also vowed on the campaign trail to revive the coal industry and open up drilling for oil in the Atlantic Ocean. To combat this, Obama signed executive orders preventing oil and gas leasing in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

Trump also discredited green resources by deeming solar energy an “unproven technology” and wind power a “very, very poor source of energy,” according to AP.

The President-elect’s Cabinet selections share similar views on energy resources, with ex-Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke strongly supporting the fossil fuel industry. This has caused concern for environmentalists, but has not shaken their stance.

Tom Kiernan, chief executive of the American Wind Energy Association, referred to wind power as a “mainstream energy source.” Nathanael Greene, director of renewable policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said “impeding process toward a cleaner future, on the basis of ignorance or ideology, makes no sense.”

“An unstoppable shift to a cleaner energy economy is underway,” Kiernan said.

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Credit: Earth.com author Laura Porecca

Green energy supporters stand strong in the face of Trump’s future

Sustainable, green energy sources like solar electricity and wind farms...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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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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