Human litter has now infiltrated the deepest parts of Earth's oceans and seas. Debris and trash produced by human activity was spotted at a depth of 5,112 meters (3.2 miles) in the Mediterranean Sea. 



The site, which is the deepest point in the Mediterranean, is known as Calypso Deep, and is located off the south-western coast of Greece in the Ionian Sea.



In a new study, researchers have identified 167 objects at the bottom. Of these, 148 were clearly marine debris, while 19 were believed to be of human origin, though less definitively.



According to the authors, this represents one of the highest concentrations of litter documented at great depths in any sea.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-debris-in-the-bottom-of-the-sea">Debris in the bottom of the sea </h2>



To investigate the Calypso Deep, scientists used a crewed submersible called the Limiting Factor, a deep-submergence vehicle capable of withstanding extreme pressure.



Images captured by the Limiting Factor confirm that besides accumulating on coasts, surface waters and shallower bottoms, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-it-still-possible-to-save-the-ocean-from-plastic-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine waste</a> also reaches the deepest, most remote points of the Mediterranean Sea.&nbsp;



Given the heavy impact of human activities on this nearly enclosed sea, the discovery emphasizes the urgency of global actions to reduce marine debris and a need for lifestyle changes that cut waste and protect marine environments worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-calypso-deep-as-a-debris-trap">The Calypso Deep as a debris trap</h2>



Located about 60 kilometers (37 miles) south west of the Peloponnese coast in Greece, the Calypso Deep is a depression within the Hellenic Trench system. 



Surrounded by steep terrain in an area with active faults, it has slopes measuring thousands of meters and a mostly flat floor at its lowest point. 



Its deeper, kidney-shaped portion extends over approximately 20 by 5 kilometers (12 by 3 miles) at depths surpassing 5,000 meters (3 miles).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-litter-s-journey-to-the-bottom">Litter's journey to the bottom</h2>



But how does rubbish collect so far down?



According to Miquel Canals from the University of Barcelona’s <a href="https://www.ub.edu/portal/web/earth-sciences" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Faculty of Earth Sciences</a>, the debris comes from various sources, both terrestrial and marine. 



It could have arrived by various routes, including both long-distance transport by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weakening-ocean-currents-could-cost-trillions-of-dollars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean currents</a> and direct dumping. 



Canals explains that plastic items, for instance, can drift from coastal waters. 



Some light waste, such as plastics, comes from the coast, from where it escapes to the Calypso Deep, just 60 kilometers [37 miles] away. 



Some plastics, such as bags, drift just above the bottom until they are partially or completely buried, or disintegrate into smaller fragments.



“We have also found evidence of the boats’ dumping of bags full of rubbish, as revealed by the pile-up of different types of waste followed by an almost rectilinear furrow," Canals continued.



"Unfortunately, as far as the Mediterranean is concerned, it would not be wrong to say that ‘not a single inch of it is clean.'"



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-debris-transport-across-the-sea">Debris transport across the sea</h2>



Canals noted that the Calypso Deep is a closed depression, which favors the accumulation of debris inside it. He pointed out that the weak currents in the trench also facilitate the deposition of light debris at the bottom.



Floating debris originates mostly in the southern Ionian Sea or further south, and drifting eddies bring it toward the Calypso Deep.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marine-litter-debris_bottom-seafloor_Mediterranean-Sea_montage_credit-Caladan-Oceanic_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marine-litter-debris_bottom-seafloor_Mediterranean-Sea_montage_credit-Caladan-Oceanic_1s.webp" alt="The debris identified by the international team in the Calypso Deep warns of the need to implement global policy actions to reduce ocean waste, as well as to encourage changes in citizens’ consumption habits and waste reduction in order to protect seas and oceans around the world. Credit: Caladan Oceanic" class="wp-image-1962233"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The debris identified by the international team in the Calypso Deep warns of the need to implement global policy actions to reduce ocean waste, as well as to encourage changes in citizens’ consumption habits and waste reduction in order to protect seas and oceans around the world. Credit: Caladan Oceanic</figcaption></figure>



“When these eddies are located over the Calypso Trench, some debris tends to fall slowly to the bottom, aided by degradation mechanisms and ballasting processes that increase its density," explained Canals 



"Surface currents can also transport debris from the Adriatic Sea to the north, through the Strait of Otranto, and from the waters off north-western Greece."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-technology-to-explore-the-abyss">Technology to explore the abyss</h2>



Investigating such extreme depths demands cutting-edge tools. In this case, the Limiting Factor submarine, built by Triton Submarines, allowed a small crew of two to descend. 



Moving at about 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) per hour to obtain clear images, the Limiting Factor covered roughly 650 meters (0.4 miles) in a straight line over a 43-minute window on the bottom.&nbsp;



“On each dive, more time is usually spent descending and ascending the vehicle back to the surface than inspecting the bottom. Each complete dive usually takes a few hours,” Canals noted.



The expedition revealed no substantial impact on local marine life, likely due to the area’s low biodiversity. 



Only a few species - namely, the fish Coryphaenoides mediterraneus and the crustacean Acanthephyra eximia - appeared in the footage. 



“However, in places with more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-ocean-day-a-unified-approach-to-protect-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a>, there are different types of interaction between the debris deposited on the bottom and the organisms, such as ghost fishing, burial, hooking or ingestion, but also the use of debris as a substrate where animals can grow, hide or lay their eggs,” Canals said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mediterranean-s-pollution-problem">Mediterranean’s pollution problem</h2>



Scientists first documented trash on the ocean floor in 1975, in the North Atlantic’s Skagerrak Strait. Areas like canyons and seamounts are especially prone to accumulating garbage, either from settling, burial, or erosion processes. 



Now, the Mediterranean ranks among the worst-affected seas. In 2021, research identified the Strait of Messina as the global hot spot for seafloor litter. 



This highlights broader concerns about intensifying human influence on an enclosed region subject to heavy maritime traffic and fishing.



“The Mediterranean is an enclosed sea, surrounded by humanity, with intense maritime traffic and widespread fishing activity," noted Canals. 



"The evidence provided by our research should shake up global efforts, and in particular in the Mediterranean, to mitigate waste dumping, especially plastics, in the natural environment and ultimately in the sea, in line with the <a href="https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UN Global Plastics Treaty</a> against plastic pollution, which is still pending approval."



Canals emphasized that the ocean floor is still largely unknown to society as a whole, which makes it difficult to raise social and political awareness about the conservation of these spaces. 



"It is necessary to make a joint effort between scientists, communicators, journalists, the media, influencers and other people with social impact. The problem is there, and it has an enormous scope, even if it is not directly visible. We should not forget about it."



Details of the study are published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X25000852?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Pollution Bulletin</a>.



Image Credit: Caladan Oceanic



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Human trash has found its way to the deepest parts of Earth's seas and oceans

Human litter has now infiltrated the deepest parts of Earth's oceans and seas. Debris and trash produced by human activity was spotted at a depth of 5,112 meters (3.2 miles) in the Mediterranean Sea. The site, which is the deepest point in the Mediterranean, is known as Calypso Deep, and is located off the south-western coast of Greece in the Ionian Sea. In a new study, researchers have identified 167 objects at the bottom. Of these, 148 were clearly marine debris, while 19 were believed to be...

The Brazilian free-tailed bat is the fastest flyer of all aviators. 

There is a brand-new world-record holder for fastest speed of horizontal flight in the animal kingdom: the noble title previously had been held by the common swift, which flies up to 100 kilometers per hour. But scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell have learned that the Brazilian free-tailed bat can fly up to 160 kilometers per hour, due in large part to an especially aerodynamic body shape and long wings.

Honorable mention goes to peregrine falcon, reaching up to 300 kph while diving. Comparatively, modern aircrafts have to reach 300 kilometers per hour in order to take off.

Bats are typically considered to be slower flyers because of their less efficient wing structure; animals with wider wings generate greater wind resistance than those with long, narrow wings. Against all odds, the Brazilian free-tailed bat still finished first.

Kamran Safi from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology noted, “Initially, we could hardly believe our data, but they were correct: at times, the female bats, which weigh between 11 and 12 grams, flew at speeds of over 160 kilometres per hour – a new record for horizontal flight.”

The speeds were recorded through a radio transmitter attached to the back of the bat that falls off after two days. Added Dina Dechman of the Planck Institute, "It was not easy for the pilot to follow the fast-flying animals so that we could localize them accurately and measure their flight path continuously.”

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Brazilian free-tailed bat flies at breakneck speeds

The Brazilian free-tailed bat is the fastest flyer of all...

Female chimpanzees hire babysitters, study finds.

It turns out humans aren’t the only species who use babysitters. Chimpanzees, humankind’s closest living relative, have been seen to hire babysitters to wean their offspring faster, allowing mothers to reproduce again sooner.

A study performed by scientists at the University of Toronto led by Iulia Badescu observed 42 pairs of chimpanzee mothers and infants at Ngogo in the Kibale National Park in Uganda. The purpose was to examine the pattern of “alloparenting,” a.k.a. babysitting, where chimpanzees other than the mother helped with child care. Findings were published in a paper in the journal <a href="http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.

"Infants who were held and carried more by babysitters nursed less often and drank less milk," said Badescu. "This means that they were becoming more nutritionally independent compared to infants of the same age who were babysat less or not at all. They were going through the weaning process quicker, and would likely be done weaning at a younger age."

As a result, the mothers were able to continue to reproduce. But not all female chimpanzees seem to believe in babysitters.

According to Badescu, “In other chimpanzee communities, babysitting may be a behaviour that rarely occurs. Our findings emphasize the significance of babysitting as a flexible component of female reproductive strategies in some species.”

Badescu and her team conducted an additional study that found chimpanzee mothers allowed their offspring to nurse for comfort, not just nourishment, even after lactation was over. "The young chimps were already weaned but continued to make contact with their mother's' nipple not for nutrition, but presumably for emotional purposes, when they needed to be comforted," said Badescu. 

This study was published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology last month.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Female chimpanzees hire babysitters so they can have more babies

Female chimpanzees hire babysitters, study finds. It turns out humans...

The UN states the human footprint on our climate is becoming “increasingly visible.”

This week at international climate talks held in Morocco the <a href="http://www.wmo.int/pages/index_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Meteorological Organization</a> released a report that called 2011-2015 the hottest five-year span on record and described the global climate as having an “increasingly visible human footprint.” The report from the bureaucratic multinational institution also claimed man-made climate change made extreme weather events more likely to occur.

"Examples include the record high seasonal and annual temperatures in the United States in 2012 and in Australia in 2013, hot summers in eastern Asia and western Europe in 2013, heatwaves in spring and autumn 2014 in Australia, record annual warmth in Europe in 2014, and a heatwave in Argentina in December 2013," the WMO report said.

Additionally, Arctic summer sea ice coverage was 28% below average, hitting record lows in 2012. The melting of the Greenland ice sheet continued at a faster than normal rate. Snow coverage in the northern hemisphere was far below average all five years. The data has climate experts urging governments to allocate more resources to fight climate change.

"The evidence is overwhelming," said Chris Field, director of the <a href="https://woods.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment</a>. "The new report from WMO is a clarion call for embracing and going beyond the goals of the Paris Agreement."

The Paris Agreement aims to keep global temperature rises below 2 degrees Celsius, but many say that still isn’t enough. Others claim human intervention will not affect the climate much either way, as changes are due to other factors.

According to Stefan Rahmstorf of the Potsdam Institute in Germany, “Halting global warming at a manageable level, as the world's nations decided in the Paris Agreement, is now a race against time.”

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Human footprint 'increasingly visible' in new report from UN

The UN states the human footprint on our climate is...

The 75 million-year-old claw of an extinct dinosaur has a sheath formed of keratin – just like modern birds such as the ostrich.

The finding was reported by a research team from <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina State University</a> in the journal <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.

The claw came from a bird-like dinosaur, Citipati osmolskae, that lived during the Cretaceous Period in what is now the Gobi Desert along the border of China and Mongolia. The dinosaur was killed when a sand dune collapsed, researchers said. 

It was unlucky for the extinct dinosaur, but not for researchers: the rapid burial led to remarkable preservation of the C. osmolskae’s remains.

Though the fossil was uncovered 20 years ago, researchers studying the specimen recently spotted what appeared to be a keratin sheath. Microscopic examination and molecular scans showed that it was indeed a keratin sheath, and that it was structurally similar to the claw sheaths of modern birds.

In modern birds, beta-keratin – a substance found only in reptiles and birds, but similar to the material that forms human finger- and toenails – serves to protect each claw, making them harder and more useful tools in defense and hunting.
<ol>
 	<li> osmolskae was a feathered oviraptor (a type of flesh-eating dinosaur) with a long neck, short tail, and crest on its head totalling about 10 feet in length. The specimen examined by the North Carolina State team was probably guarding its nest when it was killed, the scientists said.</li>
</ol>
In addition to revealing a link between Cretaceous Period dinosaurs and modern birds, the study found that the rapid collapse of the sand dune on the dinosaur led to calcium being incorporated with the fossil remains. The calcium appears to have played a major role in the preservation of the original molecules of the remains, allowing scientists to get a better idea of the oviraptor’s physical structures, scientists said. 

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Extinct dinosaur rocked keratin in claws eons before modern birds

The 75 million-year-old claw of an extinct dinosaur has a...

Male chimpanzees are better fathers than husbands – they’d rather hang around with their children than their lovers.

“Co-parenting” may be a fashionable term these days to describe friendly exes who raise their kids together as a team, but it turns out humans didn’t invent that move. According to new research, male chimps tend to be very invested in their offspring, despite not cultivating any kind of lasting relationship with the mother.

Until now, chimpanzees were thought to be promiscuous animals who may not even recognize their own kids. But new research shows that male chimpanzees spend time with non-mating female chimpanzees who look after their offspring. The father chimps also spend time grooming and caring for their young.

Lead author of the paper “Chimpanzee Fathers Bias Their Behavior Toward Their Offspring,” Carson Murray collected long-term data from Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania and examined patterns based on 17 father chimpanzees and 49 mother-infant pairs to determine if the fathers could recognize their offspring. The research showed the males associated with the mothers of their offspring in infancy and interacted with their offspring more than expected.

"As anthropologists, we want to understand what patterns could have existed early in human evolution that help explain how human behavior evolved," said Murray. “This research suggests that males may sometimes prioritize relationships with their offspring rather than with potential mates. For a species without pair-bonds where it was assumed fathers didn't know which infants were their own, this is an important finding."

That male chimpanzees prioritized parenting over mating came as a surprise to many who previously assumed the primates were mostly motivated by sex. Chimpanzees are humankind’s closest living relative, so the research also contributes to the large anthropological question of why human fathers invest so much in their own offspring.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Male chimpanzees better fathers than husbands

Male chimpanzees are better fathers than husbands – they’d rather...

Carbon-hungry plants may be getting better at recycling greenhouse gases, slowing down global warming, according to a study led by Dr. Trevor Keenan of the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The study found that while human activity is still generating increasing amounts of carbon, Earth’s vegetation has begun absorbing and recycling more carbon dioxide – the main warming offender.

The research team found that between 2002 and 2014, the rate at which carbon dioxide increased in the Earth’s atmosphere remained steady, at about 1.9 ppm per year. However, human-caused carbon dioxide emissions went up during that time.

The researchers believe the reason atmospheric carbon dioxide grew at a steady rate rather than increasing at the same pace as human-driven emissions is because plants stepped up their absorption. 

As carbon emissions increase, plants increase their uptake of carbon during photosynthesis, which fuels more plant growth, the study found. That growth increases plants’ ability to take in even more carbon.

At the same time, rising surface temperatures appear to have kept plant respiration, which produces carbon dioxide, from increasing at the same rate as photosynthesis.

The researchers based their findings on data about Earth’s vegetation from satellite measurements, observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, and computer modeling. They used ten vegetation models to predict how the carbon cycle has changed in recent decades.

They also looked at other “carbon sinks” on Earth such as the oceans. However, while the oceans are continuing to take in a steady amount of carbon, the study found no evidence of a spike that would offset human production, which reinforces that the carbon-hungry plants are pulling additional weight in absorbing carbon. 

While the study results are promising, the scientists were quick to warn that increased photosynthesis is not enough to reverse climate change. Humans must continue working to reduce greenhouse gases, they said.

Carbon dioxide and other so-called <a href="http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greenhouse gases</a> have been linked to global warming. 

—

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nature Communications</a>.

Carbon-hungry plants prevent warming by recycling greenhouse gases

Carbon-hungry plants may be getting better at recycling greenhouse gases,...

Cushing earthquake damage report: a magnitude 5.0 earthquake shook the central Oklahoma oil storage hub of Cushing on Sunday night, but a state agency has had no reports of pipeline damage from the tremor. 

The <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. Geological Survey</a> recorded the large quake and more than a dozen smaller shocks in Oklahoma and neighboring Kansas over the past week. The rash of tremors included a 3.7-magnitude quake near Medford and a 3.3-magnitude shock outside Perry on Wednesday.

The Cushing earthquake comes on the heels of another series of quakes centered around Pawnee, Oklahoma, which hit about five days before Sunday’s event. The seismic activity near Pawnee has been linked to underground injection of gas- and oil-related wastewater in that area. 

The wastewater is a byproduct of hydraulic fracturing. Because it contains the toxic byproducts of fracking, oil companies inject it deep underground to prevent drinking water contamination. However, this practice has the potential to put pressure on faultlines.

In September, Oklahoma’s governor declared a state of emergency after the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the state, a 5.6 on the Richter scale.

According to the <a href="http://www.ou.edu/ogs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oklahoma Geological Survey</a>, central Oklahoma has been an active seismic zone since 2015. The USGS reports that earthquake activity in the central and eastern U.S. has <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/induced/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spiked over the past three years</a>, and wastewater injection is believed to be the main cause of these induced earthquakes.

The Oil and Gas Division of the <a href="https://www.occeweb.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oklahoma Corporation Commission</a> has been working to inspect the oil infrastructure in and around Cushing since the large quake. The agency hasn’t received reports of any problems.

Cushing is the largest oil storage hub in the U.S. – its tank farm held <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/extensive-damage-reported-from-oklahoma-earthquake-near-major-oil-hub/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">58.5 million barrels of crude oil</a> on October 28, about 2.45 billion gallons. By comparison, the Exxon Valdez oil spill was approximately 25 to 32 million gallons, and the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform disaster spilled 210 million gallons of oil.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has taken quick action to try to head off additional large earthquakes in the Cushing area by ordering a stop to all wastewater disposal within six miles of Sunday’s quake, and reductions within 10 and 15 miles. 

Implementation of additional steps is expected to take several weeks.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cushing earthquake: no pipeline damage reported

Cushing earthquake damage report: a magnitude 5.0 earthquake shook the...

Trump vs Paris Agreement: Donald Trump has called global warming a hoax, pledged to pull the United States out of the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change, and promised to support the coal industry. 

Now that he’s president-elect of the United States, Trump’s promises are worrying environmental advocates around the globe.

The U.S. is one of about 100 nations that make up the Paris Agreement, in which they pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. President Barack Obama, who placed a priority on environmental responsibility in the U.S. and around the world, was instrumental in helping the agreement form.

Now, America’s leadership role in the agreement is at risk – and confidence in the Paris Agreement as a whole has been shaken. Trump promised to “cancel” the Paris Agreement in May.

While withdrawal would take four years, countries that ignore their pledge are not penalized.

However, other world leaders who ratified the agreement will keep working on reducing emissions, said Aziz Mekouar, chief negotiator for Morocco at the U.N. climate talks currently underway in that country.

Trump also made other promises and statements leading up to the election that environmentalists are worried about.

He has called global warming a “hoax” despite <a href="http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">evidence of climate change</a> including a 6.7-inch rise in sea levels over the past century, records of rising surface temperatures on Earth since 1880, record levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, warming ocean temperatures, melting ice sheets, extreme weather, and more. Of course, no one can predict the future with 100% accuracy, so continued warming is not guaranteed by any stretch – the Trump vs Paris Agreement battle with rage regardless.

He told a North Dakota oil and gas conference in May that he planned to “save the coal industry” and cut off taxpayer support of climate change programs if elected. 

Oil billionaire and animal rights opponent <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/forrest-lucas-trump-interior-secretary-228364" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forrest Lucas</a> is reportedly on Trump’s short list for a cabinet position. 

Trump’s transition team includes a number of fossil fuel industry lobbyists and global warming skeptics.

While U.S. negotiators at the United Nations meeting in Morocco have not spoken publicly about the election results, in the weeks leading up to Election Day they expressed hope that global climate change talks would continue even if the U.S. is not involved.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trump vs Paris Agreement: Future looks bleak for UN climate accord

Trump vs Paris Agreement: Donald Trump has called global warming...

Prehistoric Mosasaur fossil was once an enormous menace roaming the warm Antarctic seas 66 million years ago hunting giant prey.

Scientists discovered the four-foot-long skull of a <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667116303123">new mosasaur species</a> on Seymour Island off the coast of Antarctica in 2010. The fossil remains of the prehistoric sea monster indicates it is the largest species of mosasaur to have lived in the Southern Hemisphere.

Mosasaurs were gargantuan sea lizards that hunted the reptilian ancestors of whales and other large sea creatures. Fossil specimens have been found <a href="http://oceansofkansas.com/about-mo.html">throughout the world</a>, from the United States and Canada to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and beyond. Several partial sets of juvenile remains have been discovered off the coast of Antarctica since 1998.

But the mosasaur that once owned the skull discovered in 2010, dubbed Kaikaifilu hervei after Mapuche legends of a sea monster named Kai-Kai Filu that battled a giant land-based reptile, is about twice the size of other fossilized skulls found in the region. K. hervei is believed to have been 33 feet long.

While the leviathan was alive, the Antarctic seas would have been much warmer. It likely hunted marine reptiles similar to modern whales. The whale-like reptiles, known as pleisosaurs, were abundant in the Antarctic waters. 

Like modern whales, mosasaurs like K. hervei appear to have been descendants of land-based creatures that returned to the ocean and evolved to live there.

The mosasaurs disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous Period, around the time of a suspected asteroid impact in Mexico that triggered a mass extinction. 

This prehistoric mosasaur fossil helps paleontologists gain a better understanding of biological diversity in the Southern Hemisphere prior to that extinction event, and how it developed differently from similar creatures in the Northern Hemisphere.

The newly discovered species was described by researchers in the journal <a href="http://www.journals.elsevier.com/cretaceous-research">Cretaceous Research</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Prehistoric Mosasaur fossil found, tells story of gigantic sea menace

Prehistoric Mosasaur fossil was once an enormous menace roaming the...

MEOW! Meet an ancient sabertooth cat the size of a polar bear.

Discovery of an ancient skull in northwestern China has offered new information about a prehistoric sabertooth cat that was roughly the size of a polar bear, according to scientists.

Machairodus horribilis lived during the Late Miocene, about 5.3 to 11.6 million years ago, said the researchers from the <a href="http://english.cas.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>, who rediscovered the fossil that was originally found in the Longjiagou Basin but left in storage for decades.

The skull is about 15.7 inches long, indicating the ancient sabertooth cat was a little over 10 feet long and weighed about 892 pounds, according to <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309409331_A_skull_of_Machairodus_horribilis_and_new_evidence_for_gigantism_as_a_mode_of_mosaic_evolution_in_machairodonts_Felidae_Carnivora" target="_blank" rel="noopener">researchers’ findings</a>. 

[caption id="attachment_119344" align="alignleft"]<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-119344" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cat-150x150.jpg" alt="An ancient sabertooth cat fossil from the Late Miocene was rediscovered in northwestern China that was as big as a polar bear." width="150" height="150" /> An ancient sabertooth cat fossil[/caption]

However, despite its enormous size, M. horribilis most likely hunted smaller prey than later prehistoric sabertooths like Smilodon, a younger Ice Age cousin. Though M. horribilis had long, serrated fangs, it was unable to open its mouth as widely. 
M. horribilis, which lived about 8.3 million years ago, would only have opened its mouth to about a 70 degree angle, similar to modern lions. The skull also showed some cranial characteristics that in some ways are more similar to pantherine species than later sabertooths, researchers said.
Preservation of the skull allowed the scientists to determine where muscles would have attached and reconstruct the large cat’s bite.

Despite its large bite, the scientists believe M. horribilis was still a successful hunter, able to overpower its prey with its enormous size.

The research team asserts that the rediscovery offers scientific support for the theory of mosaic evolution: the idea that some body parts or systems evolve independently of others and at different rates across related species. 

M. horribilis appears to have grown larger in size than other, related machairodont (sabertooth) cats which evolved a wider bite that allowed them to hunt larger prey, according to the study published in the journal <a href="http://english.ivpp.cas.cn/sp/PalAsiatica/vp_intr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vertebrata PalAsiatica</a>.

Ancient sabertooth cat found in northwestern China big as a polar bear

MEOW! Meet an ancient sabertooth cat the size of a...

Root biomass estimations can help us combat some of climate changes’ effects on plant ecosystems.

Most people don’t typically think about the root systems of plants until they’re causing some sort of inconvenience – like a disrupted sidewalk or plumbing. But as climate change continues to alter the earth’s landscape and droughts continue to worsen, the study of root systems has become increasingly important to plant sustainability and carbon absorption. 

In particular, the measure of root biomass can be important to plant breeding programs – unfortunately it’s an incredibly laborious process. One must wash, filter, dry, and weigh tiny root particles to varying accuracy. Recently, scientists have begun using the ability of an object to store an electrical current, otherwise known as electrical capacitance, to determine root biomass. However, this method had only been effective in hydroponically grown plants, as opposed to soil-grown.

According to Craig Carlson of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, "A majority of electroconductivity studies have focused on annual grasses and hydroponic systems. We wanted to develop a cheap, quick method of measuring root biomass in soils."

Carlson, along with Larry Smart, ever so slightly altered the root electrical capacitance (REC) method to work in soil by using a stem clamp, soil probe, and capacitance meter. This method allowed the team to make quick predictions of dry root biomass in a variety of shrub willow species without having to dig through soil and measure tiny roots. Their findings were published in the most recent issue of Applications in Plant Sciences.

Shrub willows serve as an ideal renewable biofuel crop because they grow quickly, need little care, and quickly deposit carbon. A more thorough understanding of the shrub willow root biomass serves as an indicator of plants’ ability to grow in drought conditions. Dr. Smart’s breeding program has made great progress in breeding new hybrids that grow quickly and are resistant to disease. 

"Craig's method allows us to select new cultivars that could be more drought tolerant or be able to occupy marginal sites, such as reclaimed mine sites in West Virginia," said Smart. “This method could be directly applied to breeding programs for crops that generally require grafting to rootstocks to maintain scion varieties,” (apples, for example). “Additionally, it will be helpful for other agricultural species. Our next step is to take this method into the field and see if these correlations hold up.”

Root biomass estimations can help us combat climate change

Root biomass estimations can help us combat some of climate...

Electric car manufacturer Tesla setting up a manufacturing base in the UK is in planning, announced Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors. 

“We have a lot of respect for the British automotive engineering talent. Just look at Formula 1, it amazes me how much British talent there is in that,” said Musk. “We are likely to establish a Tesla engineering group in Britain at some point in the future.”

The news comes hot on the heels of Tesla’s acquisition of German engineering business Gohmann. The electric car manufacturer is also about to introduce its Model 3, the most affordable Tesla yet. Musk aims to power the world with renewable energy, but first, the company must increase its manufacturing efficiency. 

Acquiring Grohmann will allow Tesla to do just that: predictions show an increase of  500% in car production. By 2018, the company expects to have 500,000 cars made.

“We want to change the world with a lot of electric cars for a lot of people. That is what buying Grohmann is about,” said Musk. “This is about building the machine that builds the machine, which is more important than the [cars] themselves as volume increases.”

“The only way to make a large factory work is to have significant automation,” Mr. Musk added. “We will still have a large headcount but lots of automation and robotics. Automation is the way to make cars more affordable and accessible to as many people as possible. Economies of scale are the way to take the cost to something that people can afford to buy.”

Tesla setting up manufacturing at its factory in Fremont, California was done years ago. But according to Musk, the company is keen on growth in the European market – establishing a European manufacturing base would significantly reduce shipping costs.

“Tesla is going to make some very significant investments in Europe – and the US of course,” he said. “There is no question of at least one, maybe two or three gigafactory locations in Europe in the future.

“Currently Europe is a market for Tesla but we think the right thing to do is to start producing cars there as soon as we can reasonably do.”

Tesla setting up manufacturing base in the UK for cheaper shipping

Electric car manufacturer Tesla setting up a manufacturing base in...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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



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



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



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



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



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



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NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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

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



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



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



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



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

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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