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...

Fruit fly fights illustrate social behavior patterns

A fruit fly fight club may sound like a terrible sequel idea, but it turns out much can be learned about social evolution by these fruit fly fights. For several months, Julia Saltz, assistant professor of biosciences at <a href="http://www.rice.edu/">Rice University</a>, observed fruit fly fights in different scenarios to determine how their aggression altered their social environment.  

Psychologists have long believed that human behavior isn’t simply a reaction to the environment we happen to fall into. Rather, people choose and create their environment through social interactions. Saltz wanted to examine how a fruit fly’s genotype affected its phenotype. In other words, how the flies’ genetic code influences social behavior. 

In a study published in the <a href="http://nature.com/">Nature</a> journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/hdy/">Heredity</a>, Saltz placed male fruit flies in different stressful situations and observed how stress altered their behavior. Using a process called social-environment construction, she moved a stressed fly into a different group for observation.

Said Saltz, "The main takeaway is that individuals' behaviors affect their social environments. In other words, when you pick your friends, it matters to you and it affects both what happens in the group and your behavior at a later time."

Due to the aggressive nature of the study, Saltz used fruit flies, in part because humans punching each other would quickly get messy. Fruit flies, however, can be easily manipulated and observed.

Saltz observed the male fruit flies for two days each, both alone and in groups of 2 to 8. She placed genetically identical fruit flies in their preferred or non-preferred environments and observed their aggression, finding that different genotypes have different group size preferences. After determining preference, she put individual males into variously sized groups.

"For day one, I put a 'genotype one' focal male with a group of flies, and a 'genotype two' with a replica group with the same sex ratio, number and genotype, reared under standard lab conditions," said Saltz. "That way, I knew the social environment was the same for both focal males. If there was something different about how the groups behaved, it had to be due to the genotype of that one extra male. Arguably, the focal male would influence the behavior of other individuals in the group, which is what we saw.”

It turned out that males in their preferred groups were attacked more often than males in non-preferred groups. 

One the second day, Saltz took the focal males into a new environment with a “naive” male and found the previous day made the focal male less aggressive. Saltz calls this “the loser effect,” in which males who lose a confrontation are subsequently less aggressive.  

"That seems to be true here,” she said. “Except that there's no good definition of losing. That's why I like to think of it as being attacked more often."

"The male actually rears up. The front two legs and part of its body go up and it slams its legs onto another male. It's not ambiguous, and a male can only lunge at one other male at a time, so you know exactly who was being aggressive and who was the recipient."

While the long-term effects are impossible to determine using fruit flies as they only live for about 70 days, Saltz hopes to use larger sets with more genotypes in future studies. 

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fruit fly fights illustrate social behavior patterns

Fruit fly fights illustrate social behavior patterns A fruit fly...

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The beautiful landscape of Lung Tam, a traditional textile village in the mountainous province of Ha Giang, Vietnam. Vietnam was expected to benefit largely from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which would have provided tariff-free access for its textile, low-end goods, and agriculture export, but all hope seems dead after U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump declared he was going to withdraw from the pact upon stepping into office.

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Vietnam hoping the Trans-Pacific Partnership happens

The beautiful landscape of Lung Tam, a traditional textile village...

In the way that solar light can generate electricity, splitting water could also become a valuable renewable energy source.

Scientists have been able to split water for some time, but the key to making it a viable and economical energy source lies in the efficiency of the process. 

According to Professor Huijin Zhao, Director of <a href="https://www.griffith.edu.au/griffith-sciences/the-centre-for-clean-environment-and-energy">Griffith’s Center for Clean Environment and Energy</a> (CCEE), the answer lies in highly efficient catalysts. The process of splitting water also generates clean chemical fuel: hydrogen.

Opined Zhao, "The world is now facing five major issues for humanity: energy, environment, water, food security and public health. Global warming is ranked first and it's all resulting from burning fossil fuels because that's where carbon dioxide comes from.”

"To reduce this and to make the global temperature not rise beyond 2C you have to find clean, renewable energy and hydrogen equals clean energy. It's part of the solution – if we really can split water into two, that will be one scientific solution for the future of sustainable energy supplies."

Zhao argues hydrogen is a more advantageous fuel compared to gasoline or diesel, at least for now.

"Scientifically it's already demonstrated, it's already working, but to do this in a way that's economically viable, there's still a bit of work to do and we need government policy, general public support, and you also need those big companies to realize they should not dig up out of the ground anymore. It's not just a simple technology issue,” he said.

Professor Zhao was also recently awarded $401,000 by the <a href="http://www.arc.gov.au/linkage-projects">Australian Research Council Projects</a> for 2017 in support of his 2D-nanoporous structured high-performance gas evolution electrocatalysts. The heterogeneous electrocatalytic gas evolution reactions created by this technology could potentially be a very useful tool for clean energy production. However, such reactions tend to be less efficient, as a result of the high overpotentials caused by slow-gaseous products. High overpotentials mean higher energy consumption needed for the reaction to take place, reducing or even cancelling energy efficiency gains.

Zhao aims to address this problem by creating two-dimensional porous electrocatalysts with better gas detachment properties leading to lower overpotentials. If successful, the project could encourage the production of higher-efficiency electrocatalysts.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Splitting water into renewable energy

In the way that solar light can generate electricity, splitting...

One UK health watchdog is as annoyed by speed bumps as everyone else – though likely for different reasons. 

The <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/">National Institute for Health and Care Excellence</a> (NICE) has called for existing speed bumps to be smoothed out because, they said, motorists slowing down and then speeding back up leads to more air pollution.

NICE officials are also calling on traffic authorities to cut speed limits to 50 mph on some roadways, limit speeds to 20 mph in cities and built-up areas, and install more speed cameras.

The officials cited health hazards caused by air pollution as their motivation. Air pollution in the UK causes as many as 25,000 premature deaths each year, according to NICE, mainly due to asthma, lung disease, strokes and heart attacks. 

NICE is also recommending that parents turn off their cars instead of idling when waiting for their children after school, house builders design homes so that living rooms are farther away from roads, and a ban on new speed bumps.

The new recommendations from NICE are not legally binding.

Critics have said the recommendations would be costly to implement for drivers and businesses. Slower speed limits would also reduce access to jobs, because longer travel times would make commuting difficult. 

Data collected by the UK government shows that four in 10 councils are missing the mark when it comes to meeting safe levels of nitrogen dioxide, the major pollutant in car exhaust fumes.

After a court ruling, some cities are already expected to charge congestion fees to diesel drivers. Researchers from the <a href="http://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a> cited diesel engines as the worst polluters, because tiny particles expelled with the exhaust fumes are linked to cancer and stroke.

NICE’s goal, officials said, is to encourage driving at a constant rate of speed rather than regularly stopping and starting, which produces more pollution. 

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Health watchdog: speed bumps cause pollution

One UK health watchdog is as annoyed by speed bumps...

The location of a Death Valley canyon full of fossilized footprints has been a closely held secret for decades. Now, paleontologists want to open up “The Barnyard” to the public. 

The canyon has been closed to all but a handful of researchers and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/">National Park Service</a> staff to protect the wide variety of animal tracks – one of the largest and most diverse collections in the world.

The fossilized footprints earned the remote canyon near the California-Nevada border its nickname.

The canyon holds preserved tracks from horses and birds, along with ancient camels, mastodons, big cats, and more. Scientists believe a large lake once attracted animals to the area, and the tracks were left in muddy ground around the body of water. 

The oldest fossilized footprints are thought to be 5 million years old. According to the researchers who have visited the canyon, the tracks are plentiful and visible in just about every part of the canyon. 

Though the park has close to a million visitors each year, only about a hundred of them are allowed to visit the Barnyard, and they must have a permit and be accompanied by a parks official.

However, paleontologist Dr. Torrey Nyborg of <a href="http://home.llu.edu/">Loma Linda University</a> and others are now calling on the National Park Service to open the canyon to visitors.

The researchers have spent four years cataloging and documenting each of the tracks in the canyon. Now, they want the public to be able to see the collection, as well as have the opportunity to volunteer to maintain the canyon as they do in other parts of the park.

<a href="https://www.nps.gov/deva/">Death Valley National Park</a> is the hottest, driest and lowest park in the national system. It encompasses 5,270 square miles of land. The Barnyard covers about five square miles within the park.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Public could soon see fossilized footprints in Death Valley

The location of a Death Valley canyon full of fossilized...

The good news: Oklahoma earthquakes have seen a sharp decline, linked by geologists to new state regulations on wastewater injection. 

The bad news: The state saw more magnitude-5 quakes in 2016 than ever recorded in Oklahoma’s history, and that has scientists worried.

Scientists with the <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> and other organizations have been tracking a sharp spike in earthquakes generally along with a rise in earthquake magnitudes in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. 

They found that between 1973 and 2008, there were about 21 earthquakes per year above magnitude-3.0 in the central and eastern United States. From 2009 to 2013, that jumped to an average of 99 quakes rating 3.0 or higher. More than 650 magnitude-3.0 or higher tremors were reported in 2014 alone, more than 1,000 logged in 2015, and more than 500 from January to August of this year.

Many of these earthquakes are in Oklahoma, which now logs more quakes per year than California.

The Oklahoma earthquakes appear to be linked to deep injection of wastewater – a byproduct of hydraulic fracturing – into the ground. This practice protects groundwater supplies from the toxic waste produced by fracking, but also places pressure on seismic fault lines, according to scientists. 

These so-called <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/induced/">induced earthquakes</a> have the potential to cause major damage to buildings and roadways in Oklahoma, such as the 5.8 shake-up in Pawnee in September, and the 5.0 tremor that hit Cushing in November.

This theory may hold water, as new regulations and limits on wastewater injection appear to have settled some of the Oklahoma earthquakes. 

After Kansas passed new regulations on wastewater injection in 2015, the state saw a dramatic <a href="http://kansaspublicradio.org/kpr-news/kansas-geologists-probe-decrease-kansas-earthquakes">decline in the number of earthquakes</a>. Oklahoma, which was then much less regulated, saw a climb.

Oklahoma followed its northern neighbor’s example this year, setting new regulations in May. Kansas tightened its existing regulations in August. 

Since the new regulations went into effect, Oklahoma has dropped from an average of 2.3 quakes per day at magnitude 3.0 or higher to less than one per day.

However, before fracking became widespread in Oklahoma, the state experienced only one 3.0 earthquake per year, USGS scientists pointed out. One per day is an improvement over the past few years, but still a problem.

Oklahoma has also experienced three quakes magnitude 5.0 or higher this year, including two after the new regulations went into effect, scientists noted. 

The state’s only recorded earthquake higher than 5.0 prior to 2011 was in El Reno, Oklahoma in 1952.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Oklahoma earthquakes drop off after new state regs

The good news: Oklahoma earthquakes have seen a sharp decline,...

A team of scientists from the <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University Of Exeter</a> have developed a new laser imaging technique that boasts 3D maps of green spaces in never-before-seen detail. The new technology photographs vegetation from above but can see from the tops of trees all the way to the ground. Previous techniques could only pick up high-resolution photos of the top surface of vegetation, and all plant life beneath had to be estimated in lower resolution. As a result, details of woodland paths, shrubs, and shorter vegetation were missing from the larger picture.

The team, led by Dr. Karen Anderson of the <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/">Environment and Sustainability Institute</a>, utilized a system called waveform lidar, which allows mapping over large areas, including even the smallest details beneath the trees. Anderson emphasized how the previous mapping provided an inaccurate and sometimes biased analysis of green spaces.

"Vegetation canopies are very complex three-dimensional structures, and for the first time we can now measure what lies underneath the canopy over a very large area," said Anderson. "This has great potential to be used for a range of purposes, from promoting biodiversity in urban areas to mapping easy walking routes and monitoring the health of habitats from cities to rainforests."

Scientists hope a more accurate and detailed understanding of these green spaces can be used to promote biodiversity and, in turn, improve the quality of life in urban areas.  

Said Anderson, "Amongst other things, this approach allows us to understand how these urban green spaces are connected and we can then explore them in three dimensions, for example, from a bird's point of view . . . . The data might show us how we can manage the vegetation in certain places such that it could have a disproportionate effect on improving the environment."

"It also allows us to understand the impact of private gardens on urban biodiversity. Without this, it is almost impossible to gather data on what's in...people's gardens – and we know gardens have complex structures and perform a vital function in urban environments."

A better understanding of the 3D structure of vegetation also allows for a more accurate prediction of weather and climate. A similar technology using the same laser imaging technique will be added to the International Space Station in early 2019.

New laser imaging technique sheds light on plants

A team of scientists from the University Of Exeter have...

Social subgroups are key to environmental preservation, new study shows

Upon first thought, it may seem logical that societies succeed best with complete cohesiveness and unification. But recent research suggests that the formation of social subgroups is crucial to key evolutionary movements, especially environmental conservation. 

A team of researchers at the <a href="http://www.nimbios.org/">National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis</a> (NIMBioS) set out to analyze how societies with differing social structures manage their resources. The team created a mathematical model indicating societies that over-exploited their natural resources ultimately went extinct, while those that kept a careful eye on their consumption and resources fared much better.

The team then wanted to define which factors play the most important roles in determining how environmental resources are conserved. The model showed that the formation of social subgroups made a society four times more likely to conserve their resources and survive than societies with no subgroups – no surprise to risk and complexity analysts who have said the same for decades, calling out many social researchers for their assumptions to the contrary.

Tim Waring, lead author of the study and associate professor at the <a href="https://umaine.edu/mitchellcenter/">Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions and the School of Economics at the University of Maine</a>, explained that those societies that broke up into social subgroups evolved better methods of conservation because each subgroup could essentially divide and conquer. With each group focusing on a different specialization, they could learn and benefit from each other.

"Usually, we assume that everyone has to cooperate to save environmental resources, but what we found was that sustainable use of resources emerged more when societies were broken up into multiple groups, like states in the United States, or countries in Europe,” said Waring. "This between-group learning means that behaviors and institutions that help groups survive can spread among groups.”

As an example, Waring referenced the <a href="http://www.un.org/geninfo/bp/enviro.html">1992 Rio Earth Summit</a>, the first climate change talks held by the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a>. The conference took a top-down approach and was ultimately unsuccessful. But the <a href="http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/cop21/">2015 UN Climate Change Conference</a> in Paris was generated by the efforts of smaller, grassroots movements. As such, it yielded the Paris Agreement, a massive global agreement containing specific steps meant to reduce climate change.

According to Waring, it all comes down to the ways in which humans organize and collaborate. “Part of the problem is that cooperation is harder to grow in larger groups,” he said. “But when smaller groups learn to cooperate and be sustainable, their practices can spread.”

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Social subgroups key to environmental preservation

Social subgroups are key to environmental preservation, new study shows...

A new species of tundra beetle has been found in Antarctica – but it’s been dead for millions of years.

The fossilized forewings of two different beetles were found on Beardmore Glacier, a 124-mile-long feature near the Transantarctic Mountains. They belonged to a beetle species that liked between 14 and 20 million years ago, when the southernmost continent was a lot warmer, according to Dr. Allan Ashworth of <a href="https://www.ndsu.edu/">North Dakota State University</a> and Dr. Terry Erwin of the <a href="https://www.si.edu/">Smithsonian Institution</a>.

They named the species Ball’s Antarctic tundra beetle after ground beetle expert Dr. George E. Ball, with the scientific name <a href="http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=10535">Antarctotrechus balli</a>. They don’t yet know whether the wings were functional or if the species could fly, but it’s leaving a footprint on study of the frozen continent either way.

The beetle is one of only a few insects ever found on Antarctica. Fossil impressions of wings and bodies have been found dating to the late Paleozoic and middle Mesozoic ages, and a handful of more recent insect fossils have been discovered. Ashworth and Erwin have discovered a cyclorraphan fly and listroderine weevil on Beardmore Glacier.  

Today, three species of flightless midges are the only insect life on Antarctica. The icy southern continent has very little vegetation and is very cold, making it inhospitable to bugs.

But the beetle find and the pair’s 2003 discoveries of the weevil and fly chill the notion that Antarctica has always been frozen.

When the beetle was alive, Erwin and Ashworth believe it lived along the banks of a meltwater stream, which likely had some sparse vegetation. Plant fossils associated with the beetle point to a tundra ecosystem. That tundra biome may also have provided habitat for Ashworth and Erwin’s earlier weevil and fly finds.

Though Ball’s Antarctic tundra beetle is now extinct, it seems to have some living relatives: the species Trechisibus, which live in South America, on South Georgia, a sub-Antarctic island, and on the Falkland Islands; and Tasmanorites, which live on Tasmania, an island off the south coast of Australia. 

Ashworth and Erwin described their find in the journal <a href="http://zookeys.pensoft.net/">Zookeys</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tundra beetle adds to evidence Antarctica wasn't always frozen

A new species of tundra beetle has been found in...

Melting West Antarctic Shelf could put New York underwater

Warnings of rising sea levels are nothing new, but recently scientists have grown especially concerned about the melting of a key glacier in the West Antarctic Shelf  that could have catastrophic consequences for major coastal cities.

A massive rift has been forming at the base of the Pine Island Glacier, a major part of the the ice shelf that holds the West Antarctic Shelf together. As a result, ocean water is flowing in and melting the ice from the inside out. 

A team of scientists from <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> led by Dr. Ian Howat began studying the rift after a large iceberg of nearly 225 square miles broke off the glacier last year. Using new image-processing software, the team noticed a large rift forming at the base in 2013. But by 2015, the rift had broken through the surface and caused the entire iceberg to break off. 

According to Howat, “It’s generally accepted that it’s no longer a question of whether the West Antarctic Ice Sheet will melt, it’s a question of when. This kind of rifting behavior provides another mechanism for rapid retreat of these glaciers, adding to the probability that we may see significant collapse of West Antarctica in our lifetimes.” 

The team of researchers warn that a similar effect could happen across Antarctica, and has already been seen in Greenland. 

“Rifts usually form at the margins of an ice shelf, where the ice is thin and subject to shearing that rips it apart,” said Howat. “However this latest event in the Pine Island Glacier was due to a rift that originated from the center of the ice sheet and propagated out to the margins. This implies that something weakened the center of the ice shelf, with the most likely explanation being a crevasse melted at the bedrock level by a warming ocean.”

Because the West Antarctic sits below sea level, ocean water can easily flow inland before ever being noticed. Valleys that appear on the surface of the ice are usually indicators of melting beneath.

“The really troubling thing is that there are many of these valleys further up-glacier,” added Howat. “If they are actually sites of weakness that are prone to rifting, we could potentially see more accelerated ice loss in Antarctica.” 

Should the West Antarctic Shelf actually collapse, it would cause sea levels to rise by 10 feet, causing massive flooding in low-lying major cities like New York and London. 

While global warming seems to be the most likely culprit, there is also evidence that the Antarctic Ice Shelf has historically fluctuated between periods of high and low ice cover.

Said Howat, “We’re limited in what information we can get from space, so this will mean targeting air and field campaigns to collect more detailed observations.”

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Melting West Antarctic Shelf could put New York underwater

Melting West Antarctic Shelf could put New York underwater Warnings...

Turns out that for some life forms, breathing is overrated. New geology research has offered tantalizing new evidence of the existence of life before oxygen on planet Earth.

A research team from the <a href="http://www.uc.edu/">University of Cincinatti</a> led by Dr. Andrew Czaja discovered fossilized evidence of bacterial life before oxygen at two different locations in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province. 

The fossils are the oldest evidence of the existence of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria that existed when the amount of oxygen on Earth was miniscule. The researchers estimated the signs of life to be about 2.52 billion years old. 

The fossilized bacteria were larger than modern bacteria, but show some similarities in structure to single-celled organisms that live today in the oxygen-lacking but sulfur-rich deep ocean.

Plenty of them lived in the area that became the fossils discovered by the research team, Czaja said. They seem to have ingested hydrogen sulfide from volcanoes – the mineral that produces a smell similar to rotten eggs – have turned it into sulfate, the researchers said.

These aren’t the same bacteria that exist today, but may have played a similar role in recycling the waste products from other organisms, the researchers said.

The fossilized bacteria also indicate that there may have been diverse life forms and complex ecosystems already evolving in the years leading up to the Great Oxygenation Event, according to Czaja. 

The event happened about 2.3 billion years ago, scientists believe, and while there are several theories, no one knows why. However, one theory is that some shallow-water bacteria – different from the deep-water samples Czaja’s team found – may have developed oxygen-producing photosynthesis.

The ancient bacteria identified by the research team would have lived more than 2 billion years before plants or trees evolved on Earth. They were discovered in slices of chert, a hard, silica rock. 

The find shows that the bacteria likely lived deep in water or mud with very little light, something scientists have suspected but were not able to confirm until now. Czaja believes the fossils found by the team were from a deep seabed. 

The researchers findings were published in the December issue of the journal <a href="http://geology.gsapubs.org/">Biology</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

Evidence of life before oxygen found in ancient rocks

Turns out that for some life forms, breathing is overrated....

Tennessee wildfires killed at least four and forced thousands to flee for their lives as the firestorm engulfed the town of Gatlinburg late Tuesday and early Wednesday. 

Tourists also fled the vacation town of Pigeon Forge and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood resort as flames approached, whipped higher by 90 mph winds. 

"I have been watching the terrible fires in the Great Smoky Mountains and I am heartbroken,” Parton said in <a href="http://websterpr.com/news/dolly-parton-statement-east-tennessee-fires">a statement</a> released by her public relations firm. “I am praying for all the families affected by the fire and the firefighters who are working so hard to keep everyone safe.”

As of Wednesday morning, Dollywood and Pigeon Forge had been spared the brunt of the Tennessee wildfires damage. 

Gatlinburg was not so lucky. 

The Tennessee wildfires roared into the town with little warning on Tuesday evening, charring buildings into embers and forcing residents to flee with nothing but the clothes they wore. 

Several of the town’s residents have been reported missing, though an exact number is not available at this time.

<a href="http://www.tennessean.com/">The Tennessean</a> shared <a href="http://knoxne.ws/2gGmOl5">harrowing video</a> from stepbrothers Michael Luciano and Anthony Fulton, who literally fled for their lives as fire blazed on all sides and even in front of them. At one point, they were nearly trapped when a tree fell, but they were eventually able to get through. 

Guests were also trapped for hours in the <a href="http://www.parkvista.com/">Gatlinburg Park Vista</a> hotel as the fire raged around the building, but firefighters were able to keep them safe until they could be evacuated early Wednesday morning.

Meteorologists at Accuweather.com, a private forecasting firm, were expecting a thunderstorm to bring rain to the area on Wednesday evening. However, it could also bring more high winds and lightning, upping fire risk.

It may be the last rain in the region for a while, said Dr. Luigi Romolo, regional climatologist at the <a href="http://www.srcc.lsu.edu/">Southern Regional Climate Center</a> based at Louisiana State University.

“Across the South, there is no real trend in the forecast for precipitation over the next few months,” he said. That means a few more months of a drought that has created ideal conditions for the spread of wildfires.

The fires in the Great Smoky Mountains have been burning for weeks. As of November 30, they had burned more than 149,000 acres across eight states, according to the <a href="http://www.nwcg.gov/">National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s</a> incident reporting system.

“Drought is actually a regular occurrence of climate,” Romolo said. However, drought combined with warmer than usual temperatures, which the south has been experiencing since late summer, can create extremely dry conditions that provide fuel for fires.

“Warmer temperatures create a greater demand for water from the ground. If it’s not raining, you’re not replenishing that water, and over time, plants and shrubs are going to suffer,” Romolo said.

Severe drought has plagued the areas worst-affected by the fires for months, according to the <a href="http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/">United States Drought Monitor</a>: eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina and South Carolina, and northern Georgia and Alabama. Fires are also burning in Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia. 

Still, it’s too soon to tell whether the drought and Tennessee wildfires are part of any wider pattern of climate change. Drought does happen naturally without any outside forces, Romolo pointed out, just as unusual amounts of rainfall can. 

Investigators believe most of the fires burning throughout the South, including the one that roared through Gatlinburg, are “human-caused,” though that can mean anything from an improperly quenched campfire or cigarette tossed out of a vehicle to intentional arson.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has launched a hotline for residents who were separated from their loved ones during the escape or who cannot get ahold of family and friends in the area: 1-800-TBI-FIND (1-800-824-3463).

The East Tennessee chapter of the <a href="http://www.redcross.org/local/tennessee/local-chapters/east-tennessee">American Red Cross</a> and the <a href="http://www.cfmt.org">Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee</a> are working to help the residents and towns affected by the fires.

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tennessee wildfires burn Gatlinburg, threaten Dollywood

Tennessee wildfires killed at least four and forced thousands to...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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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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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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