Millions of years from now, the remnants of today’s world will be buried beneath layers of rock and sediment. While fossils of ancient creatures have long fascinated scientists, we are likely to leave behind a new kind of fossil in the future - one shaped by human activity. 



These "technofossils" include everything from plastic bottles and old mobile phones to the most unexpected of all - the blades of wind turbines.



The idea that everyday objects could become <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-fossils-reveal-signs-of-a-population-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossils</a> may seem strange. People associate fossils with dinosaur bones, ancient trees, and primitive sea creatures - not with discarded technology.



However, researchers have started to realize that the impact of human-made materials will last far longer than many natural formations. The structures we build and the items we use daily will leave a lasting imprint on the Earth’s geological record, creating a new chapter in the history of fossilization.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-human-made-objects-become-fossils">How human-made objects become fossils</h2>



Fossilization is a slow and selective process. For an object to become a fossil, it must be buried under sediment, shielded from decay, and eventually mineralized over time. 



Most organic materials decompose before they have a chance to fossilize, but some artificial materials resist natural breakdown.



Plastics, synthetic fabrics, and certain composites are particularly durable. They do not degrade easily, which makes them prime candidates for future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/north-americas-oldest-dinosaur-is-completely-rewriting-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossils</a>.



The layers of waste accumulating in landfills today could, under the right conditions, transform into well-preserved remnants of the Anthropocene epoch - the age of human influence on Earth.



<a href="https://le.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a> paleontologists Professor Sarah Gabbott and Professor Jan Zalasiewicz have explored this idea in depth. 



In their book <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/discarded-9780192869333?cc=gb&amp;lang=en&amp;" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Discarded: How Technofossils Will be Our Ultimate Legacy</a>, they examine how the products of modern life will be preserved for millennia. These objects will tell the story of a civilization defined by industry, technology, and mass consumption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossilized-wind-turbine-blades">Fossilized wind turbine blades </h2>



Among all the potential technofossils, wind turbine blades stand out as among the most surprising. These towering structures symbolize clean energy, yet their long-term environmental fate remains uncertain.



Unlike the metal towers that hold them aloft, turbine blades are produced from materials that are difficult to recycle, making them far more likely to persist in the geological record.



“The fossils won’t be of the towers, by and large – those are made of metal, which can be recycled. The enormous wind turbine blades, though, are made of materials like fibreglass and epoxy resin and carbon fibres, which are terribly hard to recycle - but easy to fossilize,“ explained Professor Zalasiewicz.



“As wind turbines reach end-of-life and are decommissioned, huge landfills of the 50 meter-long-plus blades, sliced into truck-length segments and neatly stacked side by side, are appearing and growing."



“Some will stay buried for millions of years – and, if finally erosion-revealed and stumbled upon by some curious far-future palaeontologist, will be an amazing sight, like a graveyard of gigantic, hollow, sawn-up bones."



"Some may be squashed and crumpled by earth movements, and others may be filled with mineral growths, but their striking shape and enormous size will shine out of the strata.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-piecing-together-the-past">Piecing together the past</h2>



Future scientists may one day stumble upon these massive fossils and wonder about their origins. 



Just as modern paleontologists reconstruct dinosaur skeletons from fragmented bones, these wind turbine fossils could present a mystery for researchers in the distant future. Their aerodynamic design might hint at their original purpose, but without historical records, their function could remain uncertain.



“For our far-future explorers, they will be a huge puzzle – will they be able to tell that they were built to catch the wind, and to provide energy that is clean and renewable? Perhaps they will, if they can piece them together – like we reconstruct huge dinosaur skeletons today – to see their aerodynamic shapes,” said Professor Zalasiewicz.



These fossils will not be alone. They will be part of a vast and complex geological archive of human activity. Alongside them, future scientists may uncover the remains of other everyday objects, from metal wires and plastic containers to microchips and industrial pollutants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-impact-of-human-waste">Growing impact of human waste</h2>



While wind turbine blades are one of the more dramatic examples, they are not the only evidence of human impact on the planet. 



Every year, billions of discarded items accumulate in landfills and oceans. Over time, many of these objects will become buried beneath layers of sediment, preserving them for future generations to discover.



“They will be only one puzzle among the millions we leave behind in our daily lives (and we suspect they would also find the more sinister fossils left by fossil fuel burning). There’s been nothing like this emerging new fossil cornucopia in the Earth’s four and a half billion-year history,“ noted Professor Zalasiewicz.



“And right now, we should begin to understand this amazing, if often toxic, legacy that we are leaving for the planet. Knowing how our myriad discarded objects will fossilise into the far future can help us deal with the growing mountains of trash we live among today.”



Understanding how our waste fossilizes is not just an academic pursuit. It provides insight into the long-term effects of human consumption and pollution. 



This knowledge could encourage more sustainable practices and better waste management strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of future generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-relics-of-modern-life">Unexpected relics of modern life</h2>



The idea of human-made fossils, including turbine blades, invites some unusual questions.



What will be the strangest objects that survive millions of years into the future? Which everyday items will become the most unexpected relics of modern life?



“It’s been a real adventure to use our understanding of how fossils form in the past and now apply it to the very new world of what we call technofossils,“ Professor Sarah Gabbott noted.



“But then we were asked a really tricky question. What will the most surprising technofossil that we leave behind, millions (or billions) of years from now?



“There are so many candidates to rival wind turbines for the ‘weirdest human-made fossil of all time.' There are, for instance, the myriad different shapes that a pair of Y-fronts can take when pressed within strata (and yes, we do explore that very particular question in the book)."



“There are the tiny, but very distinctive – and very hard-wearing – fossil smoke particles that come out of our power stations. There are the strange stories of tea-bags, and of chicken feathers, non-stick pans, the minute patterns on silicon chips, the copper wires that wrap around the globe, and much more,” explained Professor Gabbott.



From fabric pressed into rock to microscopic patterns on electronic chips, these objects will provide a unique record of human civilization. Their presence in the geological archive will serve as evidence of a world driven by innovation, industry, and material consumption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-wind-turbine-blades">Future research on wind turbine blades</h2>



The study of technofossils is more than just a curiosity - it forces us to reconsider our relationship with waste and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long-term environmental impact</a>. If everyday objects will outlast entire civilizations, what responsibilities do we have in managing what we leave behind?



Gabbott and Zalasiewicz’s research challenges us to think beyond the present moment. The choices we make today will shape how future generations understand our era. 



By studying how human-made materials fossilize, we gain a new perspective on sustainability, history, and the consequences of our actions over deep time .



As we continue to innovate and build, it is worth remembering that the fossils of the future will not just be ancient bones and shells. Everything we discard has the potential to become a lasting mark on the planet. 



This is what will tell the story of a world transformed by humanity.



-----



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.&nbsp;



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.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

What modern fossils will be the 'most surprising' to future explorers?

Millions of years from now, the remnants of today’s world will be buried beneath layers of rock and sediment. While fossils of ancient creatures have long fascinated scientists, we are likely to leave behind a new kind of fossil in the future - one shaped by human activity. These "technofossils" include everything from plastic bottles and old mobile phones to the most unexpected of all - the blades of wind turbines. The idea that everyday objects could become fossils may seem strange. People associate fossils with dinosaur...

Global Warming Causing Dramatic Changes To Arctic Tundra. Significant changes in one of the Earth's most important ecosystems are not only a symptom of climate change, but may fuel further warming, research suggests.

One of the biggest studies to date of key vegetation in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-icebergs-affect-seawater-and-ocean-currents-far-from-the-continent/">Arctic</a> tundra provides strong evidence that dramatic changes in the region are being driven by climate warming.

Studies of tundra shrubs - which act as a barometer of the Arctic environment - show that they grow more when temperatures are warmer. Increased shrub growth, driven by recent and future warming in the Arctic, could cause more warming in tundra ecosystems and for the planet as a whole.

Taller shrubs prevent snow from reflecting heat from the sun back into space, warming the Earth's surface. They can also influence soil temperatures and thaw permafrost. Increased shrubs can change the cycling of nutrients and carbon in soil, affecting its decomposition and the amount of carbon released to the atmosphere. All these factors can contribute to climate warming both in the Arctic and on a global scale.

Shrub species in wet landscapes at mid-latitudes of the Arctic are the most sensitive to climate warming, the study found. These areas are vulnerable to change as they store large amounts of carbon in frozen soil, which could be released by warming and permafrost thaw.

An international team of scientists at 37 sites in nine countries, led by the University of Edinburgh, studied records of shrub growth spanning 60 years by analysing annual growth rings in the plant stems, to explore links between climate and vegetation change.

The study, published in Nature Climate Change, was funded by the International Arctic Science Committee. The findings will help improve models of future changes to tundra ecosystems and the impacts of these changes on the global climate. Global Warming Causing Dramatic Changes To Arctic Tundra

Dr Isla Myers-Smith, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, who co-ordinated the study, said: "Arctic shrub growth in the tundra is one of the most significant examples on Earth of the effect that climate change is having on ecosystems. Our findings show there is a lot of variation across this landscape. Understanding this should help improve predictions of climate change impacts across the tundra."

---

<a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of Edinburgh</a>

Global Warming Causing Dramatic Changes To Arctic Tundra

Global Warming Causing Dramatic Changes To Arctic Tundra. Significant changes...

US Appeals Court Upholds EPA Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan. A U.S. appeals court has upheld a federal plan limiting pollution in the Chesapeake Bay despite objections from farmers who accuse the Environmental Protection Agency of abusing its power.
The ruling Monday upholds restrictions on farm and construction runoff and wastewater treatment and is a clear win for environmentalists.
Six states have agreed to the pollution limits: Delaware, Maryland, <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/earth-from-space-new-york-city/">New York</a>, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, along with Washington, D.C.,
The American Farm Bureau Federation and others fought the restrictions. They argued that the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=epa&amp;cvid=4ef98a92817545a7b879b887e83e2a4a&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">EPA</a> was usurping state authority to regulate waterways.
The EPA says animal waste and fertilizer that moves from streams into the Chesapeake is the single largest source of bay pollution.US Appeals Court Upholds EPA Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan
Third Circuit Judge Thomas Ambro says Chesapeake Bay pollution is a complex problem that affects more than 17 million people. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / Eastern Shore of Virginia and the state of Delaware) with its mouth of the Bay at the south end located between Cape Henry and Cape Charles.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy andTerms of Use.

US Appeals Court Upholds EPA Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan

US Appeals Court Upholds EPA Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan. A...

Warm Ocean Temperatures A Huge Threat For Coral Reefs. Abnormally warm ocean temperatures are creating conditions that threaten to kill coral across the equatorial Pacific, north Pacific and western Atlantic oceans, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday.
Coral bleaching occurs when coral is stressed by changes in its environment, causing it to release algae living in its tissue. The coral then turns pale or white and becomes more susceptible to disease. In severe cases, the coral can die, permanently changing the habitat for fish and shellfish.
"The bleaching that started in June 2014 has been really bad for corals in the western Pacific," said Mark Eakin, NOAA's Coral Reef Watch coordinator, in news release Monday. "We are worried that bleaching will spread to the western <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/the-2020-atlantic-hurricane-season-was-supercharged/">Atlantic</a> and again into Hawaii." Warm Ocean Temperatures A Huge Threat For Coral Reefs
Ocean temperatures, light and nutrient levels can cause bleaching. But NOAA says only warm temperatures can cause the widespread bleaching that scientists have been seeing since last year.
In 2014, Hawaii experienced widespread bleaching for the first time in nearly two decades. If it happens again this year, it would be the first time in history the Hawaiian Islands saw consecutive years of bleaching, NOAA says.
Coral can recover from mild bleaching, but two consecutive years of bleaching could cause severe damage, scientists say.
"Many healthy, resilient coral reefs can withstand bleaching as long as they have time to recover," Eakin said. "However, when you have repeated bleaching on a reef within a short period of time, it's very hard for the corals to recover and survive."
In 2014, Kaneohe Bay on Oahu's east side suffered the most serious bleaching in the state, which is home to 15 percent of all coral under U.S. jurisdiction. Seventy-five percent of the dominant coral species there lost some color or turned completely white.
Coral reefs are a critical part of the ecosystem, and their health is vital to the ocean environment. Coral cover just one-tenth of the ocean floor, but they are home to 25 percent of known marine species. Some fish eat coral, and others hide from predators in them. Some species use coral as nursery grounds. Some types of shark will frequent coral reefs.
---
Follow Caleb Jones on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/CalebAP" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://twitter.com/CalebAP</a>
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Warm Ocean Temperatures A Huge Threat For Coral Reefs

Warm Ocean Temperatures A Huge Threat For Coral Reefs. Abnormally...

Expansion Of Rubber Industry Is Risky Environmental Business. Researchers say policy interventions may be necessary to protect local economies and ecosystems from the pitfalls of rubber expansion.

Despite the proliferation of synthetics, industrially superior traditional rubber remains king. Accordingly, prices remain high.

As a result, rubber production has slowly been expanding out of its comfort zone in the tropics of Indonesia and into more marginal production regions of continental Southeast Asia.

While the lure of the seemingly limitless demand for rubber has persuaded many to convert farmland and forests into rubber plantations, researchers suggest real profits are elusive. Expansion Of Rubber Industry Is Risky Environmental Business

New research by scientists from the World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF) suggests widespread land conversion for rubber production could put farmers' livelihoods at risk, leaving them with a less stable food supply and fewer sources of income. Furthermore, researchers say global warming is likely to make marginal rubber production land even less profitable.

Even more obvious, researchers suggest, are the environmental costs of rubber expansion. Expanding rubber operations are destroying forests and previously protected wilderness in Southeast Asia and southern China -- shrinking the carbon-absorbing benefits of dense forest, as well as diminishing soil productivity, water availability, and biodiversity.

"There is clear potential for loss-loss scenarios when forest is being cleared for rubber plantations that are not economically sustainable, and that have negative impacts on soils and water balance," researcher Antje Ahrends, a scienitst with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the World Agroforestry Center, <a class="tpstyle" href="http://worldagroforestry.org/newsroom/press-releases/new-research-rubber-expansion-threatens-biodiversity-and-livelihoods" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said in a press release</a>.

A report on the economic and environmental consequences of rubber expansion was published this week <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378015000801" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in the journal Global Environmental Change</a>.

Researchers in China, Europe and elsewhere say policy interventions may be necessary to protect local economies and ecosystems from the pitfalls of rubber expansion.

"Oil palm has received much more global attention than rubber, but in fact environmental and social impacts are comparable and the dynamics of the two are related," explained Meine Van Noordwijk, chief science advisor at ICRAF. "It may be time for a roundtable on sustainable rubber where the private sector, public parties and scientists can try to bridge the various interests and agree on standards."

---

Credit: UPI

Expansion Of Rubber Industry Is Risky Environmental Business

Expansion Of Rubber Industry Is Risky Environmental Business. Researchers say...

How Do Perennial Biofuel Crops Affect Water Cycles. There are costs and benefits for every land management decision. In the Midwest, researchers wanted to better understand the costs of planting perennial biofuel crops like switchgrass or native grasses.

Their work suggests in one category, at least, biofuel crops and corn are equal. Both have a similar water-usage footprint.

When biofuels are burned, less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere than is released by fossil fuels. But are biofuels a net positive? To know for sure, researchers need to more accurately calculate the energy required to grow biofuel crops and how their production affects the environment.

Recently, researchers at Michigan State University looked at how switchgrass and other biofuel plants affect the water cycle in the upper Midwest. To measure their affects, scientists installed water sensors in the soil of a number for farm fields in Michigan.

The sensors helped scientists calculate how much water made its way to the water table and how much evaporated back into the atmosphere.

"When we established the different cropping systems in 2008, we installed soil-water sensors at various depths through the root zone," Stephen Hamilton, a scientist at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, <a class="tpstyle" href="http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2015/perennial-biofuel-crops-water-consumption-similar-to-corn/?utm_campaign=media-pitch&amp;utm_medium=email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said in a press release</a>. "We've been continuously monitoring the soil water content ever since."

Hamilton and his colleagues found that biofuel crops like switchgrass, miscanthus, native grasses, restored prairies and hybrid poplar trees use roughly the same amount of water as corn crops.

"The message here," Hamilton said, "is that in many settings, perennials may not use more water. For well-drained soils in the upper Midwest at least, and probably for eastern North America in general, these results most likely apply, and water balance would not be adversely affected."

The new research was published this week <a class="tpstyle" href="http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/10/6/064015/article" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in the journal Environmental Research Letters</a>.

---

Credit: UPI

How Do Perennial Biofuel Crops Affect Water Cycles

How Do Perennial Biofuel Crops Affect Water Cycles. There are...

Judge Refuses To Dismiss Gulf Oil Leak Lawsuit. A federal judge refused on Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit that environmental groups filed against a New Orleans-based company responsible for a decade-old oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan ruled that a trial is necessary to determine whether several plaintiffs led by the <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/earth-from-space-new-york-city/">New York</a>-based Waterkeeper Alliance have a right to sue Taylor Energy Company.
The company has claimed federal regulators agree nothing more can be done to stop its leak off Louisiana's coast. But Morgan concluded there is a "genuine factual dispute" over whether Taylor can and should do more to mitigate its impacts. Judge Refuses To Dismiss Gulf <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=oil&amp;cvid=723a982b267a48e7a111102c079589cb&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Oil</a> Leak Lawsuit
Since 2004, oil has been leaking at the site where a Taylor-owned platform toppled during Hurricane Ivan. A mudslide triggered by Ivan's waves also buried a cluster of oil wells under mounds of sediment.
Authorities estimate the leak could last a century or more if left unchecked. The Coast Guard has ordered the company to design and install a better system for collecting oil before it reaches the water's surface.
In April, an investigation by The Associated Press revealed evidence that the leak is worse than Taylor, or the government, have publicly reported. Presented with AP's findings, the Coast Guard provided a new leak estimate that is about 20 times greater than one recently touted by the company in a court filing.
Taylor Energy sold all its offshore leases and oil and gas interests in 2008, four years after founder Patrick Taylor died. The company says it is no longer active in the offshore industry and it only exists to continue addressing the leak.
Morgan, however, said that position isn't consistent with the company's argument that many leak-related documents must remain under wraps to protect valuable trade secrets.
"If Taylor has ceased to operate as an oil producer, the Court questions whether information related to oil production should remain confidential," she wrote.
A biologist, a tour guide and a fisherman are named as plaintiffs in the suit. The company claims they lack the legal "standing" to sue over alleged Clean Water Act violations.
A trial for the case is scheduled to start on Oct. 5, with Morgan hearing testimony and deciding the case without a jury.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Judge Refuses To Dismiss Gulf Oil Leak Lawsuit

Judge Refuses To Dismiss Gulf Oil Leak Lawsuit. A federal...

EPA: Climate Plan On Track Despite Mercury Ruling. A Supreme Court ruling that undermined a federal rule targeting mercury pollution will not affect the Obama administration's plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions to slow the effects of global warming, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said she was disappointed with last week's court ruling, but said comparing the mercury rule to the nearly finalized climate plan is "comparing apples and oranges."
The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled June 29 that the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=epa&amp;cvid=f5b01ce4f79c4653a4f3bd6087db1d38&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">EPA</a> should have considered the costs and benefits of its plan before deciding to impose limits on mercury and other hazardous air pollutants.
McCarthy described the ruling as "very narrow" and said it posed little threat to the 2011 mercury rule and even less risk to the climate rule, a separate effort that sets unprecedented <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ocean-carbon-dioxide-sink/">carbon dioxide</a> limits for coal-fired power plants that contribute to global warming.
A majority of U.S. power plants have already invested millions of dollars to install pollution controls needed to comply with the mercury rule, so the practical effect of the court's ruling will be limited, McCarthy said at a speech sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.
The court decision did not set aside the mercury rule, but merely returned it to a lower court to decide how a cost-benefits analysis should be conducted, McCarthy said, adding that she is confident the rule eventually will be implemented.
"There's very compelling reasons for the utilities to continue to treat this as a requirement, and I think you'll see them doing that," she said.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration is on track to complete the so-called Clean Power Plan next month, McCarthy said. The plan is intended to cut earth-warming pollution from power plants by 30 percent by 2030, setting in motion one of the most significant U.S. actions ever to address global warming. Once completed, the rule will set the first national limits on carbon dioxide from existing power plants, the largest source of greenhouse gases in the U.S.
Congressional Republicans have vowed to block the rule and some GOP governors have said their states will not comply. McCarthy said she also expects a series of legal challenges to the rule, but said she is confident the administration will prevail.
"We're actually very good at writing rules and defending them in court, and this will be no exception," she said.
On a related topic, McCarthy slammed proposed spending cuts being pushed by Republicans in Congress, saying they could have significant impact on "the core functions of the agency."
The House is debating a bill this week that would slash the EPA's budget by 9 percent and block the agency from advancing a host of new rules, including the plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants.
EPA officials receive calls daily from states and localities with questions about enforcement of environmental rules, McCarthy said, adding that the proposed budget cuts could make it difficult to answer those calls.
If the EPA can't answer those questions, who will? McCarthy asked. "Ghostbusters won't answer the phone," she said.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

EPA: Climate Plan On Track Despite Mercury Ruling

EPA: Climate Plan On Track Despite Mercury Ruling. A Supreme...

Pope Continues To Express His Environmental Protection Plan. Pope Francis challenged Latin America's youth to take up his environmental protection plan Tuesday, saying the defense of God's creation isn't just a recommendation but a requirement.
Francis appeal, delivered at Quito's Catholic University, is particularly relevant for Ecuador, a Pacific nation that is home to one of the world's most species-diverse ecosystems in the Galapagos Islands and <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=amazon+rainforest&amp;cvid=41008ed5a9c7456183c4c5be7f5e58f7&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Amazon</a> rain forest, but is also an OPEC country heavily dependent on oil extraction. Pope Continues To Express His Environmental Protection Plan
Francis told students and professors that God gave humanity the Earth to not only cultivate, but to care for - a message he framed earlier this month in his headline-grabbing encyclical on the environment.
"It is no longer a mere recommendation, but rather a requirement because of the harm we have inflicted on it by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed it," he said.
He challenged universities to ensure that students' educations aren't aimed only at profitable careers but at helping the poor and the environment.
"There is a relationship between our life and that of mother <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cyanobacteria-may-shed-new-light-on-the-history-of-life-on-earth/">Earth</a>, between the way we live and the gift we have received from God," he said.
Francis' environmental message has been cheered by indigenous groups, who have complained of being increasingly marginalized by Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa as he pushes mining and oil drilling in the Amazon. That push, coupled with high crude prices, allowed Correa to lift 1.3 million people out of poverty in his eight years in office.
Francis has called for environmentally responsible development, one that is aimed at helping the poor without sacrificing the planet.
It was a message he was likely to repeat later in the day at a meeting with indigenous groups, and then later this week in Bolivia, the next stop on his three-nation South American tour. Bolivian President Evo Morales has been hailed as an environmental hero to many for demanding rich nations do more to halt global warming, but he has been assailed by conservationists at home who say he puts oil and gas extraction ahead of clean water and forests.
Francis began his last full day in Ecuador with an open-air Mass that drew more than 1 million people and featured readings in Quichua, the native language mostly spoken in Ecuador, and Ecuadorean vestments for the pope.
In his homily, Francis urged Latin Americans to channel the same urgency that brought them independence from Spain two centuries ago into spreading the faith on a continent where Catholicism is losing souls to evangelical movements.
The Mass location, at Quito's Bicentennial Park, was appropriate given that Ecuador was where the first cries of independence against Spanish rule arose in Latin America in 1809.
"There was no shortage of conviction or strength in that cry for freedom which arose a little more than 200 years ago," Francis said. "But history tells us that it only made headway once personal differences were set aside."
He urged Latin Americans to channel that same purpose and unity into spreading the faith. Latin America counts 40 percent of the world's Catholics, but the church is losing out to Protestant evangelical ministries that have focused on the continent's poorest communities with real-life guidance on employment and education.
While the drop-off in Spanish-speaking South America hasn't been as sharp as it has been in Brazil, it is notable: Some 95 percent of Ecuador's population was Catholic in 1970, and now the figure is down to 79 percent, according to the Pew Research Center.
In a bid to counter the trend and return the Catholic Church to its evangelizing origins, Francis has called for the church to return to being a missionary church that looks out particularly for society's poorest and most marginalized. It's a message he crafted for the entire Latin American church when he played a leading role in a 2007 conference of bishops in Aparecida, Brazil.
"Evangelization doesn't consist in proselytizing, but in attracting by our witness to those who are far off, in humbly drawing near to those who feel distant from God and the church, those who are fearful or indifferent," Francis told the crowd. "Proselytism is a caricature of evangelization."
Francis arrived at Bicentennial Park to cheers of people who camped out overnight for a good spot. They were rewarded with a pre-dawn deluge that sent some 20 people to paramedics with hypothermia, said city operations director Cristian Rivera. But the sun broke out as Francis arrived in his popemobile, with fans tossing confetti on him as he zoomed by.
"The joy at seeing the pope gives us the warmth we need," said Abel Gualoto, a 59-year-old seafood vendor as he rubbed his cold hands together to try to stay warm.
Tuesday was expected to end with a visit to the Church of the Society of Jesus, known locally as Iglesia de la Compania. The Jesuit church, a gem of Spanish Baroque, is one of the oldest and most well-known in Ecuador. It houses a painting of the Virgin Mary that was said to shed tears in 1906.
---
Nicole Winfield on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/nwinfield" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.twitter.com/nwinfield</a>
---
Associated Press writers Jacobo Garcia and Frank Bajak contributed to this report.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Pope Continues To Express His Environmental Protection Plan

Pope Continues To Express His Environmental Protection Plan. Pope Francis...

Republicans Want To Tap Into Wildfire Disaster Reserves. House <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=republicans&amp;cvid=e9dda83c7e2f47a58dc75582969613a6&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Republicans</a> are proposing that some wildfires be treated like federal disasters, an attempt to win broader support for legislation that targets overgrown national forest lands.
The legislation focuses on speeding up timber harvests and the removal of underbrush the Forest Service deems necessary to improving the health of a forest. Some Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups have been critical of the bill because they say it would erode key environmental safeguards.
With a House vote expected this week, GOP lawmakers are adding the federal disaster language to the bill, something the<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/coal-plants-closed-trump/"> Obama</a> administration first proposed early last year, but with some wrinkles.
Under current policy, the agencies fighting wildfires divert money toward firefighting from other programs during particularly busy years. But that practice delays the very efforts designed to prevent fires in the first place, such as the thinning of dead trees and the removal of thick underbrush. Supporters say that letting federal agencies tap into a disaster fund will prevent such borrowing and lessen the risk of catastrophic forest fires in the coming years.
This year's fire season appears to be shaping up a busy one, adding some urgency to tackling the funding problem. A report Monday from the National Interagency Fire Center showed 51 active large fires across 10 states, with more than half taking place in Alaska and Washington.
"My colleagues on both sides of the aisle agree that current efforts to combat the growing threat of catastrophic wildfires are failing our communities. This package charts a new course," said Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah., the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.
Bishop said the bill should garner broad support. But Robert Bonnie, who oversees natural resource issues at the Agriculture Department, which houses the Forest Service, indicated the GOP has more work to do to win over the administration. He described the bill as a step forward but said the changes don't go far enough to address financial challenges that the Forest Service faces as more and more of its budget is eaten up by fighting forest fires. Bonnie said he wanted to continue talking to lawmakers before formally taking a stand.
One of the biggest differences between what House Republicans are backing and what the administration proposed is when federal agencies could tap into a disaster account.
The government estimates its firefighting needs based on the average costs of the 10 previous years. The administration supports funding the agencies at 70 percent of the 10-year average and using the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster fund to cover remaining costs as well as provide more money to treat forests.
Bonnie said fires such as the "Rim Fire" in California two years ago should be treated as federal disasters regardless of when they occur. That fire scorched 400 square miles and cost $125 million to fight.
"You can give the Forest Service new authority, but unless you solve the budget problem, the Forest Service lacks the resources to increase the pace and scale of forest restoration," Bonnie said.
House Republicans would let the agencies tap into a disaster fund only after they've exhausted that year's firefighting budget, and the extra money could only be used for putting out fires. The money would also be part of a separate account within FEMA so that it wouldn't take money from recovery efforts for hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters.
And while the administration wants to put more money into treating forests before fires occur, the House bill is focused on lowering regulatory hurdles to speed timbering projects. Also, House Republicans want to require that groups suing the federal government over a thinning project buy an insurance bond in the event they lose. That way, the federal government could recoup the expense of defending itself in court. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., said the provision will be a "poison pill" for many Democratic lawmakers.
Bonnie cited the bonding requirement as one of the most troubling provisions in the bill. Still, he sought to maintain an environment where the two sides could potentially iron out some of their differences.
"We want to work with them," Bonnie said. "The current design of those provisions we think can be a lot better."
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Republicans Want To Tap Into Wildfire Disaster Reserves

Republicans Want To Tap Into Wildfire Disaster Reserves. House Republicans...

Under the scorching sun, dozens of Thai villagers, dressed in flowery shirts and traditional costumes, parade a white cat caged in a bamboo-woven basket door-to-door and let neighbors splash water on the unlucky feline, while chanting an ancient tune: "Rain, rain, come pouring down. We barely had any this year. Without rain, our rice will die."
It's a desperate plea to the god of rain, in the belief it will hear the cat's cry and answer the farmers' prayers.
Thailand's rainy season officially began in the last week of May, but it rained only once in the Ban Lueam district in northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province. It is one of more than 250 districts - or nearly 20 percent of the country - that have been declared emergency disaster zones as the prolonged drought becomes the worst in decades, its impact felt most acutely by farmers growing Thailand's most important agricultural export: rice.
At the beginning of July, the amount of usable water in major dams across the country - except in the west - dropped to below 10 percent, according to the Irrigation Department. The water level at Bhumibol Dam has dropped to its lowest point in 51 years.
In the capital, Bangkok, the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority has been slowing down tap water production since May. The head of the authority, Gov. Thanasak Watanathana, told The Associated Press that without rains, the current water supply for daily consumption in Bangkok and its nearby provinces will last only 30 days. However, he said forecasters are expecting rains next month.
For rice farmers, it may already be too late.
The drought and the critical water shortage in dams have prompted the Agriculture Ministry to ask farmers to hold off on planting their crops. The Office of Agricultural Economics estimated that the delay could cost farmers in Thailand's central plains alone 60 billion baht ($1.8 billion) in potential losses.
"Every year in the past, in June and July, in every part of the country - the north, the central or the northeast - farmers would have started planting their rice," said Sompong Inthong, the permanent secretary at the Agriculture Ministry. "The real damage will be with those who have already planted but there's not enough water. We have to look at how we can help them."
The Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department have sent a fleet of propeller aircrafts on more than 3,000 flights since March to increase precipitation by cloud seeding, an artificial rainmaking technique spearheaded by King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Despite the high rate of success, it did little to fill the dams.
Together with Vietnam, Thailand is one of the world's top rice exporters. But because of the drought, the Office of Agricultural Economics estimates this year's main crop will decrease by 11 percent, or about 24 million tons from the average of 27 million tons per year.
The Thai Rice Exporters Association says at least 3 million tons of off-season rice has disappeared from the stock since the beginning of the year due to the drought. The main concern, however, is the main farming cycle, which begins in May and is harvested as early as October.
"If the main crop's produce is damaged, even 10 or 20 percent, it means the amount of rice will drop drastically," said Chookiat Ophaswongse, the association's honorary president. "If there's still little rain from now, I'm afraid it will make quite an impact on next year's export figures."
He said that Thailand's competitiveness against rival exporters, such as Vietnam, "which have less impact from the drought than Thailand, will be affected."
Meteorologists from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA say 2014 was the hottest year on record since 1880, when Earth's average surface temperature has warmed by about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius) - a trend that is largely driven by the increase in carbon dioxide and other human emissions into the planet's atmosphere. The majority of that warming has occurred in the past three decades.
The reason involves El Nino, a warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean that affects weather worldwide. This year, NOAA says, El Nino has an 85 percent chance of lasting through winter 2015-2016.
In Ban Lueam, a drought-plagued rural district 340 kilometers (211 miles) northeast of Bangkok, several hundred farmers did not have any choices but to start growing their rice and hope for the rain.
Last week, Boonchan Thasunthorn, 58, finished plowing nearly 16 acres (6 1/2 hectares) of his rice farms by using a crumbling 16-year-old manual tractor. He said he would rather take risk by sowing the crops in the absence of rain than holding off until it was too late.
Boonchan's village is outside the irrigation zone and the only access to natural water is the Chi River, which has nearly dried up.
"I'm just waiting for it to rain. ... If the drought continues, it's going to be tough for me. But I can't just sit here and do nothing, or else I'll starve," he said, adding that he still owed 100,000 baht ($2,950) to the Bank of Agriculture for the equipment and maintenance costs for his farms.
"This drought has hit me the hardest, but I don't know what else to do. Once you're a farmer, it's hard to be something else."
---
Follow Thanyarat Doksone at twitter.com/(at)8td
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Thai Farmers Beg The Spirits For Rain To End Crippling Drought

Under the scorching sun, dozens of Thai villagers, dressed in...

The Obama administration moved Wednesday to significantly expand a requirement for utilities to install inexpensive safety valves on gas lines across the U.S. after deadly fires and explosions going back decades that could have been avoided.
The Transportation Department proposal would cover new or replaced natural gas lines serving multi-family dwellings, small businesses and homes not already covered under a 2009 mandate.
The National Transportation Safety Board and other safety advocates have pressed for years to broaden requirements for so-called excess flow valves. The devices cost about $30 apiece for residential use, according to officials, and are designed to automatically shut off the flow of gas when a line is ruptured.
An Associated Press investigation in 2012 uncovered more than 270 accidents dating to 1968 that could have been averted or made less dangerous if the valves had been in place.
Fire Capt. David Wells led the first company responding to the scene of a gas explosion in Springfield, Massachusetts, in November 2012 that injured at least 20 people and damaged dozens of buildings with a boom heard for miles. Investigators said the accident could have been averted if valves had shut off the spewing gas.
Having the valves in place also would help keep first responders safe, said Wells, adding that some of his colleagues are still recovering from injuries.
"It caused three guys to retire from the job, and some guys are still suffering from headaches and pains. Some of the guys are more gun-shy now when it comes to gas leaks," Wells said.
Officials stressed that the valves won't prevent lines from being ruptured, such as when a backhoe doing excavation work slices through a gas pipe servicing a house. But by limiting the amount of gas that escapes, the valves can prevent a buildup of fuel that can contribute to explosions or fires.
"This important action will add extra protections to communities serviced by the nation's largest network of pipelines," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.
Federal officials say the valves could have averted at least eight accidents that killed 10 people since 1998, including Springfield.
The valves also could help reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that are contributing to climate change, officials said.
As utilities across the country dig up their old cast-iron and plastic gas lines over the coming years, the proposed rule would ensure they are replaced with safer lines that can be shut off more easily, said Carl Weimer, executive director of the Pipeline Safety Trust, a safety advocacy group.
But Weimer said the proposal "won't do much good for existing lines that lack valves and aren't being replaced."
Customers could request the safety valves under the rule for the tens of millions of gas lines already installed across the U.S., but it does not specify who would pay for their installation.
About 180,000 automatic valves would be installed annually under the rule, according to the Transportation Department's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Manual valves would be required for new or replaced gas service lines that deliver higher volumes of gas, such as for apartment buildings and large commercial or residential gas customers. The government projected more than 40,000 of those valves would be installed annually.
Out of more than 67 million gas service lines in the U.S., just over 9.3 million currently have excess flow valves, according to information submitted to regulators. A breakdown by type of customer was not available.
The American Gas Association said its members have been voluntarily installing the valves on some lines for the past two years.
The NTSB was reviewing the proposal to determine if it satisfies the board's prior recommendations to install excess flow valves on all new and renewed gas lines, regardless of the type of customer, spokesman Keith Holloway said.
Industry representatives previously have raised concerns about the potential cost of installation, particularly for larger gas lines that would require specialized valves. American Public Gas Association Vice President John Erickson said utilities would be more accepting of a rule that is limited to smaller lines.
But Erickson added that quality control during valve manufacturing was crucial to make sure the devices don't inadvertently shut off the flow of gas for no reason.
"It's not going to affect every type of accident, but one where an excavator hits a service line, they seem to be effective at reducing the (gas) flow to where it's an insignificant risk," he said.
Installing the valves on new and replaced lines should cost between $4.4 million and $20.3 million per year, depending on the price of the valves, the Transportation Department said. Benefits from damages avoided were generally lower - between $7.3 million and $14 million.
Transportation officials said the proposal was nevertheless justified because of hard-to-measure benefits, such as avoided evacuations, environmental damages and the possibility of a high-consequence incident that could inflict mass casualties.
The 2009 mandate required excess flow valves to be installed on new and replaced gas distribution lines serving single-family residences. The proposal would expand that to include lines serving multiple homes, duplexes and small multi-family buildings, and shops ranging from doctors' offices and shopping centers to banks.
--
Burke reported from San Francisco.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Feds Propose More Safety Valves For Gas Lines

The Obama administration moved Wednesday to significantly expand a requirement...

House Republicans Take On Obama's Environmental Agenda. Republicans Wednesday repelled numerous attempts by Democrats to defend the Obama administration's environmental agenda as the GOP-controlled House debates a $30 billion measure funding the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department for the upcoming budget year.
Democrats came out on the losing end of votes on administration rules on selling items containing ivory from endangered African elephants, curbing runoff from mountaintop removal coal-mining operations, hydraulic fracturing on federal lands and potential protections for the sage-grouse and the grey wolf.
The White House has vowed to veto the bill over GOP "riders" - or policy add-ons - to thwart Obama's moves on the environment and funding cuts for the <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/gentoo-penguins-are-not-one-species-but-four/">EPA</a> budget and other programs. House Republicans Take On <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=obama&amp;cvid=30887235709d49ebb95323c914a5d200&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Obama'</a>s Environmental Agenda
Republicans have tried many of the riders before only to see them stripped out in end-stage negotiations but they hold a stronger hand now that they control the Senate.
Republicans are seeking to delay the administration from cracking down on ivory sales after widespread complaints from owners of musical instruments, antiques and guns made with ivory, who say the rules are making it more difficult to trade in such items and reducing their value. A revised rule is expected this month in response to the protests.
The rules are aimed at combating elephant and rhinoceros poaching. An amendment by Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., to block Republicans from interfering with the ivory rule was rejected by a 244-183 vote.
Grijalva also lost an attempt to defend upcoming Interior Department rules on runoff from mountaintop mining operations, which he said have filled in 2,000 miles of streams, destroying habitat and killing fish. Republicans say the department isn't taking job losses from the struggling coal industry into account.
Republicans also defended provisions that try to block proposed the Bureau of Land Management from enforcing new rules governing the use of hydraulic fracturing to extract oil and natural gas from BLM lands. Republicans said the rules create a duplicative compliance system in states that have already issued their own rules and would drive down production, but Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., countered that the BLM is already working with states to iron out kinks.
The underlying bill is expected to pass the House on Thursday by a nearly party-line vote. Companion Senate Appropriations Committee legislation is also controversial but has yet to be brought up for debate by the full Senate.
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

House Republicans Take On Obama's Environmental Agenda

House Republicans Take On Obama's Environmental Agenda. Republicans Wednesday repelled...

<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