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>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

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...

Australasian marsupials survived ancient climate change, but may not survive the next.

As climate change progresses, australasian marsupials face a high risk of extinction. But according to a recent study, they may actually have survived ancient climate change millions of years ago. 

The study, published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>, was conducted by an international team of researchers led by Dr. Benjamin Kear from the Museum of Evolution at <a href="https://www.uu.se/en/">Uppsala University</a>.  "We used bandicoots as a model to examine the radiation of marsupials relative to climate change through time,” said Dr. Kear. “Bandicoots are the marsupial equivalents of rodents and rabbits that today occupy a spectrum of desert through to rainforest habitats across Australia, New Guinea and surrounding islands. Alarmingly, however, most bandicoot species are under dire threat of extinction from introduced predators, habitat loss, and human hunting,"

The bandicoot fossils indicate that roughly 5-10 million years ago, a climate shift to much drier conditions drove many species into extinction and prompted others to adapt into their modern evolutionary form. Dr. Ken Aplin of the <a href="https://naturalhistory.si.edu/">Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History</a> noted, "The evolution of Australia's mammals has long been linked to aridity. Yet this hypothesis is based upon only a few distinguishing features found in the teeth and skulls of modern species.” 

Modern bandicoots are estimated to have appeared less than 5 million years ago, with their most ancient relative species existing in ancient rainforests up to to 20 million years ago. But Dr. Aplin uncovered fossils from the Aru Islands of Eastern Indonesia that indicate a new fossil bandicoot, Lemdubuoryctes aruensis, included isolated teeth from over 50 million years ago.

But Lemdubuoryctes aruensis did not inhabit rainforests. Instead, they lived in a large savannah plain between New Guinea and Australia during the last glacial maximum. 

According to Professor Michael Westerman from La Trobe University in Australia, "While retreating rainforests and spreading grasslands did provide a backdrop for ecosystem change 5-10 million years ago. The Australian fauna likely adapted via changing its distribution rather than undergoing wholesale extinction and replacement. This agrees with our results from DNA, which indicate that modern desert-living bandicoot groups pre-date the onset of aridity by as much as 40 million years.”

Added Dr. Kear, “"Bandicoots, like other Australasian marsupials, probably occupied a range of different habitats over many millions of years. However, our study has further implications for future conservation. Arid zone bandicoots are amongst the most vulnerable mammals in Australasia today, with multiple species having gone extinct within the last 100 years. By demonstrating their profound evolutionary antiquity we can thus serve to highlight how extremely urgent it is to protect these living fossils as part of Australia's unique biodiversity.”

Australasian marsupials survived ancient climate change

Australasian marsupials survived ancient climate change, but may not survive...

Scientists prepare aquatic biodiversity map for western United States

When it comes to the preservation of aquatic endangered species, scientists have historically struggled to come up with a cohesive index reflecting the full spectrum of biodiversity in ecosystems.  But researchers based in Boise, Idaho have been busy preparing a massive aquatic biodiversity map containing information on thousands of species inhabiting rivers and streams of western United States. The team, led by biologist Dan Isaak of the <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/">U.S. Forest Service</a>, hope to have the first Aquatic Environmental DNA Atlas ready for the public by next summer. 

According to Isaak, “it’s kind of the Holy Grail for biologists to know what a true biodiversity map looks like. To have that formatted digitally so you can do lots of science with it will be transformative in terms of quality of information we’ll have to conserve species.”

Such an aquatic biodiversity map could be incredibly useful in land management decision making as well as how to allocate financial resources. Isaak suggests taking these surveys on an annual basis to allow experts to chart how ecosystems change over time. Quickly evolving technology now allows scientists to identify organisms by DNA using a small water sample. Soon, they will be able to identify multiple species using a single test.

“It’s just been an ongoing revelation,” says Isaak. “It still seems like magic to me that you can go take a water sample and you have instruments powerful enough to discern what species are present.”

Michael Schwartz, director of the Forest Service <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/research/genomics-center/">National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation</a> in Missoula, Montana, notes that the findings of such a study could raise entirely new questions, such as as the presence of potentially threatening species. “Any time science undertakes large projects like this, they payouts can be in directions you don’t expect.” 

The Aquatic Environmental DNA Atlas for the western U.S. began with a project known as the Bull Trout Environmental DNA Atlas which covered just Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and Washington. That study revealed bull trout to inhabit areas it was previously thought not to exist. A more comprehensive, census-style understanding of aquatic species populations will be crucial to the success of environmental preservation projects, particularly as climate change continues to alter the landscape.

Isaak is also involved with a project known as <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise/AWAE/projects/ClimateShield.html">The Cold Water Climate Shield</a> which aims to identify water bodies that could serves as refuge for cold water species like the bull trout as the climate continues to warm. The Cold Water Climate Shield and Aquatic Environmental DNA Atlas can work in tandem to identify which species exist in which areas and which may need new homes in the near future.

Scientists go big with first aquatic biodiversity map for US West

Scientists prepare aquatic biodiversity map for western United States When...

Scientists have been observing and recording the thinning of the Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica since 1992, but the glacier appears to have begun its retreat decades ago.

New research by an international team of scientists found that the glacier was beginning to decline by 1945 at the latest. 

The Pine Island Glacier ice shelf currently floats in seawater. However, sediment cores taken from the ocean’s floor below show that until 1970, the glacier was “grounded,” or settled on the seabed. The grounded portion of the glacier first began to retreat by 1945.

Even when weather events such as El Niño that warm the water were absent, the glacier continued its retreat.

The Pine Island Glacier is part of the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet, which has been thinning and breaking apart for approximately four decades. Pine Island is just one of a number of glaciers that have been melting.

The fact that the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet as a whole is melting and not just one or two glaciers indicates that an outside force – perhaps global climate change – is influencing the phenomenon, the research team said.

The team used sediment cores collected with Autosub, an autonomous underwater vehicle, and satellite imagery dating back several decades to determine how long Pine Island Glacier has been thinning and how extensive its retreat has been.

Among their findings were satellite images from 1973, the earliest year available, that showed a hump of ice where an underwater ridge is located. In images taken a few years later, the ice hump was gone.

The scientists also found plutonium deposits in the sediment cores – left behind by above-ground nuclear weapons testing in the early 1950s. The appearance of plutonium fallout deposits in the seabed indicate that the ice sheet had begun its retreat before those tests.

The study’s findings indicate that the glaciers in western Antarctica have been thinning for several decades, and their retreat may be irreversible, the scientists said.

— 

The team was made up of scientists from <a href="http://www.llnl.gov/">Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory</a>, the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a>, <a href="http://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a>, <a href="https://www.alaska.edu/">University of Alaska</a>, <a href="http://www.nps.edu/">Naval Postgraduate School</a>, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a>, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a>, <a href="http://www.zv.uni-leipzig.de/en/">University of Leipzig</a>, <a href="http://www.unige.ch/international/en/">University of Geneva</a> and <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>. Their findings were published in the Nov. 23 issue of the journal, <a href="http://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier began retreat in 1940s

Scientists have been observing and recording the thinning of the...

Some innovators are finding animal inspiration – not from nature, but from one of the world’s most popular pets. It turns out that studying cat tongues has offered up an array of ideas that could be useful in robotics, medicine, and the beauty industry.

Researchers based at <a href="http://www.gatech.edu/">Georgia Tech</a> used macro and high-speed videography to record cats as they groomed, then used the imaging to print three-dimensional models at a 400 percent scale. 

The project revealed that the sandpaper-like feel of a cat’s tongue is due to hook-like features that are the shape and sharpness of tiny claws. These little hooks make cat tongues ideal for detangling their fur. The flexibility of the tongue and the spines themselves help with this task.

And that gave the researchers some ideas. The most obvious, of course, is that hairbrushes modeled after cat tongues instead of with stiff, straight bristles might make detangling hair easier – and be easier to clean. 

The hooked shape of the spines on cats’ tongues make them “self-cleaning,” with caught fur sliding off easily. A similarly shaped brush could be cleaned by simply sliding a hand from the tip to the end.

However, the research could also offer up improved grips for soft robotics systems, as well as innovations in wound cleaning.

In robotics, engineers have struggled to create soft materials that can grip surfaces. The cat’s soft, flexible tongue could offer a model for a solution. 

The scientists aren’t done studying cats. They’ve examined the tongues of domestic cats, but would like to also study large cats like lions and tigers so they can compare the structures of their tongues. They’re hoping to find out how the spacing of the spines affects resistance. 

The researchers presented their findings at the 69th annual meeting of the <a href="https://www.aps.org/units/dfd/">American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics</a>. They’re planning to create mimic technology based on their findings.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cat tongues inspire ideas for new innovations

Some innovators are finding animal inspiration – not from nature,...

When it comes to solar energy, most research and development funding goes into the standard silicon solar cells – and that needs to change, some researchers say.

Yet if solar cells could be made thin and flexible enough to print, they could be mass-produced quickly and easily, said Dr. Yi-Bing Cheng of <a href="http://www.monash.edu/">Monash University</a>. He believes more research should be focused on creating thin solar cells that can be produced cheaply and safely.

The silicon-based solar panels that make up about 90 percent of modern production are rigid and bulky. The amount of energy it takes to produce each one is equal to about 10 percent of its lifetime energy production, according to scientists.

Photovoltaic cells are already being produced on thin, flexible films, Cheng pointed out. Some are even more better at converting light to energy than the familiar silicon-based solar panels. 

Some of these, like thin photovoltaic devices made using perovskite crystals, are as efficient as conventional solar panels in converting light into energy. However, perovskite crystals degrade under heat and humidity, and without additional research, they won’t be useful. 

This is the case with many solar panel alternatives, Cheng said. They aren’t sustainable either due to the manufacturing process – which often use heavy metals or hazardous solvents – or because they simply don’t last as long as conventional solar panels. Most cannot be affordably printed using modern printing technology because of the level of precision needed.

Cheng believes new research into these possibilities can solve most of those problems, but funding is needed, he said.

With research into printable solar cells, they could be integrated into watches, cellphones, windows, walls, and other surfaces, turning them all into solar energy production devices, Cheng said. 

Public funding could help scientists learn how to remove or mitigate the problems with paper-thin photovoltaic devices, and study how to produce them quickly and cheaply, Cheng said. It could also encourage private investors to take a risk on alternatives to bulky solar panels, he added. 

Cheng made his case for more funding for research into printable solar cells in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/print-flexible-solar-cells-1.21019">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Printable solar cells could make solar energy more affordable

When it comes to solar energy, most research and development...

To most people, dirt is dirt. To those who study soil science, though, every type has different physical properties and individual characteristics.

Two of those soil scientists – Dr. Robson Armindo of the <a href="http://www.ufpr.br/portalufpr/">Federal University of Paraná</a> in Brazil and Dr. Ole Wendroth of the <a href="http://www.uky.edu/UKHome/">University of Kentucky</a> – thought the standard soil physical quality index just didn’t offer enough information to those who depend on the land, such as farmers.

They decided to take a closer look at interactions between soil, air and water to see if they could do a better job. 

In <a href="https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/sssaj/abstracts/80/5/1167">a new study</a>, the pair looked at crop needs, land use and climate to develop a new set of evaluations that could replace the quick and dirty methods already in place to determine soil quality. They considered questions such as how water flows over a soil’s surface or is absorbed, and how hard it would be for roots or farming equipment to go through a soil type.

Armindo and Wendroth tested their resulting five indices and two functions to test soil in Germany, the U.S. and Brazil, and found that they could give an accurate picture of a particular soil’s quality.

The new evaluation methods can help determine if property is good for farming or would make a good foundation for a building. For farmers, it goes farther, helping them to determine which crops would do well on a piece of land.

The equations will help land managers and farmers determine how land can best be used, and can help to save the time and money that often goes into trial and error, Armindo and Wendroth said. 

Research funding came from the U.S. National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the State of Kentucky and the Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel. Armindo and Wendroth’s findings were published in <a href="https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/sssaj">Soil Science Society of America Journal</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Soil science helps boost agricultural success

To most people, dirt is dirt. To those who study...

What happens when movie magic meets modern paleontology? “Jurassic World: The Exhibition,” which opened Friday at the <a href="https://www.fi.edu/">Franklin Institute</a> in Philadelphia.

The touring exhibit is “the closest you will ever come to living dinosaurs,” according to the Institute. 

Instead of the standard dino skeletons, “Jurassic World” used research from working paleontologists to create awe-inspiring, life-sized animatronic dinosaurs. Some top 24 feet tall. 

Visitors to the exhibit travel to the imaginary Isla Nublar, the setting of the movies “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World,” where they can meet a Tyrannosaurus rex, a brachiosaurus and a velociraptors face-to-face, along with other dinosaurs. At the Gentle Giants Petting Zoo, visitors can interact with a few more dinos and even “pet” one. 

One unique aspect of the “Jurassic World” exhibit: organizers worked with dinosaur expert Jack Horner, who discovered the first fossilized dinosaur embryos and led research into how different species of dinosaurs may have cared for their young. 

The goal was to make sure the science behind the exhibit was as accurate as possible. The exhibit has several hands-on activities that can teach visitors about how paleontologists study the dinosaurs. There’s also a guide for educators who want to teach their students more about the prehistoric reptiles.

Horner had another connection to the movie-inspired exhibit – he was the inspiration for the character of Alan Grant in “Jurassic Park.” He also served as a technical advisor on all of the movies.

The animatronic dinosaurs were created by The Creature Technology Co., which also worked on the “Walking With the Dinosaurs” arena shows.  

The American exhibit is nearly double the size of the previous version, which appeared in Melbourne, Australia until early October. More interactive and science-based activities were added, as well as a velociraptor training paddock like the one used in the movie “Jurassic World.”

The exhibit will be open in Philadelphia until April 23, 2017.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

'Jurassic World' comes alive at Philadelphia exhibit

What happens when movie magic meets modern paleontology? “Jurassic World:...

Hurricanes heading for Northeast U.S. according to studies. The northeast coast of the United States has historically been safer from the worst of hurricanes experienced in the southeast. But new research shows that more powerful hurricanes may begin hitting northeast at an increased rate due to shifting weather patterns.

For the past hundred years, hurricanes usually form in the western Caribbean and move north up the east coast. By the time they have reached the northeast, the storms usually have lost much of their potency. But according to a study from <a href="https://www.dur.ac.uk/">Durham University</a>, UK, this traditional track is shifting due to expanding atmospheric circulation belts caused by increased carbon dioxide emissions.

The study, led by Dr. Lisa Baldini and published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>, reconstructed hurricane rainfall for the western Caribbean dating back 450 years. The team analyzed the chemical composition of a stalagmite from a cave in Belize, Central America and found that the average number of hurricanes at the site decreased over time. But when compared to hurricane records in Bermuda and Florida, the date indicated storms were not occurring less frequently; they were just moving to the north. 

The researchers also noted a decrease in hurricane activity in the Western Caribbean beginning in the late 1800s during the industrial revolution. During this time, sulfate aerosol emissions increased drastically which caused a cooling of the Northern Hemisphere that should have pushed hurricane tracks southward. But rising amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide overrode the effect, which expanded the tropical circulating air pattern known as the Hadley cell. This ultimately pushed hurricane tracks northbound. 

If carbon dioxide and aerosol emissions continue at their current rate, hurricanes could shift even further north, posing a significant threat to east coast cities that have not prepared for such powerful storms. 

According to Baldini, “since the 19th Century, this shift was primarily driven by human-made emissions and if these emissions continue this will result in more frequent and more powerful storms affecting the financial and population centers of the United States. Given the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, it is important that plans are put in place to protect against the effects of similarly destructive storms which could potentially occur more often in the future.”

Northeast U.S. to endure more frequent, powerful hurricanes

Hurricanes heading for Northeast U.S. according to studies. The northeast...

Scientists studying a temporary slowdown of rising global mean surface temperature think they’ve found the reason behind it: an ocean heat sink.

From 1998 until 2013, the global mean surface temperature of the Earth appears to have slow its steady climb, a trend dubbed the “global warming hiatus,” scientists said – though they preferred the term “global warming slowdown” to avoid confusion.

So Dr. Xiao-Hai Yan of the <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a> and Dr. Tim Boyer of the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> worked with a team of scientists from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>, the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a>, <a href="http://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a>, <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a> as well as an independent consultant to take a closer look at the phenomenon to try and determine why the “hiatus” had occurred. 

The researchers found that the ocean may have played a larger role than previously believed in absorbing atmospheric heat during those years.

The scientists came to their conclusion after exchanging their past research into the subject and looking at what climate data was collected during those years, though they admitted the slowdown was too complex to nail down one specific cause.

However, the ocean acting as a heat sink is the most logical explanation, because it is so large, the scientists said. It is also supported by their previous research, Yan said.

For example, monitoring of coastal waters showed that those areas of the ocean warmed as global surface temperatures rose more slowly, the same research team reported in a 2015 paper. These waters warmed three times more than the open oceans did, Yan said.

Figuring out the cause of the global warming slowdown is vital, the researchers said, because it will help climate scientists better map out what climate change may look like in the next few decades. 

They also called for continued monitoring of ocean temperatures globally so that climate scientists can gain a better understanding in the role played by the ocean in global warming. If possible, the ocean temperature monitoring system should be expanded into deep waters to see how climate change is affecting them as well, the scientists said.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists: global warming slow-down was thanks to ocean 'heat sink'

Scientists studying a temporary slowdown of rising global mean surface...

Scientists identify most environmentally friendly cereal cropping process

Agricultural methodologies selected for use in cereal cropping can have a significant impact on global warming and eutrophication. Until now, little research had been done to quantify the difference in environmental ramifications for each process. 

Novozymes, in collaboration with <a href="http://www.au.dk/en/">Aarhus University</a> and the <a href="http://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> analyzed the different consequences of these systems in a report titled “Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Danish Cereal Cropping Systems” published by the DCA (<a href="http://dca.au.dk/en/">Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture</a>). 

The team used six different cereal cropping systems including winter wheat or spring barely, different sowing times, various uses of catch crops, and varied ways of handling the straw. Various environmental factors were taken into consideration including greenhouse gas emissions, grain yield, straw yield, carbon storage, land use, and loss of nutrients to the environment. Researchers particularly focused on how the cereal straw was utilized and if it was incorporated into the soil or used for co-production of bioethanol, biogas, and/or bioelectricity. 

The results showed that the best method of all with the smallest environmental impact was early sown winter wheat, where the straw gets removed every second year for use in biorefining. Early sown winter wheat nets more efficient straw and grain yield which in turn, takes up less land. In addition, in this system the straw can be used to replace gasoline, natural gas, and electricity. Thus, the early sowing of winter wheat scored the best grade when it comes to minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and environmental nutrient loss.

Following the results, the team emphasized the importance of viewing the full scope of the environmental effects of cereal production. “This collaboration has led to results that have given us a new and more nuanced angle on the sustainability of cereal production,” said Professor Bent T. Christensen from the Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University.

Scientists identify most environmentally friendly cereal cropping process

Scientists identify most environmentally friendly cereal cropping process Agricultural methodologies...

Have you ever thought about the impact your Thanksgiving dinner may be having on the environment? 

Researchers at <a href="http://www.cmu.edu/">Carnegie Mellon University</a> have, and they’ve created a handy state-by-state chart of the holiday meal’s carbon footprint.

The team of scientists first chose a menu for their hypothetical meal: turkey stuffed with sausage and apples, pumpkin pie and green bean casserole. 

Then they took into account where each meal was being prepared, which had a real impact. For example, in states that rely on coal power, the carbon footprint will be higher than in Maine or Vermont, states that get a large portion of their power from renewable energy sources. 

Additionally, states that had to import many ingredients for the meal would have transportation impacts factored in. Some states have more “eco-friendly” agricultural industries than others, as well. 

The researchers also compared gas vs. electric stove and oven use, and factored in Thanksgiving travel to relatives’ homes.

What did they find? The lowest Thanksgiving dinner carbon footprint was in Vermont, where the average feast produced only 0.2 pounds of carbon dioxide. In second and third place were Washington state, with 8.1 pounds of CO2, and Idaho, with 9.2. 

The worst offender was West Virginia, where the average Thanksgiving meal produced 80.1 pounds of carbon dioxide, followed by Kentucky’s 77.1 pounds and Wyoming’s 75.5.

Find out how your state ranks on the <a href="http://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/news/news-stories/2016/november/images/thanksgiving-carbon-footprint-by-state.pdf">state-by-state chart from Carnegie Mellon</a> [PDF].

The researchers were quick to point out that this doesn’t mean families should skip Thanksgiving – it is only one meal a year, after all. 

However, the exercise does show areas where Americans can make better lifestyle choices when it comes to the environment, the study’s authors said. 

For example, by sticking to traditional turkey for the annual feast. Switching to roast beef could double the carbon footprint of a Thanksgiving meal, the scientists said.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Thanksgiving dinner's carbon footprint: A state-by-state comparison

Have you ever thought about the impact your Thanksgiving dinner...

Bird fanatics now have two species of hen harrier to love – and one more checkbox to add to their birding lists. 

The two species were previously believed to be one, Circus cyaneus, called the hen harrier in Britain and the northern harrier or marsh hawk in the Americas.

It turns out, however, that the harriers are two distinct species after all, a fact already recognized by the British Ornithologists' Union. However, several other taxonomic committees, including the American Ornithologists’ Union, continued to class them as subspecies of the same species of bird.

A group of scientists set out to smooth ruffled feathers in the birding world one way or the other with <a href="http://avianres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40657-016-0052-3">a genetic study</a>. 

They analyzed mitochondrial DNA from both bird populations, and found that the two harriers were closely related – but not the same species. They found genetic differences of up to 2 percent, well within the range of differences between other species.

In fact, the American northern harrier is more closely related to the cinereous harrier of South America than the hen harrier found in the British Isles, the researchers discovered.

To reflect their new knowledge, they dubbed the Eurasian hen harrier Circus cyaneus and the American northern harrier Circus hudsonius, based on the subspecies names that had when it was believed they were the same species.

Along with the genetic study, the scientists conducted a complete review of the scientific literature, as well as photographing and taking notes about plumage, morphology and other characteristics of both species.

The study could be an important one for the Eurasian hen harriers in the United Kingdom, which are endangered due to hunting and habitat loss. Knowing the birds’ genetic code can help with preservation efforts, the lead researchers said. 

The scientists published the results of their genetic study in the journal <a href="http://avianres.biomedcentral.com/">Avian Research</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Hen harrier is two separate species, gene study finds

Bird fanatics now have two species of hen harrier to...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



---



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.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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.

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="u0TYxxqfF7-2186404-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="u0TYxxqfF7-2186404-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA’s...

News coming your way